This mini retreat is designed as a taster into the world of trauma-focused therapy.

This is a small group experience – where people benefit from both personal attention with therapists and the benefits of being within a safe group.

Led by Charlotte Copeland, the retreat is run by 3 experienced facilitators, who between them bring trauma-focused psychotherapy, craniosacral therapy, therapeutic art, mindfulness and meditation to the day.

The retreat is designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for people to learn more about themselves, to help release the grip of past difficulties.

Who is the retreat for?

• People who have had difficult experiences and who want to safely sample trauma-focused approaches to therapy
• Family or friends of a person who is traumatised, who want an introduction to understanding trauma and learn how this can impact their welfare and how to better manage that
• People looking for an introduction to trauma-focused approaches, integrating the processing of experiences through the use of somatic (body-based) and psychological interventions

How is the retreat delivered?

• In-person, facilitated by three experienced trauma-specialist therapists
• Based out of private cosy spaces in a beautiful Grade II listed Hotel in Bath and using a private thermal spa
• Attendance is limited to 6 people, we keep the numbers small to allow for plenty of time with the facilitators

What can I expect from the retreat?

• Learn what is meant by stress and psychological trauma
• Awareness of signs and symptoms you are currently experiencing and how to more effectively manage these
• Learn how stress and trauma can be processed in different ways
• Experience processing of stress or trauma using both the body and mind, through sampling different treatment modalities
• Understand and experience how mindfulness and visualisation can be used to manage symptom intensity and improve wellbeing

Agenda

Welcome Evening

The retreat begins the evening before,  with a welcome and orientation session at a beautiful Grade II listed boutique hotel in Bath, where we shall be primarily based for the retreat.

The evening runs 7pm to 9:30pm, where the group will meet over a welcome drink. In this evening preparatory session, we will discuss the agenda and also safety for the retreat – to ensure everyone feels both physically and emotionally safe throughout.

Next we begin with a gentle group session that is part educational and part reflective, to help you understand common experiences after trauma, the importance of ‘stabilisation’ in recovery from distressing times, and what this could mean for you both during the retreat and when you return home.

Daytime Experience

The following morning we begin at 8:30am, with an orientation session for the day and some preparatory exercises.

We then transfer to the Royal Thermal Baths, where we are greeted with a glass of champagne and canapes and where we have exclusive use of our own private facility for the water section of the day.

Here the facilitators first explain what to expect from a session in water, before each person takes time to connect with how their body feels in the warm spa waters. Each person will experience:

1. A treatment with a craniosacral therapist
2. A session learning fascial unwinding in water – a skill that can be taken home.
3. Have the opportunity to rest and reflect in preparation for the afternoon session. You will be able to bathe in the spa water before we  return to the hotel.

The afternoon is spent back at our hotel, processing and integrating the bio-aquatic experience, followed by an experiential mindfulness session. We explain how mindfulness often needs to be approached differently when dealing with psychological trauma and we help you discover how you can take this practice home to continue building on the shifts experienced.

Our closing session provides a soothing exit to the day. Using guided meditation to help you relax the session is designed to also help you identify manageable next steps in your recovery journey.

Refreshments will be provided throughout the retreat.

Retreat Pack

At the welcome evening you will be given your retreat pack. This pack includes a therapeutic journal and other tools for use during the retreat.

You will also be given a 1year license for the SafeHaven App – which provides a wealth of information on psychological trauma and recovery and has playlists teaching a range of trauma-informed self-care skills.

Optional support before and after the retreat

If you are coming to the retreat day with specific difficulties you wish to begin to address, you have the option to extend your package and have a 1 hour preparatory session before the retreat and a 1 hour integration session afterwards. These psychological support sessions can be either online or you can attend the Centre. Sessions will be with one of the 2 psychotherapists who are facilitating the retreat, unless you have a particular request for a different person. These sessions are offered at a special rate when taken with the retreat – please contact us for details.