The people who hold the work matter.
At Nexa Retreat, healing is not delivered by a single practitioner or modality. It is held by a carefully assembled team of clinicians, medical professionals, experiential therapists, and holistic practitioners—each chosen for their depth, integrity, and ability to work one-to-one with precision and presence.
Our team brings together hundreds of years of combined clinical, medical, and lived experience across neuroscience, psychiatry, addiction treatment, trauma therapy, experiential psychology, and mind–body medicine. Many of us have also walked our own paths through recovery, loss, and transformation—giving our work a grounded, human quality that cannot be taught.
Because Nexa works with only one client at a time, our team is fully oriented around the individual. Every session, conversation, and intervention is delivered with intention, collaboration, and respect for the client’s pace and capacity.
This is not a rotating cast.
This is a dedicated group, working together to create safety, depth, and lasting change.
Below are the people who make that possible.
With over twenty years of experience in behavioral health, addiction treatment, and international program development, Nicholas brings deep expertise and compassionate leadership to Nexa Retreat
Nick’s passion for this work began with his own personal and family experiences with health and recovery. Over his career, he has built treatment programs from the ground up—designing clinical workflows, intake systems, policies, quality assurance processes, and regulatory frameworks for behavioral health facilities in the United States and abroad.
He founded and operated a 60-bed addiction recovery center in Southern California and later directed one of Costa Rica’s major behavioral health facilities. Nick has also consulted globally on implementing trauma-informed systems, integrated care models, documentation structures, and clinical compliance processes.
Nick maintains licensure as a Licensed Advanced Addiction Counselor and Certified Clinical Supervisor. His mission is rooted in helping individuals reclaim their lives, heal emotional wounds, and move toward lasting freedom from mental health and substance-related challenges.
Of Swiss-Italian heritage, Nick values family, culture, and depth of connection. In his personal time, he enjoys travel, wellness practices, and restoring vintage automobiles.
With over twenty years of experience in behavioral health, addiction treatment, and international program development, Nicholas brings deep expertise and compassionate leadership to Nexa Retreat
Nick’s passion for this work began with his own personal and family experiences with health and recovery. Over his career, he has built treatment programs from the ground up—designing clinical workflows, intake systems, policies, quality assurance processes, and regulatory frameworks for behavioral health facilities in the United States and abroad.
He founded and operated a 60-bed addiction recovery center in Southern California and later directed one of Costa Rica’s major behavioral health facilities. Nick has also consulted globally on implementing trauma-informed systems, integrated care models, documentation structures, and clinical compliance processes.
Nick maintains licensure as a Licensed Advanced Addiction Counselor and Certified Clinical Supervisor. His mission is rooted in helping individuals reclaim their lives, heal emotional wounds, and move toward lasting freedom from mental health and substance-related challenges.
Of Swiss-Italian heritage, Nick values family, culture, and depth of connection. In his personal time, he enjoys travel, wellness practices, and restoring vintage automobiles.
Garland Hunt Jr. is an entrepreneur, coach, and somatic facilitator known for helping individuals access deeper emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and embodied resilience. Over the course of his career, he has built a nationwide coaching practice supporting leaders, teams, and organizations across industries while specializing in human behavior and experiential change
Garland holds certifications in Strategic Intervention, Somatic Breathwork through the Somatiq Breathwork Institute, and has completed extensive training in high-performance psychology and organizational development. His approach focuses on helping people unlock emotional freedom, regulate stress, and reconnect with the inner self through breath, movement, and guided somatic practices.
In addition to his coaching work, Garland is an accomplished film and VR producer whose immersive projects have been featured at the Cannes Film Festival and honored with multiple awards. His creative background informs his experiential style—helping clients navigate inner work with curiosity, imagination, and emotional depth.
At Nexa Retreat, Garland facilitates powerful breathwork sessions and experiential practices that support emotional release, trauma processing, and nervous system integration.
Garland Hunt Jr. is an entrepreneur, coach, and somatic facilitator known for helping individuals access deeper emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and embodied resilience. Over the course of his career, he has built a nationwide coaching practice supporting leaders, teams, and organizations across industries while specializing in human behavior and experiential change
Garland holds certifications in Strategic Intervention, Somatic Breathwork through the Somatiq Breathwork Institute, and has completed extensive training in high-performance psychology and organizational development. His approach focuses on helping people unlock emotional freedom, regulate stress, and reconnect with the inner self through breath, movement, and guided somatic practices.
