MOTHER MEDICINE:

A Rite of Passage for Mothers

As we travel this path of mothering,

what is the medicine we need?

Join us for a 4 day retreat in the beautiful Byron Hinterland designed to support you to explore what the journey as mother means to you, to experience deep rest and connection in circle with other mothers, sisters, elders, and discover ways to revalue and recenter your needs, your creativity, and your joy toward reclaiming your own unique journey of mothering.

Together we discover the phases of our journey and explore how the the ideals of motherhood

can disconnect and deplete us, and impact our beliefs about ourselves. Instead of the constant striving to do it all, we give birth to ourselves and our unique journey by allowing ourselves to feel all the feelings, practice attunement to our needs, and honouring your mothering journey.

When we compassionately inquire into what being a mother asks of us personally, socially and culturally, we may realise that we have unrealistic expectations of ourselves as mothers, and feel that ever present pressure to be the ‘perfect mother'.

The social and cultural ideals enshrined in motherhood can impact our journey from the birth of our children through to their adolescence and adulthood, leaving us at times feeling overwhelmed and isolated, often in cycles of exhaustion, anger, guilt and shame on repeat. Many of us have experienced our mothering in isolation often without support or connection with family, friends or community.

Without an understanding of the transformations within matrescence (our mothering journey) we can feel unsupported, unseen and unacknowledged in the tremendous changes we are experiencing.

On this retreat we will:

Rest and reconnect with our needs

Find connection, bravery and laughter with other mothers

Gain tools to support your nervous system

Unpack the 'perfect mother' myth and explore the taboo feelings of motherhood

Acknowledge the grief of mothering in a world in crisis

Connect to boundaries as radical self care

Allow your own wisdom to integrate and unfold...

Our aim on this retreat is to support you to discover the vision you have for your own journey of mothering.

A note about 'mother' inclusivity...

Acknowledging diversity of mothering and the journey of matrescence is a foundation of my work with mothers. It is key to how we reclaim the act of mothering for each of us, our families and communities, and the wider web of kinship on our animate earth. If you are involved in the care work of raising and supporting children, or you are a mother who identifies outside the rules of patriarchal motherhood (with an identity other than a white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, biological, physically able mother) please know that you are welcome here.

Rested, nourished, and connected Mothers

is the medicine we all need.

Our team...

Dr. Rhiarne Pronk-Scholes

Kamya O'Keeffe

Clinical Family Psychologist

Rhiarne has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families regarding a range of issues. She has 20 years experience working across many settings and is a co-founder of a private practice clinic “The Family Wellbeing Hub” on the Gold Coast. A large focus of Dr Rhiarne’s work has also been on parenting support. She is also very passionate about supporting mothers through the early years of motherhood, with this stage known as “Matrescence”. Being a mother of 3 young children herself, Dr Rhiarne can certainly relate to these challenges. Unfortunately our mothers don’t have a village around them to navigate the challenges and therapeutic support can be invaluable through this time. Dr Rhiarne takes pride in her client-centred, positive and collaborative approaches in therapy – aiming to keep it “as real as possible”.

Women’s Rites of Passage guide

Kamya tends the thresholds of life's transitions by creating handmade transformative rites of passage that acknowledge and celebrate the changes, cycles and stages of our lives.

From adolescence to healthy young adulthood, from patriarchal feminine to mature feminine, the metamorphosis of matrescence, and our crossing into and welcoming elderhood. Kamya is the head of women’s programmes at The Rites of Passage Institute, a Certified Motherhood Studies practitioner, Trauma Informed Space holder and co-hosts the Animate Mother podcast with Dr. Allison Davis. Her work is based in animist, feminist, earth honouring values.

Emma Louise Roger

Women's Yoga Specialist & Psychotherapist

Emma has practiced and trained in yoga for 25 years. She is the founder of Red Tent Yoga, a space dedicated for the feminine and specialises in yoga for women, especially pregnancy & mothers. As a mother of 2 teen daughters, Emma knows first hand the light, dark & seasons of motherhood. She is passionate about supporting women on their life journey so they can embrace the opportunities of growth that these transitions & rites of passages present. Emma is also a qualified Psychotherapist, Life Coach and Havening Practitioner for trauma.

Thirak Rochin

Holistic Counsellor

Thirak studied Psychology in Australia and she is also a S.I.A.F. Certified Holistic Counselor in Europe. Thirak facilitates meditative therapies and leads meditation and self-development retreats (Path of Love Australia) and has worked in self-help programs for people with drug, alcohol, and eating disorders.

A family lawyer in Mexico, she left her law career in order to train at the Mystery School Association and the Gestalt Therapy School. With 21 years in the personal development and meditation fields, Thirak naturally gravitates toward working therapeutically with people and enjoys supporting people to reconnect with their aliveness and passion for life.

Acknowledging our Programme Advisors and Contributors...

Dr. Allison Davis

Maternal Wellness Ecotherapist, Co-founder Animate Mother

Dr. Sophie Brock

Motherhood Studies Sociologist

Turiya Hanover

Founder of The Path of Love/Path Retreats & Holistic Counsellor Trainings

Our Planetary Mother Wound

We know that the transition into motherhood can often connect us to an awareness and deeper connection to the wider web of life. This expanded sense can sometimes lead to layers of anxiety about our children’s future, climate distress for the earth and for all our more than human kin. Maternal anxiety and eco-distress is a real thing and as we navigate pandemics, social and climate injustice, it is important to know that it makes sense to feel this way. And that you aren't alone in feeling the grief of mothering within a system that is not honouring all of life.

Together we can reimagine the archetypal Mother and recenter the Mature Feminine for

personal, cultural and planetary healing.

Unlearning the ‘good mother’ and mothering ourselves is revolutionary.

Mother Medicine: Motherhood as a Rite of Passage

is a four day residential retreat in the tranquil Byron Hinterland

at the beautiful Sacred Hearth Sanctuary.

The retreat cost is $1800.00 per person and includes: