Ritualist, Ceremonialist, Instrumentalist, Breathwork Facilitator, Retreat Hostess

“Miss Fern Olivia is a soul that shines so bright, you want to bottle her up and take it with you. Luckily she shares the beauty she has found inside of herself and gently guides you through the power of breathe to find it within you. Her guidance helped me step away from the stress I was stewing in. She offered a space for me to become grounded, and at peace. I am not going to say it was easy. When you are on a gerbal wheel, it is really hard to get off. Her patience and tenderness expanded my heart exponentially. This might sound crazy but after a week with her, smells were stronger, tastes had the volume turned up, every sense seemed to be heightened. On the last day we did a cacao spa before our breath work followed by a dip in the ocean. To hear the story of the motherly love that goes into the growing and harvesting of cacao, combined with the scrubbing of our skin and releasing things that do not serve us, my skin and heart were soft for days afterwards. You will come away from your time with Fern feeling lighter. Wall Street might want Fern back in the trenches, but the world is a better place with Fern sharing her knowledge and love.”

“My aquatic rebirthing breathwork with Fern in December 2024 was a beautiful and incredible experience. She has such a pure sweet loving and caring energy, and that radiates into the sessions she offers. The nurturing vibe that she carries is a large part of what allowed the experience I had to unfold, in which I literally felt like I was in the arms of and reconnected to the Divine Mother presence when Fern was holding me in the water and afterwards. It was a profound moment. She was very much energetically filling this role in that moment, so she was clearly an open channel for that loving energy of the Divine Mother to come through and be experienced. The breathwork she had guided led me to that moment where I had a big emotional release and then felt fully held for one of the first times ever - by Source, by life. The energy and space she was holding helped to facilitate this beautiful surrendering of the walls I had put up to keep myself cut off from the love and support of the Divine. I felt immense gratitude to Fern in that moment, for being a beautiful representation of the pure loving nurturing energy of the Divine Mother. This experience was truly a rebirth on some level and another layer of the reconnection within me back to Source. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Fern a bit outside of her offerings as well, and she is a genuinely sweet loving soul with a true desire to help spread love.”

“I had the privilege of attending a Inner Medicine Woman Sacred Spaceholder Training and Retreat with Fern in April 2025, and it was such a powerful and enriching experience. She shared so much wisdom and taught me valuable tools that I now carry into my own ceremonies. Fern holds space with such grace, depth, and authenticity, it allowed me to feel safe, supported, and deeply seen. I’ll miss our beach sessions and the sacred portals we opened by the ocean, those moments were pure magic. Fern became not only a teacher to me, but also a dear friend. Her teachings continue to ripple through my work and my life, and I’m truly grateful for everything she shared. Thank you, Fern, from my heart, I love you so much!”

“I worked with Fern to create a custom agenda that included a couple of body/mind therapies each day, plus three personal mushroom ceremonies. The therapies ranged from massage and breathwork, to sound, reiki, Ayurvedic treatments, kundalini, kirtan, dance, and more. I would be alone, but entirely cared for, which meant even more headspace for letting go. It’s also a rare relief to be carried as an adult, and that is how I felt. My food preferences are specific to say the least. I shared my meal requests with Fern, hoped for the best, and ended up with some of the most incredible meals I’ve ever had! Hyper-color tropical fruits and vegetables from a nearby organic farm became a kaleidoscope of raw-vegan-high-vibe plates, bowls, soups, smoothies and beyond that left me so entranced. The chef practically radiated love - and was Michelin Star trained, I later learned. Fern - whose patience, generosity and seemingly endless array of healing modalities positively enveloped me. I worked with Fern to create a custom agenda that included a couple of body/mind therapies each day, plus three personal mushroom ceremonies. The therapies ranged from massage and breathwork, to sound, reiki, Ayurvedic treatments, kundalini, kirtan, dance, and more. I would be alone, but entirely cared for, which meant even more headspace for letting go. It’s also a rare relief to be carried as an adult, and that is how I felt. Fern - whose patience, generosity and seemingly endless array of healing modalities positively enveloped me. As I told her, planning a retreat in such great detail is very hard to do and she did it perfectly.”

“Staying with Fern is how I showed up for my own version of rest. In Fern’s sacred space I felt deeply grounded surrounded my nature and organic materials. Fern embodies a calming, feminine and yogic energy that supported my yoga retreat. I had a powerful 1:1 session with Fern and use some of those kundalini practices when I need to shift my mental space now that I’m back home. I went to Costa Rica to write my book proposal and in Fern’s space the words just flooded out. I loved my time there so much I booked another stay for the winter!”