In addition to his coaching work, Garland is an accomplished film and VR producer whose immersive projects have been featured at the Cannes Film Festival and honored with multiple awards. His creative background informs his experiential style—helping clients navigate inner work with curiosity, imagination, and emotional depth.
At Nexa Retreat, Garland facilitates powerful breathwork sessions and experiential practices that support emotional release, trauma processing, and nervous system integration.
At Nexa Retreat, Garland facilitates powerful breathwork sessions and experiential practices that support emotional release, trauma processing, and nervous system integration.
He is the creator of The Alchemical Journey™, a seven-phase framework for profound personal and therapeutic transformation, and the bestselling author of The Alchemical Journey: The Ultimate Quest for Inner Gold. His work integrates emotional depth, psychological insight, and experiential learning to help clients access clarity, purpose, and inner stre
Often described as a “soul excavator,” David is known for helping individuals explore their inner landscape with courage and precision. At Nexa Retreat, he works closely with clients throughout preparation, integration, and ongoing personal development—ensuring that breakthroughs become embodied, sustainable shifts.
David lives in San Diego with his wife and two daughters and continues to serve as an advisor to therapeutic and recovery centers globally.
Dr. Allen Berger is a highly respected psychologist with more than fifty years of clinical experience. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California and has spent his career helping individuals cultivate emotional sobriety, deepen self-awareness, and transform long-standing patterns.
Dr. Berger specializes in Gestalt Experiential Psychotherapy, a dynamic and powerful modality he learned under mentorship from renowned psychiatrists Dr. William Rader and Dr. Walter Kempler. His therapeutic work is known for its depth, clarity, emotional presence, and ability to catalyze profound internal breakthroughs.
An accomplished author, Dr. Berger has written five influential books on recovery, emotional growth, and relationships, and has produced numerous audio and video programs that have shaped modern understandings of emotional sobriety. He continues to mentor clinicians around the world
At Nexa Retreat, Dr. Berger offers deeply immersive experiential sessions that help clients access insight, resolve emotional blocks, and experience meaningful inner transformation.
Dr. Andrea Mesén is a distinguished Costa Rican psychiatrist with decades of clinical, academic, and research experience. A graduate of the School of Medicine at the University of Costa Rica—where he also completed his residency in Psychiatry—Dr. Mesén has built a career at the forefront of mental health innovation.
For more than 10 years, he led a major research initiative funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, in collaboration with Stony Brook University, focusing on genetic markers and early identification of schizophrenia. His work earned him multiple Young Investigator Awards from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD).
Dr. Mesén has served as faculty at the University of Costa Rica since 2000 and has been a respected lecturer and instructor across medical, psychology, and psychiatry programs. He has presented at conferences throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe, and was selected as a Fellow of the World Association of Psychiatry.
He later founded the Costa Rican Center for Clinical Research, serving as Principal Investigator for numerous international clinical trials. His leadership also contributed to the establishment of one of Costa Rica’s most recognized neuropsychiatric and addiction treatment centers.
At Nexa Retreat, Dr. Mesén provides expert psychiatric oversight, medical assessment, and clinical guidance—ensuring every client receives individualized, safe, and evidence-informed care throughout their transformational journey.
Alanna is a behavioral and cognitive neuroscientist specializing in how psychedelics influence the brain—particularly in conditions shaped by chronic stress, trauma, and inflammation. Her research background spans exercise physiology, biomechanics, injury prevention, and clinical drug development, including work within the emerging psychedelic medicine field in Toronto
With more than eight years of dedicated practice in breathwork, yoga, and meditation, Alanna blends Eastern and Western therapeutic traditions into a unified, neuroscience-driven approach. Her work focuses on somatic processing, nervous system regulation, and the mind–body connection as gateways to deep emotional and psychological healing.
As a psychedelic therapist, Alanna has guided over 150 clients through safe, structured one-on-one journeys and retreat experiences. Her sessions emphasize comprehensive preparation—covering detoxification, psychological readiness, and intention setting—paired with meticulous post-journey integration to help clients anchor insights into lasting change.
In addition to her clinical and academic work, Alanna is the Founder of Arc Community, a leading contrast-therapy and longevity center in London, where she oversees wellness program development, scientific education, and client experience.
At Nexa Retreat, Alanna supports guests through the full continuum of psychedelic therapy and breathwork, helping them uncover the roots of emotional pain, release deeply held patterns, and reconnect with their inner clarity. Her warm, grounded presence creates a safe container for profound transformation.
