Empowerment & Ritual Boudoir Portraits
in Asheville, NC
Portraiture as Sacred Ritual of Self-Reclamation.
You are not just one woman...
Inside you live the Queen, the Witch, the Nymph, the Crone, the Mother, the Sage, the Wild Woman, the Slut, the Rebel,— and more still waiting to be revealed.
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Too often, life’s transitions: marriage, divorce, motherhood, loss, midlife — bury these parts or make us forget them.
This journey is your invitation to call them back.
explore the blog...
on your portrait journey...
You'll experience a deep union and homecoming within yourself.
The Journey begins with somatic and intuitive coaching to discover the Archetype leading you into your next chapter.
The path then unfolds into a ritual portrait experience where you step into that archetype fully — letting her move through your body, your breath, your gaze.
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The Journey culminates in images that carry her potent essence. and your Portrait Grimoire —
a sacred artifact, a forever album of your reclaimed self.
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This book is more than a keepsake photo album.
It becomes a guide back to self-acceptance,
a touchstone you can return to whenever you lose your way.
Some women come back year after year, creating new volumes as they evolve. For others, the grimoire becomes a legacy heirloom and a gift of reclamation to pass down to their daughters.
About Melinda
My Ritual Photo-Archetype Journey
Since I was young, I’ve turned to the lens as a way of answering the question, “Who am I?”
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What began as playful self-portraits and archetype exploration became a lifelong devotion to expressing my own truth, and being understood beyond words.
I studied photography (BFA, 2007) and after, spent nearly two decades in the healing arts as a bodyworker, hypnotist, women's empowerment & sensuality coach, and intuitive guide.
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When life transitions left me questioning myself, self-portrait archetype journeys became a path to reclaiming my sensuality, my personal power, my visibility, and my self-worth. That practice taught me how to hold space for the tender, shameful, and scary parts of a woman’s journey with deep respect and humility.
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Now I offer that same practice to other women: a fusion of photography, embodiment, and ritual that becomes both a safe container and a mirror of reclamation, guiding you back to your truth, your beauty, and your wholeness.
"I believe portraiture can be more than an picture. It can be ritual ~ a mirror that reveals the hidden archetypes within us, guiding us back to power, beauty, & wholeness."
The Private Portrait Gallery Experience
Every woman who journeys with me receives a private online gallery — a sacred temple where you can:
✨ View your artfully finished portraits
✨ Download your high-res images (included)
✨ Order prints and wall art for your home
✨ Design your Portrait Grimoire™
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With the 3 & 6 Session Archetype Journeys, your Grimoire is included (up to $300). Explore the gallery demo below to see how easy it is to curate your images and bring your book to life.
"Through ritual portraiture, we don’t just create images ~ we create sacred artifacts. Each portrait is a reclamation, and each book a touchstone you can return to, a legacy of self-love to pass forward."
This 3-part Experience fuses...
Archetype coaching, ritual portraiture, and creative collaboration — designed to help you see yourself through the eyes of your eternal self.
Unlike a traditional portrait or boudoir session, this is not a single day of posing for the camera. Rather it's a multi-session journey into becoming yourself.
Our time together begins with deep conversation and creative direction, flows into a guided embodiment experience where the archetype moves through you, and culminates in a collaborative reveal of the images that hold her essence.
It’s not just about how you look — it’s about how you feel when you see yourself clearly, and the story that unfolds when you do.
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Session 1 — Archetype Visioning (1.5 hrs)
We begin with an in-depth coaching and creative direction session where we explore the archetype calling to you — who she is, why she’s emerging now, and how you long to embody her. Together we design the visual mood and narrative of your session, from lighting and location to wardrobe and emotional tone.
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Session 2 — Embodiment & Photoshoot (1.5–2 hrs)
Your photoshoot becomes a living ritual. Through intuitive prompts and embodied coaching cues, you’ll move beyond posing into presence — allowing the archetype to reveal herself through you. This is where the magic happens: photography as initiation.
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Session 3 — The Reveal & Refinement (1 hr)
In our final session, we review your gallery together. You’ll see a curated selection of top images and collaborate on the finishing touches — including feedback on color tones and preset moods — before I complete the final edits. When your full gallery is ready, you’ll have the opportunity to design and order your Portrait Grimoire™, a sacred art book capturing your transformation.
