Applications now open  ·  May 2–8, 2027  ·  16 spots  ·  Apply now →
Alaska Men's Retreat  ·  May 2–8, 2027

Seven Days.
One Threshold.

A week-long men's healing retreat on a private island in Sitka, Alaska. Physician-led. Ceremony-guided. Rooted in the Hero's Journey. Sixteen men. That's all.

Apply for Your Spot
Middle Island Lodge Sitka, Alaska May 2–8, 2027 · 16 Men Max
Is this you?

You have built a life that looks right from the outside.
Something inside knows there's more.

You are successful, but the drive that got you here has started to feel hollow.
You have done the therapy, read the books. You are not looking for more of the same.
You carry something you can't quite name — a weight, a pattern, a quiet knowing.
Your relationships are good enough, but something about the depth you crave isn't there.
You want to be more present — with yourself, your family, your purpose.
You are not in crisis. You are ready for something that can ignite real, lasting change.

Our men come from many walks of life. What they share is the sense that the next step forward asks for something different — and the courage to take it.

The Retreat

A container unlike anything you've entered before.

This is not a weekend workshop or a wellness getaway. This is a week-long rite of passage — held in the Alaskan wilderness, shaped by the Hero's Journey, and guided by a physician, a depth psychologist, and a seasoned facilitator who knows this land.

You will go inward. You will sit in silence and in circle. You will move through narrative, somatic work, ceremony, and the kind of honest reflection that the pace of ordinary life never allows. You will leave different.

The Program

Six days. Fully held.

Each day is structured and unhurried. Morning meditation. Deep group work. Time in nature. Evening fire and story. And one day — the ceremony.

Day 1
Arrival
  • Settle into the island lodge
  • Opening ceremony and circle
  • Introductions and intentions
  • Dinner by the water
Day 2
Story
  • Meditation & group breakfast
  • Narrative therapy — your story, your wounds
  • Archetypes & the Winning Formula
  • Mandala art therapy
  • Evening: Hero's Journey — Castaway
Day 3
Body
  • Somatic science & autonomic nervous system
  • Attachment, individuation & SMART goals
  • Full-day outdoor experiential (Alaska-specific)
  • Evening: Iron John Part 1
Day 4
Wilderness
  • Trauma neurobiology & window of tolerance
  • Open time — nature, reflection, journaling
  • Equine or guided wilderness experience
  • Evening: Iron John Part 2
Day 5
Threshold
  • Morning: Second mandala & labyrinth walk
  • Preparation for ceremony
  • Evening: Discussion, intentions, sacredness of what's ahead
Day 6
The Ceremony
  • The vision quest ceremony — held with full medical and facilitation support
  • Shamanic invocation, drumming, song
  • Full presence of all three facilitators throughout
  • Evening: Integration, tribal circle, fire
Day 7
Closing
  • Morning meditation & light breakfast
  • Participant reflection & sharing
  • Parting stone & totems ceremony
  • Departures from the island

"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek."

— Joseph Campbell
Your Guides

Held by those who have done the work themselves.

Three facilitators. A physician. A depth psychologist. A wilderness steward. Together they hold the full arc of the week — medical, psychological, ceremonial, and relational.

Dr. Elyas Parsa, DO
Physician · Altered States · Contemplative Practice

Family Medicine physician with 15 years across every corner of medicine — county hospital, emergency care, underserved populations, street medicine, teaching, and global health. Founder of Mind Balance Flow. His practice centers on altered states of consciousness through meditation, breathwork, and ceremony. His clinical approach is grounded in both Western medicine and contemplative tradition. He has also done his own inner work — which is why he can hold space for yours.

Mind Balance Flow
Dr. Michael Hofrath, PhD
Somatic Depth Therapist · Jungian · Shamanic Practitioner

Somatic Jungian-oriented depth therapist, shamanic practitioner, and ceremony facilitator. His work merges relational somatic and embodiment practices, Jungian archetypal constructs, shamanic healing, and spiritual dimensions to help men move through old programming, ancestral trauma, and limiting belief patterns. He designed the Hero's Journey framework that shapes the entire week.

