Respiro Retreats

Where Stillness, Strength, and Longevity Meet.

Movement | Meditation | Longevity

Reconnect. Recenter. Rise.

Do you ever feel like life is rushing past you—like you’re surviving more than truly living? Now, imagine a sanctuary where the weight lifts, the noise fades, and your vibrant, radiant self rises to the surface. Set against the breathtaking beauty of Italy’s timeless countryside, this is your invitation to pause, to breathe, and to remember who you truly are.

Where Stillness Sparks a Renaissance

Envision a journey where the noise quiets, and clarity rises. Where you release the thoughts that have weighed you down and awaken the deep wisdom already living in your body. Guided by renowned wellness expert Karen LaFond, you’ll explore powerful longevity rituals while breathing in the soul-soothing beauty of Italy’s untouched landscapes. This is more than a retreat—it’s a reclamation. A rebirth of energy, purpose, and possibility. Welcome to your personal renaissance.

Wellness Rooted in Nature, Guided by Intention

Imagine waking to the soft whisper of olive trees, the golden light of morning spilling over the rolling hills of Le Marche. Here, in the heart of Italy’s untouched countryside, your days are woven with purpose and presence—nourished by vibrant, locally harvested meals and guided through soul-awakening practices that realign you with your truest self. In the company of kindred spirits, you’ll embark on a journey that moves beyond the ordinary—into a space of renewal, clarity, and deep, lasting transformation.

Return to Your Power, Reclaim Your Peace

This retreat is more than a pause—it’s a homecoming. A gentle, powerful return to the woman you were always meant to be. For those who feel the weight of the world pressing in, who crave space to breathe, to feel, to simply be—this is your sanctuary. A place to quiet the noise, awaken your inner light, and rediscover the wisdom woven into your very being. Here, you’ll be held, renewed, and reminded of your strength. The journey back to you begins now.

Awaken What’s Already Within

This retreat is a sacred reset—a place to rise from the noise and return to yourself. For the woman who feels burned out by the demands of modern life, who longs to breathe deeply, live fully, and reconnect with her truest essence—this is your invitation. A call to step away from the chaos and step into clarity. To nourish your body, mind, and soul. To remember the power, peace, and purpose that have always been within you. It’s time to choose yourself.

The Respiro Reset: A Simple Checklist to Reduce Stress + Reclaim Your Calm

This free stress-reducing checklist offers simple, soul-nourishing actions you can take today to regulate your nervous system, clear mental fog, and reconnect with your calm.

Download the Respiro Wellness Checklist and take your first breath toward balance, vitality, and lasting renewal.

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Meet Karen LaFond

Founder, Respiro Italia Health & Wellness Expert | Integrative Coach | Master Connector

Karen LaFond is the visionary founder of Respiro Italia, a luxury wellness and longevity retreat designed to help you live longer, happier, and healthier—with vitality at the center of it all. A certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (IIN) with over a decade of experience, Karen takes a holistic, no-fluff approach to mind-body transformation, blending modern wellness strategies with time-tested traditional healing.

Her mission? To help you stop doing business against your body—and start partnering with it. Karen is passionate about helping others reshape their subconscious mindset around all things “life.” With her signature blend of tough love and soulful strategy, she’ll challenge you to ask yourself, “What is your future self going to thank you for?” Her work focuses on aligning your lifespan with your healthspan, designing a future that reflects the unique blueprint of your body and your potential.

Expect to level up, take ownership, and redefine what’s truly optional in your life. Aging, according to Karen, is “the aggressive pursuit of comfort”—and she lives this motto every day. She’s a sunrise-chasing, cold plunge-loving, Pilates-and-barre devotee who left corporate America to follow her passion for wellness, community, and human connection. A master communicator and people connector, Karen’s superpowers lie within, helping others discover their own.

She’s traveled the globe—from Korea to Australia, Paris to Amsterdam—but it’s Italy that calls to her soul. With deep respect for Italy’s untouched beauty and lifestyle that has honored wellness for generations, Karen is thrilled to merge her love of international travel with her life’s purpose. At Respiro Italia, she invites you to refresh, recharge, and renew—in a place where time slows down, the food heals, and you remember who you were always meant to be.

Meet Jamie Rossi

Barre & Fitness Instructor

Movement is in Jamie’s soul—and so is Italy. With deep Italian roots and a heart that beats to the rhythm of music and wellness, Jamie brings a radiant energy to everything she does. She began dancing at the age of five in a small East Boston studio and went on to perform professionally with Norwegian and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Jamie has been sharing her love of movement for over two decades, teaching dance since she was 19 and barre for the past 10 years—eight of those at The Point Barre & Yoga Studio in East Boston, MA where her classes are known for being uplifting, powerful, and deeply connected – think Italian techno meets Namaste vibes that will leave you fully connected and alive…and shaking…if you know, you know. As all of Jamies classes are booked to the max weeks in advance.

By day, she also works as a dedicated Medical Assistant with over 20 years in the field. Whether she’s guiding a barre class or caring for patients, Jamie’s true passion is helping others feel their best.

She’s a proud mom, wife, and dog mama to two adorable Corgis—Gracie Belle and Totti Potato. Balancing it all isn’t always easy, but for Jamie, when your work fills your soul, it never feels like a job.

