Women’s Wellness Retreat for Breast Cancer Survivors | Creative Healing, Mindfulness & Community
Healing shouldn’t feel isolating. As breast cancer survivors, you are invited to come together to share a sacred space where we cry together, smile together, and reclaim our sense of self. This is not just a retreat, but a profound turning point where women gather in community to be witnessed, supported, and celebrated.
Date: October 6 -7, 2026
Location: Whispering Winds, Julian, CA
Duration: 2 Days Retreat
Participant contribution: $150 – $300
Need-based scholarships: 3 available
Capacity: 15 participants
Applications close: September 10th
A breast cancer diagnosis marks a profound transformation physically, emotionally, and spiritually. While treatment focuses on eradicating disease, the aftermath often brings silence. Survivors frequently feel:
After medical support ends
from their bodies and femininity
in their emotional recovery journey
Hair, breasts, fertility the body feels altered and unfamiliar. The mirror becomes a place of grief. Though medically “healed,” many women remain without closure, longing to reconnect with the self they’ve become.
Through creativity, mindfulness, photography, nature, and community, you’ll gain practical tools for emotional well‑being, deepen meaningful connections, and leave feeling inspired, supported, and empowered.
This retreat offers a gentle, flexible space to reconnect with your body and rebuild confidence alongside others who truly understand. It is designed with post‑treatment needs in mind, with soft movement, rest built into each day, and emotional support available throughout.
Applications close September 10th
Three need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance emails will be sent out by September 18th
The Womanity Portrait Foundation Women’s Wellness Retreat is a thoughtfully curated two-day immersive experience designed to support breast cancer survivors through creativity, mindfulness, nature, and meaningful human connection.
This retreat offers a safe and nurturing space where women can step away from the demands of everyday life, reconnect with themselves, and build lasting connections with others who understand the breast cancer journey. Through art, photography, mindfulness, and time in nature, participants are invited to restore, reflect, and rediscover their strength in a supportive community.
Every experience is intentionally designed to nurture the mind, body, and spirit while offering practical tools that participants can continue using long after the retreat ends.
Reconnect with yourself through Healing from the Heart: Breath • Journal • Draw, a creative healing experience designed specifically for breast cancer survivors.
Inspired by Gloria’s own healing journey, this workshop combines mindful breathing, guided meditation, reflective journaling, sound healing, and intuitive drawing to create space for reflection, resilience, and self-discovery. Participants are invited to explore creativity not as a skill, but as a pathway toward healing and self-compassion.
No artistic experience is required. Each participant will receive Gloria’s Healing from the Heart Journal to continue their creative practice beyond the retreat.
Living with breast cancer often changes the way we relate to ourselves. This workshop introduces practical mindfulness and self-compassion practices that help reduce stress, quiet self-criticism, and cultivate greater emotional resilience.
Drawing from evidence-based Mindful Self-Compassion practices, Melody will guide participants through gentle meditation, reflective journaling, compassionate listening, mindful movement, and nature-based practices that can be incorporated into everyday life.
Together, we’ll explore practices such as:
Rediscover beauty as an act of self-care.
This Workshop is thoughtfully designed to support women and embrace self care as an act of healing.
Through gentle, practical instruction, participants will learn how to create skincare practices that nurture and promote healthy skin. How to choose non-toxic beauty products that promote overall well-being, and learn everyday makeup techniques that enhance radiance and confidence.
More than a beauty class, this workshop offers an opportunity to reconnect with self-care, embrace personal wellness, and celebrate each woman’s unique beauty.
Photography has the power to transform the way we see ourselves.
Following the makeup experience, participants will be invited into a playful, creative portrait experience where light, color, imagination, and self-expression come together in front of the camera. Inspired by Galina’s fine art approach to visual storytelling, this session encourages curiosity, creativity, and the freedom to simply enjoy the experience.
Like the essence of a flower that remains unchanged through every season, our own beauty, dignity, and inner light are never truly lost. Sometimes they simply become hidden beneath life’s challenges. Through creativity and play, this experience offers an opportunity to reconnect with that essence and celebrate it through the artistic lens of photography.
As evening falls over the mountains, we’ll gather beneath the stars to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the natural world.
Together we’ll explore autumn constellations, search for the Milky Way, and experience the quiet beauty of the night sky. This peaceful gathering invites reflection, wonder, and perspective while reminding us that healing often begins by simply being present.
Throughout the retreat, we’ll create space for meaningful conversations, nourishing meals, quiet reflection, and moments of joyful movement.
Depending on the group’s energy and interests, participants may also enjoy gentle movement inspired by mindful dance practices that encourage embodiment, freedom of expression, and self-acceptance without judgment.
Every experience is thoughtfully designed to foster belonging, compassion, and authentic connection with other women who understand the breast cancer journey.
Beyond the retreat itself, you’ll take home practical tools, new connections, and a renewed sense of self to support your continued healing.
A renewed sense of identity, wholeness and community.
Photographer, Facilitator, Founder – Womanity Portrait Foundation
An award-winning fine art photographer and the Founder of Womanity Portrait Foundation. With more than 20 years of experience, her work uses visual storytelling and portraiture to explore identity, resilience, and women empowerment. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and published in leading photography and art publications.
