I can’t say enough good things about Arlene and the way she holds space for an Ayahuasca retreat. When I was preparing for my first experience, I had done quite a bit of research online, and honestly, I found a lot of conflicting information. I was excited, nervous, and unsure about how to prepare. Arlene helped me work through those nerves and gave me much more clarity about the dieta, preparation, intention setting, and what I could expect from the experience. She has also continued doing her own work with Ayahuasca since my retreat, so I know the experience and knowledge she brings to the retreats has only continued to grow. What makes Arlene different to me is how personalized her approach is. She doesn't just hand you a list of things to do and send you on your way. She took a significant amount of time with me one-on-one before the retreat to really understand my intentions and what I was hoping to explore. She incorporates Human Design, tarot and oracle cards, intention setting, and her own intuition into the process. All of that gave her a much better understanding of me as an individual and helped her think about how she could best support me before, during, and after the retreat. She also genuinely cares. Arlene is willing to put in as much effort as you're willing to put into yourself. During my experience, there were times when she spent more one-on-one time with me than was technically allotted because she could tell there was more to work through. I don't say that because I think anyone should expect unlimited access to her time—I say it because it speaks to who she is. She is invested in the people she works with. The retreat itself was beautiful. The home was set back in the hills of Escondido, surrounded by nature, and felt like we had stepped into another world. The space was clean, comfortable, private, and honestly a little luxurious without feeling artificial or overdone. We had beautiful bedrooms, common spaces, a pool, and opportunities to be outside. We did yoga outdoors, which was such a beautiful part of the experience. Arlene is moving to a different retreat home now, so I can't speak specifically to the new location, but I know how much thought she puts into creating the environment, and the setting was an important part of my experience. The food was another detail that stood out to me. Arlene put real thought into making the dieta food healthy and flavorful rather than making it feel restrictive. She even found bread from a local bakery that didn't contain added salt because of the dieta. I still remember a tofu dish with peas that was genuinely delicious. She also made sure the food fit my desire to eat vegan, which made me feel seen and cared for rather than like I was just another person following a generic retreat menu. She also sent me home with some of the leftover kitchari, which I really appreciated. It wasn't something I expected or necessarily think was part of the planned retreat experience, but having a container of food that fit the dieta waiting for me at home meant I didn't have to immediately figure out what I was going to eat or prepare something myself after such an intense experience. It was just one of those little thoughtful things that made me feel cared for beyond the retreat itself. The retreat wasn't just Ayahuasca ceremonies. We also did breathwork, a cacao ceremony, yoga, intention setting, and a root chakra oil workshop. Arlene has a way of creating an experience that feels intentional from beginning to end, rather than just showing up for a ceremony and leaving afterward. One of the things I appreciate most in hindsight is the community she created. When you're doing work as deep and vulnerable as this, being comfortable with the people you're sharing the experience with matters. Arlene makes an effort to help everyone get to know one another before the retreat, and she continues to support the group afterward. What was originally supposed to be a Zoom integration ended up becoming an in-person integration, and we also stayed connected through a group chat. It's been about two and a half years since my retreat, and we're still in that group chat and still have that connection. I actually walked away from the retreat with three friendships that I still have today. I also want to be honest about something: I don't think anyone should go into an Ayahuasca retreat expecting to leave with their entire life changed. That's not something anyone can promise you. The medicine itself played a huge role in my experience, and ultimately the work you do with it is your own. But for me, this retreat was the beginning of something enormous. It was essentially the beginning of my awakening and the beginning of saying yes to the life I actually wanted to live. A lot changed for me after that experience, and my life today looks completely different from the life I was living then. I credit that transformation to a combination of the medicine, my own willingness to do the work, and the container Arlene created around the experience. I would absolutely recommend Arlene to someone considering Ayahuasca for the first time. One of the things that made me feel safer was knowing I wasn't going to be handed a pamphlet and left to figure everything out myself. There is so much conflicting information online, and having someone who can walk you through the preparation, help you clarify your intention, get to know you personally, and support you through the integration makes a huge difference. And ultimately, that's what I think Arlene does best. She doesn't try to manufacture an experience for you or tell you what your experience is supposed to be. She creates a thoughtful, intentional, personal container and then meets you where you are. The more you're willing to show up for yourself, the more she is willing to meet you there.