“Fern led me on a personal journey in January 2025. She was very attentive to my needs having spoken to me beforehand and heard my concerns about distracting noise. She chose an excellent location for the journey. A beautiful shala near the beach where I could hear the sounds of the waves and the jungle. Her music was the most incredible part, truly maximising the experience. She held the space in a way that felt magical and angelic. I was fully present and felt safe, supported and loved. The ceremony was without a doubt personally impactful and profoundly moving. The insights gained, many of which I am still exploring and reflecting on, have helped me overcome the sense of “stuckness” I had been struggling with. In the time that followed, I participated in other group sessions with Fern, including voice activation and TRE and listened to her podcasts. i am forever grateful for my personal journey with Fern and I know that she will continue to have an impact on my healing and growth forever.”

“I had been following Fern’s journey via the web as well as others that visited. Every guest looked like they were experiencing peace and I wanted to feel that too so after a year of contemplating I finally pulled the trigger to have a wellness retreat of my own with Fern! When I came to Costa Rica, I came to feel and be more free, live in the present, and be free of judgement, but I left with SO much more. I felt a peace, I NEVER felt in my entire life before. I released so much built up energy that was keeping me from making moves and cutting ties in my daily life and I finally felt like I could breathe again. I was able to fully live in the present and live my truth. What inspired me most was how clear my energy became as each day went on - my thoughts, my feelings, everything started to become more clear of what I wanted for my life to go. I loved every single ceremony I was apart of from the cocoa ceremony to my beach labyrinth to an incredible sound healing and that was just the beginning! Each day was filled with something new to experience and learn esp. with Fern as my guide. I feel so blessed and grateful to have had Fern take me on the one of the best journeys I’ve ever been on physically, mentally, and spiritually. I would definitely come back and I completely recommend it to anyone whether you want to go to over come a fear, experience Costa Rica, or even if you just want to grow as a human being - Fern provides that safe environment!”

“Fern was like a divine light guiding me through my retreat in Puerto Viejo! Initially, my fears included not knowing anyone, but Fern graciously included me in her circle of friends and the community. I planned this retreat for myself to see what my life would be like if I chose to move to Costa Rica. This town especially, Puerto Viejo, is magical and sacred. My time here assisted in my healing journey, and opened my heart to new possibilities for the future, all thanks to Fern and her life-giving spirit! She was very supportive throughout the booking process and throughout my trip when I asked for surf & massage recommendations. I would highly recommend exploring with her through the jungle. It’s worth it!”

“Having followed Fern’s healing journey with yoga (intermittently and from some distance) for around ~eight years, always recognizing her wisdom and her devotion; always feeling very positive about her; and, honestly, admiring all the ways in which she is different from the same old-same old. I had only seen a couple of photos of her and Maxim, and because I trust her to know (and also felt it intuitively), I knew that he would be equally wonderful, in his own way. I needed a break from the intensity of my life so I “bought the ticket and took the ride.” I am so grateful I did! In our time together, I released the cords of attachments that were draining me. Felt free. Loved the embodied experience that is my life-journey, again. Learned innumerable lessons. Many lessons are still dawning on me, even days later. This was my first ever yoga retreat anywhere! I wish I had trusted that all would be so good afterwards, because things have been better than good: they have been great since. “Trust the process” was the teaching I took away! One of the highlights was listening to Fern’s expression, watching her listening, and hearing Maxim’s reasoning, watching him adapt and both of them being such wonderful leaders in true service to their guests. Feeling their caring, centered hearts. Maxim embodied kindness, patience, and genuine service. He truly cares and shows so many examples of listening, ethos and brotherhood. Fern is charitable, gracious, sits in her feminine power so confidently, and shares the wisdom of her devoted ~decade of learning and ~lifetime(s) pure alignment. Yoga (Kundalini and Thyroid) and breathwork, and mantras and chanting, and being playful and attuned with humor. I loved my time with them and highly recommend their retreats and experiences to all who are seeking to have a sanctuary for body, mind, and soul.”

“My favorite part of this retreat was Fern’s magical classes and her unwavering, unconditional nurturing, love and support. I realized how detached I had been to both my inner child and my inner goddess and both were nurtured during the retreat. I also realized how much of a mirror we all served for each other. It really felt like we all allowed ourselves to be stripped down to some of our deepest vulnerabilities, which created such a massive shift for all of us. Maxim introduced us to different ways of eating and cooking along with offering different perspectives and experiences in a caring and compassionate way. And of course sharing with us his beautiful musical gifts and voice! I’m still trying to find all the words. I’ll share more when I find them, but until then, I’m so grateful for this experience! Truly transformational!”

