a weekend retreat
You are between stories.
A residential weekend for anyone in the midst of a life change — a job left or lost, a working life ending, an empty nest, the close of a relationship, a loss — to honour the story that was, and to gently begin the story to be.
the invitation
is this for you?
Transitions rarely arrive when we’re ready for them. Something ends — a role, a relationship, a way of life we’d grown into — and we’re expected to simply carry on, to get over it, to move on. But a real change asks more of us than that. It asks to be understood, and grieved, and eventually re-authored.
If you’re standing on that kind of threshold — whether you chose it or it chose you — this weekend is a space to stop, to look honestly at where you’ve been, and to begin, gently, to find your way toward what’s next. You don’t need to have it figured out. That’s rather the point.
what the weekend is
Across a weekend, we move through a single, deliberate arc — like a caterpillar dissolving in the chrysalis before it becomes a butterfly. We look back to gather the wisdom of the story that was. We spend time in the honest, unhurried middle. And we turn, together, toward the story to be.
We work with four timeless inner figures — the Magician, the Lover, the Sovereign and the Warrior — not as a theory to learn, but as a living language for the parts of ourselves a transition asks us to reclaim: the Magician’s perspective, the Lover’s tenderness for what mattered, the Sovereign’s sense of worth and direction, the Warrior’s will to step toward what’s next. Each has a gift to offer your story.
This is Shadow Work — a compassionate, well-established method for meeting the parts of ourselves we’ve kept in the dark — held in a small group, in beautiful surroundings, entirely at your own pace.
the shape of the weekend
Friday evening — you arrive, settle, and we begin gently: an opening circle, and a first taste of the still, watchful quality that will hold the whole weekend.
Saturday — we look back and gather the story that was, and, as the day closes, we mark a letting-go of what is ending.
Sunday — we turn toward the story to be, and close with a ritual in which each person is seen and celebrated by their small circle — a quiet, powerful thing to receive.
Woven throughout: meditation and stillness, time walking the grounds, and space simply to rest.
held with care
This is deep work, and we hold it carefully — that matters to us as much as the work itself.
You’ll be in a small circle with a facilitator who knows this territory, supported by a wider team and a mentor. A qualified mental-health professional is on call throughout. Before you come, we’ll have a warm conversation to make sure the timing is right for you. And nothing is ever required of you: you can pause, sit out, or step away from anything, at any point. Everything is an invitation.
We’re also honest about what this is: a rich, carefully-held personal-development retreat — not therapy, and not a substitute for it. If you’re already receiving support, we’d encourage you to keep it in place alongside the weekend.
the approach
why we do it this way
Shadow Work gives us a map of the mind and a gentle, participant-led way to work with it — you stay in charge of your own process throughout. Around that, we draw on approaches with real support behind them for wellbeing in times of change: making sense of our story, taking a kinder and steadier view of ourselves, being genuinely witnessed by others, and the quiet restoration of stillness and nature. The archetypes give all of this a shape you can feel and remember.
your facilitators
Rachel May has spent her life supporting people through transition — around birth, death, and intimacy. After ten years as a doula and birth educator she retrained in end-of-life care and mindfulness, and her work now centres on intimacy and the shadow. She has a gift for holding tender spaces in a way that is both gentle and strong. Rachel lives between the UK and Greece, where she also offers one-to-one sessions and retreats.
Rob Browtonis a business psychologist who has worked with people in groups for over twenty-five years. A decade of his own journey into depth psychology led him to train as a Shadow Work facilitator. He chose Shadow Work because it honours the choice and agency of everyone in the room — and that’s what he’s committed to offering others: the room to become more fully themselves.
what people say
From people who’ve done this work with us:
“Without even thinking about it, I felt strongly and lovingly held, and utterly safe to dive into the work I needed to do.”
“They give a thorough yet concise introduction, and with the practical exercises I very quickly felt inspired to tackle difficult issues I’d been aware of for some time.”
“Being supported and guided through different insights, both during and afterwards, has helped make the sessions genuinely transformative.”
the practical details
Residential: private rooms, with vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners included
A small group: kept small and held in circles, so everyone is properly supported
We’re finalising dates and the venue now. The weekend will be residential, with private rooms, everything included. Register your interest below and you’ll be the first to know — registering commits you to nothing.
questions people ask
Is this therapy?
No. It’s a personal-development retreat, held with care by trained facilitators with clinical support on hand — but it isn’t therapy or a substitute for it. If you’re receiving support, please keep it in place.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Everything is introduced clearly and gently, and you set your own pace.
What if it feels like too much?
You’re always in charge of your own process. You can pause, sit out an exercise, take time on your own, or step away — no explanation needed. There’s a quiet space and support available throughout, and we’ll have talked things through with you beforehand.
Will I have to share or perform in front of everyone?
No. Deeper work happens in a small circle, at your invitation, never on demand.
How do I know if it’s right for me now?
That’s exactly what the conversation before the weekend is for. Sometimes the caring answer is “not just yet” — and if so, we’ll help you find what would serve you better.
ready?
If something in this is calling to you, we’d love to hear from you.