From Leashed to Unleashed
A 6 day transformational dog parent retreat in Costa Rica with other dog lovers & loads of adventure in the jungle and on the beach, surrounded by wildlife!
April 3rd - April 8th, 2024
in Dominicalito, Costa Rica
Retreat Includes
Accommodations
Gourmet food
Excursions
Waterfall tour
Horseback riding
Surfing
Sunsets
Beach time
Wildlife Sanctuary
Cacao Ceremony
Transportation in Dominicalito and to and from airport
Workshops with Rhonda & Rachel
Sound bowl healing
What's not included
Alcoholic drinks
Air fare
Hotel in San Jose (by the airport)
One lunch
Souveniers
Massages
Private Reiki & Inner Child Healing Session
This retreat is for you if...
You want to play and explore your way to a better relationship with your dog and self
You want to learn how to live with less anxiety around being a dog parent
You want a stress free way to travel to costa rica with other dog lovers
You want to show up for your partner, friends, dogs, family or clients as the best version of yourself
You love self reflection and want to learn how to drop into your body to gain your inner wisdom and personal power
You want a guide to show you around costa rica while also helping to reveal parts of you that are beautiful that make you uniquely you
You want to let go of any anxiety and step into co-creator of your life
You want to have a memorable oncein a life time experience with other dog lovers exploring one of the worlds most amazing jungles
This retreat is NOT for you if...
Your're not adventurous
You don't enjoy growing as a person in a group setting
You don't want to uncover all the unseen, unloved, uncared for parts of you that make you uniquely you and that hold your super powers
You don't want to understand that having a healthy relationship with your dog is all about learning how to tend to and care for yourself
Why Unleashed?
We are often leashed or chained to our societal programming that puts shame or guilt upon us at a young age. This inhibits our ability to make high quality decisions that are in alignment with who we want to become.
Who would we be without this programming or inner critic?
How do we become unleashed?
How do we live a life based off of total surrender, trust and guided by our own values, needs and wants?
At the retreat you'll lean how you can unlock the keys to truly living a life unleashed, with passion and purpose
"Sunshine, warm weather, sunsets, long beach walks and good friends is the best medicine"
WHO WE ARE
Rachel and Rhonda are sisters that love dogs and helping people reconnect to their inner strength and power to become better dog parents, friends, partners and people
Facilitator
Rhonda Bilodeau
Rhonda is an an animal communicator, dog trainer, online entrepreneur, emotion code practitioner, Thrive Learning Collective NLP Practitioner graduate and studied Peruvian Shamanism under the guidance of esteemed mentors Ray and Nina Crist, as well as renowned Q’ero Shamans Don Francisco Chura Flores and Don Wilbur. She's also a mentor to other dog professionals. Rhonda loves empowering people to see that there is always a divine connection to the dogs we get and the difficulties we learn together. Together she believes dog parents can learn to turn their pain into their purpose which is the ultimate alchemy. Costa Rica has been the ultimate learning in deep surrender and faith and she's excited to bring that medicine to your relationship with your dog!
Co-Facilitator
Rachel Ribis
Rachel is an intuitive and reiki practitioner that focuses on inner child work and embodiment therapy. Rachel's deep connection to your inner child helps you shift through your shadows and guide you back home to yourself and your truth. She works with many guides including Ixchel the Mayan Goddess of the moon, pregnancy, water, textile work and even medicine, Sekhmet the Egyptian Goddess of the hot desert sun, plague, chaos, war, and healing and she works alongside the Cheetah. Rachel loves helping others see the magik, beauty and gifts from the parts of them they are most ashamed of.
Rhonda and Rachel will be guiding you with the grace of God/
Creator/Source and through the wisdom of dogs how to surrender to the magik of life. This is not a religious retreat but a highly spiritual dog themed retreat.
the Workshops
Rhonda will be teaching her Healing Wisdom From
Your Dog Workshop that she has been expanding upon for the last year and a half.
The Healing Wisdom From Your Dog workshop is all about understanding yourself better through your dog's unwanted behavior.
What if dog training was less about what we could teach our dogs and more about what we could learn about ourselves through our dogs?
What if loving the parts of yourself you struggle to accept was the key to truly resolving your unhappiness about your dog?
