We are passionate about bridging spirituality and science to support transformation and inner freedom
How it all started
We—Imke and Ioana—met in 2023 at a conscious event and quickly discovered a shared passion for both spirituality and science alike. What connected us wasn’t just the practices themselves, but the potential they hold to support real, lasting change in people’s lives.
At the heart of our work is a simple, powerful intention: to help people reconnect with themselves.
When you begin to understand who you truly are—beyond roles, expectations, and old patterns—you can start making choices that reflect your values. Life becomes more grounded, relationships more honest and caring, and your sense of direction and purpose clearer.
We each bring years of experience with these practices, along with backgrounds in science and a deep respect for ancient wisdom traditions—such as meditation, breathwork, body oriented practices, and the ceremonial use of psychedelics.
Our approach is down-to-earth, non-dogmatic, and grounded in both personal experience and professional integrity.
We value empathy, humour, and a light-hearted presence—while holding a safe and ethical space for deep inner work.
Meet Imke
What moves me most is witnessing people return to their center.
After our retreats, I’ve seen people reconnect with their inner strength—emotional, energetic, and deeply human.
They begin to access self-love and compassion more naturally. They feel the difference between what truly matters and what’s just noise or drama.
They let go of old behaviors that no longer serve them. And instead of reacting from past wounds, they start to respond to life with presence.
They feel again—without fear. And in that, life becomes more vivid.
Relationships soften, laughter returns, and a quiet confidence begins to grow. Things don’t necessarily get easier, but they become more real—and that makes all the difference.
That’s what I’m here for.
Everything I’ve studied, practiced, lived through and learned is in service of that kind of transformation.
I bring a wide range of tools into the space—plant medicine, breathwork, bodywork, inner child integration, coaching—but what matters most to me is how they land in you.
I offer what I know with softness, clarity, and a deep trust in your process. I don’t see this as “healing work” in the traditional sense. It’s about remembering. Unfolding. Coming home.
I’m a biologist and ecologist by training, a mother and partner by love, and a mystic by calling. My own journey began long ago when I was still guiding people on nature travels around the world, with questions I couldn’t ignore.
After years of traveling, guiding, and searching, I felt called—deeply and unmistakably—by Mother Ayahuasca. That was in 2019. Since then, my work with The Sacred Voyage and other teachers has helped me move through deep inner layers: childhood pain, burnout, a sense of disconnection from life. I’ve been healing my own wounds, reconnecting with joy, learning to be with life as it is. I know what it’s like to forget who you are—and to find your way back.
Now, I walk my path of presence, respect, and surrender, bringing grounded, feminine presence—rooted in trust into the space. Of laughter, tears, and not needing all the answers. I take the work seriously, but I also believe in lightness. In the power of silence. In the healing that comes from being truly seen.
My role is not to fix or lead you. It’s to hold a space where you can meet yourself—with honesty, gentleness, and courage.
And I’m honored to walk alongside you, for however long you need.
Meet Ioana
What inspires me most in this work is seeing people reconnect with what truly matters.
When someone leaves our retreat with deeper insight into who they are, clarity about their values, and the confidence to live in alignment with them — that gives this work meaning.
I want people to return to daily life with more self-acceptance, self-love, and the ability to respond to challenges with presence rather than react from old wounds.
I hope they rediscover what it means to move through the world with more relaxation, openness, curiosity, and flow — not just in big moments, but in the small wonders of everyday life.
And my wish is that the retreat supports them in creating warmer, deeper, and more nourishing relationships.
My background reflects the same journey I wish for those I support.
As a neurodivergent person — diagnosed with autism and ADHD at midlife — I know what it means to feel rigid in mind and body, to struggle with connection, and to feel out of sync in social spaces. These challenges have shaped my search for tools that truly help: not just to cope, but to grow and thrive.
My path has led me to explore Eastern traditions such as Osho’s teachings, Buddhist philosophy, and various spiritual schools. I have also worked deeply with sacred plant medicine from Amazonian and African lineages.
Alongside this, my scientific training has allowed me to approach these practices with curiosity, always asking:
How do these tools work?
How do they help us rewire our nervous systems, integrate trauma, and support authentic, lasting transformation?
What I offer today is a synthesis of these experiences.
The practices I share — breathwork, body oriented practices, plant medicine — are powerful ways to help people move beyond rigid patterns, access and integrate deep emotions, and open to life with greater trust and ease.
I bring both the clarity of a scientist and the sensitivity of someone who has and still is walking this path.
My aim is to create spaces where people feel safe to explore, to let go of what no longer serves them, and to step into more authentic behavior, deeper self-love, and greater connection — with themselves, with others, and with life.
Ioana writes on the blog and on Medium about the science of psychedelics and tools for self-development and personal growth.
What participants say about us
Curious to know more about us?
Let's have a chat.
No pressure. Just a conversation to get to know each other and see if our retreats are the right fit for you.
In Conversation with Vivid Imagination Podcast.
In this interview, we talk about what inspired The Heart’s Door Retreats and how our work with embodiment practices, breathwork, and psychedelics supports real and lasting transformation.
We share the story behind our collaboration, the intention behind our retreats, and why we see rites of passage and conscious preparation as deeply relevant today.
You can watch the full interview below, or listen on Spotify if you prefer to tune in on the go.