“I came on the retreat to experience soul connections, breakthroughs, and community, and experienced all of this and so much more, including fully embodying Tierra 2.0, my inner wild woman and being surrounded by women who embraced and loved me for who I am! Fern embodies pure love and devotion, coherence, being herself while healing and shifting - which is an amazing quality of a leader. Through her leadership and openness, I opened my own voice and had huge lessons around my expression and self-love, and I am forever grateful for the amazing space she held for this!”

“My favorite part by far was Fern’s yoga classes that allowed me to move my body and allow the energy to pass through me! And all the deep connections, beautiful releases on the mat, beautiful nature, finding stillness within myself and opening up my throat chakra. Maxim compassionately showed me the aspects of my past that need to be healed and for that I am very grateful and forever changed. I am incredibly appreciative for this opportunity and experience. Thank you both so much for all that you did and all that you are!”

“It’s been a week since Fern Olivia and Maxim Marlo’s retreat and I’ve been thinking of words to describe the experience and how I felt after but it’s one of those things that’s hard to explain. It’s more felt on a deeper emotional, spiritual & mental level. Feelings that can never be duplicated but will stick with you forever. I gained a new soul family & felt instant connections. We all seemed to be there for the same reason but at the same time different reasons that helped us all learn and grow. The portal we created while practicing yoga, breath work, voice activation, meditation and deeper states of consciousness with the magical Fern Olivia guiding us brought us all closer together. Our shared meals created by Maxim made us feel like family. In that, I learned a lot about myself, gained more confidence, felt comfortable using my voice, more open to receiving without pressure, and so much more. I also hosted my first herbal workshop which made my heart feel so full to get to share my passion - this ignited an even bigger fire within me to start creating more events and experiences. I will be forever grateful for those moments and the shifts we made.”

“I was drawn to Fern Olivia and Maxim Marlo’s retreat description and the experience was beyond my expectations! I decided to take a trip on my own as a personal retreat. Fern’s guidance for the personal retreat was amazing. I didn’t give her too much guidance on my intentions and amazingly she intuitively balanced my retreat itinerary with ample personal time and exploration, along with daily activities and meditation experiences such as the Cacao Ceremony and grounding sound meditation, an energy-balancing healing massage, guided breathwork and chakra balancing, nature excursion with a local indigenous guide, voice activation training, and many other experiences I’d never been exposed to before. In addition, the meals, cleansing smoothies, daily juices, and herbal teas she provided were fabulous. I truly had a glorious experience and felt very supported. I’ll definitely tell friends and will be back again soon!”

““I did a week-long cleanse and yoga retreat with Fern and Maxim in Costa Rica and it was amazing! I’ve already been working virtually with Fern for several years before the retreat, so I knew her work but finally meeting in person was so magical. Based on our previous journey, together we created my own dream retreat. I could choose from the various activities and healing modalities they offered and I loved the individual approach and flexibility. Some of my highlights were yoga classes by the beach, super delicious smoothie bowls (and also the other food was incredible), a cacao ceremony, going on hikes in close by national parks, and a sound healing journey and vocal activation where I could go really deep and initiate a deep healing process. Another truly unique and special experience was visiting a local Bri Bri native shamanic family. It was so special to connect with the indigenous people and we learned a lot about medicinal plants and their usage and also made cacao. After this week I felt so much more centered, calm, and connected to myself. I can highly recommend going on a retreat with Fern and Maxim, they are so kind and supportive, the experiences they offer are incredible and Puerto Viejo/Caribe Costa Rica is such a beautiful place. I highly recommend this to all who are looking for a special experience in nature with kind, loving, people.”

“After my mom’s passing, I was craving to heal and get away, and was recommended to Fern by a mutual friend. Fern listened and held my hand as I expressed all my fears and worries so I could feel comfortable and safe during my first time ever leaving the country! Once I arrived, I was greeted by Fern and Maxim at my bungalow and they prepared beautiful plant-based meals, smoothies with the freshest ingredients for me every day, we had cacao ceremonies, sound baths, yoga and meditation, a cacao coffee scrub on the beach, so I was given so much healing practices. Fern introduced me to her team of local healers in the community, and I went on an amazing hiking excursion in nature with an indigenous guide who was so wise and knowledgeable and I saw so many animals and learned so much about why this place is so special. I can’t thank Fern enough for being the most beautiful, bubbly soul I have ever met, she brings such a smile to your face, you feel instantly at peace and safe with her, she holds space for you and really, truly cares for you and wants to make your life better! I don’t think I would have ever left the country [USA] and gone somewhere myself if it weren’t for her! If you are thinking about doing a retreat, I highly, highly recommend reaching out to Fern and setting up a group or personal experience!! She will help create an amazing time in a beautiful, beautiful place!”

