The legal system was not designed with widows in mind
"Being a widow in the UAE is hard in ways that go far beyond grief. Three months. Dozens of rejections. Just to register, not win, simply register an inheritance case. Every rejection came with a different reason. No clear requirements. No consistency. No compassion. And quietly, in the background - children to raise, bills to pay, grief to carry. This is the reality for widows across the UAE right now. It needs to change. W Hub exists because every woman in this situation deserves better. If you are navigating life after loss in the UAE, you're facing unique legal, financial, and cultural complexities. You shouldn't have to navigate this alone."
Our Approach
Losing a loved one is an unimaginable heartbreak. When it happens in the UAE, the emotional weight is often compounded by a sudden, overwhelming wave of practical and legal complexities. You are not just navigating grief; you are navigating it in a system that may feel entirely foreign.
We understand the unique pressures you are under. The cultural expectations, the sudden freezing of assets, and the intricate legal procedures can make an already isolating experience feel insurmountable. It is completely normal to feel lost and exhausted by the demands being placed on you right now.
You do not have to walk this path alone. Our mission is to lift the administrative and legal burdens from your shoulders, providing clear, compassionate guidance tailored to your specific situation. We are here to protect your interests so you can focus on healing and your family.
Legal & Financial Guidance
Practical, honest guidance on paperwork, bank accounts, inheritance, wills, and financial planning — all specific to the UAE. No jargon. No judgment. Just clarity, at the pace that works for you.
HerSphere is partnering with UAE legal advisors, PRO agents, financial planners, grief counsellors, and wellness providers — so that W Hub members can access trusted, vetted support at preferential rates. If you are a provider who shares our values, we would like to talk.
What You May Be Facing Right Now
Community with monthly meetups and retreats
A private, women-only space where you can say exactly what you are feeling without explanation or apology. Because some things can only be understood by someone who has been there. We meet in small, relaxed, cozy gatherings for a cozy morning coffee or a chilled ladies' night. No agenda, no performance. Just women who understand sitting together, sharing a place, and breathing a little easier. We also organise small retreats and staycations, gentle breaks designed for women who need space to breathe, rest, and reconnect with themselves.
Frozen bank accounts and restricted assets
Complex inheritance laws and probate procedures
Visa and residency status uncertainties
A mountain of unfamiliar legal paperwork
Deep emotional isolation far from home
Our process is simple and thoughtful.
Explore our range of services designed to help you move forward with confidence, wherever you're headed next.
What W Circle Offers
Discover a sanctuary of resources designed to support your growth, connection, and well-being.
Events & Workshops
Workshops that expand your knowledge and sessions that simply bring you joy, because both matter. We run keepsake mornings where you create something beautiful for yourself or your children. We run creative classes, wellness sessions, and practical legal and financial Q&As.
Come for the information. Stay for the warmth
The W Weekend
Retreat
For widows who are ready to breathe again.
Two days. Eight to ten women. No pretending. No performance. Just honest space, genuine rest, and the quiet company of women who understand — because they are living it too.
What This Is
Not a workshop.
Not therapy.
A weekend to exhale.
You have been carrying so much. The paperwork. The decisions. The children. The questions. The grief you try to manage quietly because life does not pause for it.
The W Weekend Retreat is a small, private gathering of widows in the UAE — held in a beautiful location, away from ordinary life. It is not a programme with milestones or homework. It is not a support group with a facilitator and a circle of chairs.
It is two days where you are allowed to be exactly where you are. Where you do not have to explain yourself. Where the women around you already know — because they are in it too. Where rest is not a reward for getting things done. It simply is.
Each retreat is hosted by Anna Heenan — who is not a grief counsellor, not a therapist, and not someone who has it figured out. She is a widow. Five months in, with twins, a mother to care for, and a life to rebuild in Dubai. She built this because she needed it and it did not exist.
Is This For You?
Only you know.
But here are some honest signals.
This retreat is
for you if…
- You are a widow — recently or not — and you are carrying it largely alone
- You are tired of being strong, and want two days where you don't have to be
- You crave the company of women who genuinely understand, without having to explain
- You want rest, not a programme — beauty, not busyness
- You live in the UAE or are visiting, and want something made for this context
- You are open to quiet conversation, honest sharing, and gentle self-care
- You are somewhere in the grief — whether raw and recent, or quietly ongoing
- You want to feel human again, even if just for a weekend
This might not be
the right time if…
- You are in acute crisis and need clinical mental health support — this is not a replacement for professional care
- You are looking for a structured grief programme with sessions, assignments, or formal milestones
- You are not yet ready to be in a group setting — and that is completely valid
- You are hoping someone can fix the pain or offer a timeline for healing
- You want a luxury holiday with no emotional dimension — this retreat holds both rest and honesty
- You are not comfortable with some degree of vulnerability — even at your own pace
The Weekend
What the two days
actually look like
Every retreat takes place over a Friday and Saturday. The format breathes — nothing is forced or scheduled to the minute. But here is the shape of it.
