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Essence of Ease: A Perimenopause & Menopause Wellness Journey

March 12-21, 2026 | Phuket, Thailand

A transformative retreat specifically designed for Black women navigating perimenopause & menopause

Perimenopause & Menopause Wellness Designed for Black Women and Women of Color

One morning, you wake up, and something is different. Maybe it’s the way your body moves, the way heat blooms under your skin at the most unexpected times, or how rest doesn’t feel as restful anymore. It’s subtle, quiet, and at first, easy to ignore—until it isn’t.

This is more than just a shift. It’s a transition, a new season. But here’s the thing: nobody prepared you for perimenopause or menopause, let alone how it affects Black women and women of color.

There are books, doctors, and wellness spaces that seem to speak to everyone but us—leaving Black women and women of color navigating perimenopause and menopause with questions, frustrations, and a deep craving for care that actually sees us. Research shows that Black women experience menopause earlier, with more severe symptoms, and fewer culturally attuned wellness solutions available.

This wellness journey is that care.

The Journey That Truly Sees Black Women and Women of Color

Our Essence of Ease perimenopause & menopause retreat acknowledges the unique challenges Black women and women of color face during this transition. From hot flashes and night sweats to sleep disturbances and mood changes, we address the full spectrum of perimenopause and menopause symptoms with cultural understanding and evidence-based approaches.

Essence of Ease Journey was created as a sanctuary—a place to gather, to be nourished, to be understood. In the quiet luxury of Thailand, against the backdrop of the Andaman Sea, you'll find a space where your evolving body is honored, where holistic perimenopause and menopause wellness is tailored specifically where sisterhood reminds you: you are not alone in your menopause journey.

Black woman managing menopause symptoms with mindfulness at Thailand wellness retreat

Ease is not a luxury; it’s a language your body is waiting to speak.

Is This Where You’re Meant to Be?

This journey is perfect for you if:

You want to feel connected to your body as it evolves—rather than fighting against its changes.

You want to feel more connected to your body as it evolves, rather than fighting against its changes.

You’re seeking natural ways to rebalance your body and nurture your well-being during this life stage.

You're ready to transform your menopause experience from one of struggle to one of ease.

You crave a space to focus on yourself while surrounded by other black women and women of color.

You're experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms and want evidence-based, culturally-sensitive guideance.

You were never meant to carry this alone.

Why Choose a Menopause Retreat Designed for Black Women and Women of Color?

Because for too long, the realities of perimenopause and menopause for Black women and women of color have been overlooked. Studies show that Black women enter menopause an average of 8.5 months earlier than white women, with more frequent and intense hot flashes that last longer—sometimes up to 10 years.

Yet, despite these challenges, we are less likely to receive adequate medical guidance or culturally aligned wellness solutions. Instead, we are expected to push through, to carry the weight, to endure.

This journey is about breaking that cycle. It is about redefining perimenopause and menopause as a time of renewal rather than depletion—an opportunity to embrace ease, reclaim balance, and prioritize deep, embodied self-care. Essence of Ease Journey was created to fill the gaps, to be the sanctuary we were never given.

Black women sharing menopause experiences at wellness retreat

Holistic Menopause Management Through Cultural Understanding

Our retreat approaches menopause holistically, addressing physical symptoms while honoring the emotional, spiritual, and cultural dimensions of this transition for Black women and women of color.

Through carefully curated therapies, nutrition, movement, and community support, we offer a complete system for navigating menopause with grace and empowerment.

If this feels like your season, it likely is

Ease Has a Place—And It’s Here

Thailand offers the perfect healing environment for Black women and women of color navigating menopause. The warmth and humidity naturally ease joint pain and muscle tension. The gentle climate provides relief from temperature fluctuations that often trigger hot flashes.

But it’s more than the weather. Thailand holds a certain kind of softness—the kind that allows you to exhale fully, to feel the weight of your own presence without the urgency of what’s next.

The Andaman Sea is a balm, washing over the noise of your everyday life, inviting you to listen—to your body, your breath, the parts of you that whisper when the world gets too loud.

