If dance parties in a glass house, forest bathing, labyrinth walks, bonfires, and lake dips sound enticing to you, then this is your retreat—your community—your invitation to unplug from the digital world and reconnect with your sensual, artistic, and imaginative nature. Through creative expression, dance/movement, and mindful presence, you’ll be free to wander, wonder, and awaken the parts of you that long to play, create, and just be.
Enjoy healthy and nourishing, home-cooked meals while retreating in an environment that honors living in harmony with the earth—featuring compost toilets, treehouses, gardens, a labyrinth, and a regenerative grey water system.
Together, we’ll co-create a sanctuary of like-hearted souls, rooted in earth connection and creative renewal. This space is designed to nourish your body, inspire your spirit, and guide you gently back to your natural rhythm.
You’ll leave feeling replenished, inspired, and deeply reconnected—with yourself, with nature, and with the creative spark that’s been quietly waiting to rise.
Our Retreat Venue: Hostel in the Forest in Brunswick, GA
Nestled on 140 acres of lush forest and wetlands in Brunswick, Georgia, Hostel in the Forest offers a serene escape just a short drive from the famed "Golden Isles" of St. Simons and Jekyll Island. Surrounded by dense subtropical forests teeming with diverse flora and fauna, including majestic moss-draped live oaks and over three hundred species of birds, our venue is a haven for nature enthusiasts.
Established in 1975 as The Hostel in the Forest, our unique accommodations feature geodesic domes and tree houses, providing a minimalist yet enchanting experience. Our retreat also boasts beautiful gardens, a serene lake with a floating dock, a captivating glass house, and a meditative labyrinth. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit spiritual retreat center and educational facility, we are dedicated to fostering tranquility and self-discovery through sustainable living, organic gardening, and holistic practices such as yoga and meditation.
Embrace the simplicity of our eco-friendly amenities and let the natural beauty and peaceful surroundings revitalize your spirit.
The Experience
Creative Play & Community Connection
If dance parties in a glass house, forest bathing, labyrinth walks, bon fires, and lake dips sound enticing to you then this is your retreat, your community, your opportunity to indulge in your sensual, artistic and fanciful nature. Creative play is such a necessary, healing and natural human quality that is frequently left unexplored. Through creative play we will reconnect to the divine impulse that is directly connected to our alchemical ability to manifest our greatest desires.
Expressive Arts
In the expressive arts sessions, you'll be gently guided by Ella, a seasoned art therapist with over a decade of experience, into intuitive painting and mixed media exploration. No artistic skill is needed—just a willingness to be present and curious. Through color, texture, and spontaneous creation, you'll tap into your inner world and give voice to what words can’t express. These sessions are about the process, not the product—offering a safe, nourishing space to play, release, and reconnect with your creative essence.
Authentic Movement, Meditation & Mindfulness
At its core, authentic movement, meditation & mindfulness offer powerful pathways to reconnect with our truest selves. Through these embodied practices, we access a deep inner knowing—a bridge to source, to unified consciousness, and to the remembrance that we are all intrinsically connected.
No prior dance or movement experience is necessary—all levels and bodies are welcome.
What’s Included?
3 nights accommodation at Hostel in the Forest
Three delectable, healthy, and nourishing meals each day. Vegan, vegetarian and vegan options available.
Drinking water, tea, & coffee
All creative play, expressive arts and movement sessions with the gentle guidance of Ella
Access to lake, labyrinth, glass house, library dome, trails and outdoor tub of tranquility for soothing baths under the night sky.
Meet Your Guide
Ella Dufrene MPS,ATR
Registered Art Therapist, YTT 200
Ella is a registered art therapist with a Masters in Art Therapy & Creativity Development from the Pratt Institute. Ella's expertise spans from presenting her work in the esteemed Wynwood galleries in Miami to assisting individuals in rediscovering their happiness and overcoming life's obstacles. She has worked with a broad spectrum of individuals, including those with autism, at-risk youth and hospice to those grappling with deeply rooted trauma, life transitions and addictions. Her methodology emphasizes a holistic perspective on wellness, underscoring the healing power of art therapy.
