Mother Daughter
Cacao Ceremony

Create a lasting memory together for mothers and their 8-14 year old daughters. This ceremony is meant to hold space for an intimate mother-daughter bonding moment and a

transformational wellness experience.

Ticket Info

73% of Gen Z report "sometimes or always feeling alone".

Half of middle schoolers report "often or always feeling stressed".

The activities in this workshop are specifically designed for 8-14 year olds (and their mothers) to offer tools & support social-emotional learning, mental health and wellness.

Sacred Medicine

Cacao is often referred to as a "heart-opening" medicine due to its ability to promote feelings of compassion and connection. It is a sacred plant medicine that has been used in indigenous cultures in South and Central America to facilitate emotional healing, spiritual growth, and inner exploration.

Mental Health & Wellness

The workshop will offer facilitation with the Power Pieces deck, developed by Danielle Bardellini (facilitator) and child psychologist, Monique Hill. It is designed for children and teens 9 - 18 years old to develop emotional awareness, regulate their emotions, create mindfulness practices, and learn skills to manage distress in a fun, unique and creative approach.

The Ceremony Includes

Ceremonial Grade Cacao

The cacao sourced for this ceremony is grown on land owned by six different local families in Guetemala. After fermentation, the beans are taken to a Mayan Women’s collective called Nuevo Amanecer, or “New Dawn”. This support allows the women to provide abundance and stability to their families and communities.

Sacred Altar +
Card Reading

There will be a beautiful altar setup as the centerpiece and grounding of our ceremony circle. The Power Pieces deck will be featured in this experience.

Embodiment, Dance, Music

Movement and music pairs with cacao, allowing the energy in the body to be released

Health Benefits of Cacao for Adolescents

Cacao is most beneficial in its raw, unprocessed form. Processed chocolate products, which often contain additives and go through heavy heating, may not provide the same health advantages. For this ceremony, we will be using a ceremonial grade cacao which means it is pure, raw and unprocessed.

Nutrient Dense

Cacao is rich in essential nutrients like magnesium, iron, fiber, and vitamins B6 and E, which are important for the growth and development of adolescents.

Brain Health

The flavonoids and other compounds found in cacao may support cognitive function, memory, and focus, which can be particularly beneficial for girls in their teenage years as they navigate academic challenges and cognitive development.

Menstrual Support

Cacao is a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that plays a crucial role in muscle relaxation and can help alleviate menstrual cramps, which are often caused by uterine contractions. Iron is important for maintaining healthy blood levels, and menstruating individuals may experience iron loss during their periods. Consuming iron-rich foods like cacao can help replenish iron stores and prevent iron deficiency anemia

Mood Enhancement & Stabilization

Adolescence is often a time of emotional ups and downs, and the compounds in cacao, such as phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide, help promote feelings of happiness and well-being by stimulating the release of endorphins. Cacao can help regulate serotonin levels, which may contribute to mood stabilization.

Meet Danielle

Hi! I started mother-daughter experiences because I saw a fundamental need that was missing from our education system and our modern day culture. I've been working in the education industry building programs for schools for over 15 years and it was apparent that the anxiety, sadness and stress that children are currently experiencing need to be at the forefront of our focus.

Over the years, I’ve discovered a deep connection to my Filipina heritage and indigenous traditions from around the world. My journey of self-discovery took me to the islands of Maui, Puerto Rico, and Ibiza, where I found cultural communities rooted in solidarity, sacred connections to nature, and the preservation of indigenous traditions. These experiences inspired me to train with a Kumu Hula, a master teacher of dance in Hawaii, where I learned not only the art of dance but also the stories and traditions that carry wisdom through generations. My path continued into the sacred art of ceremony, learning the teachings of the Native American medicine wheel and its cycles of life. I began incorporating ceremonial cacao into my monthly cycle for health, wellness, and ritual, which eventually led me to share these practices with others, helping them create reflection and insight through ritual in their own lives.

So I combined my experience in ceremonial practices, social-emotional learning, education, wellness, theater and ancient women's wisdom to build experiences that connect mothers, daughters and families overall.

My hope is that our time together will bridge a new, deeper connection to family, but also to our ancestors, and the many women before us so that we may walk into a new world of equality, intuition, strength, and emotional resiliency.

Oh and have some fun while we're at it!

Testimonials

"The mother daughter circle with Danielle was amazing. It was me and my daughter’s first time doing anything like this and we were both a bit nervous. Danielle was so welcoming. Her ability to read the energy of the group was amazing. She could sense the nervousness of many of us and switched up the activities and we were all engaging and laughing and no longer nervous! My favourite part of the day was watching my daughter come out of her shell and make genuine connections with some of the other daughters. She can’t wait to do it again. And neither can I! As a single mom of 3 there is very little time to be one on one with each kid. This was a wonderful experience to do together, something that was just for us. " - Alicia O.

Mother Daughter Cacao Ceremony