I’ve been quietly working on something for the past three years.
I think I’m finally about 85% of the way there.
I’m designing my first Somatic EMDR Retreat—an immersive week that combines individual work, group experiences, EMDR, movement, creativity, nature, bodywork, and nervous system healing into one experience.
For the first time, I can actually see it.
The idea didn’t appear out of nowhere.
Three years ago, I wondered whether I could recreate what people receive in individual EMDR therapy within a group setting. My hope was to create something that provided meaningful healing at a fraction of the cost of individual therapy.
From a client’s perspective, EMDR is often, “Can we push the magic reset button… preferably yesterday?” People understandably want relief, and many wouldn’t mind if it worked like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (for the record: it doesn’t).
My question was a little different. Could I build an experience that not only helped people process difficult experiences, but also taught them how to regulate their nervous systems long after therapy was over?
So I designed an eight-week group that combined mindfulness, self-calming, narrative therapy, hypnosis, and other nervous system skills. The experience culminated in three different approaches to EMDR reprocessing, tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique), and other practices that helped participants find the reset they had been searching for.
When the eight weeks ended, I expected people to talk about the relief they experienced through EMDR.
They did.
But what surprised me was what they talked about even more.
Again and again, participants said they were leaving with life skills they wished they had learned in junior high—skills they knew they would use for the rest of their lives.
That’s when I realized I might be building something bigger than an EMDR group.
Ever since then, I’ve been asking a new question.
What if this didn’t have to happen over eight weeks?
What if people could step away from everyday life for a week, immerse themselves in healing, and return home not only feeling lighter, but with practical skills to navigate whatever life brings next?
What if nature itself became part of the therapy?
The vision that’s taking shape isn’t just about EMDR. It’s about creating a healing environment where the nervous system has enough safety, enough time, and enough support to truly settle.
I’m imagining forest bathing, movement, creativity, bodywork, quiet reflection, personalized individual work, and the unique power that comes from healing alongside others.
I think I’ve found the place where that vision can come to life!
I can picture early morning yoga beneath the trees, brunchtime bodywork, afternoon somatic EMDR sessions, quiet walks through the forest followed by creek side meditations, and evenings gathered around a fire looking at the stars.
The first retreat will likely be limited to people with what therapists call single-incident trauma so we can thoughtfully test the model. That simply means your overall life story has been relatively stable, but one or two significant events—a serious accident, a difficult divorce, a health scare, or another overwhelming experience—left your nervous system feeling stuck.
I’ll personally screen participants beforehand to make sure the retreat is a good fit for everyone involved.
So here’s my question.
If you’ve been carrying something that’s ready to be healed, what would it be like to spend a week inside a healing bubble in nature?
If this sounds like something you’d want to learn more about, send me a message. I’d love to hear from you.
Love, Renee