It was Good Friday, March 25th, 2005.  Alison had just run seventeen miles around Richmond Park as training for the London Marathon when Peggy O'Hare, the owner of Presence and Presents, a holistic bookstore and gift shop ahead of its time, asked her to run the extra mile.  Peggy had invited Alison to meet that evening, but before opening the door, she literally asked Alison to "quickly run to the shops before they closed." She wanted to be sure they nourished their spirits ahead of their life-changing conversation.

A tiny haven with a big idea, Presence and Presents believed in "being the change" it wanted to see in the world.  Having paid host for years to friends and now-renowned authors such as Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Diana Cooper and many more spiritual visionaries, Peggy was ready to hand over the torch.  That night, she invited Alison to fulfill her own dream and vision for a healing retreat centre by purchasing Presence and Presents and evolving its journey forward. 

The problem was that earlier that day, Alison had accepted an offer to return to the city as the investment banker she had become.  Sure, she had dreamed since childhood of running a center dedicated to all she loved and aspired to be.  She had told her friends all about it back then, but as an adult, it seemed idealistic and impractical. 

Facing two career choices - one an investment in her material future and the other, her spiritual future, Peggy urged, "Do both."  On Easter morning, Alison chose 'both' and accepted to bridge both worlds, by living a parallel existence with one foot in both camps - until she could integrate them into one actualized existence. 

For three years, Alison worked full time (around the clock).  By day, she was an in investment banker - running an acquisition as COO and Managing Director in the business of Futures and Options.  By night and on weekends, she was at Inside Out Retreats, evolving into coach, healer and spiritual entrepreneur helping others grappling with their own futures and options to express their true selves in the world ... while she was learning to do the same. 

Time stretched as her world began to expand. 

In 2008, following a dream which said she would soon be "getting out of the frying pan into the fire to return her to the essence of her true soul", Alison resigned from investment banking to enter into a full-time commitment to her vision for her 'future and the options' most aligned to her heart.

Setting the stage for speakers, musicians, writers and visionaries from around the globe, offering treatments that supported a 360 degree process of personal transformation and establishing an Academy of workshops and training in personal and spiritual development, Inside Out Retreats made a significant difference from its tiny lighthouse.

then the caterpillar became the butterfly.

In 2015, Alison returned to the USA to be with her mother as she passed.  The choice marked another opportunity to expand Inside Out Retreats (and herself) beyond the limitation of walls, venue and location.  Eventually settling into Malibu, California, Alison and her new husband Jules, joined forces to expand the Inside Out Retreats footprint ... globally. 

Still offering coaching & healing treatments, workshops, events and retreats, Inside Out Retreats continues its mission to support all of those on a journey back to their authentic self.  Inside Out Retreats has also launched a production arm for the purpose of delivering inspirational content for today's conscious audience in film, podcasting and training.