What People Are Saying

Banksy says: Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. Ella embodies this quote. In the two day training, she guided me through my discomfort with compassion, non judgement and curiosity. As a therapist I know the greatest learning happens at the edge of discomfort but when it comes to creating art my inner critic is loud and judgy. With Ella's gentle and direct facilitation and encouraging the group to support each other, that voice dimmed and she gave us permission to play and experiment with ease. If you are looking to hone your therapeutic art facilitation skills, this training is a must!

-Inez Tiger

I use my social media to focus in on and reinforce the idea of self-care, physically and mentally. I do not do this for others but as a consistent reminder to myself. 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 the Madre Tierra 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 self-improvement.

— Xochi Garcia

Words can’t even begin to describe the beautiful experience I had at Madre Tierra retreat. The environment that Ella created was so 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. 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.

— Stephany Blanco

Sometimes on your journey through healing you encounter people who add value to your experience. Ella is someone who creates an environment for people to feel safe, seen, heard, and supported. I had the opportunity to take her training for therapeutic art making. Our group learned hands on the fundamentals of group facilitating art as therapy. If you are someone who learns experientially then this training is for you. After the training I feel empowered and excited to utilize what I have learned so I can share this gift with others! Thank you Ella for sharing your heart with all of us.

— Alexandra Yadgaroff

I have now been to two different Madre Tierra retreats 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!

—Faye Ibars

When I found Ella, I really didn’t think there was much she could do. My 13 year old child R had tried several therapists already. She just stared them down and refused to open up. She had already been through too much at such a young age. Her fathers mental instability and abuse, a turbulent divorce and having to grow up way too fast. And she was deteriorating fast. She’d gone from a happy outgoing child to a glassy eyed adolescent who was failing classes, wouldn’t come out of her room, stopped showering, wore a dirty oversized hoodie hunched over and always on the verge of rage. I did everything I could- but she was getting worse. When I saw the lattice work of deep cut marks up and down her arm, I knew. My baby didn’t want to live anymore. My desperate attempts to talk, to have her talk were futile.

So I called Ella and told her that R loved art. In fact, she would spend hours drawing in bed. Perhaps Ella could get through to her that way? It seemed like a long shot, but I would do anything.

Over the first few months, R started to look forward to her ‘art teacher’ coming over. They started to put together a goals list. When I saw that she had owned up to the cutting and put it on her list of behaviors to change- I knew I had made the right move. No one had ever gotten R to talk, forget about actually owning up to problem behavior.
With Ella’s help, R started to talk more. To me, to a Dr, and to the new support team we created together.

It turns out R was holding in a tremendous amount of pain. She was experiencing the symptoms of OCD, depression and anxiety, an undiagnosed genetic disorder that caused chronic pain- and she came out as transgender. With each revelation, she transformed from a child hiding inside of themselves into someone who was proudly proclaiming who they are.
This just wouldn’t have been possible before Ella. Art therapy was the way to get through to a kid who was completely shut down. She wasn’t forced to talk about her feelings- instead, with Ella’s gentle coaxing- she found her voice.
My new son, T is 15 now and is succeeding in ways I hadn’t dared dreamed.

He is an outspoken gregarious teen now. He’s been to several youth leadership programs where he is trying to change the world for the better for LGBTQ and disabled kids. He is taking honors classes. He makes friends everywhere he goes. He talks openly about his struggles and is a huge advocate of therapy now. He is literally another person now- the one he was always meant to be.

—CS