Here, wellness isn't a trend. It’s a way of life. Ancient healing traditions offer natural approaches to hormone balance and menopause symptom support—gently complementing what modern wellness has overlooked.

Two ornate white and gold pagoda-style structures on a hilltop at sunset, with trees and gardens in the foreground and rolling mountains in the background.

The Rhythm That Awaits You

What would it feel like to finally be on your body’s time?

In this soft, sacred corner of the world, your schedule slows down—not just because you're on retreat, but because the entire rhythm of Thailand invites it.

Here, wellness isn’t a trend—it’s a way of life. The sea doesn’t rush. The sun doesn’t interrupt. The herbs don’t hurry. And neither do you.

Each day in Thailand begins and ends with ease. You’ll rise slowly to the sound of waves, enjoy meals intentionally designed to support your changing body, and spend your afternoons in the hands of healers who understand the needs of women moving through this life transition.

You’ll experience wellness in a form that feels natural, respectful, and resonant—with traditions that restore and community that reminds you: you’re not alone.

Cultural Approaches to Perimenopause & Menopause Symptoms

Wellness is not separate from culture but rather an integral part of it, deeply intertwined with our identities and lived experiences as Black women and women of color. Our journey honors this connection by integrating culturally-resonant supportive practices with evidence-based approaches to menopause symptom management.

  • Black woman practicing yoga for menopause symptom relief during wellness retreat in Thailand

    Addressing Key Perimenopause and Menopause Concerns

    - Hot Flash Management: Traditional cooling practices combined with modern techniques

    - Sleep Restoration: Ancient relaxation methods that combat menopause-related insomnia

    - Mood Balance: Community-centered approaches to emotional wellbeing

    - Physical Comfort: Therapeutic bodywork to ease joint pain and muscle tension

  • Black woman finding menopause relief through nature connection at Thailand retreat

    Ayurvedic Approaches to Perimenopause and Menopause Balance

    Ayurvedic wisdom, which encompasses ancient healing practices and holistic self-care approaches, offers powerful solutions for menopause symptoms. Our retreat incorporates these time-tested techniques specifically adapted for Black women and women of color menopause experiences, addressing hormonal balance, temperature regulation, and overall wellbeing.

  • Community of Black women sharing menopause experiences at Thailand wellness retreat

    Thai Practices for Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Relief

    Thai traditions provide targeted relief for common perimenopause and menopause discomforts through practices that balance energy and promote holistic well-being. Experience how these gentle yet powerful techniques can ease hot flashes, improve sleep quality, and restore your sense of balance during perimenopause and menopause.

This is how your days could feel. Slower. Softer. Yours.

The Journey

This experience includes a scientifically-informed blend of wellness practices, immersive therapies, and meaningful moments that directly address perimenopause and menopause symptoms. While the full itinerary is reserved for confirmed guests, you can expect:

  • Menopause-Specific Treatments: A collection of gentle, restorative treatments tailored to address hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and hormonal balance

  • Movement for Menopause: Specialized yoga, tai chi, and gentle movement practices designed to ease joint pain, improve bone health, and regulate hormones

  • Wellness Circle: Safe spaces to share your perimenopause and menopause experience with others who truly understand

  • Nutritional Guidance: Learn about foods and eating patterns that support hormone balance and ease menopause symptoms

  • Stress Reduction Techniques: Master practices that reduce cortisol levels, which can worsen perimenopause and menopause symptoms

  • Cultural Exploration: Connect with wellness traditions that resonate with cultural heritage

Singing bowls with mallets on a decorative cushion and fur rug.

A Day in the Rhythm of Ease

Here’s a glimpse into one sacred day on the Essence of Ease journey—where every moment is crafted with intention, attunement, and care for your perimenopause or menopause experience.

  • Wake naturally to the quiet hush of the Andaman Sea. Step into a gentle breathwork ritual to awaken your body without urgency.

  • Savor a warm, phytoestrogen-rich breakfast designed to stabilize blood sugar and reduce inflammation—flavors rooted in Thai tradition and nutrition science.

  • Move through a restorative yoga session that nurtures your joints, supports bone health, and helps regulate cortisol.

