Â
Â
Practical Magic NYC
January 15-17, 2027
Â
A 3-Day Weekend Retreat in New York City
Do you have a story that lives inside you — one you have never found the words for? Have you been carrying something you cannot quite name, feeling stuck or stagnant, longing to play and express and feel joy again?
Maybe all of those things?
If that sounds like you, join us for a 3-day weekend retreat in NYC — no passport required. Practical Magic NYC is a powerful experience built around the arc of narrative therapy, Katonah yoga, and the magic square framework. This includes the practice of separating who you are from the stories that have defined you, and using personal narrative writing as the primary healing practice.
If you have felt disconnected from your own voice, this is your invitation to find it again.
Over three days in NYC, facilitated by Felipe and Irene, we will move through somatic work, body biography, storytelling, and writing practices. Each day moves through a thematic stage — from curiosity to mapping to reauthoring — guided by the magic square and lived experience. Expect a weekend of depth, transformation, and community. Limited to 20 participants.
Pre-Work
Â
Upon registration, you will receive an email with a reading list and an introduction to the Magic Square. You are not required to complete any work before the retreat. You will be added to a private online community where we will share a welcome packet and necessary travel details before you arrive.
Â
WHAT YOU'LL EXPERIENCE
Â
Friday, January 15 · 6–8pm
- Welcome dinner at the retreat venue
- Introduction to the magic square framework
- Breathwork with Felipe and Irene
Saturday, January 16 · 10am–6pm
- Body biography; mapping your story through the body
- Hexagon activity; exploring your narrative landscape
- Storytelling and personal narrative writing
- Somatic movement and Katonah yoga
Sunday, January 17 · 10am–6pm + Closing Dinner
- Writing your new story; reauthoring session
- Letter from home; somatic integration practice
- Cultural iceberg and individual mapping
- Closing celebration dinner with the group
Meet Your Teachers
Daniele Gates
Founder and CEO - YinsaÂ
Â
With over 15 years of experience leading transformational travel around the world — from Costa Rica to Washington D.C., Bali, the Dominican Republic, and Italy — Daniele has cultivated brave, inclusive spaces for healing and self-discovery.
A Certified Educator and Yoga and Energy Medicine Practitioner, Daniele specializes in yoga, Ayurveda, somatic healing, and chakra-based work. Her deep understanding of teaching in inclusive spaces, along with these modalities, informs the full retreat experiences she designs. This includes curriculum creation, budgeting, venue scouting, marketing, and team leadership.
Daniele is deeply committed to ethically, intentionally, and sustainably hosting retreats that honor the land, respect local cultures, and serve participants with care and consciousness.
Irene Yannascoli
Teacher, writer, peer counselor, and mom
Â
Irene Yannascoli is a teacher at Brooklyn Tech High School, writer, peer counselor and wife, and mom.
She began her teaching career as a writing and GED teacher working with incarcerated adults, and then shifted to high school as an English teacher in the NYC Public Schools.
Following a late term pregnancy loss in 2018, Irene began working as a peer counselor for individuals experiencing trauma related to pregnancy loss.
She writes about grief, teaching, motherhood and healing. On any given Saturday, she can be found sweating it out on her Peloton, or playing with her daughter at the local playground.
Felipe Gonzalez
RYT and Katonah Yoga® teacher
Â
Felipe is a 500 hour ERYT and Katonah Yoga® teacher based in New York City teaching at Equinox. Drawn to the practices of Vinyasa Krama, Bhakti, and Katonah Yoga® his teachings are rooted in an integration of breath, body, and imagination. He has also spent the last 9 years learning, exploring, and holding conversations at the intersections of yoga and social justice.
Felipe has completed his Master's in Clinical Social Work at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. He leads classes, workshops, retreats, and trainings both locally and internationally. He guides his practices with an artist's soul and a healer's heart.
Who is this for?
Â
Solo travelers, friends, and small groups who want meaningful work and genuine community. No writing experience necessary. No yoga experience necessary. Beginners are not just welcome, they are often the most courageous people in the room.
Â
What's Included:
Â
- All programming across 3 days;Â Katonah yoga sessions, narrative therapy workshops, body biography practice, and facilitated writing sessions
- Friday welcome dinner at the retreat venue
- Saturday breakfast
- Sunday breakfast and closing dinner
- Daily yoga and movement with Felipe Gonzalez
- All narrative writing workshops with Irene Yannascoli
- On-site support from the Yinsa team
- Welcome gift + retreat workbook including curated reading list
- Private online community
Practical Magic NYC · January 15–17, 2027
NYC · Limited to 20 participants
FULL PAYMENT
$699 per person
-
3-day weekend retreat
All sessions, materials, and most meals included
PAYMENT PLAN
3 Ă— $250
-
Split into 3 payments
First payment due at registration
Â
Payment Plans Available
Testimonials from Our Most Recent Retreat
I really loved Irene's creative writing, as she helped us create a story that was within ourselves that would've never transpired without feeling vulnerable to unlock that part of our brain. Felipe's way of movement and breathing was the most relaxing I've ever felt in many years.
Portugal 2026
The workshops were absolutely splendid, I honestly don't have any negative feedback as everything was perfect. I am so thankful for both of them as they helped me unshed the traumas that I forced myself to shut out and they both in different ways allowed me to heal and spiritually feel a weight off my shoulders.
Portugal 2026
My second experience with Felipe...Learned so much and would have enjoyed more! His excitement, knowledge and love of teaching is so evident!
Portugal 2026
EXTENDED FINANCING OPTIONS
Â
For those who prefer longer payment terms, you may also use Klarna, Affirm, or PayPal Credit to extend payments up to 36 months (approval required through the provider). This option allows you to customize your monthly budget while still securing your retreat now.
Â
Your Story is Waiting to be Rewritten
Â
If you are ready to go deep, write honestly, move your body, and find community with people who are serious about their own becoming , join us in NYC for a transformative 3-day weekend of depth, connection, and
Â