I am so glad you asked.

Well, the process has likely already started, but it becomes official when you hit one of those free consult buttons that are all over my website. There will be a quick form for you to fill out, you choose an available time and then you hit submit. I hope at that moment you take a deep breath. You will hear back from me shortly confirming you date and time you chose (or suggesting a new one if need be). We will meet virtually for a brief chat. At the end of that chat the hope is that each of us have a better idea if this is something you want to try and as well as if it seems like a good fit for you at this point in your healing process.

If we are in agreement that it is a good next step for you we will schedule your intake right then before we hang up. An intake is very important because it helps me get to know you better, helps you get clear about your current status and what you would like to achieve during the the therapy retreat. Prior to the intake you will receive a packet to fill out. I will collect all your documents and review them before the intake. To ensure I have a good sense of you and your story we will discuss your history; including your family, attachment medical, mental health and of course your experiences with trauma and grief. This process usually takes about three hours. We also use this time to discuss your motivations and goals which will inform the length of your Immersive Therapy Retreat. The intake cost is $250. The intake is typically held virtually as many clients fly in from around the world. Located between Philadelphia and New York City people from all over the world have traveled here with little difficulty; we have hosted people from all over the world. Most recently from various parts of the United States, Australia, Germany, Canada and Colombia.

At the intake, we will schedule your immersive therapy retreat. You pay a deposit to hold your dates. At that I will share referrals I have regarding transportation, accommodations, food and body workers such as; massage, acupuncture, reiki, yoga. These elements of your experience are not included and price must be negotiated and settled with the individual establishments and providers.

It is often a few months between the intake and the intensive. I will provide some resources to help you prepare for your experience.

It is time for your Immersive Therapy Retreat...

You arrive the morning of your retreat to the Seeds of Potential healing yurt. The yurt, a circular building with exposed beams and domed roof, is a special building. It is calming, inviting and also inspiring. You step in and there is room for you and what ever you are bringing with you. As you enter you immediately want to exhale. Ever since I became a steward of the land I live and work on it has been my dream to offer a sanctuary for people to come heal. Shortly after I built it, a returning client sat in the yurt, her eyes teared up, and said 'thank you, you built this for us, thank you." I hope you also find that it holds you well too.

On the morning of your arrival I show you around and help you settle in. There are things to help you get grounded and cozy; blankets, cups of tea, fidgets.

We begin the morning of our first day together with deep grounding in the body. The process is experiential so you are learning while you are also doing. Finding the breath that helps you quiet your nervous system. Finding the movement that helps you stay present in your body. In the process of grounding we inquire with a deeper part of yourself. What are your intentions? What do you need to help you attain those goals? The second part of the morning often involve resourcing from nature. Turning towards the natural world for support and inspiration. Most people choose to go outside for these exercises while others choose to stand in the window or choose a closed eye visualization. By the end of the morning you will have learned coping skills, practiced them, named your mental intentions but also tapped into deeper parts of yourself to name what your body, spirit and lost parts of yourself are also yearning for. Deep grounding and profound clarity of your desires will help move through the week gently and with deep integrity.

Typically this is when we would take our first break. Throughout the week together we will continue to take various breaks. Sometimes our breaks will be together an opportunity to shift gears and let the nervous system regulate. Reminding it that it does not need to struggle and push through. Other times we will take bathroom, snack or lunch brakes on our own. Each of these breaks will rise up organically as we attune to one another and the process.

After lunch, we begin the turning towards your unique process.

I listen, attend and offer interventions with a keen awareness of what I am hearing and seeing. Together we decide what comes next. You may decide to do somatic work, sand-tray, art making, narrative time line work, nature therapies. We will follow your process as it unwinds. Taking each next step informed by what is coming forth. Our work together is organic and while we keep moving forward and going deeper the intention is to help the nervous system remain or find its way back to calm. Trauma work should not be traumatic it should hold space to celebrate, nurture and honor all the parts of yourself. The work is profound and transformational. Each day honors the opening and closing of the day while holding the larger arc of the week long journey.

At the end of each day you will likely be hungry and tired. Depth work is can be exhausting and at times also exhilarating. You may find you want more time in nature or maybe you had chose to arrange some body work. The evenings are yours to practice self care.

The next morning we pick the story up where we left off. We follow your story as it emerges. It may come forth in narrative, movement, art, songs and sounds. It may be a straight line and you may find your story is not linear. The layers of ourselves are much like the soil of the forest - new surprises where ever we look. We will continue in this way, trusting the process until the last day. On the last day we will hold space to reflect and name what has occurred. We will also talk about aftercare, self care and next steps for when you return home. There will be some resources for you to take with you to help you remember your experience and your new discoveries. Helping you bridge the retreat experience with your life is key so that the work you do feeds the life you want to live.

Then it is time to say goodbye. Usually people describe the passing of time as fast but not rushed. Time seems to ooze and yet we look up and a week has past. This work changes people. Each immersive retreat changes me too. It is an honor to be part of peoples healing and bear witness to their moments of magic.

If you are at all considering I hope you will schedule that free consult with me. It would be my pleasure to support you on your path to healing.