The Grief Retreat

Apr 25, 2025 at 08:36 pm - Apr 25, 2025 at 08:36 pm

SA44 4RU, Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, Carmarthenshire, Wales, United Kingdom

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Descriptions

Grief is a universal human experience... so how can we embrace it?

Join Olivia and Iola for a 5-day deeply-held immersive retreat where you will remember, release, renew, and embrace your grief as an integral part of your human experience.

Remember, Release, Renew.

A safe, sacred space to honour and process your grief.

With our busy pace of life and the lack of grief rituals in western culture, we often do not give ourselves the time and space to grieve properly, or at all.

This unexpressed energy can get stuck in our bodies and cause illness, depression, addiction and anxiety. Many of us fear going into our sorrow, anger, guilt and shame without support, so we bury our grief and 'get on with it.'

Perhaps we worry about being a burden on our friends or family. Possibly we don't even know we have stuffed it down, until it erupts, out of nowhere, months or years later. Maybe we have forgotten what it is to feel lightness and joy and need a helping hand to come home.

At The Grief Retreat, we create a nurturing space where you can share, feel and move through your grief with the support of community, nature, nourishing food, movement, ritual and ceremony.

Together, we learn to embrace our grief - all parts of it celebrating the growth that it brings to our lives and the gift it offers in opening our hearts more deeply to love.

Whether you are grieving the death of a loved one, pet, a relationship ending, fertility challenges, abortions or miscarriages, an old identity, life pre-Covid, illness or diagnosis, or anything else, your grief is valid and welcome here.

If you want to honour your grieving process and move forward with support...

This is for you.

Our intentions

To hold a loving, safe space for the emotions and experience of grief to be honoured, witnessed and felt.

To support you to get to know yourself better, love yourself more and trust in your ability to live with your grief.

To share tools that empower you to feel, manage and release the emotions that arise through grief.

To offer the opportunity to find medicine in your pain, embracing grief as an opportunity for healing, growth and deeper love.

Expectations

This is a deep offering and we expect resistance, fear and anticipation to arise for some (if not all!) of you. This is normal and we welcome you just as you are.

All your emotions are welcome. All of you is welcome.

We encourage you to come with an open mind and heart.

When we begin the retreat we will give you space to feel into what your intentions are for this journey.

Look forward to...

NOURISHING FOOD

Our huge-hearted retreat chefs will nurture your belly and soul with delicious, nourishing vegan and veggie food. They work holistically, sourcing fresh and local when possible, ensuring the vibration and energetics of all dishes are at their optimum for digestion and nourishment.

CEREMONY & RITUALS

Iola and Olivia will guide you through powerful rituals to help you to remember, release and renew.
We drink cacao in sacred ceremony to activate your heart and open your channels of expression.

We connect with the lands through a meditative walk to the local Buddhist temple (Hertfordshire) and a Temazcal ceremony (Wales).

HEALING PRACTICES

Daily sharing circles and smaller sharing groups will help you process your feelings, past, present and future. Most mornings start with an embodied movement practice. We will share with you somatic tools for releasing trauma and emotions*, as well as nourishing, restorative practices such as yin yoga and sound healing.

*always with a trauma-informed approach that meets you where you are and ensures you are safe and supported.

Rituals for connection and nourishment

Movement for healing and embodiment

Fresh, nourishing food to assist your process

Free time every day to rest, enjoy the beautiful lands, & journal.

Plus lots of opportunities for connection, cuddles, chats & laughter (yes, we have fun too!)

Meet your hosts

OLIVIA WOOD

Olivia is a Medicine Woman, Doula and Transformational Facilitator.

She holds ceremonies and retreats, and deep 1-2-1 containers for personal development. At the core of her work is trauma-informed embodiment - meeting people where they are and creating safe spaces to connect with the body and receive its deep wisdom and healing.

Olivia has trained in many healing modalities including Yoga, Tantra, Massage, Reiki, Kundalini Energy Healing and Shamanic Healing.

