About us

AS SEEN ON

Why We Exist

At QASA, we exist to help queer people come home to themselves – by transforming shame into joy, disconnection into belonging, and fear into freedom. Through immersive retreats, a nature-rooted sanctuary, and lifelong community, we create brave, beautiful spaces where queer lives can heal, connect, and shine.

Come Home To Your body.
Heal What’s Heavy.
Grow Into What’s Next.

What does it mean to heal?

To heal is to release the weight of shame, fear, and old stories - and reclaim all parts of ourselves as worthy of love. It's choosing to feel again, to remember our wholeness, and to walk the path of self-compassion, embodiment, and belonging. At Qasa, healing isn’t fixing what’s broken - it’s coming home to who you’ve always been.

What does it mean to connect?

To connect is to build meaningful relationships - with our bodies, each other, the land, and something greater. It means being seen in our fullness, sharing joy, holding grief, and remembering that we are never truly alone. At Qasa, connection is a sacred act - and the root of collective healing.

What does it mean to shine?

To shine is to live unapologetically as your fullest self - embodied, expressive, and alive. It’s reclaiming queer joy, embracing your desires, and honoring what lights you up. When you shine, you give others permission to do the same - and the world becomes more whole.

How We Do It?

We design immersive, heart-led experiences that guide queer people from disconnection to belonging, from numbness to full aliveness. Through intentional retreats rooted in sacred practices, somatic embodiment, and queer joy – we create safe, expansive spaces where you can heal, express, and grow. Our retreats follow a journey of preparation, immersion, and integration, always grounded in consent, nature, and collective care.

What Do We Offer?

Qasa offers transformational retreats, a magical boutique hotel and a joyful community for queer people ready to come home to themselves. Whether through sacred plants, embodied pleasure, or immersive adventure, each program is a portal into deep healing, full embodiment, and lifelong connection. Held in the lush Costa Rican jungle, our space is a sanctuary for safety, play, and transformation – where you are invited to heal, connect, and shine.

Ready to Rediscover Yourself and Connect with Others?

Join our team for an unforgettable experience.

Join us in this sanctuary of growth, freedom, and celebration – your journey starts here.

Queer medicine - where research meets story

This groundbreaking study explores how plant medicine supports LGBTQ+ individuals in healing, growth, and connection. Participants experienced profound improvements in mental health and wellbeing. They experienced reduced depression, anxiety, shame, and loneliness alongside greater self-acceptance, self-compassion, and a deep sense of belonging. Set in the heart of nature, this documentary captures the courage, diversity, and transformative power of community as participants reconnect with themselves, each other, and the world around them.

In 2024, Qasa sponsored a groundbreaking research study conducted by Unlimited Sciences to explore how plant medicine supports LGBTQ+ individuals in healing, growth, and connection. This marked the first rigorous longitudinal study focused specifically on LGBTQ+ participants and plant medicine, with interviews conducted across five time points before, during, and after the retreat experience.

Participants reported profound improvements in mental health and overall wellbeing, including reductions in depression, anxiety, shame, and loneliness, alongside increased self-acceptance, self-compassion, and a deep sense of belonging. Read the full study here.

Alongside the study, we also filmed a documentary capturing the lived experience of the retreat itself. Set in the heart of nature, the film highlights the courage, diversity, and transformative power of queer community as participants reconnect with themselves, each other, and the world around them. Watch the full documentary below.

Feeling the Call?

This research and documentary were born from real people, in a real place – Qasa. If what you’ve seen or read stirs something in you… a longing to heal, to connect, to remember who you are in community and in nature, you’re not alone.

Awaken is our signature sacred plant journey retreat – the same journey featured in the film. Rooted in care, community, and queer joy, it’s a space for deep personal transformation in the heart of Costa Rica’s jungle.

We don’t promise quick fixes. We offer real support, held with integrity, guided by experienced facilitators and supported by research.

If you like to schedule a free 1:1 call to explore if a Qasa retreat is right for you click here.

OUR TEAM

Adrián Chaves

Guest Concierge

Adrián Campos is a Guest Concierge with a strong background in hospitality, tourism, and guest experience, blending operational awareness with genuine human connection.

Alexandra Pallas

Interim Chief of Operations & Programming

Heart-centered business founder, program & service operations leader, and transformational experience designer. Alexandra drives quality program implementation, operations and impact at Qasa.

Andrey Avilés

Lead Guest Advisor

Andrey Avilés Baltodano is a hospitality leader with deep roots in tourism and hotel operations. Andrey is responsible for guiding guests as they explore our hotel, events or retreats. He also helps partners with retreat center rentals.

Charlie Delgado

Operations Manager

Charlie is responsible for onsite operations specifically focused on building, maintenance and making sure that everything is in place for guests to have a memorable experience.

Eugenia Aguilar

HR Manager

Eugenia is responsible for HR which means finding the best talent and making sure we have healthy, happy and thriving people and great culture.

Leopoldo Rodriguez

Retreat & Event Planning Lead

Leopoldo “Polo” Hospitality leader with a decade of experience in luxury tourism, wellness, and experiential travel.

Shelby Clark

Founder

Shelby Clark (he/him) is a certified yoga instructor, trained meditation guide, and somatic facilitator focused on helping queer people unlearn performance and return to authenticity.

Sergio Cruz

Head of Growth

Sergio and his team lead Qasa’s marketing, sales and partnerships. He’s building Qasa into the world’s leading queer wellbeing brand.

Val-Pierre Genton

Interim CEO

A conscious leader and executive with over 25 years of experience in building tech and teams and scaling businesses to sustainable growth. His last business was acquired for $150M and now helps unlock human flourishing at Qasa.

Cris Villareal

Finance Manager

Description area

David Salas

Guest Support

David is a teacher by profession, graduated with a bachelors in English Teaching as a second language from the UAM ( Universidad Americana).

Facilitators

Alex Sloan

Alex Sloan (he/him) is a San Francisco–based kinkster, facilitator, and longtime explorer of pleasure, power, and embodiment.

Ash Ruiz

Ash Ruiz is a seasoned guide in self-realization, nonduality, and trauma informed plant medicine facilitation, with over 30 years of experience.

Dan Link

Dan Link is an internationally renowned biologist, adventurer, queer rights advocate, and primitive survivalist who brings a unique perspective to the outdoors.

Donovan McGrath

Donovan is the founder of Amplified Yoga, for which he travels the world sharing his positive vision. His motivation is to encourage you to Amplify…

John Jacob Mubarak

John Jacob Mubarak is a passionate advocate for holistic healing and integrates the power of sacred plants, breathwork, psychology…

JoJo Bear

JoJo Bear is a Sacred Intimate, Somatic guide and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through somatic coaching, language, and embodiment…

Luke Anthony

Luke has been a Kahuna Bodyworker for over 10 years, learning this connective and energetic practice in his native Australia where Kahuna Bodywork is very popular.

Mike Peck

Mike is a Conscious Embodiment Coach based in London, dedicated to supporting others through modalities such as Tension & Trauma Release Exercises…

Paulo Rebello

Paulo was born in the Brazilian Amazon, went to College in France and England, and immigrated to the US to pursue his Master’s in Counseling. During graduate school, he was introduced…

Rocky Heron

Rocky Heron is an artistic wonder – a singer, songwriter, yoga instructor, and alignment coach with an ability to weave together community through devotion and skillful embodiment.

Safety and Ethics

We believe transformation happens best in spaces rooted in justice, consent, and care. From our trauma-informed facilitation to our commitment to economic accessibility and environmental stewardship, everything we do is guided by our values of integrity, inclusion, and authentic connection.