FLOW: Aerial & Somatics – A Weeklong Inner Child Immersion

FLOW: Aerial & Somatics is a weeklong inner child healing retreat at Casa Chango in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico, led by flow artist and somatic healer Andrea "Dre" Hartley. It combines aerial hammock and silks, somatic parts work, breathwork, insight meditation, yoga and dance for people who want to move out of their heads and into the body, and to meet the younger parts of themselves that still carry old patterns. Beginners are welcome, and no aerial experience is needed.

What to Expect

The week runs seven nights, with arrival at the start and departure after breakfast on the last morning. The first evening brings dinner and a group opening circle. After that, days follow an unhurried rhythm, and every session is optional, so you set your own pace.

A sample day looks like this:

- 8 to 9:30 am: coffee, tea and breakfast
- 10 am to 12:30 pm: morning session (aerial, somatic work, breathwork or yoga)
- 1 pm: lunch, followed by pool time, siesta and rest until mid-afternoon
- 3:30 pm: afternoon treat
- 4:30 to 6 pm: afternoon session (aerial, movement, meditation or somatic work)
- 7 pm: dinner
- 8 to 10 pm: evening activities such as jacuzzi soaks, group circles and rest

The aerial hammock is used as a cocoon for somatic holding, spinal decompression and nervous system regulation, while the silks invite expressive, playful movement. Somatic parts work draws on the Internal Family Systems approach, engaging the felt sensations of younger, fragmented parts so they can be met and gently integrated. Insight meditation, conscious connected breathwork, and yoga and dance practices tie the aerial and emotional work together.

Mid-week there is a beach excursion to La Punta, with time on the sand and a sunset together, and a professional aerial photoshoot in the silks or hammock. Closing practices and integration circles may take place before checkout.

The retreat suits people who want to move past intellectualizing their healing, who are ready to move out of cycles of creative burnout, or who have built strong boundaries and now want more depth and safety in relationships.

About Andrea "Dre" Hartley

Andrea Hartley studied aerial arts at LSU and has taught aerial work across Africa and America since 2016, exploring how movement can settle the nervous system. She specializes in somatic integration and creative expansion, a process she calls FLOW, and weaves together aerial arts, somatic parts work, trauma-informed yoga, breathwork and insight meditation. She has guided people in addiction recovery, survivors of domestic violence, refugees and at-risk youth.

The Setting

Casa Chango is an off-grid, solar-powered eco-center near Puerto Escondido on the Oaxaca coast, with open-air community spaces and days shaped by natural rhythms. Guests have 24-hour access to the pool, jacuzzi and community space, and high-speed Starlink wifi is available.

Three room types are offered: a shared mixed-gender dorm, a private room for two friends sharing one king bed or two single beds with a shared bathroom, and a private room with a shared bathroom. Meals are breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Ground transportation to and from Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) is included.

Before You Go

Sessions are held in English, and all levels are welcome. Andrea guides everyone through foundational techniques, with the emphasis on nervous system healing and embodied integration rather than skill.

Included are accommodation for seven nights, all meals, daily classes and guided sessions, the aerial photoshoot, the La Punta excursion, airport transfers, jacuzzi soaks and wifi. Not included are international airfare, travel insurance and personal supplies. Bring natural shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste, which are required at the eco-center.