She is passionate about sharing her healing journey authentically, honouring ancestral ways of living, and creating a grounded approach to spirituality that inspires love, collaboration and joy.

IOLA KREIZMAN

Iola is a Medicine Woman, Alternative Primary School Teacher and Trauma Release Facilitator.

Iola loves to sing, dance, move and play. She creates workshops, retreats, circles and 1-2-1 sessions that are immersive and transformative, indulging all of your bodily senses.

She is trained in Yoga, Cacao Facilitation, Permaculture, Tantra, Massage, Breathwork and Art Therapies.

Iola thrives best when connected to nature and uses all of the Earth's elements in her practices.

Iola is dedicated to making healing accessible to all and loves bringing mindfulness and wellbeing to local schools and charities.

Meet your chefs

DAN DALESSANDRO

Dan’s cooking is all about putting a smile on your face. From Italian heritage, mealtimes were as much about community and connecting, as they were about celebrating the love of the food itself.

Dan draws on inspiration from his travels across Asia and the Middle East, retreats, festivals and community-living, to bring a range of cuisine to the table for your nourishment and enjoyment.

Dan is passionate about providing food that is fresh, healthy, nutritious and cooked from the heart. He is excited to share his menu of nourishing food that will support your grief journey.

CHLOE EVELYNE

Chloe has been cooking on retreats for 10 years.

Born in Australia to Swiss parents, her work initially began in high-end hospitality venues and events. Using her empathetic, solutions-based mind she loved to ensure guests were well cared for and nurtured.

Since healing her mind, body and spirit through nature’s glorious abundance, Chloe’s passion runs deep regarding the medicinal power of food.

Chloe is always looking to broaden her skills, recently completing a sound healing course, massage therapy level 1 with the Alchemy of Touch and is currently finishing studies on the brain-gut connection.

Penpynfarch, Wales

Immerse yourself in the great outdoors at this magical woodland eco-retreat centre.

Penpynfarch is tucked away in the rolling Welsh hills of Carmarthenshire. Surrounded by lush
green forests, it is blessed with a fresh water lake and a beautiful ancient stream that trickles
through the land. Morning lake swims and a temazcal (sweatlodge) ceremony make this retreat
experience extra special for wild nature lovers.

Walk in the enchanting woodlands, breathe in the aromas of the pine, connect with the ancient ferns, and learn from the wise old oak trees. This is a quiet, peaceful space to connect with yourself and spend time mindfully in nature.

Accommodation - Wales (mixed gender)

Penpynfarch is a family-owned retreat centre built in harmony with the local
ecosystem with natural materials. The space is beautiful and earthy, with a compost
toilet and outdoor solar-panelled heated shower. All accommodation options are
nestled within the wilderness for a truly immersive nature experience.

There are 3 different accommodation options to choose from:

1. Garden Studio* (private occupancy)

2. Woodland Yurt* (5 sharing)

3. Bell Tents (2 sharing)

*with wood-burning stoves

All guests will share heated outdoor shower and compost toilets.

Garden Studio

(Single occupancy) - The Garden Studio is a gorgeous, private hideaway, tucked away in a beautiful flower garden. Rise with the sound of birdsong in peaceful solitude. With wood burning stove inside and its own compost toilet in the garden.

Woodland Yurt

(5 sharing) - Enjoy the magical forest setting in comfort and style! This beautifully designed, spacious yurt has 5 comfy single beds with duvets and pillows, and a woodburning stove for warmth on cooler nights.

Bell Tent

(2 sharing) - Camp in style under the stars! The full nature experience for nature
lovers. Sharing with one other person. Single mattress with duvet and pillows
provided.

INCLUDES

  • 4 nights' accommodation
  • All meals, beginning with lunch on first day, ending with lunch on final day
  • Full schedule of teaching and workshops from 8am - 9pm on full days
  • Temazcal ceremony
  • Resources for after-care & practice at home
  • 1 hour integration call on Zoom after the retreat

Available Tickets

Total: £0.00

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