From the age of four, Eldad Jaeger has immersed himself in the world of martial arts. His journey in tai chi began with extensive training under Jon Escudero in Tel Aviv and deepened during his time at the renowned Kunyu Mountain Shaolin Martial Arts Academy in China, where he rooted himself in classical forms and ancient internal practices.
Eldad later taught tai chi in Hong Kong while continuing advanced training with leading masters throughout Asia. His approach blends discipline, mindfulness, and energetic flow—creating an experience that revitalizes both body and mind.
At Nexa Retreat, Eldad brings his lifetime of study to guide clients into greater balance, presence, and internal alignment. Through his tai chi and mindful movement sessions, guests learn to regulate their nervous system, reconnect with their physical center, and experience a profound sense of grounded clarity within Costa Rica’s natural environment.
Valarie Patterson brings more than twenty years of experience specializing in substance use disorder treatment, case management, and integrated behavioral-health support. As a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, she has built a career defined by compassion, structure, and an unwavering belief in the capacity for human change.
Valarie has held leadership, supervisory, and clinical roles across both the private sector and government agencies, including the Department of Defense, Education, and Correctional Services. Her work has supported diverse populations—military personnel at Naval Medical Center San Diego and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, justice-involved youth at Orange County Juvenile Hall, and adults in community-based recovery programs.
She developed and facilitated multiple evidence-based curricula and was recognized with the 2008 Orange County Probation Department Chief’s Award for her contribution to the PRIDE Program (Progressive Rehabilitation in a Diverse Environment). Valarie also holds advanced training in Critical Incident Stress Management through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, along with multiple credentials from the IC&RC.
At Nexa Retreat, Valarie serves as a stabilizing and supportive presence throughout each guest’s journey. She provides compassionate case management, continuity of care, and structured guidance—all while honoring each client’s autonomy, readiness, and personal goals
Outside of her professional work, Valarie enjoys hiking, rock climbing, creative furniture restoration, and exploring cultures around the world.
Blair is a Psychological Associate (Candidate) with advanced training in trauma, somatic psychology, and mind–body transformation. She is completing her candidacy and registration with the Psychological Association of Manitoba and is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.
Blair is a Psychological Associate (Candidate) with advanced training in trauma, somatic psychology, and mind–body transformation. She is completing her candidacy and registration with the Psychological Association of Manitoba and is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.
Her clinical expertise includes trauma and post-traumatic stress, addictions, anxiety, depression, anger expression, and emotional dysregulation. Blair specializes in weaving psychological treatment with somatic awareness to help clients reconnect with themselves, expand their internal capacity, and move toward deeper health and authenticity.
Blair’s background in forensic psychology provided years of experience working at the intersection of mental health and high-intensity environments. She has delivered assessment and therapeutic services to fire and emergency responders, law enforcement, frontline medical staff, and individuals navigating the justice system—giving her a unique understanding of how acute, chronic, and complex trauma are held in the body.
She earned her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from the University of Denver and completed her supervised clinical residency at Forensic Psychological Services in Winnipeg. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Security from the University of British Columbia. Beyond her professional training, Blair integrates a non-dual, spiritually grounded worldview that continues to deepen through study, practice, and lived experience.
At Nexa Retreat, Blair brings a compassionate, grounded, and experiential presence. She walks alongside clients as they uncover their emotional truths, re-pattern their internal systems, and step into greater connection, creativity, and personal freedom.
Sally is an experienced Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a robust clinical background in addiction medicine and behavioral health. She holds a BSN from Columbia University, an MSN and Family Nurse Practitioner certification from the University of Phoenix, and post-graduate Psychiatric Mental Health credentials from California State University, Long Beach.
Since 2007, Sally has devoted her career to supporting individuals facing addiction, mood disorders, and complex mental-health challenges. Her approach blends clinical precision with genuine compassion, ensuring that each client receives attentive, individualized care within the broader integrative model at Nexa Retreat.
Sally values collaboration and is deeply aligned with Nexa’s multidisciplinary philosophy—bringing together brain-based medicine, experiential therapies, and holistic wellness practices to support meaningful transformation.
Outside of her clinical work, Sally treasures time with her grandchildren, Rose and Charlie. Whether playing imaginative games, teaching them salsa dancing, or nurturing her collection of flowering succulents, she finds joy in creativity, connection, and simple, grounding moments. She also enjoys sewing baby quilts, a hobby that reflects her gentle, attentive nature.
