The Embodied Leadership Intensive is an immersive, all-inclusive leadership experience held in Costa Rica at Tula Vida.

Created for lawyers, founders, executives, and professionals leading in high-stakes environments.

This immersive experience provides a rare opportunity to step outside the cognitive demands of professional life and develop leadership from a deeper level—through awareness, embodiment, and practice.

Leadership is not only what you say or decide.

It is what your presence communicates.

Designed as a long weekend with Thursday arrival and Sunday departure, the program includes two full days of guided experiential leadership work with horses.

Through structured interaction with the horses, participants receive immediate, honest feedback on how their internal state, boundaries, and communication influence others.

Horses respond to clarity, steadiness, and congruence, not titles or authority. Their sensitivity to nonverbal signals creates a powerful learning environment where leaders can observe patterns of leadership and influence in real time.

This experience is designed to strengthen leadership presence, deepen self-awareness, and cultivate a form of authority that does not rely on force.

• Develop Leadership Presence

  Gain insight into how your internal state affects how others respond to you.

• Lead Without Force
  Explore how clarity, regulation, and authentic presence naturally guide others.

• Strengthen Boundaries
  Practice communicating intention and direction with precision and confidence.

• Regulate Under Pressure
  Develop awareness and composure in high-stakes situations.

• Translate Insight Into Practice
  Integrate lessons from experiential work into real-world leadership.

You don’t need any experience with horses.

Just bring your open mind, your worn-out system and your curiosity.

All-Inclusive Experience

The exercises with the horses are highly interactive and each participant receives individual observation and feedback. We will have a limited cohort as a smaller group allows for focused attention, thoughtful integration, and a confidential environment for professional reflection.

Because of the limited cohort size, advance registration is required.

• Cohort Size: Limited to 6–8 participants per cohort (2 weekends available)

• Format: Thursday arrival, Sunday departure

• Program: Two full days of guided leadership work with the horses, qigong with the horses, ranch and sustainability project/garden tour

• Location: Tula Vida, Costa Rica

• Airport transfers: Included

• Accommodations: Included

• Meals: Included

• Refreshments: Included throughout the experience

• No Riding Required: All exercises take place on the ground

• What to Bring: Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes (packing list provided)

Horses offer a unique environment for leadership learning because they are highly attuned to non-verbal communication and emotional regulation.

As herd animals, they rely on clarity, consistency, and trust to determine who to follow. They do not respond to titles, persuasion, or intellectual explanation—only to what a person’s presence communicates in the moment.

This makes them remarkably effective partners for experiential leadership development. When working with horses, participants receive immediate, honest feedback about how their internal state, boundaries, and communication affect others.

Patterns that are often difficult to see in professional environments become visible within minutes.

These insights are then translated into practical leadership awareness that participants can apply directly in their professional lives.

Away from the sights and sounds of busy human life, we have created an oasis for both humans and horses. Every time we step onto the land we feel the power of the natural world to soothe, nourish and restore us. 

Tula Vida Ranch

Tula Vida Ranch is surrounded by 3 volcanos, an expansive sunset view and pristine rainforest, with rivers, springs and ponds - the horses roam freely in this stunning environment where you will find you can breathe more deeply and re-discover your flow.

Accommodation

Our rooms are beautiful and comfortable with a terrace and individual bathrooms.  

The Villas are double rooms with private bathrooms and a stunning terrace. The Horse Manor has private rooms with a shared kitchen/living area and a stunning terrace where the horses may come and join you for your morning coffee. 

Our communal lodge is where we share meals, practice yoga and is a safe, comfortable space to rest. 

Nourishment

Meals are home-cooked with love, using fresh local ingredients.  Our water comes from our abundant natural springs and we have air fresh from the trees to breathe - everything is designed to be in harmony with the surroundings and support your mind, body and spirit to rest, re-energise and renew.

Environment and Herd

We are 100% off-the-grid with our own solar power and fresh spring water living in harmony with nature while remaining a safe, comfortable human retreat. We even have good internet!

We have planted 1000s of trees and plants already, including a food forest and a nursery for endangered trees, to encourage the forest to regenerate and give wildlife corridors to pass through the neighbouring national parks.  It is a true sanctuary for all visitors, which includes shy tapirs, rare bell-birds and plenty of toucans, sloths and monkeys.

