ethos
our intent is to elevate and inspire through experiences that fuse inner and outer travel. we create adventures near and far that evoke wonder, activate curiosity and foster remembrance of our place within the living world.
who we are
Jess & Kate founded The Inner Journey Retreat in 2024 as a way to create an inspiring space to come together to explore, connect and transform.
Rooted in their intention, every detail of the retreat experience is infused with compassion, creativity, and care. Together they foster a space for expansion, guiding each retreat with depth and warmth for one’s Self to unfold.
meet jess forsythe
Jess is a Spiritual Ecologist, Master Energy Healer and herbalist who creates sacred space for transformation. Her global practice brings together corporate, private, and retreat work both in person and online. With over 20 years of training and practice, she is a certified Shamanic Reiki Master, a Reiki Master, and a YogaWorks RYT with a focus on Restorative Yoga. She has deepened her offering in the Shamanic Path of the Warrior and the RAMA Legacy of Sound with Grammy-winner Gurujas. Jessica studies Herbalism at The Gaia School of Healing, Anima Mundi and with David Crow.
Jess’s offering blends ceremony with breath work, elemental wisdom, drum journeys, and energy healing - woven to release trauma, restore balance, and evolve consciousness. She has led meditation, shamanic ceremonies, and energy and sound healing events at venues like The Well in NYC and Shou Sugi Ban House in the Hamptons. A graduate of NYU Tisch, Jess brings a rich musical background to her work, integrating sound as a powerful healing medium rooted in sensory spiritual exploration.
Jess’s quest for the evolution of her own soul has been a compass through many challenging times and her deepest joy is seeing others establish their own integrated spiritual practice. With deep reverence for the interconnectedness of land, body, mind, spirit, and collective soul, Jess lovingly guides participants through journeys of transformation.
meet kate gilman
Kate is a Spiritual Ecologist whose work bridges artistry, advocacy, and deep reverence for the natural world. With a BA from Princeton and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, she brings both creative vision and pragmatic drive to everything she does. In 2012, Kate founded the floral design studio Petal by Pedal, empowering small farms in and around New York City and offering locally grown botanicals and classes grounded in regenerative agriculture.
After over a decade in design, sustainable agriculture and community advocacy, Kate believes in the power of creativity, conversation and reverent stewardship of our ecosystem to reconnect us to ourselves, to each other, and to the earth.
As an advocate, Kate champions equity and justice. She weaves this passion into every retreat moment, from hands-on exploration to mindful rituals, inviting participants to notice nature’s intelligence and awaken imagination.
Kind, courageous, and deeply intuitive, Kate holds brave space for emergence. Whether she's tending soil, shaping clay, or leading a conversation, her presence helps others to slow down, get curious and live generously.