The Healing While Black Retreat
July 27-August 3, 2024 - NOSARA, COSTA RICA
PRELIMINARY PROGRAM & TEACHER BIOS
Preliminary PROGRAM SCHEDULE
& ACTIVITIES
HEALING WHILE BLACK
Love, Liberation, & Culture for Our Wellness
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PRELIMINARY PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Saturday July 27th: Arrival & Welcome
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Sunday July 28th: Orientation with All TEACHER-HEALERS + Evening Opening Ceremony
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Monday July 29th: KOYA WEBB (Loving Our Bodies, Ourselves, Each Other) + Evening Game Night & Community Creative/Expressive Offerings (aka Open-Mic)
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Tuesday July 30th: DR. THEMA (Liberation from Racial Trauma) + Evening Restorative Yoga with Dominique Cowling
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Wednesday July 31st: "DAY OF QUIETUDE" - Sankofa Power of Reconnection and Morning "Soulitation" with DR. SHELLY HARRELL - Silence Encouraged Throughout the Day - Instructions Provided for Sitting & Walking Meditation, Nature Practices, Mindful Eating, and Contemplative Writing) + Evening Community Reflections and Sharing
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Thursday August 1st: DR. DAKTARI (Culture Heals! Dance Circle/Drumming/Movement/Breathwork)
+ Evening Restorative Yoga with Dominique Cowling
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Friday August 2nd: Integrative Closing Panel with ALL TEACHER-HEALERS + Evening "That's My Jam" Dance/Music Party
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Saturday August 3rd: Departure
PRELIMINARY DAILY SCHEDULE (Mon-Fri)
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7:45-8:30am - Morning Kemetic Yoga with RAMSES AMUN
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7:00-9:00am - Breakfast (before or after yoga)
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9:30-11:30am - Featured Teacher-Healer Morning Talk/Experience
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12-1:30 pm - Lunch
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1:30-6:00pm - Your Choice
***Free Time (pool, massages, Longevity center, nap, beach, horseback riding, journaling, walking exploration, conversation, etc.)
***Small-Group Healing Practices (possibilities include facilitated group processing/metabolizing, sound bowl healing, nature-based practices, creative activities, breathwork, oracle card readings, or other offerings)
***Afternoon Restorative Yoga with Dominique Cowling
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6:00-7:30pm - Dinner
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7:30-8:30pm - Featured Teacher-Healer Evening Talk/Experience
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8:30-10:00pm - Evening Community Gathering or Restorative Yoga with DOMINIQUE COWLING
Interested? SIGN-UP FOR UPDATES
OUR TEACHER-HEALER TEAM
Dr. Thema Bryant served as the 2023 president of the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology with more than 120,000 members (apa.org). She is a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women and a past APA representative to the United Nations. She founded and directs Oasis Wellness Services where she provides consultation, evaluation, and workshops ranging from one hour to multiple day retreats. Dr. Thema provides an array of holistic wellness services, from therapy to training to workshops. Her sessions are interactive, holistic, informative, transformative, and responsive to the needs of those she serves. Dr. Thema's recent book, Homecoming is a beautiful guide to the power of "coming home" to self, culture, and community. She also hosts a podcast of the same name. Dr. Thema has over 20 years of experience with expertise in trauma recovery, expressive arts, culture and mental health, and the intersection of spirituality and psychology. She is one of the foundational scholars on the topic of the trauma of racism. In 2020, the International Division of APA honored her for her International Contributions to the Study of Gender and Women for her work in Africa and the Diaspora. Dr. Thema has raised public awareness regarding mental health by extending the reach of psychology beyond the academy and private therapy office through community programming and media engagement, including but not limited to Headline News, National Public Radio, and CNN. Having earned a master’s of divinity, Dr. Thema is also an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She directs the mental health ministry at First AME Church in South Los Angeles.
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Koya Webb is a highly sought-after holistic health and wellness coach and motivational speaker who is revolutionizing the holistic living landscape worldwide in the areas of spirituality, wellness and entrepreneurship. Known as a “transformational specialist,” she encourages sustainable lifestyle changes that maximize your ability to cultivate self-love, reverse life-threatening conditions, and experience optimal health through her lifestyle design method. Koya shares many resources on yoga, fitness, nutrition, and spirituality on her YouTube channel and podcast. Her Get Loved Up Community and Yoga School inspires millions worldwide to practice more self-care, social justice, and eco-friendly living. Check out her course with Queen Afua called Impeccable Listening. She is a highly regarded expert and editorial contributor with media outlets nationwide. Koya has appeared on NBC, CBS, The Steve Harvey Show, E! Entertainment and Home & Family; and has worked with a roster of celebrity clients. Her mission is to inspire optimal health and wellbeing worldwide.
"Dr. Daktari" Shari Hicks, is a clinical and forensic psychologist currently serving as a Clinical Supervisor for the African American Wellness Hub Nganga ná Dibuti (Therapist-in-Residency Program) in Oakland, CA. In addition to her work as a diversity training facilitator, she also provides psycho-spiritual consultation services. She is an Omo Iyalawo (an initiated Ifa priestess in apprenticeship). Her background in Afro-Diasporic
dance/spirituality led her to co-found and serve as Creative Director of the Daktari Dance Medicine Collective from 2016-2021. She has developed the powerful Sakhu Djaer Dance Circles, an 8-stage illumination process tapping into Black/African-Centered dance, drum, rhythmic breathwork, and spiritual experience to evoke multi- and inter- dimensional restoration, harmony, and wellness. A past board member of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) Bay Area Chapter, Dr. Daktari continues to co-edit the ABPsi Mental Health & Wellness Column of the Oakland Post with Dr. Wade Nobles.
Michael "Ramses Amun" Ruth is a mentor, student and teacher of various Self-Mastery practices. He teaches Kemetic and Smai-Tawi (Egyptian) methods of yoga movements, philosophy, meditation and breath work. Through these Ancient Afrikan spiritual systems of Self development, he helps people become better versions of themselves by remembering, reconnecting and resurrecting their highest divine Self. Based in Costa Rica, Ramses offers retreats, coaching, and classes. He guides people to discover the tools that helps them dive into their deeper Selves, uncover hidden truths within and unlock the unconditional divine love that we ALL have and deserve. He believes that we must cultivate, embrace, heal and empower both masculine and feminine aspects. His goal is to help all people gain a reflective understanding of the divinity, soul, creation and journey of every living being through life.
Dominique Cowling (she, her) is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area region of California, dedicated to transforming trauma and violence into opportunities of freedom. For the past decade, she has been honored to learn & share tools for reconnection. Her former work as a Healing Justice Program Director at Community United Against Violence supported queer and Trans survivors of intimate partner violence, hate violence and police violence through direct service and organizing. Currently, she teaches Restorative Yoga and facilitates somatic healing workshops through Reclaiming Our Own Transcendence (ROOT). Her relationship to spirit and the natural world guides her life. As the founder of Black Seeds Project, she provides group sessions in ritual with nature. Through these offerings, she weaves her studies in liberatory movements, psychology, ecotherapy, mindfulness and trauma informed yoga to explore the barriers to optimal health. Each program invites attunement to the seasonal changes and wisdom of the time. Visit linktr.ee/blackseedsproject1 to see her upcoming offerings.