We spend a lot of time out on the stunning 72 acre property - with trails, rivers, waterfalls, valleys, primary rainforest and abundant wildlife - truly accessible nature.  

Tula Vida Foundation is a 501c charity registered in the US with a mission to rescue horses in Costa Rica and sponsor people to come for transformational horse experiences and retreats.

A visit to us supports not just yourself but also the natural environment, the rescue horses, the local community who work with us and people without the means to have these kind of experiences.

• Keren Levy - Facilitator

Keren is a practitioner of over 20 years and the founder of The Miami Homeopath, based in Miami Beach, Florida. Through a deeply personalized approach to healing, she has supported individuals and families in moving beyond chronic patterns and toward greater clarity, resilience, and well being.

Her work has expanded to include Equine Facilitated Learning, an experiential modality that helps individuals strengthen presence, self awareness, and authentic leadership. Working with horses as highly perceptive partners, Keren helps clients deepen emotional intelligence, refine communication, and develop embodied confidence in how they lead and relate to others.

Keren’s approach is grounded in the belief that lasting transformation begins with alignment, presence, and the ability to respond with clarity under pressure. She works with professionals, leaders, and individuals seeking meaningful growth in both their personal and professional lives.

• Sally Nilsson - Facilitator and Host at Tula Vida

A relentless pursuer of authenticity and personal growth, Sally Nilsson's journey from the corporate corridors of London lawyer life to the vibrant rainforests of Costa Rica was guided by a golden thread—her profound connection with horses.  Sally started her professional life as a corporate lawyer in London & Hong Kong, then moved in-house to a Venture Capital firm. After reaching the position of General Counsel, a pivotal experience in Costa Rica sparked a profound shift, a path of personal re-alignment, and a deep dive into the practice of horse-led coaching.

Today Sally lives in Costa Rica and guides others on the path of authentic self-discovery, leadership and personal balance. With more than 10 years experience leading experiential retreats with horses, she co-founded Tula Vida Ranch - an 85 acre off-the-grid retreat centre surrounded by stunning volcanos and sunset views in the middle of the rainforest. Here, she invites individuals to bridge the gap between corporate comfort and aspirational dreams, using the transformative power of the nervous system, horse-herd dynamics and the natural world.

Sally works with individuals, groups and corporate clients both online (coaching & training) and at the Ranch (for experiential transformational retreats with horses in nature). She also runs the Tula Vida Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit, rescuing horses and sponsoring retreat experiences for those without the economic means.

• Robin Sosnow - Curator

Robin Sosnow is a lawyer and business owner with more than 12 years of experience advising CEOs, boards, founders, and investors on strategic, legal, and business matters. Through her work, she regularly operates at the intersection of leadership, decision making, risk, and growth.

After being introduced to equine coaching through Keren Levy, Robin became inspired by its ability to foster presence, clarity, and more effective leadership. She is the curator and organizer of this retreat, bringing together a thoughtful experience designed to support high level professionals in stepping away from daily demands and reconnecting with themselves and their leadership.

This retreat reflects Robin’s interest in creating meaningful spaces for reflection, growth, and connection, alongside her primary work as an attorney and business owner.

Primary Cohort (Preferred Weekend)
• October 8–11, 2026 (Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend)

Additional Cohort (Subject to Demand)
• October 2–5, 2026

We will confirm the second weekend based on interest.

Created for lawyers, founders, executives, and professionals leading in high-stakes environments. 

This workshop is designed for professionals who carry significant responsibility and are interested in developing leadership from a deeper level of awareness.

Participants often include:

• Attorneys and law firm partners

• Founders and entrepreneurs

• Executives and senior managers

• Investors and professionals responsible for teams or capital

• Leaders navigating high levels of responsibility and pressure

This intensive may be particularly valuable for individuals who:

• Lead in high-stakes environments where presence and clarity matter

• Want to strengthen leadership without relying on force or overexertion

• Are curious about experiential approaches to leadership development

• Are open to observing their patterns of communication, authority, and influence

No prior experience with horses is required.

Note: Who This Is NOT For:

This workshop is not designed as therapy or clinical treatment.

It may not be the right fit for individuals who:

• Are seeking psychotherapy or emotional crisis support
• Are uncomfortable with experiential learning environments
• Are looking for a recreational horse experience