Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat

Does any of this sound familiar?

It's 4am and, as usual, you can't sleep.  

Your thoughts are overwhelmingly dark, and you feel awful.

Everyone else in the house is snoring and you feel a bit conflicted about that, cos you'd love someone to talk to.

You lay there hoping someone will wake up. But no-one does.

Should you go and make a drink and hope that rouses someone?

NOOO! It's tempting, but the LAST thing you want is anyone to know how much mental and emotional pain you're in.

Most people would be shocked if they knew how you really feel.

You feel like you deserve a frigging Oscar for the way you've convinced everyone you're ok, happy even!

But you don't want to tell anyone the truth cos it makes you feel like a failure, or worse, weak.

You're the one that has to hold everything together.

Everyone depends on you and you need to be strong and independent, not feeble! 

To distract yourself, you get out your phone and start scrolling social media.

You ponder making a post sharing about how you feel, but you see others making posts like that and for every person who leaves a supportive comment, there are a bajillion trolls and haters all over it, telling them to go end it all.

Your heart sinks.

People are so vile to each other. 

A million posts tell you that the world's going to hell in a handbasket.

More wars, more pollution, more inequality and exclusion.

What's going on? 

You feel frustration and sadness as you keep scrolling. 

It's the 21st Century, why are people still killing each other?

Why is starvation still happening when we have the ability to feed everyone?

How come women and kids are forced to walk miles to get water, only to find it's filthy? 

And then the familiar voices of guilt and shame pipe up in unison: -

"How dare you feel depressed when so many other people have it so much worse than you do!" 

You feel helpless.

What can you do to help anyone when you can't even help yourself? 

It gets worse!  

That awful girl who bullied you in school just spent 7 figures on buying her dream house and is parading videos of it all over Insta.

Every room is clean and tidy and her kids are smiling in their fancy designer clothes in their beige bedrooms.

They look like they never make a mess or backchat, or vomit on their mom’s best dress.

You stalk your ex and it turns out they’re dating someone who looks like an A list celeb. 

The smiling people living their best lives – travelling abroad, living with gorgeous partners, renovating dream houses, landing fabulous careers, running 7 figure businesses…….

It feels like everyone has their shit together, except you.

What’s WRONG with you?

Why can’t you just be NORMAL, whatever the hell that is?

You had so many big dreams, but somehow you ended up here?

Depressed. Unhappy. Lonely. 

Trapped in your trauma.

Stuck in a life you don’t like, let alone love.

You’re struggling and in so much pain.

Then that intrusive thought pops up out of nowhere……

“Is there even any point in you being here anymore?

Wouldn’t everyone be so much better off if you just didn’t exist?”

Oh God, now you’re really spiralling and you need someone to help you, but what therapist can you call at this hour?

You don’t want to bother the Samaritans, they’re for people who are more desperate than you……aren’t they?

You can try booking a therapist in the morning but you know that appointments are as rare as hen’s teeth – and expensive!

And honestly, the endless talking about all your traumatic experiences hasn’t worked for you before.

It just leaves you feeling exhausted.

You don’t know what to do.

The loneliness is unbearable.

Everything feels hopeless.

You don’t know how much longer you can go on like this. 

You’re so TIRED. 

You’re what I call a ‘Functional Survivor.’

You keep going.

You show up.

You do what you’re “supposed” to do.

From the outside, you look like you’re holding it together.

No one would ever guess how much you’re hurting.

But underneath the mask? 

You’re exhausted. Weighed down by a heaviness you can’t explain.

You’ve no idea why you can’t shake these depressed feelings, no matter how much you try. 

Maybe you wonder, quietly, secretly, whether you matter…..

…..if anyone would actually notice if you disappeared.

You wonder if things can ever change, if you can ever feel joy again. If happiness really exists. Or if you can ever feel truly yourself, or if this is just your normal now.

Maybe you feel trapped in a life you didn’t consciously choose: –

😔 Doing a job that drains your soul

🤕 In relationships that leaves you feeling small, unseen, or even unsafe

🏚️ Being forced to live in a house that’s not really home

👩🏾‍🦽 Living in a body that’s hurting, exhausted, or treated as if it’s broken

💔 Grieving a loss that you can’t seem to let go of – a person, a beloved friend, a dream…..

