Kamin Mohammadi-
Kamin is an acclaimed writer, journalist, and teacher known for her deeply personal and transformative works that explore themes of identity, culture, and healing. Born in Iran, Kamin and her family were exiled to the UK following the 1979 Iranian Revolution. This profound displacement shaped much of her creative outlook, inspiring her to craft narratives that blend personal experience with universal truths. Kamin has authored two celebrated books: The Cypress Tree: A Love Letter to Iran, a memoir interwoven with Iran’s complex history, and Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Way, a guide to embracing the beauty of everyday life inspired by her move to Tuscany. The latter has been translated into 16 languages and is being developed into atelevision series. Kamin’s journalism, featured in publications such as The Times, Financial Times, and The Guardian, has earned her nominations for prestigious awards, including the Amnesty International Human Rights in Journalism Award, an American Society of Magazine Editors Award for Best Essay and three recent accolades from the LA Press Club.
A passionate advocate for the healing power of creativity, Kamin founded the Writing as Medicine modality. Through writing retreats and workshops, she helps participants unlock their voices, process emotional challenges, and reconnect with their creative selves. Her teaching integrates storytelling and writing with mindfulness, yoga, and somatic practices, reflecting her holistic approach to well-being. Beyond writing, Kamin is a yoga instructor, Reiki healer, somatic trauma practitioner and producer of artisanal olive oil from her Tuscan grove. She continues to inspire individuals worldwide to embrace balance, beauty, and storytelling as tools for transformation.

Sonja Thayer-
Sonja is a certified yoga teacher, lifelong traveller, and passionate advocate for the transformative power of travel. With a background in New York City’s vibrant fashion industry, she has a keen eye for detail and aesthetic as well as a deep appreciation for curating and creating beautiful experiences that capture the essence of the places, culture, and people of the region. As an Italian American, Sonja feels a profound connection to Europe’s rich cultural heritage. 

Her retreats offer slow travel experiences that immerse participants in the local way of life, fostering authentic connections with the people and places they visit. Whether it’s cooking homemade pasta from scratch in a historic villa, watercolour painting in the olive groves or practicing yoga against the serene seaside of Greece, each retreat is crafted to provide deeply enriching experiences.
 
Believing in the magic that occurs when women gather, Sonja creates supportive communities where women can share their stories, grow, and find inspiration in one another. Her retreats are not just about the destinations, but about forming meaningful connections along the journey.