May 1-4, 2025 | birthmoms only

location: The Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN

nearest major airport: Knoxville (TYS) approx 1 hour

Twenty-one years ago, a few months after my fifteenth birthday I delivered a healthy baby girl and a few days later left the hospital with empty arms, a grieving heart and a new title ... birthmother. I was in my thirties before I ever spoke to another woman who could truly understand and empathize with this part of my life. I'll never forget the feeling of relief to be able to sit in conversation with someone who "got it" and wasn't afraid to sit in the grief and gratitude with me.


Four years ago I unintentionally became an educator and advocate within the adoption community after sharing a post about being a birthmom in reunion went viral. I was shocked to see how few resources were available and how many stigmas were still attached to women like me, nearly two decades later.


RESILIENT is not a retreat built around being a birthmother, it is a retreat for women who are eager to build resilience and share (at least) this one commonality. Much like the first retreat, this one is also focused on life after trauma and the intentional pursuit of hope, healing, and joy ... all curated to reflect the value of a holistic approach.

 meet the crew

Raquel McCloud

host | workshop leader

Hello sunshine, there’s a few things you should know about me before we spend a few days together. For starters, what you see is what you get. No false pretenses or adjusting who I am to fit in. I have a happy personality and a heavy soul so sometimes it gets weird … but to clarify, I’m the good kind of weird haha. I fervently reject the idea that growing up has to be boring and I adamantly believe we can hold both grief and gratitude simultaneously, while living our best life. I’m excited to cultivate an intentional weekend for us to do this together and equip you to continue pursuing hope, healing and joy beyond the constraints of this retreat!

Guided Discussions:


While I love to lead workshops, I think I love intentional conversations even more. No doubt I'll have plenty to say throughout the day but each night we'll gather around something cozy (like ice cream or campfires) and discuss topics like grief & gratitude and trauma & resilience. Think of it as a hangout with that one friend who is always out in the deep end and skips right past the small talk ... it's me, I'm the friend.

Leah Outten

speaker | workshop leader

Sweet friend (I do hope we become friends during this trip!), I hope you know how welcome you are in whatever season you are in your healing journey. I look forward to sharing my own still-in-progress journey and walking alongside you as we take steps forward together. In my daily life, I'm an author and adoption educator advocating for birth moms, an avid fiction reader, and a chai tea fanatic. My hope is that you'll feel seen and have encouragement knowing purpose can come from our pain.

Workshop: Turning Our Painful Sand Into a Beautiful Pearl


Pain and hard experiences are inevitable in life, especially in our walks as birth mothers. We have triggers, we have trauma, we have grief. But, what will you choose to do with your pain? In this session we will challenge ourselves with a growth perspective: "Since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it." 

Kristen Thomas, LCMHCA

speaker | workshop leader

I am so excited that you are joining us! You will quickly find that this crew already loves you and is excited to have you join the retreat! By day I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist to children, teens, and young adults. By night I’m an adoptive mom, advocator, lover of my pups and boba tea enthusiast! I’m so eager to help you understand the power of play, even as adults, especially in healing!

Workshop: Playful Healing


Did you know that our brain's favorite way to grow and change is through play? SO much so, that learning to play can speed up the process tremendously. As a therapist who believes strongly in the power of play, l can not wait to invite you into exploring healing through a time of intentional laughter and creativity. This workshop will cover some of the neuroscience behind play and help you discover the unique way you were created to play. It will a low pressure time, with lots of opportunity for new skills and hilarious memories!

Ashley Maiden

Photographer | Mtn. Mover photo + film

Hey y'all, I am so excited to be there to document your time during the retreat. As a cinematic photographer I don't believe in perfection or forcing fake smiles, because when you look back on your memories in 30+ years you are going to want real honest moments. I'm all about those in-between times-the quiet, yet mighty moments that most folks might miss, but they sure do show the real you. My hope is that during our time together I help you feel confident and comfortable just being yourselves! While l'll be there capturing those "behind the scenes" moments, I have very special photo session planned during the retreat too!

Electra

chef

I have been cooking and learning about nutrition for over twenty years. It has become such an integral part of how I love people that I've turned it into a thriving business. Though between you and I, it is simply my love language ... making it the best business model for me, as a single mom to six. My passion is helping people eat without discomfort and understand that what they eat can nourish their body while comforting for their senses. Having the opportunity to share this with you is an honor.

