Wisdom of Women Spring Writing Retreat

April 24 - May 2, 2026 | Evergreen, CO

Beckoned by whispering mountain waters, discover your heart’s sacred message.

Nestled in the Rocky Mountains by flowing, whispering waters, join us at the Wisdom of Women Writing Retreat where we will connect with ourselves, our stories, and each other.

This is the space for discovering your sacred message—to write to your heart’s calling, flowing the words through you and onto the page.

This is a week to tap more deeply into the stories you are called to share. This will be a time to journey with others as you give voice to your most significant writings that may one day be birthed into the world.

Over the course of the week, you will have:

  • Guidance to inspire your writing
  • Opportunity to experience the sacredness of nature to spark your connection to Universal wisdom
  • Time and space to put pen to paper and fingers to keyboards
  • One-on-one coaching sessions with Donna
  • Connection with other women who are inspired to bask in an intimate, sacred week of creation
  • A safe container to share your words with a circle of women who understand and honor the sacredness of each woman’s writing.

Cultivating our writing and identifying the stories that may one day serve others takes time and patience. This is not a quick-fix, write-a-book-in-a-week approach. Writing that is meant to bring healing for ourselves and our world is birthed over time. This retreat provides a space to cultivate the seeds and gain clarity to refine the message you are called to share.

If your book is already started, this is the perfect setting to connect more deeply with your writing and bring it closer to completion. If your book is currently a seed of an idea, this is the ideal space to help you transform that seed into a sapling. If you’re not certain you are being called to write a book but feel a deep longing to connect with and write pieces from your life, you’ll have the opportunity and support to nurture those seeds.

The world is waiting for you and your sacred message. Join us in Colorado and be inspired to connect with your writing and even birth your story into the world!

 

In early 2021, I received a notice about a Women’s Writing Retreat. I pondered and waffled and something told me that this was something I NEEDED to attend. So, I went. I didn’t know anyone; I hadn’t started writing anything significant. But somehow, in those days with a circle of women, my story began to emerge. I went back the following two years. I not only found my voice, but I found a powerful supportive group of wonderful women who have become my dearest friends. In July 2026, the pages that began during that first beautiful retreat will emerge as a fully written, published book! The final product is not just a tangible accomplishment. It is also a tribute to the healing that has come as a result of the writing.  Without that first Wisdom of Women Writing retreat, I may never have started the project that led to my supportive circle of friends.

Dr. Lucinda Wayland Connelly | Author of Mothers and Others
Dr. Lucinda L. Wayland Connelly
Author of Mothers and Others: My Search for Home

Do you have a sacred message to share with the world?

Have you heard a whisper urging you to write your story?

Are you ready to connect with the words you are meant to bring forth?

Your Retreat Guide

Donna Mazzitelli

 The Word Heartiste, Award-Winning Author
and Founder of the Hybrid Indie Publisher, Merry Dissonance Press

About Donna

Donna Mazzitelli believes that finding our voices is critical to living authentic lives. She helps writers connect to their unique, core voice so they can share a message that is crafted with heart. Donna’s life experiences, which included two cancer diagnoses and significant personal family loss, have helped grow her heart and compassion, as well as her intuition, which she offers those she works with.

Donna’s gentle, clear guidance allows writers to explore those deeper places that can be difficult to navigate. She companions you through the writing process, reminding you to be tender with yourself as you explore past experiences and deeper truths.

Donna Mazzitelli, “The Word Heartiste,” is an award-winning author, writing coach, editor, and publisher. As of 2023, Merry Dissonance Press has published 25 books and accumulated more than 50 awards. Donna’s first memoir, Mosaic Heart: Pieces of an Unfinished Life, was published in February 2022, and has received four awards to date, including a gold winner in Women’s Issues from NIEA. Donna continues to work on her own writing, and she is at work on her second memoir, Madonna Blue Heart.  She has also published three children's books, bringing light to environmental and social issues.