Body Mind Wholeness
Scott McKinney
Lodge Host · Wilderness Guide · Breathwork Practitioner

Scott brings the land, logistics, and a deep familiarity with the property where we will be staying. He has 27 years of experience in off-grid living and land development. A certified Rebirthing Breathwork practitioner, holistic massage therapist, meditation guide, and fitness coach — for the past 20 years his studies have spanned breathwork, meditation, the mind-body connection, inner energy management, and body movement to help regulate the nervous system, while simultaneously doing his own inner work and healing. He has co-hosted transformative experiences and knows what it means to hold a group in remote sacred space.

Middle Island Lodge · Sitka, Alaska
The Place

A private island.
Sitka, Alaska.

Middle Island Lodge sits just off the coast of Sitka — remote, intimate, and surrounded by some of the most pristine waters in Southeast Alaska.

🏔️ Snow-capped peaks, old-growth forest, Sitka Sound — wilderness as the container for deep work
🛖 Private island lodge — cozy cabins, sauna, fire pit, deck overlooking the water
🍽️ Chef-prepared meals from fresh, local ingredients — nourishment is part of the medicine
Boat excursion included — whale watching, hot springs, coastal exploration
What's Included

Everything. So you can simply arrive.

🛏️
Lodging

Six nights on the island in comfortable private or shared cabins. Double or triple occupancy.

🍽️
All Meals

Chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily using fresh Alaskan ingredients. Coffee, tea, snacks.

Boat Excursion

One full-day guided boat excursion — whale watching, hot springs, coastal wilderness.

🌿
Full Program

All facilitated sessions, group work, somatic practice, art therapy, storytelling, and outdoor activities.

🧬
The Vision Quest Ceremony

A physician-supported ceremony held Friday. Full facilitation by all three guides throughout. Complete medical screening included prior to the retreat.

📖
Materials & Totems

Retreat workbook, mandala supplies, parting stone, and materials to take your integration home.

Investment

One week that pays
for the rest of your life.

All-inclusive. Sixteen men maximum. Screened and held carefully.

Regular — After March 21, 2027
Double Occupancy
$4,999
per person, all-inclusive
Triple Occupancy
$4,799
per person, all-inclusive

All pricing is all-inclusive: lodging, meals, boat excursion, full program, ceremony, materials, and medical screening. Not included: flights to Sitka, AK (SIT). A deposit is required to hold your spot after medical approval.

📅 Early bird pricing ends March 21, 2027. Applications are reviewed in the order received. Spots are confirmed only after medical screening and deposit. Maximum 16 participants.
Apply

Begin here.

This is an application, not a checkout. We screen every participant — for your safety and for the integrity of the group. A team member will respond within 48 hours.

About You
Medical Screening
Your Intention

We review every application personally. You'll hear from us within 48 hours. Medical intake form follows approval. Payment is not requested until you are confirmed.

Questions

What you're probably wondering.

What is the vision quest ceremony?

The ceremony on Friday is the heart of the week — a carefully held, physician-supported vision quest experience. The details of the ceremony are shared with confirmed participants as part of your preparation. What we can say: it is safe, deeply facilitated, and unlike anything you have encountered in ordinary therapeutic settings. You will not enter it unprepared.

Do I need prior experience with ceremony or altered states?

No. Most participants have no prior experience. Five days of group work, somatic practice, and intentional preparation lead you to the ceremony threshold ready. If you have prior experience, that is welcome too — the week deepens for everyone regardless of background.

How do I get to Middle Island Lodge?

You fly into Sitka, Alaska (SIT). Arrive May 2 — the lodge arranges transportation from Sitka to the island. Check-out is the morning of May 8. Flights are not included. Detailed travel instructions provided upon confirmation.

What is the refund policy?

Full refund if we cancel for any reason. Full refund if you cancel 60+ days before the retreat. 50% refund if you cancel 30–59 days out. No refund inside 30 days, unless we are able to fill your spot.

Why only 16 men?

The lodge is intentionally small. The work requires intimate group dynamics that don't survive large numbers. Sixteen is the ceiling — and most days the circle will feel closer than that.

Is this only for men in crisis?

No. The men we work with are not in crisis — they are successful, functioning, and ready for something deeper. If you are in acute mental health crisis, this is not the right container. If you are well and seeking meaningful growth, you belong here.

Apply Now →