“I have nothing but good things to say about my retreat experience. I arrived at the retreat at a very difficult time in my life, feeling broken and desperate, yet hesitant and untrusting. I had spent years trying to heal from difficulties in my life but had not yet been able to make the forward progress I wanted and needed. Emily and the Aluera team immediately made me feel welcome and safe, and the entire weekend was just what I need to move forward in my healing journey. My trust in others and in myself was restored and I felt renewed by the end of the weekend. As I left the retreat, it felt like the first day of the rest of my life.”

“After attending the retreat this past weekend, I finally feel “all cried out” and in a GOOD way. This is the longest I’ve gone without crying in many months thanks to the immersive retreat, I now have the tools to guide my intrusive thoughts in the right direction. It feels so good to get back to being ME, but an improved me! Thank you! If you’re on the fence about attending, DO IT!!” 

“The retreat really showed me that what happened to me as a child was not my fault and it was not my mother’s fault. But it is an opportunity – I know it doesn’t have to feel like this. I realize what a huge impact my mother had on my life, and I am grateful I had the chance to do the work I’m now doing to heal.”

“The whole [retreat] experience of being in a room with women who commited to doing this work for themselves was so healing and therapeutic. I didn’t know any of them, everyone had a different story and issue with their mothers, and yet it was so comforting to be in the room with those people.”

[Since the retreat] “I’m looking at things more honestly. I’m more aware of my body and I’m noticing what’s happening around me and how I’m feeling. I’ve stopped people pleasing. A lot of times I’d say yes to things I didn’t want to do. Without being in tune with me, I would just say yes to go along. It’s been really beneficial for me. I realized how much of an impact my relationship with my mom has had on every area of my life. Before, I don’t know that I was super cognizant of that. I knew that what she did wasn’t normal, but the community at the retreat and the education there helped me realize that I had compartmentalized all the little pieces throughout my life that were off. The retreat helped me see the big picture. I’m able to make more sense of things now.”

“The bonding and connection with others showed me that I am worthy, and allowed me to have more compassion for myself.”

“If you have Mother Hunger and live in pain, go [to the retreat]. You will realize you are not alone, and you can begin the process of learning who you are and your true beauty where you thought there was none.”

“I’ve been in a state of hyperarousal since I was born. I’m never still, I’m an over-achiever, I always have to be doing something. [At the retreat] it became very clear to me that these traits are my way of dissociating from how I feel in my body and I’ve given myself permission to stop and breathe, because it isn’t serving me.”

“The retreat made me more inquisitive about what happened in the past and made me feel more resolved, strong, and capable of actually exploring it further to finally heal from it.” 

“I know how to make a place in my heart for my mom that wasn’t there before.”

“I learned it’s possible to make a change – it’s a lot of work and it’s not easy, but by being willing to work through some of the hardest, saddest things in my life, I have found genuine happiness and goodness all around me.”

“I’ve read every self help book but when I found Mother Hunger it was just totally different, because I finally found words to describe what I went through my whole life. After I read the book I felt like there was a way out, like ‘Oh my god, this is exaclty how I feel’, and the retreat helped me find that way out.”

“I feel so lucky that I got to do this [retreat]. I feel like I owe my life to Emily and her team.”