Jo Jay ‘Amaka’, Bristol, UK What a fabulous and truly inspiring afternoon. Thank you, Akua. It was such a privilege to experience Return to Yourself and witness the beautiful way you bring women together to share their stories, their truth, and their journeys. Your message was both encouraging and empowering. Through your 5 Rs—Recognise, Release, Reconnect, Reclaim, and Return—you gently remind us that transformation begins by recognising the stories we've carried, releasing what no longer serves us, reconnecting with who we truly are, reclaiming our voice and power, and finally returning to our authentic selves. Akua…Dream Catcher Global, I only had a little taste of what you do, you have an incredible gift for creating a safe space where women can reflect, grow, heal, and flourish. Akua, this is more than your work—it is your calling. Thank you for walking so courageously in your purpose and for inspiring others to do the same. I can't wait to see the lives that continue to be transformed through your journey.

Today, Holly and I had the pleasure of attending Akua’s Return to Yourself event in Bristol, part of The Unbecoming Journey—an afternoon dedicated to slowing down, reflecting and reconnecting with who we are beneath all the roles we take on in life. The afternoon created such a safe, thoughtful space for women to pause, reflect and reconnect with themselves—something so many of us don’t give ourselves permission to do. As a mum, and someone who’s spent a lot of time putting everyone else first, it was exactly the reminder I didn’t know I needed. Akua, thank you for sharing your heart, your story and your passion. It’s been a privilege to watch your journey unfold over the years, and even more of a privilege to experience it in person today. If you ever get the chance to attend one of Akua’s events, I’d definitely recommend it.

Anything I might have hoped for before coming was exceeded tenfold. This isn’t your typical beach retreat. Every moment was thoughtfully curated in a way that helped us slow down, connect, and see Zanzibar through the eyes of the people who live here. It opened something in me that I didn’t even realise needed space. What surprised me most was how deeply we connected as women. We arrived as strangers, yet by the end it felt like a sisterhood was forming in real time. Akua held the space with so much intention. You can feel her genuine relationships across the island and the love she pours into curating theses experience. Because of that, we were welcomed into places and moments that felt truly special, the kind you simply wouldn’t find on your own. I would recommend this to absolutely everyone. You get to experience the culture, the traditions, the food, the rhythm of life here but you also experience yourself in a new way. The connections, the insights, the sense of belonging, they stay with you. ‘Magical’ is the only word that comes close to describing this experience.

I loved the immersion into the community. The people we met had such beautiful spirits. Since returning, I feel more able to be still and pay attention to my surroundings. I take more time for myself, and I carry far less guilt about it. I am still basking in a high from the experience. It was refreshing. I felt a deep connection with the women. I am normally a solo traveller and have always enjoyed moving through the world that way, but the women on this retreat were all such a good fit. I felt genuinely connected and was positively impacted by our time together. I feel privileged to have been part of this perfectly curated experience. Everything was so well planned and considered, and I cannot think of a single thing I would have wished to be different. I look forward to the opportunity to experience another journey with Akua.

Conscious integration is a luxury I rarely give enough space to. And I deliberately say give myself as opposed to have time for, because the Unbecoming Retreat process reminded me that I am in the driving seat of my life. Before leaving for the retreat, I made a promise to myself to explore what unbecoming meant to me and the things I wanted to let go of. Unbecoming means exploring the shadow, the parts of myself holding me back from my greatness. The things I avoid giving time to and, most importantly at this point in my life, my fear of myself. Unbecoming individuality to be all of me. Through connection with the land, the people, and the simplicity of life around me, I could see how I had silently been sabotaging myself. In that moment, I allowed myself to fall apart. I cried shamelessly all day. My tears burst through without notice and far beyond my control, so I let them flow and grow. And they did. They flowed and grew and grew. I cried through breakfast, lunch, dinner, and right through the night. Held by you, Akua, and by the sisterhood that was silently forming around me, from the children to the mammas and the new friends. I was unbecoming, but I was not alone.