Since starting Retreat in the Pines in 2004, I’ve found joy in doing what I love. Yes there have been challenging years along the way, but the connection with and gratitude from women who visit keep me going. I’ve heard, “Thank you for creating this place–I needed this” countless times over the years. While I had no idea the path I was setting out on was to help women find and connect with themselves and others, it is what continues to  inspire me to this day. 

When I started the journey of Retreat in the Pines, I was focused on the healing power of yoga. While I still believe yoga is a powerful practice of transformation, I believe the true healing happens when women who have never met before sit next to each other and discover they are not alone in their struggles. We come from different backgrounds and places, and seemingly have nothing in common - yet we have everything in common - we are navigating this world as women. 

Every time I host a retreat, I’m reminded how crucial it is to have a safe space dedicated to women. Experiencing the community and connection that each retreat offers,I go home feeling lifted up and inspired. As an introvert who is usually depleted and exhausted by groups of people I don’t know, I say with confidence that community and connection are what makes our retreats a truly magical experience.

I’m so excited to have my daughter, Nina, working by my side again! 2022 has been a kick in the pants so far and I wouldn’t have made it through without her help and especially her love and support. As Nina transitions into more of a leadership role, I plan to take on additional projects I’ve been dreaming about for years. First, I’d like to write a book to share my story and  the stories from the amazing women I’ve met over the years. And second, I want to grow Retreat in the Pines to other states besides Texas. More to come on both, stay tuned!.

I’ve found incredible happiness in raising Mason who is almost five. He wakes up happy and full of energy. He makes me laugh and realize life is too short to not be fully present in every moment with him. He goes to preschool which gives me time to think, work and ride my Peloton. I don’t do as much yoga as I used to, but I find my mental health break on my bike – I laugh and cry on the bike, and when my ride is over I feel ready to take on the world. For the sake of my sanity and my health, I make it a priority to ride and do strength training five days a week. 

Nina and I love spending time together away from work, but it's so fun to mix the both. One of our favorite activities is hiking followed by a delicious meal - preferably something breakfast related. We love to travel and are looking forward to a big birthday trip in 2023.

I’m grateful to have my daughter Eden back in my life after she spent years facing struggles of her own. I’m excited to meet my granddaughter who is due in June. 

My son Landry is still in Colorado and I visit him as often as I can. We love to talk about movies and TV shows that we’re watching. Sometimes we even watch them while on the phone together!

Family is the most important to me, but I (finally!) realize the importance of downtime and self care. As often as I can, I start my day with coffee, a guided meditation and journaling. This simple act allows me to gain perspective and be intentional about my day. If the weather is nice, I’m on my front porch. In addition to staying active, time in nature, reading and streaming “comfort” shows gives me the reset I need to keep moving forward. 

To read my story of creating and growing Retreat in the Pines, read My Journey.

Nina, Theresa’s oldest daughter, has witnessed her mom build Retreat in the Pines from the ground up and as a result, was inspired to pursue a degree in Entrepreneurship. Nina, like Theresa, has over a decade of experience in the hospitality industry, a proven track record in management and communications, and a passion for helping women. 

After years of being reluctant to try yoga because she “couldn’t touch her toes,” Nina found herself slipping into the back row of classes to give it a try. Attempting everything from heated power yoga to restorative yin – including an unforgettable Kundalini class – she fell in love with a slower moving practice and the connection between mind, body, and breath. Since then, she and her mom have traveled together to Estes Park, Sedona and around the DFW area for yoga events and classes.

While she didn’t know it at the time, Nina’s yoga practice would become the foundation she needed to endure some of life’s storms ahead. After the sudden and unexpected loss of her Gram a year later, her addiction and alcoholism began to spiral beneath the surface. Always a perfectionist, Nina struggled quietly, telling herself that there couldn’t be a problem if everything looked okay on the outside.  

During this time, one of Nina’s jobs was working part time at Retreat in the Pines, both cooking for guests at retreats and helping to run the business side of things. Every Wednesday, Nina would go to her mom’s apartment to try out new recipes – cooking breakfast and lunch for each other – and brainstorm business ideas over long walks through the Nature Preserve with their dogs. It was one of these workdays where her mom asked her a simple, yet life-changing question that would ultimately lead to her recovery.

Today, Nina is our full-time Communications & Operations Director. Her goal is to ensure consistent and efficient business processes and increase brand awareness so that Retreat in the Pines may continue to hold a safe space for ALL women to be their authentic selves and find respect, encouragement and support.

Nina is married to her wife Spencer, and resides in Fort Worth with their three little dogs – Abby, Ruth, and Tanner. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, writing, reading, drawing, and binge watching whichever show she’s into at the moment. 

Fun Fact: Nina has been hit in the head with a concrete rock (at four years old) and a baseball bat (at her eighth birthday party). (Don’t worry, her head is fine.)

Chef Darla found Retreat in the Pines along her journey to reclaim her story. Packing her belongings and leaving her home behind, she stepped out in faith to begin again. 