Friday afternoon
Arrival & Settling In
Check in at your leisure. No agenda for the first few hours — just arrive, breathe, feel the space. The city does not come with you.
Friday evening
Welcome Dinner
A private dinner for the group — unhurried, informal. The first time you sit around a table with women who understand without explanation. Anna is there. Everyone is a first name.
Saturday morning
Gentle Movement & Breakfast
Optional yoga, a walk, or breathwork. Nobody is required to do anything. Breakfast together at a pace that feels right.
Saturday mid-morning
The Circle
A facilitated, private conversation hosted by Anna — about whatever is present. No structure, no curriculum. You share what you want to share. You listen. You are heard.
Saturday afternoon
Spa & Wellness Time
Each guest receives a treatment — massage, hammam, facial, or another offering. This time is yours alone. Just your body being cared for, possibly for the first time in a while.
Saturday evening
Closing Dinner & Departure
A quiet closing dinner. A moment to name something — however small — that you are taking home with you. Then you leave at your own time, in your own way.
The Locations
A different setting
each quarter.
Always beautiful.
Each retreat is held in a different part of the UAE — chosen because the setting itself is part of the healing.
Urban sanctuary. For those who can't travel far but need to fully step out of ordinary life.
The Retreat Palm Dubai
Desert villas and open sky. The most dramatic, most transformative setting of the series.
Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert
East coast, mountains meets sea. Private beach villas. Utterly apart from Dubai life.
Naäma Beach Villas & Spa
Mangrove waterways, Ayurvedic calm. Slower and greener than anywhere else in the UAE.
Anantara Eastern Mangroves
Mountain hideaway. Airstream glamping, infinity pool, valley views. Completely unexpected.
Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas
What's Included
Everything you need.
Nothing you don't.
One night accommodation
A private room at the retreat venue — your own space to rest, cry, sleep, or stare at the ceiling.
All meals together
Friday welcome dinner, Saturday breakfast, Saturday evening closing dinner. Shared, unhurried.
One spa treatment
A treatment of your choice — massage, hammam, facial, or equivalent. Time that is entirely yours.
The Circle — led by Anna
The private group session at the heart of the weekend. Honest, unscripted, unhurried.
Morning movement
Optional gentle yoga, breathwork or guided walk — depending on location and what feels right.
The group — and beyond
A private WhatsApp group stays open after. The women you meet here stay in your life if you want them to.
"I did not build this because I have the answers. I built it because I was sitting alone at 11pm, the children finally asleep, and I had nobody who truly understood to call. This weekend is the thing I needed and could not find."— Anna Heenan, Founder of HerSphere & W Weekend Retreat
Investment
Pricing that reflects
the true value of the space
Retreat pricing is confirmed once venue partnerships are finalised — and kept as accessible as possible given that many guests are managing finances alone for the first time.
Pricing varies by location. A payment plan is always available. If cost is a barrier, reach out to Anna directly before deciding this isn't for you.
"Pricing is confirmed per retreat, based on venue and season. W Circle members receive priority access and a preferential rate on every retreat."
Join the W Circle at hersphere.ae/w-circle to be first on the list when each retreat opens for booking.Your Questions
The things people
actually want to know
Do I have to share my story or talk about my grief?
No. You will never be asked to share anything you are not ready to share. The Circle creates an opening — not an obligation. Some women talk at length. Some listen the whole time. Both are equally welcome.
How long ago do I need to have lost my husband to come?
There is no rule. Grief does not follow a timeline and neither does this retreat. Some women come weeks after their loss. Others come years later, still carrying something they have never had space to put down.
Is this therapy? Will there be a grief counsellor present?
No. This is not a clinical or therapeutic programme. Anna is not a grief counsellor — she is a widow who has lived this and created a space for honest connection. If you need clinical mental health care, Anna can point you to trusted practitioners in the UAE.
I am introverted and the idea of a group makes me nervous. Should I still come?
Many of the women who come are introverted. The group is deliberately small — 8 to 10 people — and nothing is performative. You will not be put on the spot. The retreat is designed to let connection happen naturally, at whatever pace feels right for you.