Galina is the creator of the acclaimed Dreams Beyond Tomorrow project, a portrait series sharing the stories of women living with metastatic breast cancer. During the retreat, she will create a playful fine art portrait experience, inviting participants to celebrate their individuality through creativity, light, and photography.
Psychologist, Mindful Self-Compassion teacher
As a psychologist in private practice, Melody uses an integral approach to help clients manage trauma, health crises, depression, and anxiety while building emotional resilience and quieting self-criticism. Melody’s personal journey includes navigating a breast cancer diagnosis in 2019 and non-typical heart disease following an NSTEMI in 2022. In addition to her clinical practice, she is a trained Mindful Self-Compassion teacher and remains actively engaged with both local and international service projects.
Makeup artists, Specializing in Commercial, Editorial and Beauty makeup
A 30 year veteran in the Beauty industry. Working with several high profile clients and celebrities, her work has been published in many magazines and award winning commercial ads. Bringing her diverse makeup knowledge and skills, she will guide you in makeup application for self-portraiture sessions. Focusing on safer beauty, skincare and daily wellness treatments.
Artist, muralist, certified art therapist
A multidisciplinary artist, internationally recognized muralist, certified art therapist, and breast cancer survivor. With more than 15 years of experience, her work explores healing, nature, cultural identity, and the Divine Feminine.
Inspired by her own breast cancer journey, Gloria became a certified art therapist and now guides others through creative expression, helping them reconnect with themselves through reflection, resilience, and mindful art-making.
Resilience looks like taking things as they come and feeling them, and continuing to move forward despite the adversity of it all. The retreat helped me feel more love towards my body and embrace the days where I am not always feeling so good.
I love my smile and I get so many compliments on my smile. I love my hair. I like my eyebrows. At the moment I don’t feel comfortable about my scars… But I love myself. And this retreat helped me to be gentle to myself. It has definitely encouraged me to do my makeup more often, to be creative with my clothes, to feel pretty and have fun with it.
Love the location! So healing and serene! Loved the various speakers, amazing tools we learned, and the group engagement. It felt like a true sisterhood! No changes needed. It was perfect in every way! So grateful!
The retreat was great and beneficial to implement self‑discipline and care for ourselves the same way we care for our loved ones.
Looking at myself with the intention of creating the self‑portrait removed the layer of judgement I have against myself. The combo of the self‑portrait workshop and body care ritual really helped reinforce the phrase ‘I am more than my diagnosis.’ I don’t identify myself solely based on my diagnosis. It is an experience I went through and came out on the other side of.
Your donation helps us provide this transformative experience to breast cancer survivors.
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded by philanthropic and community support.
EIN: 99-3257044
Every donation helps Womanity Portrait Foundation create spaces where women living with and beyond breast cancer can:
We’re raising $30,000 to expand these healing experiences and ensure they remain accessible through scholarships and low-cost participation. Together, $30,000 in gifts will fund scholarships and low-cost participation for approximately 40 survivors.
Every gift combines with others to make these life-changing retreats possible. Every contribution plays an important role in creating a space for healing, creativity, and community.
$500 | Expands access to Womanity Portrait Foundation’s healing retreats and helps provide scholarships for women facing financial hardship.
$125 | Supports creative workshops, mindfulness practices, participant resources, and wellness activities throughout the retreat.
$50 or $75 | Helps provide art supplies, nourishing meals, snacks, and other essentials that create a welcoming retreat experience.
Together, we’re creating a place where every woman feels seen, supported, and empowered.
The Women’s Wellness Retreat is a two-day restorative experience for women living with and beyond breast cancer. It combines creativity, mindfulness, nature, self-compassion, photography, gentle activities, and community connection in a supportive environment.
The retreat may include art and journaling, mindfulness and self-compassion practices, skincare and beauty wellness, a creative portrait experience, time in nature, stargazing, gentle movement, shared meals, reflection, and community connection.
The schedule may be adjusted based on weather, the group’s energy, and participants’ needs.
No. Previous artistic, photography, or mindfulness experience is not required. Activities are designed to be welcoming and approachable.
The focus is on exploration, self-expression, well-being, and women’s empowerment, not artistic skill or performance.
The retreat includes gentle and flexible programming for participants with different energy levels and physical needs. You are encouraged to listen to your body, take breaks, and decide which activities feel appropriate for you.
Please describe any important health, mobility, dietary, or accessibility needs in your application so we can determine whether the retreat environment can support you safely.
Participants may leave with practical mindfulness and self-compassion tools, creative exercises, stress-management practices, photographs, personal reflections, and new community connections.
The retreat is intended to offer practices and resources that participants can continue using after they return home.
Please bring:
You may also want to bring a journal, a favorite blanket or shawl, and small personal items that help you feel comfortable. Accepted participants will receive a complete packing list before the retreat.
Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move, rest, and participate in indoor and outdoor activities. Layers are recommended because temperatures may change throughout the day and evening.
For the creative portrait experience, bring one outfit that makes you feel confident and reflects who you are. It does not need to be formal, expensive, or new. Choose clothing that feels comfortable and meaningful to you.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for outdoor activities. You may also want to bring slippers or cozy shoes for time inside the retreat center.
Select the Apply for the Retreat button on this page and complete the application form. Please answer the questions thoughtfully so we can understand your needs and determine whether the retreat is an appropriate fit.