“I immediately chose this Breathwork Training retreat with Fern in August 2024 with instant knowing that she was the teacher I desired to study with and once I listened to her guided practices on Insight Timer, I knew I made the right choice! I chose this training over all the others because of her unique style of breathwork and vocal activation. Fern supported me with warmth and joy, loving words and a profound professional background. I really adored the whole program. It was so beautifully planned, very rich of unique experiences and I am very grateful for my personal progress during those unforgettable days. The practices will enrich my work as trainer and coach and foster joy and connection in my life and the lives of others.”

“Fern is so knowledgeable, she genuinely lights up with passion when sharing her knowledge. She is so encouraging and sure of our power to guide others to their spirit through their breath and song. I chose this training to become a certified breathwork facilitator and reconnect to my own practice, and I booked it immediately after searching through many trainings I discovered online because it offered me a solid foundation of breathwork facilitation methods and the confidence to guide others to their spirit through their breath.  During the retreat, I discovered that my breath connected me to my inner strength and provided more ease in taking the role of observer of the circus of the mind- making it so clear the way the mind focuses so narrowly on “the problem” leaving the inner guidance system little room to whisper solutions. This phenomenon is something I am very intellectually aware of and talk about often in my work role as a mental health therapist. I have never experienced it quite so profoundly as I did during this retreat. Maxim and Fern together guided a powerful opening cacao ceremony which was one of my favorite experiences from this retreat. Together they radiate alignment. Their gentle guidance and powerful music are heart openers. The breathwork facilitator training was a very powerful experience. I am so glad I was divinely guided to it!”

“I chose this training because I desired to learn and become breathwork certified!  Now I have this amazing tool under my belt and since the training have already been serving and helping others in life. Learning new things and having Fern be so flexible is what I loved. From all the different breathwork techniques, learning sound bowls, going to ecstatic dances, the cacao ceremony and sharing in the ritual and love of creation. and aquatic breathwork!! My most favorite part is Fern sharing the love and feel of the tide pools and each shala she chose to do our lessons! What sets this training unique from others is Fern’s kindness, a great team, diversity of experiences to glean from as tools and support for moving forward. Maxim is such a gem. He is just genuine in who he is and says it as it is. His passion for his music, being a pillar of support for Fern and his love for making cacao for ceremonies is beautiful. I was also able to witness him doing a cacao spa and being able to see a man do so and see that even in masculinity, he held on to his femininity at the same time. It was a reminder of how they can really coexist regardless of who you are. The breakthrough I had was right at the end. After I did my community breathwork as my final and saw how I was able to help and light up their souls (plus all the practice with Fern and other student in the training) it made me realize just how much power and gifts I really have to share. The biggest breakthrough of all was after attending my last breathwork session with Fern. I felt myself release, feels beautiful and embodied all my power and femininity!”

“I experienced personal training with Fern to receive knowledge on how to facilitate breath work classes to help others heal, and I loved my time in Costa Rica with her mentorship. Working with Fern and Maxim was my favorite part - they are so kindhearted, loving, knowledgeable, and a joy to be around. The beautiful energy, the amazing souls, the energetic connections, I will cherish in my heart always! I overcame some huge fears, let go of some grief, and envisioned myself on a new path! Through learning about conscious connected breath work, and continuously practicing for 10 days, I feel like I have gone through death and rebirth several times in such a short period of time. It is invigorating releasing so much that has not been serving me. I am confident teaching already and have received new clients right when I finished the training!”

“Fern and Maxim created an incredibly special experience for us in Costa Rica for our wedding. We had the most gorgeous private marriage ceremony on the beach with them, which Fern so beautifully officiated, and then they serenaded us with their angelic music, African harp and Native flutes. We felt so loved in the cacao ceremony and sound journey that week, and loved so much feeling their energy and vibes, we felt like part of their family and tribe in Puerto Viejo! We are excited to come back soon!”

