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"Sevā" is the sacred act of service.
Seeds are small yet packed with the potency to take root and thrive given the proper care — just like every new idea, meaningful intention, and especially every young soul.
Did you know...
Youth Stats:
PTSD among trauma-exposed youth: 1 in 5 trauma-exposed children and adolescents develop PTSD (5xs national average)
Alcohol Use in Youths:
1 in 7 (age 14-15)
1 in 3 (age 16-17)
1 in 2 (age 18-20)
Foster Youths: 1 in 3 have behavioral disorders,
1 in 6 have learning disabilities,
and 1 in 4 experience PTSD
Incarcerated Youths: 1 in 2 experience depression, 1 in 3 experience PTSD, and 1 in 4 have personality disorders
Source:
- National Survey on Drug Use and Health
- Morton, 2015; Pecora et al., 2005 (cited in Morton, 2015)
- Meta-analysis on RHY, 2024; Systematic Review of Mental Disorders in Juvenile Detention, 2020
Guardian Stats:
Adoptive Parents: often experience burnout and secondary traumatic stress and post-adoption stress which affect parental wellbeing and family adjustment
Therapist Burnout: 1 in 3 therapists and 7 in 10 child therapists report moderate to high burnout or secondary traumatic stress
Therapist Turnover: 1 in 3 therapists plan to leave their job soon
Clients of Burned-out Therapists: show lower improvement rates
Source:
- Sayer, 2024; Skar, 2022
- Weistra & Luke, 2017
What if ...
... every disenfranchised youth
felt supported by their community, realized their purpose, and recognized their innate ability to be whole?
... every guardian and caregiver
were equipped with the skills and support to nurture their own well-being, expanding their capacity to serve?
Our
Mission
Our mission is to nurture the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of at-risk youth and their caregivers, helping them build resilience and thrive. Through partnerships with aligned organizations, we curate retreats and wellness programs that integrate ancient wisdom with modern healing for holistic wellbeing.
With proper care, every seed can flourish.
Our Programs
We offer our Youth Retreat Programs and Guardian Retreat Programs through
partnerships with organizations that support at-risk youths.
Youth Retreat Programs
Serving our community at large begins with uplifting our most vulnerable youths. Disadvantaged children and young adults who experience life challenges such as trauma, family instability or dysfunction, homelessness, and poverty or low income often suffer from a myriad of mental emotional challenges and maladaptive patterns.
Our Youth Retreat Programs provide a safe, fun, and supportive environment for holistic wellness and advocacy. Through guided experiences and mentorship, they build confidence, resilience, and the motivation to thrive in life and provide positive contributions back into the community.
Guardian Retreat Program
Those who dedicate their lives to supporting youths often experience high levels of stress, burn-out, and disillusionment due to the nature of their role.
Our Guardian Retreat Program is designed to support guardians, healthcare workers, wellness practitioners, educators, counselors, and team members of institutions and nonprofit organizations.
We ensure caretakers prioritize their own needs and wellbeing first in order to amplify their capacity to serve the at-risk youth population. These retreats provide the tools, time, and space to restore balance and return with greater capacity to serve.
Sevā Leadership Training:
THE ART OF HOLDING SPACE
Dates: February 23 – 26, 2026
Our Leadership Training is for health practitioners to evolve their practice and lead transformative group experiences and retreats for underserved populations.
This training offers guidance in:
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holding space safely and confidently for those affected by trauma and mental health challenges
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curating and facilitating practices that create lasting transformation
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integrating ancient traditions, expressive arts, nature, and modern therapeutic modalities into a holistic approach
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balancing individual needs while supporting group process
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recognizing and addressing triggers and challenges in real time
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fostering meaningful community connections
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preparing the physical environment to ensure safety, trust, and healing
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preparing yourself mentally, emotionally, and energetically for this work
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recognizing and innovating professional growth opportunities
This training program is open to healthcare professionals, educators, or counselors and opens opportunities to intern, lead, or co-lead future Sevā retreats and events.
The Sevā Tree
OUR ECOSYSTEM OF VALUES
The natural world holds innate wisdom, showing us that every ecosystem already contains what it needs to thrive. By observing how a seed takes root and flourishes within a balanced, supportive environment, we are reminded of the same potential within ourselves and our communities.
SUN: COMPASSION + GENEROSITY
Like the sun, compassion becomes our guiding light, turning darkness into empathy and advocacy while nourishing both others and our own spirit.
WILDLIFE: NATURE + NURTURE
The birds, bees, and creatures remind us of reciprocity—caring for nature lets us receive her medicine and honor the ancestry sustaining life.
