Design, Funding, & Foundations
Why the Full Build Matters
Why We’re Starting With a Full Build
Launching a $2M retreat may seem bold—but it’s not overreach. It’s an intentional foundation, grounded in sustainability, real-world logistics, and the needs of the women we serve. A partial build would fall short, both financially and emotionally.
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Why Not Start Smaller?
One or two cabins and makeshift facilities might sound practical, but they simply can’t sustain the vision. A scaled-down model wouldn’t generate enough income to cover basic expenses, pay staff, or maintain operations—let alone create a safe and nourishing experience for guests. Worse, it would burn out the founder while offering no real path to grow.​
Why 10 Cabins?
Ten shared cabins (accommodating 30–50 guests per retreat) is the minimum needed to:
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Keep pricing accessible at $1,100 per guest
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Pay staff fairly and ethically
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Offer scholarship and sliding scale options
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Repay a loan responsibly without financial strain
This number isn’t arbitrary. It’s the result of careful modeling based on real retreat costs, staff needs, and the importance of holding healing space for more than a handful of women at a time.
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Why Build All At Once?
This is about launching a complete ecosystem. Real programming requires real infrastructure. A lodge for gathering and movement. Bathhouses with dignity and warmth. Cabins that offer privacy, safety, and softness.
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We’re not building extravagance. But what we do want to ensure is that women feel held here. We’re building a beginning strong enough to last. A sanctuary that won’t collapse under logistical strain. Something worthy of the women it’s meant to hold.
Design Choices & Facilities
At Return to Her, we approach physical space as a core component of healing. Our retreat is intentionally designed to support women navigating grief, burnout, and emotional exhaustion. This is not a rustic camp or a luxury resort—it is a trauma-informed sanctuary built with care, dignity, and accessibility in mind.
Our infrastructure reflects this purpose:
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Clean, climate-controlled cabins with soft bedding and flush toilets
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Warm, private bathhouses designed for safety and ease
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Thoughtfully curated gathering spaces that feel emotionally and physically safe
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Onsite founder housing to ensure guest support and continuity of care
These features are not indulgent—they are essential. Healing requires infrastructure. Restoration requires intention. We do not ask women to “rough it” to prove their strength. We create spaces where they can soften, rest, and reconnect—with themselves and with each other.
Where the Funding Goes
Bringing this vision to life will take an estimated $2 million—an investment not in buildings, but in healing. Every dollar supports the infrastructure, safety, and sustainability required to welcome women into a space designed for rest, restoration, and transformation.