“My week-long personal cleanse retreat in beautiful Puerto Viejo was even more magical than my wildest dreams, and it was a natural choice to see Fern again for a couple’s retreat with Phillip, especially since we are newlyweds and wanted to deepen our connection and take some time to enjoy Fern’s magic with her partner, Maxim.
My husband and I recently had the opportunity to enjoy this couple’s retreat with Fern and Maxim, and it was absolute magic. They created a beautiful safe space for us, opening with a cacao ceremony, heart-opening singing, and breathwork. It was such a beautiful, peaceful experience, and our restorative yoga session with additional breathwork is something that we are continuing to practice at home. The meals that Fern and Maxim crafted for us were incredible. I still dream of that midday smoothie bowl! The three-course plant-based dinner they prepared for us was amazing, and we loved how incredibly flavorful everything was. Our retreat was such a wonderful experience; Fern and Maxim’s love for each other makes it all the more special. Their magic shines through and our retreat was such a powerful experience. We are so grateful for our time with Fern and Maxim. Our experience brought us closer together and strengthened our bond as a couple. We hope to visit Puerto Viejo soon for another couple’s retreat with them!”

“Tony + I had an amazing time. I’ve been to many sound baths in my life and their music is as potent and as rich in love as I’ve heard. Paring it with the perfect location and cacao is pure bliss. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who has a curiosity about cacao, healing through sound, sound baths, relaxation, and unique experiences while in Costa Rica! Pure Pura Vida!”

“This experience was really special.
My boyfriend and I went towards the end of our 6-month trip to Costa Rica to celebrate. The cacao was of incredible quality. It’s organic and sourced from the mountains here in Costa Rica. We sipped Cacao while they played (and we joined in chanting) a variety of mantras and hymns. All while looking at the most beautiful view of the ocean. The instruments come from all around the world and the sound experience was something I’d never heard before. A beautiful experience I recommend for everyone!”

“I cannot sincerely thank you enough for truly changing my life. I was so nervous to travel to Costa Rica on my own and to take such a big jump in a healing journey that was solely focused on myself. You were so kind and patient with me through all of my ups and downs. I was so new to thyroid yoga, rituals, and healing in general. I loved learning from you and I felt very safe during our yoga and healing sessions to bless and release the emotions that had been buried inside for so long. Thank you for including me in extra healing experiences and for guiding me each step of the way. Being included at your beautiful studio was one of the highlights of my trip and I can’t wait to continue using this type of movement for healing and release. Your light, beautiful voice, and healing spirit showed me that I am capable of finding freedom again in my life and I have already had such beautiful moments of joy again. I forgot what it felt like to truly live guided by my own light and I am so excited to continue tapping into my younger self to learn more about her. I am so dedicated to this new chapter in my life and I hope we can stay in touch because you have become an angel of hope in my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I had the amazing opportunity to work with Fern for a personal thyroid medicine woman retreat and I can honestly say that it was a life changing experience. I had struggled for years with thyroid disease and feelings of hopelessness that I was never going to feel better until I worked with Fern in Costa Rica. She took such care in guiding me through an individualized healing experience that helped me release emotions and trauma that were causing my body, mind, and spirit to remain blocked and stagnant. Fern showed me how to live a life guided by my own personal light and how this would bring true joy back into my life. She helped me find my voice again and I am so grateful for her. The healing energy of the jungle in Costa Rica is magical and I came back with a true calling to be connected to my inner self and nature. I would highly recommend this beautiful healing journey and I would love to return again!”

“I really felt the call and the power of myself as a healer, stronger than ever before. The experience, the setting, and the power of the group all combined to help me really drop in and get to a new level of expansion and activation. My intention was to truly open up and to step outside of my comfort zone to take the healing to a next level! There is nothing like the experience of Thyroid Yoga practices live and I’ve experienced the magic of a retreat with Fern before, so I knew it would be amazing and that it would facilitate a lot of shifts and healing. I loved the morning yoga classes so much, though I think the deep breathwork portion may have been my favorite. That second night was such a deep portal. I felt like it was a huge expansion and the power of every person there made it so special. The food was amazing! I also really appreciated how Maxim took our feedback about food and made shifts that helped all of us feel more nourished and satiated. I can’t think of anything I’d change - it was such a beautiful experience, we (I came with my partner) had the best time! I suppose the only thing I wish was that it was longer!!”

“I had the amazing opportunity to work with Fern for a personal thyroid medicine woman retreat and I can honestly say that it was a life changing experience. I had struggled for years with thyroid disease and feelings of hopelessness that I was never going to feel better until I worked with Fern in Costa Rica. She took such care in guiding me through an individualized healing experience that helped me release emotions and trauma that were causing my body, mind, and spirit to remain blocked and stagnant. Fern showed me how to live a life guided by my own personal light and how this would bring true joy back into my life. She helped me find my voice again and I am so grateful for her. The healing energy of the jungle in Costa Rica is magical and I came back with a true calling to be connected to my inner self and nature. I would highly recommend this beautiful healing journey and I would love to return again!”