At Nexa Retreat, Sally provides psychiatric assessment, medical support, and ongoing care—helping clients feel safe, held, and supported throughout their healing journey.
Veronica brings more than twenty-five years of experience in addiction recovery, program development, and client support to her role as Senior Case Manager at Nexa Retreat. She has dedicated her career to helping individuals rebuild their lives through structured accountability, compassionate guidance, and personalized recovery planning.
Veronica’s extensive background includes roles as an intake counselor, floor counselor, transportation coordinator, and care manager in various treatment and recovery environments. She has worked alongside physicians, therapists, and multidisciplinary teams to support medication protocols, crisis management, client readiness, and continuity of care. Her early training in residential dual-diagnosis treatment gave her a solid foundation in group facilitation, family dynamics, spirituality work, and behavioral health interventions.
As the founder and operator of Solid Recovery for Women—a long-standing sober living and recovery support program—Veronica developed and managed individualized structures designed to help women maintain sobriety, strengthen coping skills, and reintegrate into life with confidence and stability. Over two decades, she oversaw all aspects of the program: clinical coordination, staff training, operations, community outreach, and the creation of specialized life-skills curricula for newly sober individuals.
At Nexa Retreat, Veronica serves as a steady and supportive guide throughout each guest’s journey. She helps clients navigate emotional, practical, and therapeutic needs while ensuring they feel grounded, safe, and deeply cared for within our private, immersive healing model.
David DeQua is a highly skilled behavioral-health professional and emotional-mastery coach with over twenty years of experience in trauma-informed care, addiction treatment, and personal development. With a Master’s in Social Work and advanced credentials in co-occurring disorders and traumatic stress, David blends clinical expertise with a high-touch coaching approach that helps clients gain clarity, strengthen emotional resilience, and overcome internal barriers.
Throughout his career, he has served in leadership, compliance, and program-development roles across major treatment organizations, designing clinical workflows, training teams, and ensuring excellence in care. His background includes statewide quality-assurance oversight, addiction-treatment leadership, and emotional-competency coaching for individuals and organizations.
At Nexa Retreat, David provides personalized, concierge-level coaching that supports clients in navigating emotional challenges, resolving stress responses, and reconnecting with their inner capacity for growth and direction.
Dr. Scott Giacomucci is an internationally recognized expert in experiential trauma therapy and psychodrama, known for facilitating deep emotional clarity and transformative healing. His work at Nexa Retreat brings a high level of clinical sophistication, intuitive precision, and luxury one-to-one therapeutic care.
Scott is a Board-Certified Trainer, Educator, and Practitioner in Sociometry, Psychodrama, and Group Psychotherapy. He blends somatic awareness, expressive modalities, and trauma-informed techniques to create immersive sessions that help clients resolve trauma, access emotional truth, and rebuild internal resilience.
In addition to his contributions to Nexa, Scott founded and directed the Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy, growing it into one of the nation’s premier experiential trauma programs. He also serves as a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Social Work and is a Research Associate and Adjunct Graduate Professor at Bryn Mawr College
At Nexa Retreat, Scott provides exclusive, concierge-level therapeutic coaching experiences designed for individuals seeking profound, personalized emotional transformation. His work helps clients reconnect with their authentic selves, restore nervous-system balance, and experience breakthroughs that are both powerful and enduring.
Crystal is a seasoned therapist and wellness coach with more than 25 years of experience helping individuals break through emotional barriers and reclaim their confidence, clarity, and sense of self. Her work blends Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and practical mindset training to create measurable, sustainable change.
At Nexa Retreat, Crystal offers a grounded, compassionate presence and a highly personalized approach. She creates an environment where clients feel deeply seen and safe—free to express thoughts, emotions, and vulnerabilities without judgment. Her ethos is simple and powerful: when the mind becomes stronger and more flexible, life begins to transform.
Crystal specializes in helping clients:
Her philosophy—train your brain, transform your life—reflects her belief that mindset is the gateway to long-term healing. At Nexa, Crystal integrates this philosophy into every session, guiding clients through an empowering process that supports emotional stability, behavioral change, and personal evolution.
Her approach is both warm and strategic, combining clinical expertise with practical tools that clients can apply immediately. Crystal’s presence adds a stabilizing, growth-oriented dimension to the Nexa experience, helping clients build the internal foundation necessary for lasting transformation.
Fluent in Hebrew, English, and Spanish, Michal brings warmth, professionalism, and a global perspective to every session. At Nexa Retreat, her work beautifully complements the retreat’s integrative, luxury healing model—supporting clients through gentle yet deeply effective Eastern therapeutic techniques.