As a group we'll journal, reflect and move through the 6 stages of how to make dramatic change in our relationships with our dogs and our selves.
You’ll walk away more empowered as a dog trainer and dog owner.
This workshop is a training & exploration of;
-
the root cause of your dog's behaviors
-
my best human training practices for your dog
-
how our dogs are our mirrors to the parts of us we struggle to love
-
& powerful shamanic techniques for both you and your dog
You’ll learn how to be a co-creator in your life with your dog but also be grateful for all your dog is teaching you through their behaviors.
There will be a lot of journaling and
sharing during the workshops (only if you want).
There will be a big emphasis on seeing how your relationship with your dog is really a reflection of how you feel
about yourself.
This workshop is about learning how to find peace within yourself,
love all parts of yourself and live with more unconditional love in your heart.
Rachel will be leading breath work and other winding down techniques to help us drop into our bodies and integrate all that we learned.
Her evening classes are geared towards those struggling with any big feelings and learning how to transmute that energy into self love
She’ll also be sharing her wisdom surrounding inner child work and remembering how complete we are - big
emotions and all.
We'll also be exploring outside in the jungle and on the beaches
We'll explore:
An amazing Costa Rica Waterfall called Nauyaca on Horseback
Visit Alturas Wildlife and Sanctuary to see all the amazing animals unclose and personal in Costa Rica
(trust me we'll see plenty in the wild as well!)
The Dominical Feria where all the incredible culture and vendors are with organic and local foods
The beach, surf and waves at Dominicalito
Sunsets on the beach and daily sunsets at our villa in Dominicalito
Accomodations
We've rented a beautiful villa in the heart of Dominicalito surrounded by the jungle, and so much wildlife. There is a refreshing large pool with a breathtaking ocean view at the villa with lots of lounge chairs and comfy seating. We'll be swimming, eating, laughing and sharing under the stars, with the sun setting and in the early morning sunlight. It's the perfect place to recharge, make new friends or bond closer with friends and make memories that will last a lifetime!
Shared Rooms with separate beds are now full.
Available rooms are shared with another guest or your friend coming with you. You'll share a bath and queen bed.
The Villa
You can't buy happiness but you can buy a ticket to Costa Rica and that's pretty much the same thing :)
Retreat Sample Schedule
April 2nd - Day before the Retreat - Wednesday
Some of you will be flying into San Jose and sleeping at a hotel
April 3rd - Day 1 - Wednesday
12:00PM Shuttle from airport
4:00 PM Arrive at Villa in Dominicalito
4:30 PM Welcome + Cacao Ceremony + Crystal Bowls
5:30 PM Sunset
6:30 PM Evening Wind Down- Reiki & Breath with Rachel
7:00 PM Dinner
April 4th - Day 2 - Thursday
7:00 AM tea, coffee, juices
8:00 AM Gentle wake up & stretch
9:00 AM Breakfast
11:00 AM Healing Wisdom From Your Dog with Rhonda
1:00 PM Surf, Beach & Lunch
5:30 PM Sunset at Dominicalito
6:30 PM Dinner + Dessert
8:00 PM Evening Wind Down- Reiki & Breath with Rachel
April 5th - Day 3 - Friday & Welcome!
7:00 AM tea, coffee, juices
8:00 AM Gentle wake up & stretch
9:00 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM Feria (farmers market) + Beach + shop (Lunch on own*)
1:00 PM Alturas or Beach or go back to the Villa
4:00 PM Healing Wisdom From Your Dog with Rhonda
5:30 PM Sunset
6:30 PM Dinner + Dessert
8:00 PM Evening Wind Down- Reiki & Breath with Rachel
April 6th - Day 4 - Saturday
7:00 AM Breakfast + tea, coffee, juices
8:30 AM Shuttle to Nuyaca
9:00 AM Horseback Ride & Waterfall
1:30 PM Shuttle to Villa
Free Time
4:00 PM Healing Wisdom From Your Dog with Rhonda
5:30 PM Sunset
6:30 PM Dinner + Dessert
8:00 PM Evening Wind Down- Reiki & Breath with Rachel
April 7th - Day 5 - Sunday
7:00 AM tea, coffee, juices
8:00 AM Gentle wake up & stretch
9:00 AM Breakfast
11:00 PM Healing Wisdom From Your Dog with Rhonda
2:00 PM Lunch or Free Day (other excursions, reiki + intuitive sessions)
4:30 PM Sunset by the Beach in Dominical
6:30PM Shuttle back to Villa
7:00 PM Dinner + Dessert
8:30 PM Ecstatic Dance
9:00 PM Evening Wind Down- Reiki & Breath with Rachel
April 8th - Day 6 - Monday
9:00 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM Closing Ceremony
1:00 PM Shuttle to Airport
Are you ready to go from leashed to unleashed?
