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The Malibu Dream Resort villa at sunset

Healing with Horses · Malibu Grief RetreatThe Spring Circle

April 29 to May 2, 2027 · Malibu, California

Beds are open

Choose your room

3 Nights · 4 Days · Thursday to Sunday

Included services

Check-in is 4:00 PM on Thursday, April 29. Check-out is noon on Sunday, May 2.

Guests with the horses at Shakti Ranch
Equine SessionsGuided time with the herd at Shakti Ranch. No riding, no experience needed.
The circle gathered in the living room
Grief EducationPsychotherapy-informed teaching with Angela and Claire Bidwell Smith.
Morning yoga on the lawn
Somatic PracticeYoga, breathwork and a floating sound bath.
A chef-prepared lunch spread
Private Chef CuisineSeasonal, chef-prepared menus at every meal, tailored to your dietary needs.
A bedroom at the retreat house
Luxury AccommodationsThree nights at the Malibu Dream Resort.

The Malibu Dream Resort

Amenities

Everything around your room, yours for the four days.

The pool and jacuzzi below the villa
Pool & jacuzziHeated pool and spa below the villa.
Pool deck with loungers and canyon views
Ocean-view deckLoungers facing the Pacific.
The waterfall garden
Gardens & waterfallRock gardens with their own waterfall.
Koi ponds beside the house
Koi pondsStepping stones across the ponds.
The tennis court and amphitheater
Tennis courtWith an amphitheater above it.
The kitchen
The open kitchenCoffee, tea, snacks and everything in the pantry. Make yourself at home.
The outdoor kitchen at dusk
Outdoor kitchenLit up for the evenings.
The estate grounds from above
51 private acresGated, with 360-degree views.

Also on the estate: spa · gym · zen garden · pizza oven · lighthouse · WiFi · free parking

← All rooms

Reserve Your Bed · April 29 to May 2, 2027

Choose your bed

A note on bathrooms: the Master Suite has the only bathtub in the house. Every other bathroom has a walk-in shower.

  1. 1Choose your room
  2. 2Choose your bed
  3. 3Reserve & pay

Every bed is sold on its own. Shared rooms hold two to four guests, each in her own bed. No bed-sharing.

I

The Suite

The largest room in the house, shared by four guests.

The Master Suite: a king bed, marble fireplace, sitting area, and ocean views past the balcony

The Master Suite

The largest room in the house. A marble fireplace, a sitting area, the Pacific past the balcony, and two full ensuite bathrooms of its own. Four guests share this one, each in her own bed: the king, two twins, and a twin in the walk-in nook that opens onto the main room.

  • Sleeps four
  • King, two twins, nook twin
  • Two private baths, one with a soaking tub
  • Ocean-view balcony, fireplace

From $5,200 · sleeps four

King bed

One guest · the suite’s main bed

$7,600

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Twin bed

Two available · a high-end twin rollaway, freshly made up

$6,200

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Twin bed · walk-in nook

One guest · a twin tucked into the suite’s walk-in nook, open to the main room

$5,200

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

II

Private Rooms

A room of your own, for one guest.

The Blush Room: a private bedroom with a blush velvet king bed, mirrored gold closet, and soft light

The Blush Room

Soft rose and gold, entirely your own. The only private room with its own ensuite bath, a double vanity and a marble steam shower, plus a loggia balcony over the palms.

  • One guest
  • King
  • Private bath, walk-in steam shower
  • Loggia balcony

$6,900 · private room

King bed · private room

One guest · private ensuite bath

$6,900

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

The Ruby Room: a private bedroom with a deep red velvet headboard and soft cloud-mural wallpaper

The Ruby Room

A jewel box in deep red velvet, all your own. One king bed and deep quiet, with a marble bathroom (walk-in glass shower) just across the hall, shared only with the Cloud Room.

  • One guest
  • King
  • Shared bath, walk-in shower
  • Velvet headboard

$6,450 · private room

King bed · private room

One guest · shared bath with a walk-in shower

$6,450

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

The Palm Room: a bright, spacious private bedroom with a king bed, beamed ceiling, and plantation shutters

The Palm Room

A bright, spacious room with a beamed ceiling and a wall of built-ins, yours alone. A powder room sits just outside, and the main floor bath is shared with Koi.

  • One guest
  • King
  • Shared bath, walk-in shower, plus powder room
  • Beamed ceiling

$6,100 · private room

King bed · private room

One guest · powder room nearby, shared main floor bath

$6,100

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

III

Shared Rooms

Two guests, each in her own bed. No bed-sharing.

The Terrace Room: a warm, light-filled shared bedroom with a king bed and French doors to a balcony

The Terrace Room

Warm and light-filled, with French doors to a pine-view balcony, a walk-in closet, and a private ensuite with two walk-in glass showers. Two guests, two beds, no bed-sharing.

  • Two guests
  • King and twin
  • Private bath, two walk-in showers
  • Pine-view balcony

From $5,900 · per bed

King bed

One guest

$7,150

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Twin bed

A high-end twin rollaway, freshly made up

$5,900

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

The Courtyard Room: a roomy shared bedroom with a king bed, plantation shutters, and palm art

The Courtyard Room

A roomy shared room, bright and calm. A private ensuite with a marble steam shower, a walk-in closet, and its own small entrance foyer. Two guests, two beds, no bed-sharing.