Trina Woods brings more than two decades of personal and professional depth to her work, offering clients a steady, compassionate presence rooted in lived experience, clinical skill, and spiritual maturity. At Nexa Retreat, she supports psychedelic-assisted therapy and integration with a rare blend of attunement, clarity, and grounded care.
Trina has walked her own long therapeutic and spiritual path, and she meets clients as a fellow traveler—creating a space that feels safe enough to go beneath the surface and honest enough to explore what truly matters. Her work invites clients to reconnect with their inner wholeness, uncover deeper meaning, and access the fuller potential of their lives.
As a Registered Social Worker with a Master’s degree in Social Work, Trina specializes in psychedelic-assisted therapy and integration. She currently works with Sabi Mind, a ketamine-assisted therapy clinic, and is an associate with Therapsil, supporting advocacy and access to legal psilocybin and MDMA therapy. She also serves as faculty with Noctua Academy, contributing to the training and development of future psychedelic practitioners.
In addition to her work at Nexa Retreat, Trina maintains a private practice in Victoria, British Columbia. Outside the clinical setting, she is deeply rooted in family and community life, draws nourishment from time in the natural world, and remains a devoted student of personal growth and transformation.
At Nexa, Trina’s presence helps anchor psychedelic experiences into something enduring—supporting clients not only through moments of insight, but through the careful, meaningful process of integration that allows real change to take hold.
Gabriel Shaw works at the intersection of physiology, somatic intelligence, and inner transformation—helping individuals move out of overwhelm and back into balance, clarity, and self-trust. At Nexa Retreat, he supports psychedelic-assisted therapy, somatic integration, and movement-based practices that help clients anchor insight into lived, embodied change.
With a background in kinesiology and paramedicine, Gabriel brings clinical precision and grounded discernment to deeply experiential work. His approach is rooted in nervous system regulation and body-based awareness, allowing emotional and psychological material to be processed safely and effectively—without bypassing or forcing change.
Gabriel’s work bridges the practical and the profound. He integrates Tai Chi, medical qigong, breathwork, and somatic coaching to support real, measurable shifts in how clients experience their bodies, emotions, and internal states. These practices help clients move beyond symptom management toward a deeper sense of stability, presence, and self-regulation.
This work is deeply personal to Gabriel. After years spent striving for worth through achievement and external validation, his own healing journey—shaped by long-term mentorship in psychedelic integration—helped him disentangle identity from pressure and reconnect with inner guidance. That experience informs his work today, as he helps others cultivate self-trust, emotional freedom, and meaningful connection.
At Nexa Retreat, Gabriel offers a calm, attentive presence—guiding clients through psychedelic preparation and integration, movement-based regulation, and embodied practices that support both depth and safety. His work helps clients not only process difficult material, but reclaim balance, agency, and purpose.
Jason Fullilove is a highly accomplished Executive Chef and culinary leader with more than two decades of experience operating at the highest levels of hospitality, luxury dining, and large-scale experiential events. His work is defined by precision, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to excellence—qualities that align seamlessly with Nexa Retreat’s standard of personalized, high-touch care.
Throughout his career, Jason has led and scaled elite culinary teams across acclaimed restaurants, private clubs, cultural institutions, and luxury resorts. He has overseen kitchen operations for high-profile venues and global events, including major award ceremonies, VIP private residences, museum galas, and international hospitality collaborations. His leadership spans everything from intimate, bespoke dining experiences to complex events serving thousands of guests, always executed with discipline, grace, and attention to detail.
At Nexa Retreat, Jason brings a deeply intentional approach to food as part of the healing experience. His philosophy centers on nourishment that supports mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical restoration—without sacrificing pleasure, elegance, or cultural depth. Every menu is crafted with the individual client in mind, honoring dietary needs, preferences, and therapeutic goals while delivering a refined, memorable culinary experience.
Jason is known not only for his culinary artistry, but for his ability to build strong, cohesive teams and environments rooted in respect, cleanliness, safety, and excellence. His background in cost control, sourcing, systems development, and operational leadership ensures that every aspect of the kitchen functions with the same level of care and integrity as Nexa’s clinical offerings.
With formal training through the Culinary Institute of America and advanced study in modern culinary techniques, Jason continues to evolve his craft while staying grounded in the fundamentals of hospitality: presence, consistency, and service.
