Seen & Sovereign is an intimate boudoir retreat for femme-identified participants, created with an all-bodies-welcome spirit and held in the sacred wilderness of Breitenbush Hot Springs. This deeply immersive experience brings together photography and trauma-informed transformational work, offering a powerful blend of shadow work, primal embodiment, emotional intelligence, and healing.

Across a series of workshops, participants are invited to move into the body and gently meet what was once buried when there was not enough capacity to feel. From there, the journey turns toward grounded self-trust and embodied sovereignty. Whether you are brand new to boudoir photography or already familiar with it, this safer space invites you to explore yourself and be witnessed in a stunning wild setting, supported by nature, community, and your own presence.

KEY THEMES:

Empowerment Through Photography: A guided boudoir experience that invites participants to define beauty on their own terms.
Wild Embodiment: Movement, ritual, and immersion in nature to awaken the primal, intuitive self.
Body Sovereignty & Self-Acceptance: Workshops designed to shift the inner lens from self-judgment toward deep appreciation.
Intimate Witnessing: The experience of being seen in authenticity, clothed or bare, by yourself and within sacred community.

RETREAT ACTIVITIES:

Daily soaks and nature communion in the hot springs to support deep relaxation and connection with the body.
Storytelling and integration circles to explore personal narratives around body, beauty, and sovereignty. These facilitated circles create a sacred space for sharing resilience, self-discovery, and transformation.
Sacred Boudoir Photography: A fully guided, individualized experience with Dana Kae in breathtaking natural settings. This is more than a photoshoot; it is a moment of being seen in a way most people rarely allow themselves.
Gentle, clear guidance and support throughout, allowing participants to soften, open, and express themselves without pressure or expectation.
Before the retreat, a group call with Dana and Olivia to clarify vision, boundaries, and intentions so the session feels aligned with who each participant is and what they are stepping into.
Each participant receives a private session plus 25–50 professionally edited digital images delivered within 3–4 weeks.
An optional group photography experience is also available for those who feel called. This portion centers collective witnessing and shared empowerment, and participation is always voluntary.

Guided Embodiment Workshops:

Incorporating movement, breathwork, voice, and primal expression:

Survival Pattern & Tea Ceremony: Olivia’s workshop offers a practical, embodied framework for understanding the participant’s survival pattern—the habitual reactions, thoughts, and behaviors that narrow clarity and keep them stuck in resistance. Participants map how this pattern appears across five dimensions of life, then enter a grounded practice to meet and gently unwind the pain beneath it. The experience is held in a sacred container and supported by a tea ceremony, creating space for greater clarity, ease, and aliveness.
Primal Flow Movement: A guided, freeform movement sequence set to music, including undulations, spirals, and grounded motions such as crawling, rolling, shaking, and swaying to awaken instinctual wisdom and release stuck patterns.
Yin Yoga & Elemental Breathwork: Breath practices connected to the elements, including grounding Earth breaths, fluid Water breaths, Fire-activating breaths, and expansive Air breaths.
Drum Walk/Feral Run/Power Stomping: Powerful movement across the land, running with an open chest, stomping the earth, and feeling raw, unapologetic strength.

Integration & Celebration:

A closing ceremony honors each participant’s journey, with space to share reflections and self-revelations. Weather permitting, the retreat culminates in a fire circle, offering a sacred setting for warmth, release, and communal connection.

About the Leaders

Dana Kae (she/her) is a traveling photographer based in Seattle, Washington, with more than 20 years of experience behind the lens. Her artistry and approach to sacred boudoir reflect the essence of this retreat.

Olivia Therese Fromm is an author, executive coach, death doula, and facilitator. Her work centers on guiding human transformation within individuals, teams, and organizations. She has coached CEOs and leaders from many walks of life, and has taught numerous workshops at Breitenbush and other retreat centers over the years.

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