Can I come if I am not a HerSphere member?
Yes. The retreat is open to any widow in the UAE. That said, W Circle members get priority access and a preferential rate. If retreats are important to you, membership makes sense.
What if I have children and cannot easily get away for a whole weekend?
Anna has twins. She understands completely. The retreat runs Friday afternoon to Saturday evening — manageable as a one-night commitment. If childcare makes even that difficult, reach out. There may be options.
Will the same women be at every retreat?
Not necessarily. Each retreat draws a new group from the community and wider waitlist. The group WhatsApp stays open, and many women form lasting friendships. You are joining one retreat, which is complete in itself.
Can I attend if I am not based in Dubai?
Yes. Several locations — Fujairah, RAK, and Hatta — are beautiful destinations in their own right. If you are visiting the UAE and the timing aligns, you are very welcome.
What if I cannot afford the full price?
Anna will always try to find a way. A payment plan is available for every retreat. If cost is a genuine barrier, email hello@hersphere.ae before deciding it is not possible. This retreat was made for exactly the moment when nothing feels sorted.
How do I find out when the next retreat is?
Join the W Circle at hersphere.ae/w-circle. Members receive retreat announcements before anyone else. You can also follow @hersphere.ae on Instagram or join the HerSphere WhatsApp channel.
Reserve Your Place
You have been waiting
for this space to exist.
Join the W Circle to get first access to each retreat. Or reach out to Anna directly — she reads every message herself.
hello@hersphere.ae · www.hersphere.ae · @hersphere.ae
Upcoming Retreat
A weekend to exhale.
The W Weekend Retreat is a small, private gathering of widows in the UAE, held in a beautiful location, away from ordinary life. It is not a program with milestones or homework. It is not a support group with a facilitator and a circle of chairs.
It is two days where you are allowed to be exactly where you are. Where you do not have to explain yourself. Where the women around you already know—because they are in it too. Where rest is not a reward for getting things done. It simply is.
Each retreat is hosted by Anna Heenan, who is not a grief counselor, not a therapist, and not someone who has it figured out. She is a widow. Five months in, with twins, a mother to care for, and a life to rebuild in Dubai. She built this because she needed it and it did not exist.
Pricing that reflects
the true value of the space
Retreat pricing is confirmed once venue partnerships are finalised—and kept as accessible as possible given that many of our guests are managing finances alone for the first time.
Pricing varies by location. A payment plan is always available. If cost is a barrier, reach out to Anna directly before deciding this isn't for you — she will always try to find a way.
4 Spots
Left
Immediate Practical Support
Choose the path that best fits your current needs. Whether you want to explore independently or need hands-on guidance, you are in the right place.
Not sure where to start? Book a free 30-minute clarity call with Anna, who has been there and gets it, to discuss your next steps.
Feeling Overwhelmed and Not Sure Where To Start - Take This Assessment Form and We Will Get Back to You wihtin 24 -48 hours.
You have just been handed a stack of paperwork and a timeline that does not accommodate grief. Before you commit to a process or a course of action, you need to understand where you stand — from someone who actually knows the law.
This is a free 30-minute call with a qualified UAE family and inheritance lawyer from HerSphere's vetted partner network. No obligation to proceed. No sales pitch. Just an honest legal orientation so you can make an informed decision about your next step.
What the lawyer will cover:
Your visa status and any immediate residency deadlines
Whether a will was registered in the UAE and what that means for your case
Bank account freeze — what to expect and how long it typically lasts
The inheritance certificate process and whether your situation is straightforward or complex
An honest assessment of the level of legal support your case requires
What happens next: If you decide to proceed — whether with this lawyer or independently — you leave the call knowing exactly where you stand.
When The Heart Still Blooms
by Anna Heenan
A guide for widows navigating life after loss
"I wrote this book because it didn't exist when I needed it. When the Heart Still Blooms is an honest, practical guide to navigating widowhood in the UAE — the legal processes, the financial decisions, the paperwork that arrives while grief is still raw, and the quieter work of finding your way back to yourself. This book consists the interviews about real life stories of real widows who navigated their journey and…it is coming soon. Join the waitlist and you will be the first to receive it."
Discover actionable strategies for managing daily challenges, navigating complex emotions, and slowly opening your heart to hope again.
Join the Waitlist
Be first to know when this guide launches.
Become a Founding Sphere Member
Join a growing community of women who understand what you're navigating.
Whether you are in the thick of it right now or slowly finding your footing—there is a place for you here. Sign up to hear about upcoming events, meetups, classes, and resources. And to know that someone is holding space for you.