You can catch Jamie Spring of 2026, as part of the Respiro Italia Team as she’s living her dream—teaching in Italy being present and helping everyone around her feel the beauty from within. You’ll feel her joy in every beat, pulse, and stretch.

Meet Ann Alesio

Ayurvedic Coach & Kundalini Yoga Teacher

Ann brings a grounded, soul-centered presence to the Respiro Italia team. A certified Ayurvedic coach, practitioner, herbalist, and Kundalini yoga teacher, she offers over 25 years of deep experience in the world of holistic wellness. In addition, she owns her own spa, Bella Spa and Apothecary in Lincoln, Nebraska

Her journey into Ayurveda began through her own personal healing path, when conventional medicine left her searching for more. That search led her to ancient wisdom, and ultimately to the creation of Bella Shakti Ayurveda & Yoga, where she now specializes in supporting women over 50 through the transformative power of Ayurveda and Kundalini yoga.

Ann’s approach is both rooted and refreshing. She addresses the root causes—not just the symptoms—through food, ritual, daily rhythms, and lifestyle practices that reconnect women with their body’s innate wisdom. Her work empowers midlife women to rediscover their inner Shakti—the creative, divine life force within—and to see this season of life not as an ending, but as a powerful new beginning.

Her presence adds a deeply nurturing and restorative layer to the Respiro Italia experience—perfectly complementing the stillness, movement, and soulful connection of the retreat. In the heart of untouched Italy, surrounded by golden hills and crisp fall air, Ann’s work helps guests feel more aligned, more alive, and more connected to their purpose.

When she’s not guiding women toward vitality and balance, you can find Ann in the kitchen, spending time with loved ones, meditating, moving, and honoring her own self-care practices that keep her grounded and glowing.

Meet Rachel Cuffe

Barre & Restorative Movement Instructor

With over a decade of experience as a certified Pure Barre instructor and a lifelong love affair with movement, Rachel brings both passion and purpose to every pulse and plié. For more than 20 years, fitness has been her constant — a grounding ritual and joyful expression that she has no intention of giving up anytime soon.

When she’s not guiding clients through graceful burn and flow at the barre, Rachel is chasing her other dream — working as a professional actress in the vibrant arts scene of Boston. Her life is a beautiful blend of creativity, connection, and community.

Rachel’s heart was cracked wide open during her first trip to Italy, where she felt an unexpected soul-level connection to the land, the pace, the people, and the poetry of life there. So when the invitation came to join the Respiro Italia family, she knew with every fiber of her being that this was a “yes.”

Family and friendship are the cornerstones of Rachel’s world — and movement, to her, is the sacred bridge that brings women together across time and space. She’s deeply honored to lead you through powerful, empowering sessions in Italy, and to be part of your journey back to self, back to strength, and back to what truly matters.

Luxury Wellness Rooted in Tradition

At Respiro Italia, every detail is thoughtfully curated to support your renewal—body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in timeless Italian traditions and inspired by the power of the breath (respiro), this retreat is a sanctuary for women ready to slow down, reconnect, and rise.

Set within the serene beauty of Le Marche at the private, 5-star Oliveto Estate, Respiro Italia invites you to step away from the noise and return to the vibrant woman you were always meant to be. Here, you’ll move with purpose through daily Pilates, mindful walking, and restorative sunset yoga to release stress and restore inner calm.

Savor anti-inflammatory Italian cuisine prepared with fresh, local ingredients, and engage in transformative workshops on longevity, mindset, and self-care—all designed to nourish your nervous system, energize your body, and awaken your inner vitality.

As you wander olive groves, swim in the Adriatic Sea, or gather under starlit skies with an intimate group of just twelve women, you’ll experience more than rest—you’ll experience renewal.

A Vision of Your Future Self

Picture yourself at 80—strong, radiant, and free. You move with ease, travel independently, and live a life rooted not in prescriptions, but in vitality. That future isn’t a fantasy. It’s the result of the choices you begin making now.

What you eat. How you move. The thoughts you nurture. The joy you seek. It all adds up. Respiro Italia is your invitation to begin living in alignment with that vision—gracefully, intentionally, and wholeheartedly.

Our Promise

Respiro Italia isn’t just a retreat—it’s a sacred return to yourself. A transformational experience designed for women ready to rise, to breathe with purpose, and to awaken the vibrant, powerful essence that’s always been within. This is your invitation to step fully into your radiance—and never look back.

Just Breathe. Just Connect. Just Be.

Let’s Connect

Curious about the retreat and wondering if it’s the right fit for you?

Book a free 30-minute Zoom call with Karen to get your questions answered, learn more about the experience, and explore if this journey aligns with where you are—and where you’re ready to go.

This isn’t a sales call—it’s a heartfelt conversation. A space to feel seen, supported, and informed as you consider saying yes to yourself.

Click below to schedule your call.

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We’d Love to Hear from You

Whether you’re feeling the pull to join us in Italy, have questions about the retreat experience, or just want to connect—we’re here.

This journey is personal, and we’re honored to walk beside you. Reach out with anything that’s on your mind. We’ll respond with care and clarity.

Fill out the contact form and we’ll be in touch soon.

Your next chapter could begin with a simple hello.