💸 Constantly struggling to make ends meet

🏳️‍🌈 ⚧️ Living in a world that doesn’t see or respect who you are

👨🏿‍🦱 🧕🏽 Trying to survive a system that treats you like you don’t belong and don’t matter

🥊 Or beating yourself up for a past failure or mistake that you can’t fix.

There’s a deep ache inside of you

You never feel like you fit in. Somehow you can’t seem to connect with people.

You aren’t like most others. 

Nothing you do ever makes you feel good enough.

You yearn for better. For something more…

………even if you don’t know what that “more” is yet, let alone how to achieve it.

Is it even possible to have the happy life you desire and dream of?

You’ve tried things.

Therapy.

Meds – including self medicating with alcohol, sugar or recreational drugs.

Self help.

Mindfulness.

Gratitude journals.

And maybe some of it helped… but not enough.

Maybe you distract yourself with shopping, video games, social media, doom scrolling, TV, getting involved in avoidable drama, sex, risky behaviour, sleeping too much…

….and that might numb the pain for a while, but in the end you always feel worse. 

And now you’re here. Curious. 

Because part of you is still alive enough to wonder:

What if there’s another way?

What if this strange witchy woo woo therapist woman could actually help me to ditch the black dog of depression and unleash my passion for life again? 

But you’re not into false promises. You’ve had enough of those in your life.

You’re wary of snake oil.

You want something real.

Something grounded.

Something that honours both your pain and your potential.

I see you.

I’ve been where you are and that’s why I created this virtual retreat.

I can’t solve racism, the patriarchy, or erase poverty. But I can hold compassionate space for those who carry the pain of it.

I’m offering a healing container, connection, ritual, and a chance to be seen. A space where your pain isn’t minimized or spiritually bypassed.

This is a sacred space for healing that’s real, rooted, and rEVOLutionary.

I want you to have somewhere to go where you can get ask for guidance and practical solutions to whatever’s causing you to feel depressed, no matter what time of day or night.

A sacred, inclusive, non judgemental space that feels comforting and safe.

Somewhere you can access healing and support from others who understand.

A space where no one will ever tell you to ‘pull yourself together’ or ‘look on the bright side’ or remind you that ‘other people have it so much worse than you’?

Sound good?

Why listen to me? 

Hi, I’m Maria Gaian, and I know how it feels to live with depression.

As a neurodivergent (ASD & ADHD) abuse survivor, it often felt like depression was embedded in my DNA.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape the prison of my own mind.

I felt broken beyond repair.

And that feeling was reflected in every part of my life.

I had zero confidence or self esteem. My creativity and courage to try new things waned and eventually disappeared the more depressed I became. 

Occasionally, I’d pick myself up and feel better. 

I managed to rebuild my life a few times, meeting my beloved Soulmate, starting fantastic businesses, having my gorgeous kids.

From the outside, my life seemed perfect. I looked like I had it all!

But because I never really dealt with the root causes of the depression, I always had the black dog snapping at my heels.

All it would take was a small setback and my world would fall apart again. Just like it did in 2013.

In 2013, it all came to a head and I had a nervous breakdown.

I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and an anxiety disorder on top of the cPTSD I was already struggling with.

This time everything went to complete sh*t.

I lost my dream business, which not only broke my heart – but we had no money.

Which meant we couldn’t pay the rent and we had to move into emergency housing.

I was publically shamed by people I’d never even met. 

Everything I’d worked so hard for was gone, including my reputation. 

My search for a solution began.

The doctors had already given me antidepressants and six weeks of therapy.

Antidepressants almost ruined my life – but that’s a story for another time.

Therapy didn’t help long term. In fact, I silently cried through most of it. 

I needed something deeper.

I’d trained as a coach and counsellor years before, but despite being on the other side of the room, neither traditional coaching or counselling worked to help rid me of depression.

It wasn’t enough and I needed more. 

I needed: – 

❤️ ongoing support, not one hour a week.

💚 a sacred, beautiful healing space, not a sterile clinical setting, where I felt like I was in an interrogation! 

💜 connection with someone who truly understood – someone who had faced the black dog and lived to tell the tale. A compassionate mentor who wasn’t afraid to help me dig through the messiness of my life and help me sort it out.

💙 real, practical, manageable step by step ways to heal. I was suffering from severe situational depression that would only lift if I escaped the circumstances that created it! No one ever suggested changing things. I needed someone to help me make a plan and then give me gentle nudges to take baby steps towards making it happen. 

