WHAT

The intensive retreat format offers a deeply focused and accelerated environment for trauma healing, allowing you to achieve significant change in a shorter timeframe. These retreats are scheduled intensively, which means sessions lasting multiple full days (up to 5 days, with each session being up to 6 hours) or multiple half-days (with each session being up to 3 hours), or a mixture of both. I call this format “intensive” because the work is just that - intense. So if you find yourself needing a switch, the combination of full- or half-days can be modified during the retreat itself based on your energy levels and therapeutic needs.

Full-day schedules include a two fifteen-minute breaks and an hour for lunch break, allowing you time to explore the unique energy of Northampton or simply relax and integrate in the comfortable common area. (Note: Food and lodging not included)

The Roadmap for Transformation

While every experience is deeply personalized, here is a general roadmap for your intensive retreat with me:

Day 1: Laying the Foundation

The initial day is dedicated to building safety and clarity. Together, we will:

• Clarify Your Goals: A thorough discussion of your background, current challenges, and previous therapy experiences.

• Create the "Worst Things List": Collaborative development of a “roadmap” for our sessions, compiling a list of your most emotionally intense targets for reprocessing.

• Introduce Stabilization: You will learn and practice calming visualizations and grounding techniques that you can use immediately, both during and after the intensive.

Days 2–5: Processing and Deep Healing

Processing generally begins by Day 2, and the journey is uniquely paced for you. We systematically address items from your "Worst Things List," typically starting with the earliest experiences to build a strong foundation of safety and resolution.

I use advanced, evidence-based trauma techniques for rapid relief and deep integration. My main modalities are:

• Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART): This directive, eye-movement-based therapy works quickly to replace emotionally charged, distressing images with positive, desired images. ART is highly effective for reducing the physical and emotional residue of trauma.

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Using bilateral stimulation (like side-to-side eye movements), EMDR helps the brain fully process traumatic memories, moving them from the emotional, "stuck" part of the brain to the area where they can be stored as less disturbing narrative memories.

• Parts Work (IFS/Internal Family Systems & DNMS/Developmental Needs Meet Strategy): This approach helps you understand and communicate with the different emotional "parts" of yourself (e.g., the scared part, the angry part). By validating these parts and addressing their unmet needs, I reduce internal conflict and foster self-compassion, leading to greater internal harmony.

Together, these techniques access and reprocess traumatic memories to reduce their emotional impact, using tools such as bilateral stimulation, imagery, metaphors, and mindfulness to facilitate profound neurological and emotional shifts.

Trusting the Process & Self-Care

This retreat is designed to create significant neurological change in a short time. Due to its intensive nature, I place a high value on self-care and honoring your body's wisdom.

• Be Flexible: Some days may feel energetic and highly productive, while others may call for rest and quiet integration once after session conclusion.

• Trust Yourself: Your only job is to be gentle with yourself and respond honestly to your body’s needs.

This process result is a deeper sense of liberation and the ability to reclaim your narrative with resilience.