In the arid landscape of California's Joshua Tree National Park, a unique and expensive form of therapy is gaining traction amongst affluent women. They are paying substantial sums to have their intimate areas adorned with fresh fruits, vegetables, and flower petals as part of a radical approach to sexual wellness.
The Back to the Body Retreat Experience
At the Back to the Body sexual wellness retreat, participants, who travel from across the United States including Florida and North Carolina, lie partially clothed or completely nude. They are covered with items like cucumber, capsicum, lemon slices, and rose petals. The practice is designed to help women forge a deeper connection with their own bodies and overcome personal barriers.
Event host Pamela Madsen explained the philosophy to the LA Times, stating, 'The biological clock may be finite, but your sexuality — arousal — is infinite.' Attendees range in age from their mid-30s to mid-70s and come from diverse sexual backgrounds. The retreat's stated goal is to assist women in tackling intimacy issues, processing trauma, confronting insecurities, and enhancing their sex lives.
Remarkably, some clients are therapists themselves, seeking to expand their knowledge in a field known as 'sexological bodywork' – a form of body-based sex therapy. Madsen reports witnessing profound changes in the women who attend. 'I’ve seen women changing, improving their lives,' she said. 'They start taking control of their finances, they start to care about how they’re spending their time.'
High Cost and Heated Debate
The price for this unconventional experience is steep. A two-day retreat costs between $550 and $2,000, but Madsen encourages clients to opt for the week-long programme, which carries a price tag of $8,000 to $18,000. Demand appears high; for a 2026 retreat, the Times reported that 15 out of 20 women at one session signed up after being offered a $1,000 discount.
This exclusivity has drawn criticism. Betsy Crane, a retired professor from Widener University, labelled the practice as 'inaccessible' to most women due to the cost. 'I understand why they have to charge as much as they do... but it’s not affordable for most women, that’s the inequality of the world that we live in,' she commented.
Madsen defends the pricing, stating it reflects market value and the intensive, staff-heavy nature of the retreats. She claims the outcomes justify the expense, arguing that 'women get done in a week here what costs them 15 years in talk therapy.'
Ethical Questions and Personal Transformations
Beyond the cost, the retreat faces scrutiny over ethical boundaries. Dr Gail Wyatt, a UCLA emeritus professor and licensed clinical psychologist, told the LA Times he does not endorse the practice with his own clients. He expressed concern that 'Vulnerable individuals may end up in a situation where they’re being taken advantage of' if those assigned to touch clients lack professional boundaries.
In response, Madsen stressed that physical touch is fundamental to this type of healing. 'We must touch the body to hear it speak - and that terrifies people,' she said. It is important to note that sexological bodyworkers are not nationally certified, but they do follow a code of ethics upheld by the Los Angeles-based Association of Certified Sexological Bodyworkers.
For attendees like Mandy Manuel, a 39-year-old sex therapist from Connecticut, the experience was transformative. Having struggled with body image her entire life, Manuel said the retreat challenged her negative self-perception. 'I totally bought into that story. And I wanted to challenge that. So I came and it was life-changing,' she shared. 'My standard for dating shot way up. Previously it was: "I’m just going to accept whoever wants me" and now it’s "who do I want?"'
Madsen frames this work as a crucial step for female autonomy. She connects it to a historical context where women lacked basic rights, asserting that the retreat helps create 'sovereign women' who trust their own bodies and desires.