🧡 ways to feel in control of my life instead of often feeling like a helpless victim of other people’s decisions. 

I dreamed of going on a residential retreat, somewhere that specialised in depression recovery, where I could be surrounded by nature and take time to think and sort my mess of a life out.

This dream retreat space would be filled with holistic, dare I say, magickal, experiences that could help me to ditch the black dog of depression and unleash my passion for life again.

I wanted someone to nurture me a little whilst I learned how to feel healthy, happy and whole again.

But I couldn’t just up sticks and spend thousands flying off to some corner of the world for a few days respite. 

And what would happen when I got home and needed help?

Who would be there to support me once the retreat was over?

My ideal solution was a retreat I could go to anytime, where I could get what I needed on demand.

I went on a magickal journey from feeling hopeless, helpless and broken, to feeling healthy, happy and whole!  

And now I want to share what I discovered with you.

If you’re open to exploring natural and magickal ways to heal from depression, you’re in the right place!

Welcome to the place your Soul is seeking…

If you’ve

💊 tried the pills

📖 read the self-help books.

💭 been told to “pull yourself together” or “think positive thoughts”

but the ‘Black Dog’ is still nipping at your heels, the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat could be just what you need! 

If you’re wondering if a joyful, meaningful life can ever be yours and you feel like giving up hope, I want you to know that it’s possible for you to feel happiness again, to feel good again.

You’re not broken – you’re wounded – and the good news is that wounds can be healed.

You just need a sacred space to come home to yourself. To let yourself be nurtured, cared about and supported.

A place that blends neuroscience with nature therapy, energy healing with gentle psychology, practical magick with proven methods.

That space is right here.

You don’t need another tip sheet, a pep talk, or a therapist who doesn’t get you.

You need to join the Ditch the Black Dog REVOLution and learn how The Gaian Method™ can work for you. 

What is The Gaian Method™?

Way back in 2020, I had a dream of creating a healing sanctuary in the Spanish wilderness where wounded Souls could experience healing from depression in beautiful natural spaces.

Although I love ecotherapy, I didn’t want the sanctuary to just be about immersion in forests or meditating by the sea.

My desire was to help people heal in a gentle, holistic way that felt simple, yet truly transformational.

Where people could heal their wounds not just through nature, but with science backed coaching and therapy techniques.

But I knew those things wouldn’t be enough either! 

When you’re depressed, you need more than that. 

To fully heal we need to make practical lifestyle changes and to have connection with a like minded community.

Add a generous sprinkle of Gaian Magick, and we have something truly rEVOLutionary! 

When the world paused, so did that dream.

But my vision never died.

I began weaving together a method rooted in both science and spirit and I called it

The Gaian Method™

The Gaian Method™ alchemizes: –

🤯 modern neuroscience-based healing tools;

🥗 simple and practical lifestyle changes;

💞 the rEVOLutionary ‘C’s of Change (these can transform your life if you let them);

✨ with a generous sprinkle of Gaian Magick™ (through Therapeutic Witchcraft™ healing rituals, ceremonies, spells and more);  

to provide a holistic solution to depression.

The Gaian Method™ can help wounded Souls to ditch the black dog of depression and unleash their passion for life without spending thousands on therapy or taking medications they might not need.

I know it’s not possible for you to hop on a plane and join me in Spain every time you need support, so I created this virtual therapeutic retreat.

You might not get to actually dip your toes in the Mediterranean Sea, or wander the forests of Spain with me in real life, but you can access this experiential space 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

You don’t need to fly to Spain.

Step into the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat from wherever you are in the world.

Introducing the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat

The Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat isn’t therapy as you may know it.

It’s not a ‘one size fits all’ course that you have to work through by yourself. 

And it’s more than just a retreat.

It’s a rEVOLution. 💗

As society tells you to ‘ pull yourself together’, I’ll ask you to light a candle and enter this sacred, nurturing space where it’s safe for you to fall apart. This is a safe space to let go and learn to rewild and rise again. 

When the systems that are supposed to support you fail, I’ll invite you to gather with me in circle and find the power to create your own medicine.

And on those days when healing feels too hard, together we can make it wild, soulful, and magickal again.