This can be a deeply impactful launchpad into your next era —
whether you are becoming The Mother, The Sage, The Executive, The Rebel. One powerful journey can help you claim your authentic power and see yourself as the woman you are becoming.
"Tell the story only a picture can write."
Client Archetypes Galleries
Archetypes are universal, yet no two women express them the same way.
These galleries of past clients show how different women bring personal archetypes to life
as an inspiration for your own journey.
Who will you become?
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Click an image to explore their gallery:
Jeanie's Spiral with her Inner Jaguar
At Wintergreen Falls, Dupont Forest
Jaguar ~ Snail
Melinda's Re-wilding Journey
At Her Home
Fairy - Queen - Lover
Jamie Embraces the Priestess
At Her Home on the Swannanoa River
Priestess ~ Quiet Feminine Confidence
Sofia's Journey
Coming Soon!
The Archetypal Portrait Journeys
​Archetype Reclamation Portrait Journey
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A 3-part experience blending archetype coaching, ritual portraiture,
and creative collaboration.
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Session 1 – Archetype Visioning
Explore the archetype calling to you and design the visual mood, lighting, and wardrobe for your session.
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Session 2 – Embodiment & Photoshoot
Step into her energy through a guided photo-coaching experience where Portraiture meets healing and intuitive coaching prompts replace posing direction
Session 3 – The Reveal & Refinement
Preview your images, collaborate on final tones and edits, and complete your journey with a custom Portrait Grimoire™.
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40+ Images
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Portrait Grimoire™ included (up to $300)
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Investment: $1,444​​
*6, 12, & 24 month payment plan options available at checkout with Afterpay
Archetype Alchemy VIP Coaching Journey
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A 6-session transformation blending Archetype Coaching, Somatic + Hypnotic Embodiment, Pre-Shoot Fear-Clearing Support, Ritual Portrait Session,
Creative Collaboration, and Post-Shoot Empowerment Coaching.
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This experience gives your nervous system the time and depth it needs to anchor your archetype in daily life, calm photo nerves, and translate your images into momentum for the next 3–12 months creating real movement towards your life goals through the embodiment of your powerful Archetypes. This is for women who want deeper change, accountability, and a plan — not just stunning photos.
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Session 1 — Hypno-Coaching Deep Dive Clarify your life goal, discover your archetype(s), blocks + fears, experience a guided Hypno-Embodiment, and leave with simple daily Embodiment Homework: Listen to your personalized audio, embody your archetype each day.
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Session 2 — Photoshoot Visioning
We translate your inner shift into on-camera expression planning wardrobe, location, props, gestures, intentions.
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Session 3 — Pre-Shoot Spot-Coaching
1–3 days pre-shoot we meet to Clear jitters, and anchors your Archetypes so your body remembers on shoot day.
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Session 4 — The Embodied Photoshoot: Your archetype, alive.
Session 5 — The Reveal
Witness what you’ve created; select your artwork for the Portrait Grimoire™.
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Session 6 — Integration + Empowerment Plan Process your entire Journey, map habits and milestones for 3, 6, and 12 months towards your goals.
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50+ Images
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Portrait Grimoire™ included (up to $300)
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Investment: $2,222​
*6, 12, & 24 month payment plan options available at checkout with Afterpay
​Archetype Initiation Portrait Mini Session​
1 day Ritual Portrait Experience​
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Day 1 (~3 hours total)
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Hour 1 – Intuitive Archetype Reading & Photoshoot Visioning Plan​
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Hour 2 – Embodiment & Photoshoot: Step into her energy through a guided photo-coaching experience where Portraiture meets healing, and intuitive coaching prompts replace posing direction
Day 2: Integration & Reveal (30-45 min)
Integrate your experience and receive a preview a 3-5 of your most potent images. The rest of the images will be delivered via online gallery within 2 weeks.
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15+ images
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​11x14 Wall art Included ($73 value)
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Investment: $333
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*6, 12, & 24 month payment plan options available at checkout with Afterpay
"Every woman deserves to feel powerful, sensual, and at home in her own skin. My work creates the safety to explore every facet of who you are, so you can be seen, celebrated, and remembered."
Frequently asked questions
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