  • Two guests
  • King and twin
  • Private bath, walk-in steam shower
  • Entrance foyer

From $5,600 · per bed

King bed

One guest

$6,650

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Twin bed

A high-end twin rollaway, freshly made up

$5,600

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

The Cloud Room: a spacious, light-filled shared bedroom with plantation shutters and a calm palette

The Cloud Room

Spacious and calm, with a curved stone balcony over the gardens. The marble bathroom, with a walk-in glass shower, sits just across the hall, shared with the Ruby Room. Two guests, two beds, no bed-sharing.

  • Two guests
  • King and twin
  • Shared bath, walk-in shower
  • Stone balcony

From $5,200 · per bed

King bed

One guest

$6,650

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Twin bed

A high-end twin rollaway, freshly made up

$5,200

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

The Koi Room: two twin beds with nightstands and lamps, and lit koi-pond windows

The Koi Room

A one-of-a-kind room on the lower level for two guests, each in her own twin bed, with a designer sofa, lit koi-pond windows and soft mood lighting. The powder room and main floor bath are shared with Palm.

  • Two guests
  • Two twins
  • Shared bath, walk-in shower, plus powder room
  • Koi-pond windows

$5,500 · shared room

Twin bed

Two available · a high-end twin, freshly made up

$5,500

Opens Mon, Oct 26 · 8 a.m. PT

Who Holds the Space

Your guides this spring

A circle of clinicians, equine facilitators, and somatic practitioners, each chosen for the depth and care they bring to this work.

Angela Schellenberg gently stroking a white horse at Shakti Ranch

Angela Schellenberg

Therapist & Lead Facilitator

Trauma and grief therapist and equine therapy practitioner. With a background shaped by personal loss and deep clinical training, Angela creates spaces where healing feels possible.

Claire Bidwell Smith

Claire Bidwell Smith

Co-Facilitator · Grief Author & Therapist

A bestselling grief author and therapist whose work has supported thousands through loss. Claire co-facilitates the grief education and integration portions of the retreat.

clairebidwellsmith.com
Alexis Kimball

Alexis Kimball

Trauma & EMDR Therapist · Adoption Grief

A trauma therapist trained in EMDR who specializes in transracial adoption, grief and the mother wound. Alexis has been part of Healing with Horses since the very first retreat, and she brings her own story as an adoptee into the circle.

alexiskimball.com
Angel Rae Okino

Angel Rae Okino

Somatic Coach · Reiki & Qi Gong Master · Sound Healer

Rae is a certified somatic coach and facilitator, a Reiki and Qi Gong master, and a sound healer. Her work supports nervous system regulation and a steadier, more embodied way of living.

raeokino.com
Rose Mary Riggs with a white horse at Shakti Ranch

Rose Mary Riggs

Equine Facilitator · Shakti Ranch

Founder of Shakti Ranch and a gifted equine facilitator. Her connection with the horses creates an environment where healing unfolds in ways words often cannot reach.

shaktiranch.com
Lara Plutte seated among ornamental grasses

Lara Plutte

Equine Facilitator & Grief Therapist

Lara works alongside Rose Mary Riggs with the horses at Shakti Ranch. An Associate Clinical Social Worker (MA, MSW, ACSW) and Certified Mindfulness Teacher, she blends grief therapy, mindfulness, and somatic practice with the presence of the horses.

larapluttetherapy.com
Emma Barnosky with a horse in the stable

Emma Barnosky

Equine Facilitator & Somatic Practitioner

A certified Equine-Assisted Learning Facilitator and somatic practitioner whose work bridges science, spirituality, and the horse-human bond.

emmabarnosky.com
Ace of Ace Yoga LA in a seated straddle pose

Ace Yoga LA

Yoga & Sound Bath Facilitator

Healing through breath, movement, and vibration. Ace’s yoga and sound sessions are trauma-informed and deeply restorative, an invitation to settle the nervous system.

aceyogala.com
Dori Lancaster

Dori Lancaster

Massage & Somatic Bodywork

A master-level, intuitive bodyworker with 30 years of experience. Optional massage sessions are available during free time at an additional cost, and are non-refundable once booked.

dorilancaster.com

Before You Book

Good to know

Dates

Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, 2027. Check-in 4:00 PM Thursday, check-out noon Sunday.

Where

The Malibu Dream Resort in Malibu, California, with the horse work at Shakti Ranch. The full address and arrival details come with your booking.

Reservations

Your bed is yours the moment your reservation goes through. Deposits are non-refundable, and the retreat is non-refundable in full. Reservations are final and refunds cannot be offered for any reason. Travel insurance is recommended.

Massage

Massage sessions with Dori are optional and paid for separately from your bed. Once booked, a massage is non-refundable if you cancel, because Dori holds that time for you alone and it cannot be offered to another guest on short notice.

Payment plans

Plans run on card and stop on their own once the last payment is made. Every plan payment is finished by April 15, 2027, two weeks before we gather. You will get a reminder a few days before each charge.

Questions

Reach out through the contact page, or book a free 15-minute call.

After You Reserve

What we send you

  1. Right away

    Your confirmation

    Your room and bed, what you paid, and your payment dates, by email.

  2. The next day

    A welcome from Angela

    A short note, with a link to book a 15-minute call so you can meet before spring.

  3. On a payment plan

    Reminders and receipts

    A reminder a few days before each payment, and a receipt after it.

  4. Closer to spring

    The practical details

    The address and arrival details, a food form for the chef, a few forms to complete, and a packing list.

  5. Two weeks out

    A check-in

    A note from Angela, and one more three days before you arrive.

Before Beds Open

Hear the moment beds open

Leave your name and you will hear from me the day spring beds open.

A short heads-up before beds open on Monday, October 26 at 8 a.m. Pacific, and a note the morning they do. You can step off the list anytime.