intentionally designed retreats for queer folks,
by queer folks with a focus on cultivating joy
Rising: (noun) a movement upward; an act of opposition against those in power
You don't have to put yourself last
You don't have to earn the right to play
You don't have to feel unseen amid the pressures to "do more"
You don't have to grow distant from those you love
If you've felt like you've had to do any of the above, you've come to the right place. We believe in the process of queering. A process of becoming that strips away the things we're told we should be, what we should accept, and how we should show up in our world. We see the impacts of over-doing, over-being, over-proving, and strive to create a vibe that centers play, joy, and rest as an act of resistance.
Relationship Retreat: Colares, Portugal
The Outpost
May 25th-May 30th
The Outpost, Casa das Arribas, was built in the 1940s as a family estate by re-known Portuguese architect Raul Lino. The estate was carefully renovated, and upgraded to modern standards. The apartments combine luxury-hotel amenities with the privacy, space and independence of your own holiday house. Guests share the vast garden, the pool and the tennis court - your holiday casa just off the cliffs near Lisbon. Portugal is considered one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Europe. Its combination of progressive laws, vibrant LGBTQ+ communities, and increasing social acceptance makes it a welcoming and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ people.
What's Included:
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5 nights lodging in beautiful, fully appointed, private casitas
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Delicious meals twice per day, made from locally sourced ingredients
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Excursions including a wine tasting at a local vineyard, sightseeing of historic castles, a hike in the the mystic hills of nearby Sintra (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and a special group bonding activity that we're keeping secret until you arrive
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Hot and cold therapy, private pool, yoga studio and classes, and exclusive access to onsite tennis court
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Group coaching in a safe, collaborative environment specifically designed to help you feel connected to your partner(s), self, and community
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Opportunity for private coaching during "orbit hours" where you and your partner(s) can meet with Brianna or Marley for individual or relational coaching intended to provide clarity as you take it all in
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A closing ceremony that'll leave you with memories that last a lifetime
Explore Beautiful Colares, Portugal
Rising is the process of moving from Self-Acceptance to Self-Celebration
Process is a bit of misnomer as we see this more as a practice than of an achievement. When so much of our lives are consumed by the pressure to justify our competency, or our worth, or our position, giving ourselves the permission to embrace joy is a form of resistance. While this may feel foreign, it is integral to ascending beyond limiting beliefs that have held us captive.
Our goal is to help you achieve self-celebration in the following ways:
Accessing Play
Play is integral to our wellness, and so we're going to laugh, play, and have FUN. We've got excursions designed to tune into our inner children and allow space for us to let loose and enjoy ourselves and each other.
Holistic Rest & Fun
All retreats include yoga classes and at least one additional holistic wellness service (because we all need to rest and rejuvenate). Offerings may include massage, sound baths, reiki, or other energy work. Our retreats are held in peaceful spaces that encourage immersion in nature.
Community Expanding
This is where the secret sauce is: we carefully pre-screen prospects to ensure goodness of fit not only for each retreat, but also among attendees. We strive to create joyfully cohesive, dynamic, and supportive groups that will foster community that lasts beyond the time spent on the retreat.
Wellness Coaching
Through their work as psychotherapists, Brianna and Marley have designed an intentional group and 1:1 coaching framework to help you come to understand yourself in a way that empowers, uplifts, and creates tangible takeaways for integrating joy and play in your day-to-day life.
Prices below are per pair and include:
5 nights lodging, most meals, all adventures
$6,000 for a limited time
Pool House
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
$8,500
Garden Cabana
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
North Casita
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
South Wing
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
East Duplex
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
Piso Alto
2 bedrooms! Perfect for polycules or couple friends
$8,500
$6,000 for a limited time
Ocean Casita
We can't wait to meet you
Here we are in Tulum shortly after we got engaged
We're Brianna and Marley. We are both trained therapists, entrepreneurs, and adventurers. In our three years together, we've traveled to over half a dozen countries, and collectively been to nearly twenty. We see traveling as a massive part of the way we create intention in our relationship with each other, and to ourselves, all in the name of play. This is why we’re so thrilled to be able to create intentional retreats for LGBTQ+ folx that encourage the practice of joy we've committed to, while providing a layer of safety that allows for peace of mind.
Outside of traveling, we have provided individual, relational and group therapy to hundreds of clients with a focus on meeting the needs of our LGBTQ+ clients through a lens of social justice and self-empowerment principles intended to shape how clients react to their inner and outer worlds. We see our work as therapists as a huge asset to our ability to create a framework that can help you move towards a place of self-celebration within your own identity.
Ask us about our dogs voices when you see us
Community is where it's at
We were built for connection, not for isolation, and we just so happen to live in a time where we are more alone than ever before. Left to our own devices, we cannot expand our thinking or have perspective enough to cherish the moment.
Our quality of life, our ability to feel seen, our readiness to revise the limiting stories we have about ourselves, is healed in spaces where others feel and understand and validate the same. Together, we gain clarity about ourselves and our needs in a way that is so much harder to achieve on our own. And? We get to do it in an environment that fosters curiosity and joy - something we are routinely denied in our everyday lives.
