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Sage Photography Weekend Retreat: Seeing With Presence, Creating with Purpose (Co-Teachers Martha Brettschneider & Melissa Maillett)
This two-day retreat is an invitation to step into nature’s season of renewal—a time of blooming wildflowers, regenerative energy, and fresh possibilities.
In the heart of May, when the landscape is bursting with new life and vibrant color, we gather to reconnect with our own inner growth. Just as nature moves effortlessly from dormancy to full bloom, we, too, can learn to trust our own unfolding—embracing change, releasing resistance, and stepping into creative flow.
Set on privately held land in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this two-day escape offers a sanctuary for healing, nourishment, and restoration. Through the practice of Sage Photography, we will explore how evidence-based mental practices coupled with photography can become powerful tools for clarity, resilience, and personal transformation.
This weekend is an opportunity to slow down, breathe deeply, and realign with the rhythm of the natural world. Whether you’re in transition, seeking creative renewal, or simply longing for some pockets of stillness, you will leave feeling replenished, inspired, and deeply connected to your path forward.
Who This Is For:
- Anyone seeking restoration and clarity through nature’s wisdom
- Creatives, professionals, and seekers looking to strengthen their inner super powers
- Those navigating transitions and wanting to reconnect with purpose
- Anyone, regardless of photography experience, who wants to explore photography as a mindfulness and self-discovery tool
This weekend retreat will be facilitated by Martha Brettschneider, Founder of Damselwings, and Melissa Maillett, Owner of Melissa Maillett Photography, with support from our host Sarah Raposa.
What You'll Receive:
- A deeper understanding of how to use photography as a mindfulness and resilience practice
- Practical tools for intercepting saboteurs and strengthening Sage Powers*
- Nature-inspired images that you can come back to again and again for your personal grounding
- Creative exercises to sustain inspiration and trust in life’s unfolding
- A newfound sense of connection with nature, self, and purpose
What We Bring to This Retreat
Martha – Certified Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness coach, mindfulness teacher and award-winning nature photographer, guiding you to quiet inner saboteurs, strengthen Sage Powers, and use photography for deep self-discovery.
Melissa – Professional photographer and educator, offering technical guidance, creative inspiration, and insights on using nature photography as a grounding and transformative practice.
Together, we create a space for renewal, exploration, and creative awakening.
* Saboteurs and Sage Powers are terms used in the Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness training framework. If you have not experienced this program, Martha will take you through a free 45-minute Saboteur Discovery Call in advance of the retreat.
Why This Retreat Matters
As our tumultuous times constantly pull us away from ourselves, this Sage Photography Retreat offers a path to return to presence, to purpose, to creativity, to trust.
This experience is an invitation to slow down, see with new eyes, and walk away with not just photographs, but a transformed way of being.
Register here: ?https://support.damselwings.com/public/form/view/66f6dcde953e9d003a741e48
FEE:
$395, which includes two days of facilitation by Martha Brettschneider and Melissa Maillett, access to 13 acres of privately-held land in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and home-cooked lunches, snacks, and breakfast on Sunday. Lodging and Saturday dinner not included, allowing participants the opportunity to explore local restaurants in and around Sperryville, VA. A list of lodging options will be provided upon registration.
Images
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Date and Time
Saturday May 17, 2025 Sunday May 18, 2025
Arrival 10:00 am Saturday, May 17, 2025
Departure 3:00 pm Sunday, May 18, 2025
Location
84 Bluegrass Lane, Woodville, VA 22749
We are thrilled to team up with Sarah Raposa, founder of the GG Studio in Woodville, VA, to hold the space for our retreat experience.
Sarah and her husband Karlos are the stewards of a magical piece of property in the Blue Ridge mountains that includes a lovely climate controlled studio and 13 acres of land, including forest trails, a pond, and the confluence of two rivers. Sarah will co-facilitate aspects of the program that support our connection to the land and its healing properties. Our hosts will also prepare home-cooked, nourishing snacks and meals for the group.
Fees/Admission
$395/person
Contact Information
Martha Brettschneider
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