Casa Leia
PARADISE FOR EXTRAORDINARY FAMILIES
A pioneering community, and the foundation of a new, nature-centered model of lifelong living for non-speaking autistic individuals and their families in Costa Rica.
CASA LEIA’S VISION
Committed to lifelong security, ensuring ongoing care for our loved-ones even after we’re gone.
A small private “off the grid paradise” that is an inclusive and collaborative community where neurotypical and non-speaking high-support, non-speaking and unreliable speaking autistic individuals coexist and thrive together.
Inspired by Leia, the 19-year-old daughter of Dov and Tanya Yarkoni, Casa Leia will be a new paradigm of community, communication and connection.
WHAT WE ARE BUILDING
Casa Leia is co-creating a first-of-its-kind retreat center and residential community in Costa Rica—a nature-immersive sanctuary and boutique vacation destination where autistic individuals and their families are finally seen, welcomed and supported as they are.
A Different View of Autism
Casa Leia begins with a simple but radical recognition: many autistic individuals — especially those who do not communicate through speech — are not lacking intelligence, awareness, or emotional depth. They are operating from a different cognitive and perceptual architecture.
What is often labeled “impairment” is, in reality, a mismatch between how these individuals experience the world and the narrow ways society expects intelligence and communication to appear.
Casa Leia is not designed to normalize autistic individuals to a world that does not see them. It is designed to create a world where they can finally be seen.
Why This Matters
Families of non-speaking autistic individuals face a global crisis:
No safe, dignified long-term living options
Institutional models that overlook intelligence and emotional life
Widespread caregiver burnout with little real support
Few environments where neurodivergent and neurotypical people coexist naturally
More Than Care — A Shift in Perception
Casa Leia exists to offer a new model: heart-based, nature-connected, communication-forward, non-institutional living. It is a place of recognition, re-orientation, and transformation.
Casa Leia exists not only to provide care — but to protect something routinely erased in institutional and medical systems: A form of consciousness that does not translate cleanly into metrics, yet reminds families who their children truly are when the external noise finally stops.
Leia and her parents’ love life by the sea, nature, music, global conscious communities, travel, wellness, and alternative festivals.
Leia’s presence in our lives has allowed us to embrace a new perspective about human potential.
With her guidance and the instruction of the collective, we wish to expand communication beyond verbal language, embracing collaborative, energetic, and telepathic connections.
We reject institutionalized care in favor of holistic, heart-based communal living and wish to create a replicable blueprint for similar communities worldwide.
Tanya (UK/US/Israel) worked in marketing, business development and founded wellbeing start-ups. Now, as a caregiver coach, mindfulness teacher, and author, she helps caregivers live their best lives.
Dov (US/Israel) is an entrepreneur and strategist who led a fund investing in early-stage Israeli start ups for over 15 years. He is a mindfulness practitioner and a Burner who loves surfing and wants to keep having fun while living by the sea.
Together, with their three daughters, they’ve traveled the world, learning from communities, collecting wisdom, and weaving design, healing, festival magic and natural living into this pioneering initiative.
Big Ideas, Real Impact
This AI-generated video brings our vision and mission for Casa Leia to life, offering a clear picture of the community we are building for autistic individuals and their families.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Casa Leia is a pioneering, nature-based community being created for autistic individuals and their families. It is designed to support dignity, safety, communication, and belonging through intentional living, shared community, and lifelong care.
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Casa Leia is primarily designed for autistic individuals—including non-speaking and high-support individuals—and their families. Some families may live full-time in the community, while others may engage through retreats, gatherings, or shorter stays.
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Casa Leia is being developed in Costa Rica in a carefully chosen natural setting. The project is currently in its early development phase, with retreats and pilot experiences planned before long-term residency
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Casa Leia balances private homes with shared spaces, supported by trained caregivers, staff, and volunteers. Residents and families participate in community life, decision-making, and shared responsibility, with safety and consistency as core priorities.l.
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The long-term vision is to create a lifelong home for autistic individuals and peace of mind for their families—while also developing a replicable blueprint for similar communities around the world..
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Casa Leia will host retreats and gatherings designed for autistic individuals and their families. These experiences focus on intentional communication, nervous system regulation, co-regulation, and sensory-friendly engagement with nature.
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Casa Leia is designed with a multi-stream, sustainable financial model that includes family contributions, retreats and programs, private residences, and donor and supporter participation to ensure long-term stability.
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Donors and supporters can contribute financially, offer expertise, or help steward the vision. Support plays a critical role in early development, accessibility, and building a model that can endure for generations.
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You can join our mailing list or WhatsApp group to receive updates, early invitations, and opportunities to engage as Casa Leia continues to grow.