Dates: Arrive by 5 pm on May 27, depart after breakfast on June 1, 2026
Location: The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, located up in the beautiful Smokey
Mountains near Highlands,NC.

Join us for a transformative 4-day retreat designed specifically for mothers who have experienced the profound loss of a child due to addiction, fentanyl poisoning, or issues related to mental health or suicide. This retreat offers a safe and nurturing environment to connect with other mothers who share similar experiences, and to explore pathways to loving connection with our children and renewal of our broken hearts. In order to assure an intimate and emotionally comforting container, we are limiting the number of participants to 16 women.

What previous attendees have shared:

The waterfall trip helped me to let go of my guilt with the water. So many things that Charlotte said and did. Life changing revelation provided by Charlotte was helping me to & “make friends with my grief”. This grief will be with me forever. I had never thought to make friends with it. This has been the greatest gift in helping with my pain and sadness.

The grief retreat was truly life-transforming. It helped me move from a place of anger to one of acceptance. Hearing feedback from other mothers who had also lost a child was deeply healing—because we shared the same experience, it was rooted in empathy, not sympathy. We laughed, we healed, and the ceremonies guided me through remembering, releasing, and renewing. My grief was reframed—from a space of lonely sadness and isolation to one of connection, bonding, and emotional freedom. . In everyday life, it can be difficult to talk about a child who has passed—people often don’t know what to say and can become uncomfortable. But at the retreat, the other moms truly listened. They welcomed stories and memories of our children with open hearts. Being able to share and be heard with genuine care meant so much to me.

Attending the Journey through Grace retreat was cathartic. It was absolutely the best thing I have done for myself since the passing of my son. It would be wonderful to live life everyday the way I lived those six days at the retreat. If this becomes an annual event, I will be there.

The Journey through Grief with Grace retreat is a must attend for anyone experiencing the debilitating and overwhelming sadness of losing a child. Being surrounded by others who share the same loss is like being wrapped in a warm and comforting hug. Charlotte leads the group with kindnesss, strength , compassion and grace, herself. This retreat has changed the cycle of grieving that I was experiencing. I departed the retreat filled with hope for the future, with decreased guilt surrounding the loss of my son, and with a profound love for my sisters in grief.

The retreat was an amazing experience for me. I am grateful for the opportunity to find new ways to process my grief. I felt very connected with my daughter across the veil which brings me comfort particularly in the days when the sadness seems heavier. Being immersed nature felt energetic and healing. It was a honor to witness the vulnerability and be in the presence of such amazing women.

What to Expect:

Sacred Sharing Circles: Engage in heartfelt conversations with other mothers in a supportive and compassionate setting.
Rituals and Ceremonies: Participate in meaningful rituals and ceremonies that honor your child and support your healing journey.
Connection with your loved one: Community blessings and remembrance of our children will awaken and deepen your personal connection with your child across the veil.
Sound Bath: Experience the deep healing and restoration with tibetan bowls. A truly enriching and expansive soul bath.
Drumming Circle: Vibrational and somatic healing occurs when we rhythmically express our feelings with drums, rattles, dancing, and chanting. A group from Wayfarer’s Chapel in Dillard, Georgia will just us for a night of drumming on the full moon.
Creative awareness: Express your emotions and memories through creative art and writing experiences.
Mindfulness and Gentle Movement Practices: Learn mindfulness, meditations, and gentle movement techniques to cultivate presence, calm, and emotional resilience.
Healing with Nature: Honor the sacred grounds of these ancient mountains, meditate near lichen said to exceed 1000 years of growth, walk amidst the forest to open your heart to life.
Chakra Healing: Explore how your energetic body holds and transforms your grief into love.

Bonus Opportunities:

An introductory Zoom call will occur on May 13 at 7:00 pm Eastern time for all registered participants. The collective ‘circle of grace’ will begin forming at that time, as we each prepare for this transformative journey. The Zoom link will be made available once payment has been made in full.
Two virtual sessions will be offered by Charlotte following the retreat designed to support ‘re-entry’ into our daily lives, and to encourage ongoing practices to support our personal Grief with Grace journeys.

One on One Support:

Charlotte is available for one on one sessions following the retreat; participants will receive a ten percent discount off the price of the sessions.

Retreat Highlights

Nourishing Meals: Savor three healthy and delicious meals daily that support your well-being throughout the retreat. Special dietary needs can be accommodated.

Lodging: The on-site lodge will be dedicated to our retreat, providing a nurturing space to connect, rest, and restore. The price of the retreat for five nights is based on shared lodging. Each room has at least two twin beds and a private bathroom. Mountain temperatures are typically mild and cool in the evening but can be a bit warmer mid afternoon.