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FOREST: CONNECTION + COMMUNITY
A forest thrives when every tree and creature supports one another, reminding us to belong, collaborate, and honor our connection with nature.
LEAVES: SAFETY + TRUST
Leaves offer shelter and a sense of peace. Through honesty and authenticity, we create spaces where safety, healing, and growth can flourish.
THE SEED: WHOLENESS + HEALING
Each seed holds the power to heal and thrive, carrying the memory of harmony that restores balance in body, mind, and spirit.
Flowers symbolize creativity and possibility. Curiosity invites exploration and adaptability, reminding us to meet life with playfulness as we grow.
BLOOMS: CURIOSITY + PLAY
TRUNK: EMPOWERMENT + AGENCY
The trunk embodies strength and stability, inspiring confidence to create change. It connects roots to sky, helping us grow and reach new heights.
SOIL: MINDFUL AWARENESS
Soil grounds us. Through self-discovery, reflection, and mindful awareness, it becomes the foundation where growth takes root.
WATER: WISDOM + LEARNING
Water nourishes life. Through experience and reflection, wisdom flows—deepening intuition and supporting growth that sustains the whole.
ROOTS: INTENTION + INTEGRITY
Clear intention and purposeful living ground us. With integrity, we stay rooted in our values, drawing strength to stay nourished through change.
About Us
Our Roots
Sevā Seeds was founded by a team of holistic wellness practitioners dedicated to bringing wellness to people from all walks of life, with a special focus on those disadvantaged by their circumstances. Our passionate team members offer their time and energy in service of this cause.
Our Home
Our programs are supported by our sister company, Gaia Villa Retreats, a wellness retreat property in Joshua Tree, Southern California. Gaia Villa provides a safe and nurturing space where healing and transformation can take place.
Meet the Team
May Che, C-IAYT
Founder
I am a certified yoga therapist of over 15 years and the heart behind Sevā Seeds Collective, as well as founder of Gaia Villa Retreats and re:YOGA Therapy + Wellness. My professional path was shaped by personal experiences of overcoming chronic health challenges rooted in my upbringing marked by financial hardship, familial dysfunction, and transgenerational trauma. Seeking healing, I spent two years immersing in studying and teaching internationally. I have offered yoga therapy and integrative wellness practices in settings ranging from private practice to rehabilitation centers, health conferences, corporate seminars, and community nonprofits. I believe holistic wellness should be made available to those of all walks of life and I am dedicated to making it accessible, especially for underserved youth.
Tobi Fishel, Ph.D.
Program Director
I am an integrative clinical and health psychologist, serving as GME Director of Residency Wellness at USC/LA General. Previously, I co-founded the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt and co-developed its Distressed Physician Course, blending emotional intelligence, narrative medicine, and mindfulness. I have also taught trauma psychotherapy at USC. With my husband, Dr. Marc Weigensberg, I lead sacred nature journeys that foster healing and wholeness. My practice weaves self-compassion, mindfulness, creative arts, movement, spirituality, and community, guided by values of authenticity, safety, and connection—supporting others in awakening to the innate gifts of their own soul.
Marc Weigensberg, Ph.D.
Program Director
With over 35 years as a pediatric endocrinologist, I learned early that chronic illness extends beyond the physical, touching mind, heart, and spirit. For more than 25 years, I have also cared for foster youth, incarcerated youth, and other at-risk young people, whose needs revealed the limits of strictly allopathic medicine. This led me to become a certified Interactive Guided Imagery℠ practitioner and to integrate narrative medicine, storytelling, council, poetry, music, ritual, and ceremony into my work. For over three decades, I have also led nature-based retreats, supporting children, adolescents, and adults in discovering inner strength, ancestral wisdom, and pathways to true healing.
Get Involved
OFFER SUPPORT
We partner with health and service providers who feel called to contribute their talents, energy, and resources to our retreat programs.
How you can support:
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monetary donations or gifts
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lead, coach, or mentor youths
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outreach as an ambassador to share our mission
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be a part of our retreats and events: chefs, planners, photographers, artists, and any other talents to make for meaningful experiences!
RECEIVE SUPPORT
We offer our retreat and wellness programs through partnerships with organizations who support youths:
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foster/adoption and housing support agencies
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young adult addiction recovery rehab centers and sober living homes
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health and mental service providers
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educational and career development institutions
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youth development organizations
Contact us for your organization to be considered
to participate in retreats and wellness programs for your team and/or youths in your service community.
CONNECT WITH US
Join our collective!