PRICING
Cost of the retreat is
Early Bird: $2300
After Feb 3rd, 2024 it's: $2600
Payment is half due now to reserve your
spot and half due on March 1st, 2023. That’s $1150.00 due today and $1150.00 due March 1st, 2023. We will charge the card on file that you used to make the prior payment unless you tell us otherwise.
Q&A
Passport
You will need a passport to travel out of the country. Your passport should be valid for at least another 6 months or they may not allow you to fly out or fly back in. Please make sure your passport will be valid to fly.
What's included?
All your meals (except one lunch on Friday feria day), all excursions on the itinerary, shuttle from airport to the villa in Dominicalito and back to the airport, shuttles to the excursions for the day, lodging
and workshops.
What's not included / paid for?
Souvenirs, round trip airline ticket to Costa Rica, 1
lunch, drinks, massages, private reiki session, hotel in San Jose.
What should I bring for money?
You will need very little money on your trip if you’re not doing any
additional excursions or getting any additional services. You may want money for small things like souvenirs, lunch on Friday and lunch when you’re getting shuttled from the airport to the villa, any tipping you do, drinks, any addition excursions, massage or reiki with Rachel. What about colones the local currency? You do not
need to get colones. You can bring US dollars and they will accept them everywhere. Be sure to check the exchange rate to make sure you’re getting the correct amount back.
Airline tickets- Where am I flying in to?
You will be flying into San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO). United seems
to have the best flights. We recommend getting in 1 day earlier on April the 2nd, 2024 to make sure you make the shuttle on April the 3rd. We recommend this hotel by the airport. https://www.adventure-inn.com/ This place has a great breakfast and free shuttles to and from the airport. You also have the option to fly in the day
of the 3rd. Please get there before 10:30am Costa Rica time. Please contact rachel_vtdogpack@hotmail.com to talk to her about getting free airline tickets!
How does the shuttle work?
Your private shuttle will pick up everyone at the airport on the 3rd of April around 11am Costa Rica time. The Villa and Dominicalito is roughly 4 hours away from the airport. There is a small cafe as you
exit the airport to the right. You can stay inside or outside of the cafe and the shuttle driver will pick you up there. You will be transported with all the other guests and will arrive around 4pm to the Villa. Please make sure your flights get in before 11am on the 3rd or you fly in a day earlier on the 2nd. We recommend getting in a day earlier because if you miss your shuttle you are responsible for that
cost. We will help you get on another shuttle but it may be for the following day. The shuttle from the airport will stop at a place for lunch so have some money for lunch or bring snacks. Dinner that evening on the 3rd will be at 7:00pm.
Is the water okay to drink?
Water is OK to drink in Costa Rica.
Will my phone work?
Your phones will not work here. All phones can connect to the WiFi and receive iMessages, Messenger Calls, WhatsApp, Instagram Calls and get on the internet. In order to have access to calling and the internet anywhere (away from Wifi) the easiest thing to do is to pay the roaming fee of roughly $10/day while you are here (please call your cell phone carrier to find out how much roaming is per
day). If you don’t want to pay the extra $10/day you can always connect to the internet through wifi that’s readily available everywhere. You can also purchase a sim card at the airport.
What else should I bring?
Please bring a yoga mat, journal, pen, water bottle, passport,
beach towel, sandals, sun block and bathing suit. Towels will be provided at the resort for showering but can not be used for the beach so please bring a beach towel.
Is Costa Rica safe?
Theft is a big issue especially at the beaches. If you go to the beach or leave any valuables anywhere (on a table where you’re eating and you walk away to go to the bathroom) it may be turn up lost. When we go to the beach there will be a lifeguard and someone to help watch over you valuables as long as you’re with the group. Overall CR is a safe country!