The Week’s Flow

FridayCheck in begins at 3 PM, gather for dinner at 6PM and opening evening circle
Saturday -  ThursdayMorning circle, writing and coaching, evening circle
FridayMorning circle, writing and coaching, closing circle gathering
SaturdayBreakfast and departure by 11:00 AM

 

Breakfast, lunch, afternoon refreshments, and happy hour will be provided each day. Dinners Saturday-Friday will be on your own.

Our Venue

Part of what makes this week extra special is the award-winning Highland Haven Creekside Inn. Along the creek and among the trees, you will find inspiration in the springtime of the Rockies.

There are plenty of nooks and crannies to sneak away to for private writing. We’ll gather together each day in their beautiful Fireside Loft for our shared time.

Interested in Joining Us
On This Journey?

Comments from Previous Participants

In early 2021, I received a notice about a Women’s Writing Retreat. I pondered and waffled and something told me that this was something I NEEDED to attend. So, I went. I didn’t know anyone; I hadn’t started writing anything significant. But somehow, in those days with a circle of women, my story began to emerge. I went back the following two years. I not only found my voice, but I found a powerful supportive group of wonderful women who have become my dearest friends. In July 2026, the pages that began during that first beautiful retreat will emerge as a fully written, published book! The final product is not just a tangible accomplishment. It is also a tribute to the healing that has come as a result of the writing.  Without that first Wisdom of Women Writing retreat, I may never have started the project that led to my supportive circle of friends.

Dr. Lucinda Wayland Connelly | Author of Mothers and Others
Dr. Lucinda L. Wayland Connelly
Author of Mothers and Others: My Search for Home

When I arrived at Donna’s retreat, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I had the early threads of a book beginning to take shape, but something was keeping me from truly diving in. What I found was a space so thoughtfully held, it felt like something sacred.

Donna not only created a warm, welcoming container for writers at all stages, but she also met each of us where we were. She carved out time to sit with me one-on-one, offering personalized feedback that was both kind and clear, helping me untangle the parts of my story I was afraid to write. She brought gentle yet powerful tools to support the writing process—things I still return to when I feel stuck. The structure of the retreat offered the perfect balance: quiet time to dive into our work and group sessions that created a sense of connection, inspiration, and shared momentum.

I left the retreat not only with more pages written, but with a deeper trust in myself as a writer. Donna’s guidance gave me the push I needed to step fully into my story, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

Amanda Miller | Sacred Soul Studios
Amanda Miller
Writer and Poet

I attended my first retreat in April 2025, and loved it so much, I attended the fall retreat as well. Everything about the retreat—from the restorative mountain setting and luxurious inn and food all week, the nourishing connections with other women in the two daily circles, and the open and safe space built into each day that allow creativity and expression to come forward—sets us up to benefit deeply. Donna is also a generous and intuitive facilitator who offers lots of care and direction, before, during, and after the retreat.

Writing Retreat Attendee Testimonial
Angela Renkoski
Writer and Editor

Donna Mazzitelli’s Wisdom of Women Writers Retreat offers a welcoming and inspiring environment for writers looking to nurture their craft. The retreat is set in the picturesque mountains of Colorado, which provide a serene backdrop ideal for creativity. Donna, with her nurturing and insightful guidance, helps writers from different backgrounds focus on their writing goals, whether they’re crafting a novel, memoir, or poetry.

What stands out most is Donna’s personalized approach, as she offers valuable feedback tailored to each writer’s needs. This makes the retreat suitable for both beginners and seasoned writers. Additionally, the camaraderie among participants and the shared love for writing often result in lasting friendships and professional networks.

Overall, Donna’s retreat, held each spring and fall, is highly recommended for anyone looking to deepen their writing skills in a supportive and enriching environment.