  • Experience a curated healing session rooted in Thai or Ayurvedic tradition—targeting temperature regulation, sleep support, and nervous system calm.

  • Enjoy a plant-forward, cooling midday meal with herbs and ingredients selected for hormone balance and digestive ease.

  • Return to your suite for a nap, journaling, or simply doing nothing. This is not time off—it’s time in.

  • Gather with women who understand this season. Share reflections or just sit in quiet presence—no fixing, just witnessing.

  • Dinner is served as a ritual. Soft lights, ocean breeze, dishes crafted with intention. You’re not just eating—you’re being restored.

  • Guided relaxation or a warm herbal compress to invite rest, reduce night sweats, and ease the mind into stillness.

This is an example of one day. Your body leads. Ease follows. And every moment reminds you—you were never meant to go through this alone.

You don’t need more hustle. You need more moments like this.

Where Comfort Meets Care

You step onto the balcony, the air thick with salt and stillness. The horizon stretches endlessly, where the sea doesn't rush—it sways, slow and sure, as if it, too, understands the necessity of ease during your menopause journey.

This is where you wake up each morning.

Essence of Ease is hosted at a world-class wellness resort with accommodations thoughtfully designed for menopausal comfort. Temperature-controlled rooms help manage night sweats, premium bedding supports restful sleep, and private spaces allow for personal moments when needed.

Every space—whether it's your private room, the infinity pool, or the spa treatment areas—is built to support your changing body and encourage deep relaxation.

This isn’t about extravagance. This is about luxury that feels like home—like warmth, like being held, like finally hearing your body say, ‘Thank you.’

Meals That Nourish

After a restful night in your sanctuary suite, what follows is nourishment—not just food, but a form of daily care designed with your changing body in mind.

In this phase of a womans life, what you eat is no longer just about appetite—it’s about alignment.

Every meal on the Essence of Ease journey is crafted to support you during perimenopause and menopause. Using ingredients rooted in Thai tradition and modern nutrition science, our culinary team prepares dishes that ease hot flashes, balance mood, support bone health, and help you sleep more soundly.

These aren’t restrictive wellness meals. They’re abundant, beautifully plated expressions of nourishment. Whether you crave comfort or something cleansing, each bite is intentionally prepared to help your body feel better—not just full.

Table setting with two place mats, plated fruit, poached eggs with asparagus and avocado, drinks, and a flower arrangement.

Hormone-Balancing Cuisine

Every meal is an experience, blending local Thai flavors with hormonal supportive nutrition science. Resort menu features:

  • Phytoestrogen-rich foods that naturally support hormone balance

  • Anti-inflammatory ingredients that reduce menopause-related discomfort

  • Calcium and vitamin D-rich options for bone health

  • Blood sugar-stabilizing meals to reduce hot flashes and mood swings

  • Cooling foods and herbs that help regulate body temperature

You’ll have the flexibility to explore plant-based dishes, freshly prepared seafood, and culturally inspired proteins on your own, but the ones we share? They’ll be crafted with care and aligned with the essence of ease your body is asking for.

A variety of colorful foods including a plate with avocado, poached eggs, and vegetables, a bowl of yogurt with fruit, fresh fruit platter, drinks including red juice, green shot, and water, all on a wooden table by a pool.

The Investment in Your Journey

Private Suite – $5,600 USD
For those seeking solo sanctuary with uninterrupted rest and privacy.

Shared Suite – $4,600 USD
Ideal for guests open to connection and roommate pairing in a peaceful, balanced setting.

Payment plans available at checkout. Travel insurance is required.

Modern hotel room with a bed, a sitting area with a sofa, and decorative wall art.

You deserve a space that knows how to hold you.

The Lasting Value of Your Essence of Ease Journey

This isn’t just a nine-day retreat. It’s a recalibration—of your rhythm, your body, your story.

When you return home, you won’t just carry souvenirs or memories. You’ll carry transformation.

A Personalized Toolkit of Practices
Breathwork, movement, and daily rituals tailored to your symptoms—designed to shift you from temporary relief to everyday ease.