Darla’s journey has taken her many places, including owning her own restaurant, working for the Forest Service, and providing emergency response with FEMA. She has worked in the food industry for 35 years, and very much enjoys the challenges and rewards of being a Chef.

Darla is the proud mother of her two sons and daughter, and an even prouder grandmother to her four grandchildren. In her free time she enjoys playing pool, riding motorcycles, and fishing. In the summers you can find her enjoying the great outdoors in as many National Parks as she can visit.

Darla is excited to be a part of Retreat in the Pines and looks forward to visiting with you at your next retreat!

Fun Fact: Darla was born in Weston, WV in a former Civil War mansion that was converted into a hospital.

Practicing since 2008, Michelle fell in love with yoga as a way to manage stress. At first she struggled to relax in poses, now she can’t imagine her life without yoga. Michelle, teaching since 2011, loves sharing the healing power of yoga with guests. In addition to yoga, she discovered the importance of living a balanced life through Ayurveda.

Michelle, an accountant by profession, enjoys spending time outdoors – walking, fishing, catching the sunset, and working in her flower garden. She also loves cats, and playing with her dog, Buddy. She lives in Tulsa, OK and enjoys her drive to the retreat center.

Retreat in the Pines holds a special place in Michelle’s heart, ever since her first visit in 2010.  She looks forward to meeting our amazing guests at her next retreat.

Michelle is a certified group fitness instructor - teaching for over 35 years. She received her 500 hour Yoga Certification in 2013,  the year she retired from American Airlines. Since 1999 she’s worked part  time teaching yoga, Pilates, chair yoga, and Silver sneakers at the YMCA. As a Healthy Lifestyle coach for  the Arlington-Mansfield YMCA, she facilitates Diabetes prevention classes and Lunch & Learn nutrition  workshops. 

In  2014  Michelle discovered  Retreat in the Pines in the Yoga Journal magazine. Along with her two sisters she attended her first retreat in 2015. The following year she discovered her destiny is to  lead weekend retreats with  like-minded women from all backgrounds and  who desire nurturing  in nature in a  nonjudgmental space. Her passion is mindfulness, breath work and to bring healing to all levels  of yoga students.  

Michelle also volunteers at Sherrod elementary school as an assistant coach to 3rd- 5th grade girls through Girls on the Run. An organization dedicated to helping girls  activate their potential by teaching self-esteem, healthy habits and making an impact on their  community. They run a celebratory 5k at the end of the program. 

Michelle loves practicing yoga, traveling to any spa destination, cooking, cruising, hiking, cycling, reading and spending time with family. She lives with her husband Darryl in Arlington where they are empty  nesters. She has 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. 

Join Michelle for a weekend of relaxation and connection.

After Dayna’s first child was born, she searched for a way to stay healthy and balanced - mind, body and soul. She started with Hot Power Yoga and never looked back. When approached by her teacher about teacher training, Dayna hesitated, concerned her struggles with insecurities and anxiety would stand in her way. Instead, her teacher training journey allowed her to find healing, clarity and self discovery.

Dayna went on to open a yoga studio in Midlothian Texas. Owning her own studio allowed Dayna to serve and make a difference in her community - something she is passionate about. She still cherishes the memories she made - on and off the mat. Since selling her yoga studio, Dayna has enjoyed teaching kids yoga, beer yoga, goat yoga, chair yoga and private parties. She loves the experience of bonding over yoga! Dayna is also a licensed realtor, which pays the bills and allows her to pursue her passion of teaching yoga.

Dayna is a proud single mom of 2 beautiful children. Motherhood keeps her grounded and gives her purpose. She is grateful to watch her children grow and they inspire her to be better on a daily basis.

Join Dayna for a retreat where she’ll meet you exactly where you are. She looks forward to meeting you and supporting and encouraging you along the way - whether it’s yoga or life.

Debbie found yoga in 2006, a time of uncertainty and turmoil in her personal life. Her yoga practice allowed her to find grounding. From that point forward, she was able to handle the struggles and depression she’d been experiencing.

Realizing how much joy yoga brought to her life, she decided the best way to share that joy with others was to teach. Two days after her husband retired, she left for Costa Rica and a month of teacher training. She began teaching and her classes have since grown into a tribe of like-minded individuals.

Debbie attended her first retreat at Retreat in the Pines in January 2018 and is excited to host retreats and connect with others.

A Dallas native, Tara is a long time student and teacher of yoga. She was introduced to Yoga as a life-path and truly loves sharing her passion with others. She is registered with Yoga Alliance as an ERYT-500, RPYT and has led workshops, teacher trainings and retreats. Tara's teaching style is alignment based vinyasa with specialties in Restorative Yoga and Prenatal Yoga. She seeks to ignite intelligence in the body, inner awareness, and help students connect to their true self. Tara takes her practice off the mat and into her everyday life. She is a happy wife, proud mother and seeks to live an authentic and mindful life.

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Teaching Yoga since 2005, Tara has been hosting retreats with us since 2013. She looks forward to meeting you at your next retreat!

Tiffenny Montique is a Mansfield, Texas based Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master/Teacher, Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Author, Speaker, and owner of Abhati, LLC.

