"The retreat was the next chapter in me being able to move forward with life." — Regina, 2014 Vermont Retreat
“I had three to four days to talk about my babies without any negativity or judgement.” — Kaitlyn, 2015 Seattle Retreat
“I didn’t expect it to completely change my life by giving me these women that I need desperately now.” — Allison, 2014 Ojai Retreat
"A whole new world opened up to me, showing me I was not alone." — Allison, 2015 Seattle Retreat
“Attending the retreat has been the best gift I could ever give myself. Although i was anxious to leave my daughter and terrified of being alone in my grief without the support of my family it didn’t take long before I felt the support of my new family. All the women who totally ‘get it’. The women who dared to share their heartache and be vulnerable in the hope to find some peace. I can honestly say I left the retreat with strength, peace and so much love in my heart. It reaffirmed the love and eternal connection I have with my son even after death. A new way to love and honour the boy he was and how honoured I feel to have been his mother.”
“I felt so loved supported and nurtured at the retreat. It is such a uniquely amazing experience that no words can really describe the benefits that it has not only to your healing but to also the way you love and care for yourself.”
“It would have taken me years to find and learn what I found at the retreat in 5 days. These ‘strangers’ made me feel like I belonged, I felt as if I were in a safe place filled with love and everyone could relate to what I was going through. For the first time in so long I felt peace, calm and clarity. I left the retreat with a beautiful sense of connection to my daughter, amazing, supportive new friends and tools to help me cope back in the ‘real world’.”
“There were beautiful women in all stages of the grief journey and we all learnt so much from each other. I learnt so much about myself and most importantly the tools to make change in my life and how to really connect with my Angels.”
“As someone who traveled from Florida to Seattle for the retreat, do not let the travel stop you. Find a way, do not wait, get to the next retreat for your next steps in healing. It was better than 4 years of therapy.”
“This experience is sensational, inspirational, and transformational.”
“What I gained is worth far more than what money can ever buy.”
“Healing was the top priority and the space, the food and the activities all supported this mission. I was so impressed with how the activities they created and the space they designed to keep us all feeling safe.”
“I have finally felt comforted, validated, and listened to. I want to live my life with love and gratitude for what I have been given...my beautiful husband, family, friends...most importantly I am grateful for Johan and Gabe...They complete me and make me a mother. ”
“My inner-light is brighter, I feel more peace and relaxation about my grief/loss and I have much more love for myself.”
“I really liked the diversity of attendees - there was a huge spectrum of experiences, age, time since loss, etc.”
“To be surrounded by women who weren’t afraid to speak my babies names, to ask me about my journey through this thing we call grief, to look at my babies photos and other memorabilia without complete horror and to know and to absolutely understand what it feels like to have a baby die, was not only a phenomenal experience, but was truly life altering! I not only made some like long connections with some beautiful women, but I also left feeling a stronger sense of myself, as a woman, as a mother and as a wife.”
“I met women who remembered how funny they are and women who found the voices they had silenced years ago. I met women who relearned how to build friendships and communicate their needs. I met women who found the courage to face and conquer hard truths in their lives. I began to understand how much I need to feel in control and started to learn how to let it go. I know these lessons and discoveries are going to help us lead richer, more authentic lives.”
“This has been a turning point in my healing journey - my feelings have been validated & I’ve learnt that I am worth it all!”
“The workshops equipped me with tools to adjust to a new normal, recognise my self worth and ways to build resilience to the everyday struggles we as bereaved mothers face. I found the part of myself that died with my babies and I’m learning to bring her back.”
“I was hoping for a life changing experience, and that is exactly what I received.”
“It’s difficult to adequately describe the peace I felt and continue to feel after taking this important journey.”
“Return to zero is an opportunity to be, to love, to acknowledge, to remember, to tell our stories and listen to others, to find familiarity in our life where normal up to this point has seemed impossible. Return to Zero is a place where you find yourself, not again, but anew.”
“The Return to Zero Retreat is a place for women who are at any stage of grief for pregnancy or infant loss. There is life beyond infant loss, it’s not the same life it was before the loss but it can even be a better life.”
“The RTZ retreat is a necessary resource for mothers who feel out of place in their larger communities. It is a reassurance that the emotions we are feeling are vital. It is a safe place to express these feelings and for once feel like we do belong somewhere.”
“I was re-energized to live my life at home as I want to live it, and know that I now have the support system to help me achieve that. I couldn’t be more appreciative to have been a part of this special weekend.”
“The RTZ retreat far exceeded my expectations and has helped me in my healing journey perhaps more than all the other modalities I’ve used combined. I feel passion again and a sense of beginning to thrive and not just survive and this is priceless!”
“The retreat marked a major turning for me. I finally feel like I’m coming out from under the dark cloud I’ve been under since we lost out daughter last year.”