At Nexa Retreat, Jason’s role extends beyond cooking. He helps create a daily rhythm of nourishment that supports the nervous system, reinforces safety, and enhances the overall therapeutic journey—transforming meals into an integral part of the client’s experience of healing, restoration, and renewal.
Dafne Mejia is an award-winning private chef with over 14 years of experience creating refined, deeply personal dining experiences for some of the world’s most discerning clientele. Known for her precision, creativity, and calm command of the kitchen, Dafne brings a level of culinary artistry and hospitality that aligns seamlessly with Nexa Retreat’s standard of one-to-one, high-touch care.
Her culinary foundation is rooted in Italian cuisine and handmade pastas, elevated through global influences and fine-dining technique. Dafne is widely recognized for her ability to design menus that are both indulgent and intentional—honoring flavor, aesthetics, and the individual needs of each guest. Her work consistently balances sophistication with warmth, making meals feel grounding, nourishing, and memorable.
Dafne has served as a private chef to high-profile individuals and families, executing intimate in-home dining, destination travel meals, and complex luxury events with discretion and grace. Her background includes leadership roles at respected hospitality institutions and global brands, as well as appearances as a national television competitor—most notably as a runner-up on Hell’s Kitchen under Gordon Ramsay and Chopped on Food Network. Despite her public recognition, Dafne’s approach remains personal, focused, and client-centered.
At Nexa Retreat, Dafne’s role extends beyond cooking. She collaborates closely with the clinical and wellness teams to ensure that each client’s culinary experience supports their overall healing journey—whether through tailored nutrition, dietary sensitivity, or simply the restorative power of beautifully prepared food. Every menu is customized, every detail considered, and every meal treated as an opportunity to support emotional regulation, physical wellbeing, and a sense of care.
Dafne’s presence at Nexa reflects a shared philosophy: that healing is not only clinical or cognitive, but also sensory, relational, and deeply human. Through her craft, she helps create an environment where clients feel seen, supported, and nourished—both on the plate and beyond it.
Belisario is a highly experienced Costa Rican private chef with more than 40 years in professional cuisine, bringing depth, warmth, and precision to every dining experience at Nexa Retreat.
Throughout his career, Belisario has worked across nearly every facet of the culinary world—beginning as a baker and pastry chef, and progressing through roles as line cook, butcher, executive chef, and ultimately private chef. For the past decade, he has specialized exclusively in private, bespoke culinary service, tailoring each meal to the individual preferences, dietary needs, and wellness goals of his clients.
At Nexa Retreat, Belisario’s work is an extension of the healing experience. His approach emphasizes nourishment, simplicity, and attentiveness—creating meals that support physical vitality, emotional balance, and comfort during deep therapeutic work.
Belisario’s professional training includes advanced culinary techniques, baking and pastry arts, grilling, hospitality service, occupational health, and formal protocol and etiquette. He also brings conversational English skills tailored specifically to the kitchen and guest experience, ensuring ease and clarity for international clients.
Above all, Belisario’s intention is to offer a warm, authentic, and personalized culinary experience, where every detail is thoughtfully considered so guests feel cared for, grounded, and at ease during their time in Costa Rica.
David Guzmán Aguilar serves as Concierge at Nexa Retreat, bringing over three decades of experience in hospitality, tourism, and client services throughout Costa Rica. A Costa Rican native, David offers deep local knowledge combined with a strong commitment to personalized, high-touch service—ensuring each guest’s experience is seamless, safe, and thoughtfully curated.
David’s professional background spans luxury hotels, private vacation properties, tourism operations, and bilingual rehabilitation and wellness settings. His career includes senior roles at prominent hospitality destinations such as Hotel Parador Manuel Antonio, Hotel Mirador del Mar, and long-term service as a host and tourism specialist with Vista Los Sueños R.A. S.A., where he supported international guests with logistics, transportation, security coordination, and on-the-ground guest experience management.
Fluent in English and Spanish, David excels in concierge coordination, guest relations, transportation logistics, and discreet problem-solving. His calm presence, reliability, and service-oriented mindset make him a trusted point of contact for guests seeking both comfort and confidence while navigating their retreat journey.
At Nexa Retreat, David plays a central role in welcoming clients, coordinating daily needs, and ensuring that every detail—from arrival to departure—reflects the retreat’s standards of privacy, care, and excellence. His extensive knowledge of Costa Rica, paired with his dedication to exceptional service, allows guests to fully immerse themselves in their healing and transformational experience.