Terri Mongait | Author, Speaker, and Intuitive Coach
Terri Mongait
Author, Speaker, Intuitive Coach

I have participated in three of Donna’s writing retreats, and they are now part of my annual plans for April.  My writing has changed dramatically over the course of the retreats, and I can point to the specific feedback I have received from Donna for each and every breakthrough that I have had.  Between Donna’s wisdom, the life-affirming connections with other women, and the beauty of the locale, these retreats have become not-to-be-missed events for me. I cannot recommend Donna’s writing retreat highly enough!

Dana Kirchmar
Founder of Dana Kirchmar Consulting

Nestled in the magical land of Highland Haven, you can’t help but find inspiration at the Wisdom of Women Writing Retreat. The location in and of itself could be a respite for any local writer to sit and gather the energies of the running waters of Bear Creek, carrying the snowmelt of the Rocky Mountains. Add an inspiring location to the heart-centered, powerful intuition of Donna as your writing coach and there’s no telling what you can accomplish. For me, being surrounded by fellow passionate writers and sharing our vulnerabilities allowed me to go even deeper into my work. To throw too many words at the experience could almost do the magic an injustice. It’s something to experience for oneself.

Sherry Hess
Creator and Founder The Flavor Remedy

The 2022 Wisdom of Women Writing Retreat was a pivotal moment in my memoir writing.  Bottom line:  I got to the structure of my book, which was a big deal.  Donna provided feedback, met and sat on the floor with me, roadmapping with sticky notes, how this book should be organized, and it’s stuck.  In addition, writing with, reading to, and listening for the voices of other women’s’ stories was so inspirational, with large doses of reality thrown in. We laughed; we cried; we lauded; we cringed. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone considering it.  It will make a difference—in your writing and in your final product.

Writing Retreat Attendee Testimonial
Kristi Peterson
Memoirist

My escape to Highland Haven with Donna’s Wisdom of Women Writing Retreat in 2022 was the privilege of a lifetime. In this entirely safe and welcoming space, with amazing women, we got to meet and connect, and share and draw inspiration from each other in ways I had not anticipated. The one-on-one time with Donna was invaluable for coaching and getting redirected on some of my stuck points. The beautiful natural setting with magical creatures showing their faces here and there, the meals and activities—all of it was amazing! It was a truly enriching experience that jump-started my process and laid the foundation for what I hope will one day be the memoir I didn’t know for sure I had in me. (I do.) Thank you, Donna.

Writing Retreat Attendee Testimonial
Allison Leone
Writer

Working with Donna at her writing retreat was a sacred and loving experience. You can feel the passion and care that Donna has with her clients, as well as with the process and journey that writing is. She brings her unique mix of warmth, compassion, skill, profound expertise, deep-heartedness, and pixie fairy dust. Not only did I get a ton of writing done on the retreat, I got clarity on the direction of my book. (And that it was actually two books!) I was inspired by the writing that other people were sharing. What you will find is that it is no accident who is in the room. If you are looking for a place to work seriously on your next writing project while also being in the company of fascinating and inspiring women, in an atmosphere of mutual support and spiritual expansiveness with ample time to write … this is the retreat for you.

Charisse Sisou
Author, Speaker, & Modern-Day Priestess

Donna creates sacred space to give life to the stories inside. She magically and intuitively guides us to our deepest wisdom, and inspires us to open our hearts and let the writing flow. Some of my most soul-inspired writing has been sparked by Donna, and for that I’m grateful. Give yourself the gift.

Kami Guildner
Soul+Strategy Business Coach for Women and bestselling author of Firedancer: Your Spiral Journey to a Life of Passion & Purpose

My time at Donna’s retreat was a turning point in my writing life. Donna is a wonderfully gifted group facilitator and writing coach. She saw the beautiful potential in each person’s efforts. In her coaching, Donna calls on her deep intuition, empathy, sharp focus, and incisive story-shaping skills. She guided me to levels of appreciation for myself as a writer and such a significant improvement in my skills that I am forever transformed as a writer. This week will do so for you, too, wherever you are in your own writing life or projects.

Kathleen June
Memoirist and Adult Learning Expert