Audaciously Alive
A Sedona Retreat for gay men
October 18-22, 2026
You’ve been the supporting character in your own life for too long.
The one who made it work for everyone else.
The one who turned down his full spectrum.
The guy who forgot, somewhere between survival and respectability, what it actually feels like to be fully, unreasonably, unapologetically alive.
I know you remember him.
The man who lit up the room simply by being himself.
He didn't go anywhere.
He just needs Sedona.
A few days with his brothers.
And someone who knows exactly how to bring him back to life.
That’s me, obviously.
This is not another healing container.
You're not broken.
You don't need more processing.
You don't need another framework for why you are the way you are.
You need to remember what it feels like to want things.
To be loud for no reason.
To feel the red rocks under your feet and remember you're made of the same stuff.
To cook a ridiculous meal with men who get it.
To sit by the creek and let it wash off everything that was never yours.
To go to bed tired in the best possible way.
That's what I’m creating for you.
The energy
Fun. Sacred. Irreverent. Real.
Not serious but not shallow either.
The kind of experience where you laugh until something cracks open and then you cry and then you laugh again and nobody makes it weird because everyone in the room is doing the same thing.
I won't be showing up as a guru or a coach with a clipboard. I'll be there as the guy who's already been through the fire and knows exactly how to move through it with you if needed.
I've been through bankruptcy, sexual shame, identity death and starting over more times than I can count.
I know what it costs to stay small. And I know what's on the other side - lievity, freedom and aliveness!
My dog, Osito, will be there too. He’s the real energy healer.
The journey
SUNDAY: ARRIVE
You land. The house is gorgeous. Just around golden hour and the light is divine.
Drop your bags and pour something delicious. Step outside and let the red rocks remind you that your problems are very, very small.
A chef prepared dinner is waiting for you. You didn't have to do a thing. That's the whole point. We sit together around the table for the first time. We open the container and we land together.
MONDAY: THE LAND
Coffee. Morning circle, movement and breath. Then we go to Oak Creek. Bare feet in cold water. The kind of reset that no amount of therapy can replicate. We hike. We plunge.
We let the land perform it’s alchemy.
Back to the house. Lunch. Rest. Then the massage therapist arrives. Bodywork because you deserve to be taken care of from every angle.
Evening circle. Dinner and stargazing. The real conversations start happening, the ones you didn't plan to have.
TUESDAY: THE VORTEX
We start slow. Morning circle. Breakfast. Then we go into the vortexes. If you've never experienced Sedona's energy on the land with intention, prepare yourself.
This isn't sightseeing. This is an activation. Our guide knows these lands intimately. She will take us on a meditative journey that tourists never get.
Back to the house. Rest. More massage time.
Evening, we go out for dinner. The whole crew. Good food, good laughs, real conversation. The kind of night that reminds you being alive is actually a privilege.
WEDNESDAY: THE DEPTH
This is the day everything integrates. Morning - we go in together. A heart circle that takes you places you've never let anyone go with you.
I know how to hold this. You won't be alone in it. You feel the brotherhood.
Afternoon - the native sound journey. A full immersive experience with a master facilitator I trust. Your nervous system will unclench in ways you didn't know were possible.
Lunch out together. A beautiful Sedona afternoon. Then dinner. Then fire. Then stars.
The closing on Wednesday night is its own kind of ceremony.
THURSDAY: YOU LEAVE DIFFERENTLY
A rebirth of sorts. You’ve brought him back. The one who knew what he wanted before the world told him to be reasonable about it.
Closing circle, a slow breakfast and goodbyes. Then back to your life, slightly less available for bullshit and fully alive.
This is for you if:
You've done the healing work and you're ready to actually live the results
You've been the responsible one for so long you've forgotten what fun feels like
You know there's more in you than what you've been showing
You want real brotherhood where no performance is required
You're ready to be the main character for a few days and see what that feels like
This is not for you if:
You want to be comfortable the whole time
You're looking for a vacation with some light inspiration sprinkled in
You're not ready to be seen
What’s included:
4 nights lodging in a stunning private Sedona house
Chef prepared arrival dinner plus 3 additional chef meals - Daily breakfast and lunch
One group dinner out on the town
One group lunch out
Vortex tour and meditation journey with expert guide
Immersive sound journey with a potent channeler
Massage by in-house therapist
Surprise goodies
Virtual group connection call 1 week prior and group integration call 2 weeks after
All facilitated experiences with me - morning circles, coaching, heart circle, breathwork
Time on Sedona's land - Oak Creek, red rocks, silence, movement
Stargazing and fire nights
My dog, Osito, the energy worker
NOT INCLUDED:
Flights
Transportation to and from Sedona (On our call I’ll recommend the shuttle service from the Phoenix airport - they will drop you directly at the house.)
ROOMS + INVESTMENT
All spots include four nights lodging, all meals, all retreat experiences, excursions, massage, and gift bag.
Payment plans available. Spots are limited and claimed in the order deposits are received. $200 off Early Bird pricing until August 17
VORTEX - Master King Private room. King bed. Two vanity en suite bathroom. Fireplace nook. Deck access. Early bird: $3,300 | Regular: $3,500 1 spot
PORTAL - Lower King Private room. King bed. En suite shower bathroom. Direct patio access. Early bird: $3,100 | Regular: $3,300 1 spot
MESA - Upper King Private room. King bed. Shared bathroom. Early bird: $2,500 | Regular: $2,700 1 spot
CANYON - Upper Queen Private room. Queen bed. Shared bathroom. Early bird: $2,300 | Regular: $2,500 1 spot
RED ROCK - Lower Queen Private room. Queen bed. Shared bathroom. Early bird: $2,300 | Regular: $2,500 1 spot
DESERT MOON - Lower Twin Shared room. Two twin beds. En suite shower bathroom. Direct patio access. Available as a king conversion by request. Early bird: $2,000 per person | Regular: $2,200 per person 2 spots
OAK CREEK - Upper Twin Shared room. Two twin beds. Shared bathroom. Shared patio with master. Early bird: $1,800 per person | Regular: $2,000 per person 2 spots
Early bird pricing available for the first two weeks of enrollment only. Shared king conversion available in any king room for two friends or a couple booking together at the shared twin rate.