Deeply connected to the restorative flow and wisdom fostered by Mother Earth, Ella began exploring eco-art therapy techniques, and moving toward an ecological artistic context that emphasizes ritual, ceremony and connection to our Mother Earth. This led her to facilitate her first Eco-Art Therapy Retreat in 2016 in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Since then, Ella has organized and hosted 8 successful retreats in 3 different countries.
All of those that know and work with Ella can feel her passion for the healing properties of nature, art and dance/movement. She approaches her day to day and work-life with a zest for life, a playful spirit and a contagiously open mind.
Early Bird Prices
*There are only 10 spots available.
*Make your deposit before July 18th, 2025 and save $200!
Triple $645 per person
Double $745 per person
Single $845 per person
After July 18th
Triple $845 per person
Double $945 per person
Single $1,045 per person
Triple Occupancy: Shared space in our Narnia Dome or Honeymoon Treehouse with twin-size beds.
Double Occupancy: Private hut or treehouse with either shared double beds or single twin-size beds.
Single Occupancy: Private hut or treehouse.
How do I sign up?
Schedule a 15 minute introductory phone call to meet & determine if this retreat is right for you! If you are a returning retreat guest, or are a past or current client of Joan or Ella, you can skip this step!
Make your non-refundable $500 deposit through Venmo @Ella-Dufrene or Zelle, specify your occupancy
Fill out a health questionnaire that will be sent to you upon receipt of deposit.
Pay the remaining balance upon arrival to the hostel.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy:
A $500 deposit is refundable up to 48 hours after reserving your spot and is non-refundable thereafter. However, your deposit can be used as a credit toward one individual sessions, online trainings or workshops with Ella.
The remaining balance is due upon arrival at hostel in the forest.
In the event that we are unable to arrive to the retreat due to border closure or any other natural disaster sometime before October 1st, 2026, after one or more unsuccessful attempts to secure a change of date due to ongoing travel restrictions/border closure, all guests will receive a full refund of their deposit.
I, Ella Dufrene & Hostel in the Forest reserve the right to cancel the retreat. If we need to cancel the retreat for any reason, all monies paid, including the deposit, will be refunded in full. We also reserve the right to determine if you are not a good fit for this trip (in which case, your deposit will be refunded in full).
Trip cancellation insurance is always recommended whenever making travel plans.
Testimonials & Images from Past Retreats
Faye Ibars
“I have now been to 5 different retreats with Ella and that's just the beginning. These experiences have been transformative for me, and I will continue to attend as many retreats as I can. I've benefitted immensely from the varied workshops and especially meeting from the fellow attendees. What a beautiful way to connect with like-minded people. Madre Tierra retreats combine nature and art with a focus on personal growth. It's spiritual summer camp! Personally, I was so inspired by the last retreat that I've continued to pursue art, painting, collage, and try all kinds forms of self-expression. Can't wait for the next time I can reconnect with myself and Mother Earth!"
Xochi
“I’ve been actively working for the last year towards acknowledging and confronting my demons such as anger, irrationality, self-pity, resentment, immaturity, etc… A few months ago at Ella’s retreat, I moved from acknowledgement to acceptance. Since then I have felt freed from the burden of these traits. I discovered that I am fully empowered and in control and I was taught some strategies to work on. It’s not easy for me to say I’m no angel, but at least now I no longer feel helpless towards.”
Steph Blanco
“Words can’t even begin to describe the beautiful experience I had at Ella’s retreat. I was able to connect with my community on a deeper level. The environment that was created was so unique and special that people including myself were able to release their inhibitions and truly be themselves. The tears, laughter, openness and appreciation that joined us all as one is something I’ll never forget. The Madre Tierra retreat came together in such a harmonious way that it left all of us who started as strangers - feeling connected, peaceful and as if we had known each other forever. I truly believe everyone found a little piece of themselves that they didn’t know they were searching for.”