She is the creator of Living Abhati, a philosophy that blends the use of yoga, meditation, mindset strategies, energy bodywork and balanced nutrition into a fresh and modern way of practice to encourage individuals to embrace their unique balance in life – both on and off the mat.

Tiffenny is also the Chief Technology Officer at We Are Survivors Foundation. An organization dedicated to supporting women, men and children who are survivors of domestic and family violence. As a Thriver, she is passionate about helping other survivors overcome past traumas that create blocks to abundance and prosperity. Tiffenny is a co-host of We Are Survivors TV Show where they share stories of empowerment, health and wellness, and current events that have a world view perspective.

In her free time, Tiffenny spends it with her husband traveling the world, cuddling with her two dogs, and spending time with her two daughters.

Keitha connected with Retreat in the Pines after meeting Communications & Operations Director, Nina, at a yoga studio in Fort Worth. As that same studio was closing, Nina asked Keitha what was next in regards to her teaching yoga and as they say, the rest is history.

Yoga was sprinkled throughout Keitha’s high school and college years, but it wasn’t until she sustained an injury during marathon training in her early 20’s that this practice became more of a regular part of her life. After an instructor ended a candlelight flow class with a meditation and reading of “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver, Keitha knew yoga was intended for more than just her body. With an intense curiosity as to what yoga could offer beyond the physical, Keitha began looking into training programs and in 2015, she completed her teaching certification. Since then, she has taught yoga and mindfulness to individuals, groups, community classes, retreats, bridesmaids, moms to-be, older folks, kids, and occasionally her two rescue dogs.

In her free time, Keitha draws energy from spending time in nature, eating delicious foods, and adventuring around the world with her husband, friends, and family. Her favorite self-care practices include a morning tea ritual, fancy baths, and napping.

Sarah’s first yoga class, at Retreat in the Pines in 2015, was a game changer. At the time, she  knew nothing about yoga and was nervous about going to the retreat with a friend. Afterward, she was grateful  to her friend Valerie for literally dragging her to the retreat. Sarah experienced the magic of the retreat and she was immediately hooked on yoga. Upon returning home, she began practicing at a local studio. Sarah believes yoga changed her life for the better. She was stressed out, anxious and experiencing panic attacks. The calming benefits of yoga were instantaneous  and she was hooked. 

In 2016, Sarah began her 200hr teacher training and discovered the more she practices and teaches yoga, the more there is to learn. She is also certified as a Paddleboard Yoga and Aerial Yoga instructor. She loves to help students release stress, relax and discover poses they didn't know they were capable of. Join Sarah for a weekend of authenticity when you join her for a retreat.

 Worry is a misuse of imagination.

Sarah believes the above quote is a perfect outlook on life. She’s married to Kyle and they have two pups, Ruby Jean and Cleopatra. She is currently teaching Outdoor Classes at Caviness Ranch in Decatur, Hot Yoga at FitnWise in Decatur, Hatha Flow Yoga and Aerial at Apotheke Yoga in Azle and Hatha Flow Yoga at Spartan Fit MMA in Springtown, TX. 

Photo credit: Jenny Reitz

Jennifer started practicing yoga to add to her active lifestyle, however, it didn’t take long for the love affair with yoga to take hold. She found that it forced her to look within and to accept her entire self. In addition, this is a lifelong practice as we continue to grow and evolve. Yoga became a constant refuge to relief stress, build strength, and as a moment for self-care.

Outside of yoga, she is happily married, celebrating her 10thanniversary during covid with her favorite person. Jennifer is the proud mom of two, which she enjoys being silly with. When she has a moment, she is obsessing on what to eat, cook, and (attempt to) grow next. In addition to yoga, Jennifer works in corporate finance and enjoys excel spreadsheets.

Jennifer is grateful to be part of the Retreat in the Pines Team and looks forward to meeting you at the next retreat!

Jan has been treating our guests to the ultimate in relaxation since 2011. Guests love Jan’s soothing touch and calm energy. After a massage with Jan, most guests agree “That was the best massage ever!”

Jan, a Registered Massage Therapist since 2010, loves the connection with guests, and enjoys visiting with guests at dinner after a day of massages.

Jan loves the ocean and moved to Galveston in 2013. She is truly dedicated to our community; she drives up for Galveston to spend Saturdays with us at the retreat.

Book a retreat to enjoy the ultimate in relaxation in a massage with Jan.

Belen has been a licensed massage therapist since 2007. She has advanced training in trigger point therapy, myofascial release, deep tissue, as well as prenatal and post-natal care. She believes the best way to treat chronic pain, stress and injury, is through a combination of different modalities to personalize each massage to each individual’s needs.

Born in Mendoza, Argentina; her family moved to the United States in 2000, where Belen finished high school in Texas. She already knew she wanted to make a difference in the world. Belen’s daughter was born in June 2006 and has taught Belen “how real love feels.” Belen loves to travel and enjoys music, nature, animals and camping.

She attended a retreat with us in March of 2019 and was immediately drawn to our community and mission. Belen is grateful and honored to be a part of Retreat in the Pines and to provide women with the much needed healing touch of massage.

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