HOW TO JOIN
8 spots available to be filled by feel.
If you’re feeling this, let’s have a call and make sure it’s the right fit.
If it is - you’re in!
Testimonials:
“Two months after our retreat, I've had the most amount of clarity that l've ever had in my life. There are habits that I never thought I would break that are broken. There are dreams that I never had the balls to dream that I'm actually living. God, things are fucking awesome!”
- Morgan R
“I'm not even sure how to put the power of this experience into words. This retreat came at an incredibly intense moment full of emotional life changes. I moved through things that I've carried with me nearly all of my adult life, with such grace and support from both Rio and my "new family". I literally feel like I can finally leave the shame and hurt behind me and truly have a fresh start.”
-Michael P
“Rio holds this work with a beautiful combination of experience, depth, and care. There’s a steadiness in how he leads. What stood out to me was how intentional, inclusive, and grounded the space was, while fully embracing the joy and complexity of being a gay man, with a sense of celebration woven throughout the experience alongside the deeper work. The container Rio created supported both individual reflection and a shared sense of brotherhood and deep connection rooted in our lived experiences as gay men. Every detail of the retreat was handled with thoughtfulness and respect, which made it easy to settle in and be fully present.”
-Jeff V
“This retreat honestly changed my life. To be in a space with other men who are also committed to getting uncomfortable, and supporting each other was profound. It was unlike any experience I have ever had in my healing journey, hands down. The energy that was shared was so sacred, profound, and something I didn’t realize I needed so much: Connection with other gay men! Connection that was rooted in deep sharing, vulnerability, and just pure joy. I felt my inner child playing with everyone else in this glorious gay metaphorical sand box so to speak. Alongside the playing, I also felt safe to confront some deep wounds that through the strength of our group I was able to build the capacity to heal. This was an investment in myself that completely changed the trajectory of my journey and I can’t recommend it enough.”
- Ryan C
Your host + guide
Hey. I'm Rio.
I'm a shame alchemist, a Sedona dweller, a Scorpio who loves go to the most real corners of a conversation without flinching, a breathwork guide, an intuitive who leads with his gut.
I've been guiding folks back to themselves for 16 years. Not from a place of having it all figured out but from a place of having been through it.
Dark nights of the soul, bankruptcy, sexual shame, starting over. Moments of standing in the middle of my life not knowing who I was anymore.
All of it alchemized and turned into medicine.
That's what I do. I sit with men in the places they've never let anyone else go with them. The stuff they've never said out loud. The shame they've been carrying so long it started to feel like personality.
And I help them see, with joy, with irreverence, with zero interest in making it heavier than it needs to be - that what they've been hiding is actually the most interesting and alive thing about them.
This retreat is that work, on the land, in the most energetically potent landscape I've ever lived in. With a small group of men who are done being guests in their own lives.
I'll be holding the container, leading the circles, moving through the vortexes with you, sitting by the fire, telling the truth maybe more than you expected, and making sure every single moment of these four days feels like it was made for you.
My dog, Osito will also be there contributing his own brand of medicine.
We can't wait to meet you in Sedona!
FAQ’S
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Yes. This particular gathering is for gay men. The work I do around shame, sexual energy, and identity is deeply informed by the specific experience of being a gay man in the world. That shared context creates a level of intimacy and understanding in the room that wouldn't exist otherwise.
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Yes. You don't need any prior experience with retreats, breathwork, somatic work or any of it. You just need to be willing to show up honestly. Everything else I'll guide you through.
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Moderate. We move at a pace that serves the work not a pace that proves anything. You don't need to be an athlete. You need to be willing to put your feet on the land.
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It's intuitive so I won't know exactly until we're in it together. Generally expect morning circles, breathwork, somatic practices, heart centered group work, guided inner journeys and a lot of time on the land.
What I can promise is that it will be specific to the men in the room not a generic curriculum.
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No. I'm not a therapist and this isn't therapy.
This is experiential transformation work. If you're in an acute mental health crisis this isn't the right container for you.
If you've done therapeutic work and you're ready to actually live the results this is exactly the right place.
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Mostly, yes. This is a sober-ish container - meaning alcohol isn't part of the experience at any point during the retreat including our dinners out.
At the end of each day I will offer some CBD product for those who want them.
The reason is simple - the work we're doing together goes deeper when the nervous system is clear.
You'll feel the difference.
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A private chef prepares three dinners including your arrival dinner and one lunch.
We go out together for one lunch and one dinner.
The rest of the breakfasts and lunches are communal. We cook together and keep it simple but delicious. Dietary needs and allergies can be accommodated, just let me know when you book.
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Yes - two options depending on when you book.
Book by August 17th - 3 equal payments
Payment 1: Due at booking
Payment 2: Due 30 days later
Payment 3: Due 60 days later
Book by September 17th - 2 equal payments
Payment 1: Due at booking
Payment 2: Due 30 days later
After September 17th — full payment due at booking
Pay in full at any time and receive early bird pricing regardless of when you book.
Reach out directly to get started.