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I am an ally. Can I attend?Short answer: not yet! We love our allies and are excited to curate an experience for queers and cis-het folk alike with a wider focus on allyship and understanding the queer experience. However, the coaching component of this particular retreat is specifically designed for queer folx.
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I'd like to attend, but I am not out. How will you preserve my privacy?We're so glad you're here! We wholly respect that your coming out process is YOURS and give all attendees the option to opt out of all photographs, videos, and other promotional materials that could be identifying.
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Are retreats gender inclusive?Hell yeah! All Rising retreats are gender inclusive, age inclusive (21+), ability and size inclusive. Basically if you're queer, we want you here!
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Can I meet other retreaters before we go?Abso-freaking-lutely! We aren't going to make you go blind into a foreign country! We will be hosting several virtual hangs before we go so that you can meet other folks, and connect well before you get wheels down in Costa Rica. These will be informal, with some guidance from us, in an effort to build connection early. We will also add you to a Slack channel so that you can connect with folks via text as well. Finally, we will be sharing folks contact information so that if you happen to be in the same city as another retreater, you can coordinate traveling to Costa Rica together.
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Will I like the people on the retreat?We have created an intentional and thorough pre-screening process to ensure that all participants meld well together. This includes exploring values, willingness, personality types, and a general vibe check. We want everyone to walk away from each retreat feeling like they've made lifelong friends.
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I'm a current or former client. Can I attend?Unfortunately, no as this would create a dual relationship, which can damage the integrity of the therapeutic relationship. We will however have travel packages and other educational materials available for purchase on our website. Stay tuned!
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Do I have to participate in every excursion?No way! All excursions listed under ‘inclusions’ are included in the cost, but are not mandatory! We expect that folx will pick and choose what activities excite them and leave the rest! We respect that everyone has different tastes, limits, willingness, etc. We will create opportunity for you to opt-in/opt-out of every aspect of this retreat
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What should I pack?We're going to be doing a mix of things, so be sure to pack for both activity and relaxation. We will send out a cute packing list closer to the retreat so that you have specific details, but think exercise clothes, hiking shoes/boots, casual day wear, and one fancy-pants outfit for our closing celebration (interpret that how you will 😉).
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Do I have to pay for it all up front?Nope! We offer payment plans that can either be broken down into two or four payments. If you've got more questions about this, don't hesitate to reach out.
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Where do I fly into?You can fly into Lisbon, Portugal (LIS) and then Uber to Colares and the Outpost.
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Can I get a schedule of what the week will look like?We are excitedly keeping exact details of the retreat a secret until just before arrival. We are hoping this builds anticipation, and not anxiety. We are very big proponents of doing only as much as feels good for YOU, so know that you are welcome to opt in or out of anything we do. If you have specific questions about what to expect, please email us! We're happy to help.
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Are my meals included?Nearly all of your meals are included. We will be providing brunch and dinners almost every day. We want to give you the option to wander and connect with your fellow retreaters (or not!) for one night. We can share recommendations for fun and safe restaurants in Colares to try!
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So, if y'all are therapists will you be providing therapy?While group and 1:1 coaching will certainly be therapeutically-informed, we will not be providing traditional psychotherapy on Rising retreats. To learn more about the differences between psychotherapy and wellness coaching, refer to our blog and podcast: Queer Tides
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Will I be able to share my feedback on the retreat -- before, during and after?Yes! Brianna and Marley have devised a fool proof strategy for receiving and implementing attendee feedback. This ensures that you as the participant will have opportunity to be actively involved in the curation of your experience. While we will handle all logistics to provide a stress-free experience, we also deeply value collaboration and are devoted to hearing you out and making modifications to our approach so that your retreat is tailor-made.
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How will you ensure my safety as a queer person?We meticulously vet retreat locations both based on what countries and regions are historically safe for queer folx and also based on culture and attitudes of specific hotels, retreat centers, and excursions. As trained therapists who are deeply passionate about ensuring safety, we are staunch advocates for our people and will not tolerate hatred of any kind directed toward any retreat participant. This is achieved through constant communication with retreat hotel management and regular check-ins with staff while on the retreat to provide corrective feedback should any issues arise. We see Rising retreats as a way for queer folks to safely and supportively expand outside of our comfort zones. As retreat leaders, we take our responsibility to create safety seriously.
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Why choose Half Moon Rising retreats over another retreat business?We have a particular edge up on the retreat industry as we put as much emphasis on holistic wellness as we do on play (because play IS holistic wellness, too)! Rising retreats won’t leave you with a month-long hangover, but they also won’t make you feel self-conscious to kick back and have a couple of beers by the pool. We also aren't going to leave you with a month-long emotional hangover either -- we want you to be curious about yourself AND have fun. When you return home you'll feel rejuvenated, and inspired to continue to break through your own rainbow glass ceiling.
