I held my first retreat in January 2020. It was a day retreat at Tofte Manor in Bedfordshire — a place I had fallen in love with long before I ever imagined hosting there. That day set the tone for everything that has followed: a small group of women, a beautiful setting, restorative practice, nourishing food, and enough space for something to actually shift.
Since then I have held retreats across the UK and internationally — in Norfolk, Bedfordshire, the Greek island of Ikaria, the High Tatras mountains of Slovakia, and soon in Bali. Each location has been chosen with care, not just for its beauty but for the particular quality of stillness it brings to the work. A venue that simply looks good is not enough. The place itself needs to hold the energy of what we are doing there.
That means I prepare thoroughly. I visit venues in person wherever possible. I research the local area, the food, the culture, the seasonal qualities of the light and landscape. I think carefully about the pace of each day, the arc of the whole retreat, the way practices build on one another. I think about what people will need when they arrive — often more exhausted than they realise — and what I want them to carry home.
What stays consistent across every retreat, regardless of where in the world it takes place: somatic and restorative practices that work with the body rather than push against it. Nourishing food prepared with real care. Genuine connection that doesn't feel forced. And a holding presence throughout — I am there not just as a facilitator, but as someone who is awake to what each person in the room needs, ready to offer encouragement, adjustment, or simply a quiet moment of being seen.