About Us
"The cabin stands on a hill above the lake, a little house with a big heart, a place that brings you close to nature and to yourself." –E.B. White
In the fall of 2021, while continuing my work in Oregon as a trauma therapist and public health consultant focused on addressing the opioid epidemic, my life took an unexpected turn. For nearly 17 years, I had been deeply rooted in my work with clients, teams, leaders—especially those working on the front lines and in trauma-impacted communities. Little did I know when my partner, Josh, and I came for a brief visit to Maine in September of 2021, that my path was about to shift in a way that would open an entirely new door and dimension to my life and my work.
My grandparents first discovered the Blue Hill Peninsula in the 1950s, after receiving an invitation to visit from close family friends who had a home on Cape Rosier. My grandparents fell in love with the area, and within a few years, bought an old farmhouse one road over from their friend’s home. Maine soon became home base in the U.S. during the many years that my grandparents and their children (including my mother) were living abroad. Over the years, my family developed deep, multi-generational friendships and built a lasting connection to this most special region. By the time I was born in the late '70s, this place and many meaningful relationships were already integral to my family’s story.
I grew up spending my time between Washington, D.C., and Maine. My mother, sister, and I lived in Maine year around for a few years when my sister and I were in elementary school, and again when we were in high school. In my early 20’s, I moved to Oregon, where I raised my daughter, and developed my career. I had no plans of settling back in Maine in the future, as I was happy and established in my Oregon life.
When Josh sent me a link to a 3-acre lakeside property on Walker Pond on our flight back from our visit to Cape Rosier in fall of 2021, I had to investigate. Some of my fondest memories are of summer swims under the stars, in the rain, and ice-skating on Walker Pond, and the thought of having a cabin on Walker Pond was beyond a dream.
I learned that the reason this property had sat on the market for some time was that it was a thickly wooded wetland, and the fishing cabin for sale was unfinished and in relative disrepair. There was no septic, no power, and had a long list of needed improvements to become habitable. I moved forward with the purchase.
Soon after closing, I became curious about how construction loans worked. I learned that securing a construction loan would require building a new home, installing a septic system, drilling a well, and bringing in power. I also learned that due to surrounding conservation land, connecting to grid power wasn’t an option. That meant needing to go fully off-grid, relying entirely on solar energy and propane. With Josh on board for the adventure, and excited to take on the building aspects of the project, I decided to go forward with the construction loan.
Despite the many challenges, the vision for this place began to emerge, one step at a time. Each hurdle—whether it was navigating financing for the construction loan, designing a sustainable home and figuring out how to make everything work off-grid, re-locating from Oregon to Maine so Josh and his son could build while I maintained full time work in Oregon -- all was a leap of faith. With each step forward, the vision became clearer. This space was meant to be more than a home; it was going to be a sanctuary—a place for families, friends, and those doing front-line work, offering a refuge to recharge, heal, and reconnect.
Thanks to the belief and support of investors, the Rising Tide project started to come to life. After two years of hard work, the guest house was completed in Spring of 2024, and the property was transformed into the peaceful retreat that it is today. Children and families are coming to stay, swim, paddle, ice skate, and make memories. Friends, new and old, and from far and wide are gathering for vacations and time to be together. When it is not being used as a vacation rental, I facilitate retreats for leaders, helpers, and those seeking focused time and support to reconnect with themselves, their purpose, and wellbeing. And most rewarding of all, front-line workers—just as I had hoped—are coming to experience what they need, finding solace and restoration in this sanctuary we’ve created with the help and support of our community.