A Recalibrated Nervous System
After nine days of supported care and stillness, your body will remember what balance feels like—and how to return to it, even after the world resumes its pace.

A New Narrative
Perhaps most important of all—you’ll no longer see menopause as something to endure. You’ll see it as a sacred transition, worthy of honor, understanding, and care.

Body Wisdom & Awareness
A deeper understanding of your changing body and its signals—so you can respond with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

Meaningful Connections
You’ll leave with more than contacts—you’ll leave with community. Authentic bonds with women who walk this same path, rooted in shared experience and lasting support.

Permission to Pause—Without Guilt
You’ll return home with a renewed belief that rest is not indulgence—it’s intelligence. You’ll know how to take pause without apology, how to soften without fear, and how to honor your needs without waiting for permission.

The return on this journey isn’t just the days away—it’s how you’ll live every day after.

What’s Included

  • Stay in barefoot-luxury rooms designed for rest, reflection, and ease.

  • Enjoy a blend of sessions, movement practices, and culturally rooted therapies tailored for perimenopause and menopause.

  • Connect deeply with the vibrant spirit of Thailand through a thoughtfully planned day of intentional excursion and immersive guided exploration. Allow yourself to be fully present as you discover the rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes that this beautiful country has to offer.

  • Engage in heartfelt conversations and shared moments within a supportive, intentional community space that encourages deep connections and genuine understanding among participants.

  • Meet fellow travelers who share your adventurous spirit, get grounded in the exciting journey that lies ahead, and receive valuable travel preparation tips that will enhance your experience.

  • To honor and respect your privacy while also ensuring that you have the best possible experience in this transformative program, detailed schedules and itineraries are only provided to participants who complete the booking process.

  • Transportation from Phuket International Airport to the resort will be provided upon your arrival, ensuring a smooth and comfortable transfer. Additionally, we will arrange transportation for you on your day of departure to facilitate your journey back to the airport.

What’s Not Included

  • Any airfare travel to and from Phuket, Thailand.

  • Personal, medical, or trip cancellation insurance (Required).

    Proof of travel insurance is mandatory and must be submitted before departure. Guests who fail to provide proof of travel insurance will forfeit their booking with no refund.

    US Residents link here

    International residents link here

  • These are at personal cost to guest.

  • Including those purchased during travel days.

  • Early arrival to Phuket, Thailand, or extended stays beyond the retreat. Also, transportation to the airport after the last day of the retreat if departing later.

This Menopause Wellness Space Was Created Specifically for Black Women & Women of Color

Who’s Holding This Space?

A woman smiling in a room with white walls, wearing a colorful, patterned long kimono and white pants, standing barefoot near a white table with decorative vases and dried plants.

Essence of Ease is held by Krystal A. Antoine—a certified menopause coach, plant-based nutritionist, and founder of HerDecree Journeys.

This journey was born from her own.

After undergoing a hysterectomy and facing the quiet shock of surgical menopause without the cultural support she needed, Krystal searched for spaces where her experience could be seen—where stillness, softness, and truth could exist together. When she couldn’t find them, she created one.

Not a wellness trend. Not a temporary fix.
A space to reconnect with the body she was learning to understand all over again.

Krystal’s work is guided by rhythm over rigidity. Her approach invites you to move gently, to listen inward, and to feel held through the quiet shifts of this season. You are not broken. You are becoming.

“My deepest commitment is creating spaces where Black women can exhale completely, knowing they are truly seen and supported during this profound life transition.”
— Krystal A. Antoine

Cancellation Policy

We understand that life unfolds in ways we can’t always predict.

That’s why we offer a refund (minus card processing fees) if you cancel within 30 days of your initial booking. After 30 days, your payments become non-refundable, as we begin securing accommodations, treatments, and local guides specifically for your spot.

Travel insurance is required for all participants to protect your investment in case of personal emergency, illness, or travel disruption.

If you have any questions or concerns before booking, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to walk with you through every step of your decision.