This is where the real healing includes the working with the magickal ‘C’ words of transformation – including community, compassion, collaboration, and connection.

We don’t just sit around and talk about our pain,  we transform it into power.

We use the magick of nature, ritual, science and sacred practices to slowly, gently, fiercely reclaim our passion for life.

And in doing so, we ripple change into the world.

This retreat is more than self-care,  it’s soul activism.

Every time you show up to this work, you’re saying:

🖤 I deserve to heal

🖤 My story matters

🖤 There is another way to live

🖤 We rise together

You don’t need to have the answers. You just need to take the first step.
We’ll walk the rest of the way together.

It’s not just a place to learn about healing, it’s a space where healing actually happens.

This is a living, breathing virtual sanctuary where healing isn’t a lesson, it’s an experience.

Through immersive, experiential rooms, you’ll find healing, guidance, and community that meets you exactly where you are.

Whether you’re curled up on the sofa in silence or reaching out for connection in the middle of the night, this retreat space is open 24/7 – your sanctuary whenever you need it.

No more:

📅 waiting for appointments;

💰 paying fortunes for endless talk therapy that leaves you feeling exhausted, yet doesn’t seem to fix anything;

😟 leaving a session feeling traumatised or unfinished because your time ran out;

🧒🏾 taking time off work, or having to find childcare;

🚍 having to navigate public transport or find parking;

😟 struggling in between therapy sessions, especially at 4am when everything feels darkest.

You need a safe space to heal and thrive.

Welcome to the virtual retreat for Souls who want more than just survival.

You don’t have to figure everything out alone.

You just have to show up.

The healing will meet you where you are.

What’s Inside the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat?

I’ve created a virtual space that looks and feels like an actual retreat.

It’s based loosely around what you’d experience if you came to one of my residential events at my home in Spain.

Inside you’ll find themed rooms, each one devoted to a different kind of Soul medicine to help you heal and thrive.

Pop in and out of the rooms whenever you like.

I’ll be in the rooms on a regular basis to support and help you on your journey to ditching the black dog of the depression. 

Here is a view of some of the rooms inside the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat.

More rooms inside the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat.

🧴 The Apothecary – learn to use plant medicine to help you lift your mood and heal your wounds.

🌠 Moon Magick – Moon Magick was the first thing that helped me to ditch the black dog. Join in with moon magick rituals to help you let go of what no longer serves and call in what you desire and deserve. 

🍲 In the Kitchen – nutrition is one of the pillars of mental health and wellness, but where do you start? Together, we’ll bust some myths, as well as helping you to create simple meals that boost your mood without breaking the bank. 

📕 The Library – I share books that I’ve read and found helpful. Come and chat about what you’re reading. 

📖 Therapeutic Journaling – getting your thoughts out of your head and down on paper can really help you ditch the black dog. I’ll share regular prompts to help you get started. 

🌊 ReWild in Nature – Discover the power of forest bathing, ocean therapy and animal assisted therapy to help you heal and thrive. 

🃏 The Tarot Room – I’ll be sharing therapeutic tarot card readings for the collective. Reawaken your intuition and find clarity!

🔮 The Ritual Room – this is where I’ll be adding spells and rituals to help empower you. 

Many of us suffer from situational depression caused by a specific problem. For example, if you’re depressed cos you’re struggling with your finances, that’s situational depression. situational depression.

It can be so hard to resolve a bad or toxic situation when we’re depressed, cos we can’t see a way out, and if we could, we can’t find the energy to do anything about it.

The Situation Room contains support and practical tools to help you to improve situations that keep you depressed. 

Each month, we’ll reflect on what moves our hearts the most, from mental health advocacy to queer liberation, anti-racism, ecological justice, pro choice, animal rights, child poverty or disability rights, and together we’ll take action to help move the needle and make a difference to someone’s life.

Depression thrives in hopelessness, so you’re invited to join us and keep the flame of hope alive. The revolution starts here.

Are you ready to put depression into remission?

Choose Your Journey within the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat

Option 1:

Join the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat

Your healing sanctuary. This is the full retreat experience - a rich blend of immersive rooms, monthly healing circles, nature-based practices, seasonal rituals, and deep soul support from a loving, like-hearted community.

You’ll receive:

• Unlimited access to the virtual retreat.