About Charlotte Starfire:

Starfire is a mystic, a writer, public speaker, trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness and meditation practitioner, a ceremonialist, ritualist, workshop facilitator, spiritual intuitive guide, and grief educator. These lifelong skills have helped her navigate her deep grief after the loss of her son, Janaka Jaya, at age 37 from fentanyl poisoning after years of suffering from substance use
disorder.

Charlotte is focusing on supporting parents in grief through her work as a Group Leader in Love in The Trenches, as well as developing in-person wellness retreats for mothers seeking pathways to transform their painful grief into self- love and compassion. She recently retired from a career in international trade financing, and is currently writing several books and poetry with her beloved son as her ‘muse’ across the veil. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northeast Georgia along with her senior Corgi named Shambo, and her service dog, Emma, a golden doodle.

About Dori-Moreno:

Dori Moreno-Korn lost her daughter, Mia Justice, in March of 2022 at the age of 23. Mia battled with anxiety, an eating disorder, and eventually a substance use disorder. She sought recovery several times; however, after five years, she passed due to an accidental overdose.

In the three years since Mia passed, Dori has participated in and led grief support groups for parents with the same type of loss, fundraised for advocacy organizations and is finishing her David Kessler Grief Educator certification to provide support to anyone experiencing grief.

Mia was an artist and, therefore, in celebration of Mia’s life, Dori works to publish and share Mia’s art; a story of a young woman who despite substance use disorder lived with great passion and many loves.

At this retreat Dori would like to help us all celebrate and honor our child’s whole life and to speak their names while we heal our own hearts.

About Betsy Winter:

Betsy Winter has been teaching and providing services in the area of mind-body-spirit connection for over 30 years as a massage therapist (now retired), yoga instructor, meditation and vibrational (energy) and sound practitioner. In her career as a Developmental Specialist at a Children’s Hospital, she helped parents, children, and staff cope with stress, grief, and difficult life circumstances. These experiences and tools have assisted her as she navigates her own grief process since her son died 3 years ago. Betsy is registered with Yoga Alliance as a 200 hour E-RYT and a 500 hour RYT yoga instructor sharing Kali Natha Yoga, a lineage yoga taught by Ma Jaya.

Betsy’s career as a healing arts professional spans over three decades, primarily in the field of early child development and neonatal care. Other healing modalities include Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and the use of the Himalayan Singing Bowls and tuning forks to help balance the body-mind and promote health and feelings of well-being. She started massage therapy programs for pediatric patients at 2 different children’s hospitals. She now chooses to focus on yoga because the skills learned in yoga are easily incorporated into everyday life and provide so many benefits. One can expect her classes to promote stress-reduction, enhanced selfcare, and greater strength and flexibility….and certainly a lighthearted and fun atmosphere.

A Special Event

Retreat participants will have a special treat one evening. A private sing along concert by Sweet Charity Playing It Forward. Uplifting music to soothe our hearts from songs we all know including Top 10 Soft Rock, Classic Rock, Folk and Country favorites.

Cost and Transportation

The cost of the retreat which includes 5 nights of shared lodging, a private bathroom, and three meals daily, plus an enriching learning and sharing curriculum is $1750. Private rooms may be available on a first come first available basis for an extra cost of $350.

Transportation costs and arrangements on your own. Shuttle service is available from the Asheville Airport and the Atlanta Airport. Asheville is closest, but there are more limited direct flights there. Participants will be supported in coordinating and sharing shuttle services.

Please reach out for financial assistance. We hope to have donations to offer limited discounts for those who are facing financial challenges to attend. If you are interested in assistance, please email Charlotte at Charlotte.Starfire@gmail.com.

Spaces are limited to 16 registrants ensure a deeply enriching experience. An initial non-refundable deposit of $500 is due at the time of registration. Final payment is then due by April 30, unless specific arrangements are discussed and approved by Charlotte. Please register early to secure your spot. We look forward to welcoming you to this special retreat where you can find solace, strength, and a renewed sense of hope.

Contact Information: For more information, please contact Charlotte Starfire at 813-833-7776 or Charlotte.Starfire@gmail.com.

Click Here to Register!

When prompted, select “Other Retreat”, then 2026 Journey Through Grief With Grace.

Please consider ‘paying it forward’ to assist others with financial challenges to attend. Tax deductible donations to offset the cost of a mother’s attendance can be made directly to The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, a 501c3. Please consider a generous donation. When making a donation through PayPal, select “Starfire Scholarship Fund – Private” from the dropdown menu. PayPal charges a ~2.5% fee on your donation. If you want the full amount to go towards a scholarship, please mail a check to our PO Box and put in the description line that it’s for the Starfire retreat.