This Menopause Wellness Space Was Created Specifically for Black Women & Women of Color

FAQs

  • Our journey combines traditional supporting practices, modern wellness approaches, and culturally-specific understanding to address perimenopause and menopause symptoms. From hot flashes and night sweats to mood changes and sleep disruption, our program offers both techniques and long-term management strategies tailored to Black women and women of color experiences.

  • Not at all. This journey welcomes women across the menopause spectrum—from those just beginning to notice perimenopause changes to those well into their menopause journey. Our programming is designed to support each woman wherever she is in this transition.

  • Although this is a personal journey for many women, guests can choose between double (shared) or single (private) occupancy for the nine-night retreat. Each room is designed to provide comfort and tranquility, ensuring a restful stay. If you are booking a shared room and need a roommate, please let us know—we will do our best to match you with someone else seeking a roommate. You will have the opportunity to connect before the journey during our pre-trip online session. If no match is available, your booking will be considered a single occupancy, and the single supplement fee will apply.

  • Each day is intentionally curated to balance structured wellness sessions and personal free time. Mornings often begin with yoga or meditation, followed by nourishing meals. Midday may include workshops, healing sessions, or personal treatments, and afternoons allow time for relaxation or self-guided exploration. The full itinerary is shared only with booked guests to maintain privacy and an immersive experience.

  • This retreat is designed to be an immersive group experience, and all attendees are expected to participate in the activities. Bringing a non-participating guest is not permitted to preserve the retreat’s intended atmosphere.

  • The retreat begins on March 12, 2026, with check-in available from 3:00 PM onwards. The journey concludes on March 22, 2026, after breakfast, with check-out by 11:00 AM. Detailed pre-trip instructions will be provided closer to departure.

  • You should book your flight to Phuket International Airport (HKT) in Thailand.

  • Our venue is pleased to offer the convenience of coordinating roundtrip airport transfers for our guests.

  • Yes! This retreat is designed to be a balance of guided experiences and personal downtime.

  • Refunds & Cancellations:

    All payments are non-refundable after 30 days from the date of booking.
    If you cancel within 30 days of your original purchase, you will receive a refund minus any card processing or transaction fees.


    Travel Insurance:

    Travel insurance is mandatory for all participants.
    Failure to obtain travel insurance will result in a forfeiture of your booking with no refund, even in the case of illness, emergencies, or cancellations.

  • Yes. You’ll be able to choose a payment plan or pay in full during checkout. Full payment and monthly plans are available through WeTravel.

    We also offer Affirm / Afterpay for fullpayment only.

    Please note: Affirm or similar platforms (like Afterpay) may apply additional fees or interest depending on your credit approval. These terms are determined by the payment provider, not by us.

  • Absolutely! Many guests attend solo and find this retreat to be a safe and enriching space to connect with others while focusing on personal renewal. Whether you come alone or with a friend, you’ll be welcomed into a supportive community.

  • If you choose a shared room, we will match you with a roommate if available. If no match is found, your reservation will be considered single occupancy, and the additional single supplement fee will apply.

  • If HerDecree Journeys must cancel the retreat for unforeseen reasons, guests will receive a full refund.

    However, we are not responsible for additional expenses such as airfare or personal travel insurance claims.

    All guests must purchase comprehensive travel insurance.

  • No, travel insurance is not included but is required for all participants. Proof of insurance must be submitted at least six weeks before departure. Guests who fail to provide proof will forfeit their booking with no refund.

  • For any additional inquiries, please fill out the form below or contact us at info@herdecreejourneys.com with the subject line Essence of Ease. Item description

  • Essence of Ease is uniquely designed around the specific perimenopause and menopause experiences of Black women and women of color. We incorporate cultural understanding, address the documented differences in how we experience menopause symptoms, and create a safe space community of shared understanding that general menopause retreats simply cannot provide.

  • The retreat is hosted by Krystal A. Antoine, a plant-based nutritionist and menopause coach who understands the unique experiences of Black women during this transition. You'll also have access to the resort's professional wellness team. This retreat is designed not as an intensive medical or educational program, but as a nurturing space to take a break, relax, and grow comfortable with your body's changes in a supportive environment among other Black women with similar experiences.

Your next chapter begins with one clear yes

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