• Monthly group office hours with Maria
• Regular 21-day challenges to gently rewire habits and deepen resilience

• Monthly sacred circle healing sessions

• Guided journaling, spellwork library, rituals & nature therapy

• Seasonal magickal ceremonies
• Therapeutic Tarot guidance

• A vibrant private community space to connect, share, and be witnessed

• And all the magick, care and connection you didn’t know you needed

Join today as a founding member.

Option 2:

Join the Virtual Retreat and Get One to One Healing with Maria in Your Own Private Container

You’ve spent enough time surviving.

This is your invitation to rewild and rise. To step into a powerful, private journey of magickal healing and soul reclamation.

Make no mistake, this is deep work. 
High-touch, high-support, high-transformation.

This option is for wild souls who need intimate, consistent support, not just tools and techniques, but a circle around you. A guide. A daily space to be witnessed, held, and gently challenged.

You’re not here to just cope.

You’re here to reclaim your wild soul.

To be deeply seen, gently challenged, consistently supported and to THRIVE.

This high-touch healing container includes:

• Everything inside the Virtual Retreat.

• Private, daily Voxer access to me (5 days a week)

• Your own sacred virtual retreat room, energetically curated just for you.

• Co-create your healing journey - rooted in magick, nature, and therapeutic care.

• Custom Rewild and Rise rituals specific to your needs, including deep-dive challenges, energetic activations, custom healing spells.

• 1:1 personalised healing rituals, energy work, and guidance.

• Priority access to all group events and workshops in Spain.

Due to the depth of this container, spaces are extremely limited.

 Who is the Ditch the Black Dog of Depression Virtual Retreat for?

The Virtual Retreat is for you if you’re: –

🐺 Sick of depression controlling and ruining your life and you’re finally ready to push back.

🦊 Done waiting for someone to save you – you’re committed to your healing and growth, not expecting to be “fixed.”

🐺 Open to trying new things, even if they feel a little weird or wildly out of your comfort zone.

🦊 Curious about Spirit, energy healing, tarot, and the unseen forces that might just help you shift the unshiftable.

🐺 A nature lover who talks to trees and animals and trusts the wisdom of the wild – and you know deep down that Mother Earth can help you heal.

🦊 Desperate to break the cycle of depression, not just for yourself, but for your kids, your community, and the generations to come.

🐺 Ready to take full responsibility for your life and your choices, even when it’s hard, even when it hurts.

🦊 Done living small—you’re here to create a meaningful, magickal, soul-aligned life, and you’re willing to tell your inner b*tch to stfu while you rewild and rise.

It doesn’t matter if you aren’t quite there yet, as long as you have a tiny spark of fight inside of you, you can turn things around!

 Who is the Ditch the Black Dog Virtual Retreat NOT for?

This space isn’t for you if you’re:-

🐺 In crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Please reach out to your GP, a trusted healthcare provider, or contact a crisis line like the Samaritans. You are not alone, but you do need immediate support. Come back when you feel more grounded and ready for this next phase of your healing.

🦊 Expecting therapy, diagnosis, or medical treatment. This retreat is a soul-led, holistic healing experience, it’s not a replacement for clinical care, but it can complement it and could help you heal faster.

🐺 Looking for quick fixes or surface-level self-help.  This is deep work. If you’re hoping for a listicle of ‘5 hacks to be happy’, this isn’t the space for you.

🦊 Wanting someone to ‘fix’ you while staying passive. Healing requires your full presence, willingness, and participation. This isn’t a rescue mission. It’s a rEVOLution.

🐺 Unwilling to explore emotional wounds with compassion and curiosity. If you’re not ready to meet your shadows and your inner child with tenderness, this work may feel too raw or confronting. (If you are willing, but a little nervous, I want to remind you that I’m here to support you and help you through it.)

🦊 Closed off to magick, nature, or mystery. This is sacred, soulful work infused with spirit, ritual, and the wisdom of the wild. Skeptics are welcome only if they bring an open heart and a curious mind.

🐺 Just here to spectate or consume. This retreat is a living, breathing community space for transformation. It’s not for taking. To get the most out of it, you also have to give support to others. If appropriate, sharing your wisdom, insights and experiences can really benefit the community.

Choose Your Journey

What do people say about working with me?

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you ready to heal the wounds that keep you trapped in depression?

Any Questions?

Email [email protected]

I’m always happy to help.