Raquel's retreat was the single most healing weekend of my life. So many concepts that I had heard over and over were presented in a new way that brought them to life. We talked about how conflicting emotions such as grief and gratitude can coexist. We were taught how to play, and while that may sound so simple, it changed how I view things and has brought so much joy into my life.
Raquel's authenticity is what really makes this retreat though. What you see online is only a fraction of how truly amazing she is. She cares so deeply for each painful experience that every individual has. She has such a gift at bringing strangers together as friends. She taught us to find beauty all around us in God's creation. But Raquel's greatest quality is the joyful energy she brings into every room she steps into. We laughed until we cried, which healed our souls. I was so fortunate that someone donated so that I could attend, and I hope and pray that many more individuals will support these women hoping to attend these life giving retreats.
Anna B.

Raquel is the real deal, I attended her Restorative Retreat. She put so much time and intentional thought into our time together. About two weeks prior to our retreat she contacted each of us individually to welcome us to the retreat. This meant so much to me and I still hold the note close. Every detail was perfectly crafted to promote healing, self care and love from the food to the swag bags to the actives to the sessions. There wasn't any fluff although we had plenty of laughs. I think all of the laughs were healing for our souls. Raquel spent plenty of time talking to each of us as individuals; she gave so much of herself while she was helping us. Raquel is amazing. You will be doing yourself a favor by attending a retreat with her. You must know that all the fun you see on social media is not an act, she is even more fun and crazier in person. Just ask her about doing a hand stand or catching some waves.
Melissa B.

day 1

Thursday

03:00 - arrive


06:00 - dinner


08:00 - ice cream social

day 2

Friday

08:00 - breakfast


10:00 - nature adventure


12:00 - lunch (on a trail)

 

03:00 - workshop


06:00 - dinner


08:00 - guided discussions

day 3

Saturday

08:00 - breakfast


10:00 - workshop


12:00 - lunch


03:00 - free time


06:00 - dinner



08:00 - guided discussions

day 4

Sunday

8:00 - breakfast


10:00 - check out


*after checkout hangout

we need your help

birthmom sponsor | $500

Your name or business will be printed in the welcome packet for all attendees

bronze sponsor | $1000

Everything above + business name and logo will be added to my website (titled retreat sponsors) until approximately one month after the sponsored event

silver sponsor | $1500

Everything above + your name, business or organization will be mentioned in the Candid newsletter after the sponsored event

gold sponsor | $2000+

Everything above + a social media shoutout (on Instagram @mccloudlife) leading up to the sponsored event

attention: sponsors pledging $500+ please email your company name and logo to raquel@mccloudlife.com

scholarship requests

for such a humble brand (just me and my big dreams) I have goals that will take a village ... that's where you come in. And because I know that stories help cultivate connection and empathy, this is our why:

I was 15 years old when I had my son and had to place him with another family. For 18 plus years i never crossed paths with anyone that would genuinely understand the choice I had to make until I entered social media world. Receiving a scholarship would mean the world to me and give me the opportunity to connect with fellow birth moms in person.

Since placing my daughter nearly 16 years ago, I have seldomly found others that could not only understand the impact of that experience, but be able to say they also have walked through it. To be able to surround myself in community with other birthmoms has been something I’ve longed for since placement. Hoping to find a place where I may stand a chance at fitting into the puzzle. Like many others, our family is living paycheck to paycheck and lack the funds that would make it possible for me to afford the entire cost of this retreat, as much as my heart pulls me towards the experience.

 I am always seeking out connection with other birthmoms and to attend a retreat like this would be a huge blessing! I am a single parenting mom of a five year old and birthmom to a 4 and 3 year old. This scholarship would mean so much as I live off a below average salary . I want all my daughters to know I can be whole again and will always seek to grow in faith. hope and love!

Two additional ways to help if you can't make a financial contribution:


  1. Please pray over this event. I am only human and humans sometimes feel wildly underqualified no matter how passionate they may be. I’m leaning heavy into faith, knowing that God equipped underqualified folks all throughout scripture and trusting he will do the same for me … but a few more sincere prayers on my behalf can’t hurt. “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.” -1 John 5:14
  2. Please share about it within your circles of influence. My arms can only stretch so far. You may have potential connections to birthmothers who could benefit from attending or to folks who may feel led to donate or even sponsor a birthmom!


So much gratitude for our sponsors