You’ve done the work.
The therapy. The rebuilding. The “moving on.”
You’ve built a life that looks strong and steady on the outside, maybe even thriving.
But inside, your nervous system still hasn’t caught up.
There’s a part of you that stays alert, waiting for something to go wrong.
You’ve left survival behind, but your body still lives there.
You’ve outgrown crisis mode, yet peace still feels fragile.
You want to rest, but rest feels like losing control.
You crave connection, but it sometimes feels safer to stay alone.
You’ve done enough surviving.
Now it’s time to live that freedom your mind knows you deserve.
Welcome to The Survivors Circle Retreat
Hosted in a beautiful location in the South West, near Bristol with one day hosted at the gorgeous SENStory HQ CIC site, a four-acre, nature-based sanctuary in South Gloucestershire, the Survivors Circle Retreat is a powerful, trauma-informed experience created for survivors who are ready to reclaim their sense of safety, presence, and peace.
This isn’t about fixing you.
It’s about remembering the version of you that’s been waiting, the one who can breathe deeply, trust your instincts, and finally rest in your own body.
What Makes This Retreat Different
You won’t find forced sharing circles or high-energy “healing hype” here.
This is a space of gentle depth.
Our retreat brings together Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL), sensory and movement based regulation, and nervous-system restoration to help you move from surviving to embodying safety.
You’ll work alongside a gentle herd of four horses, intuitive, sentient beings who respond to emotion, breath, and energy with extraordinary honesty and care.
As you walk, breathe, or simply be beside them, they reflect your internal world back to you, offering connection when you soften, pause when you need space, and grounded presence when your mind wanders.
You don’t need experience with horses. In fact, most people who come have never worked with them before. You just need a willingness to slow down and let the magic of this space meet you where you are.
The Setting
Our dedicated SENStory HQ site is a regulation-first environment, created to soothe busy minds and overworked bodies.
You’ll find:
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A large outdoor arena overlooking rolling countryside
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Woodland walking tracks and sensory trails
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A fire pit for evening reflection
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Hammocks, oak-tree swings, and quiet spaces to rest
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A bell-tent relaxation area with hot water bottles, blankets, and tea
Everything here is designed to give you what the world rarely does - time, space, and permission to breathe.
The Retreat Programme
Dates: 27th–30th March 2026
(Plus one follow-up online support circle the following month)
Friday: Arrival and Grounding
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Welcome circle and gentle orientation
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Evening meal together
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Fire Pit Ceremony to set intentions and release what you’re ready to let go of
Saturday: Regulation and Empowerment
A day devoted to understanding and nurturing your nervous system.
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Workshops on nervous-system regulation and self-empowerment
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Sensory toolkit exploration and practical regulation strategies
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Breathwork and stretching for grounding and ease
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Somatic movement and Pilates for emotional release
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“Learning to Live With Freedom” session, exploring life beyond survival
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Shared evening meal and reflection time
Sunday: The Journey with the Herd
This is the heart of the retreat: a full day of Equine Facilitated Learning and embodied transformation.
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Morning grounding and breathwork
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Introduction to the herd and connection session
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Guided EFL Journey Workshop, working in partnership with the horses to uncover and release what’s standing in your way
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Reflection and integration time outdoors
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Locally sourced lunch and sensory walk
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Closing group reflection and returning for an evening meal
Monday: Integration and Reflection
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Morning breathwork and movement
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Breakfast and closing circle
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Creation of your personal take-away regulation toolkit
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Reflection, connection, and goodbyes
You’ll leave resourced, grounded, and ready to carry your new sense of calm into everyday life.
What You’ll Experience
During your time, you’ll be guided through:
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Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL): A unique experiential process where horses help you connect deeply to your emotions, body, and intuition
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Somatic and nervous-system regulation: Learning to identify triggers, soothe your system, and feel safe inside your body again
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Gentle movement and breathwork: Reconnecting to your physical self without pressure or performance
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Restorative practices: Reflection, journaling, and integration time in nature
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Community connection: Sharing space with other survivors who understand and honour your journey toward embodied freedom
This isn’t about talking your way through trauma.
It’s about feeling your way back into safety.
The Transformation Possible
When your body learns what safety feels like, everything changes.
You stop scanning for danger in moments of calm. You stop apologising for needing rest. You start trusting your instincts again, not the fear-based ones, but the grounded, wise ones.
You find yourself breathing differently.
Speaking differently.
Living differently.
You return home with:
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A calmer, more regulated nervous system
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A deeper connection to yourself and your intuition
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A new understanding of what safety feels like
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Practical tools to use every day
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A sense of peace that doesn’t vanish when life gets busy again
You’ll leave not only rested, but reconnected to your body, your strength, and your softness.
Accommodation and Pricing
This is an intentionally intimate retreat.
Just six spaces are available to ensure each participant receives the care, connection, and safety they need.
Your investment includes:
•Three nights’ accommodation at our South West venue near Bristol
• All workshops, equine-facilitated sessions, and materials
• Locally sourced meals and refreshments
• Sensory toolkit resources and reflection materials
• Fireside gatherings and integration support
• A personalised take-home toolkit
• One follow-up online support circle after the retreat
Why This Retreat Matters
When you’ve lived in survival for years, peace can feel suspicious.
Your body doesn’t know how to trust calm, yet.
This retreat gives you the time, space, and support to rewrite that pattern.
You’ll leave knowing what it feels like to be safe in your own body, not because life is perfect, but because you finally know how to meet it from a place of peace.
This is your space to exhale, reconnect, and remember who you are underneath the armour.
Why Now
Because your nervous system doesn’t heal on intention alone. It heals in safe, supported environments where your body can finally exhale.
Because spaces like this are rare.
Because you deserve to feel free in your own skin, not someday, but now.
We’re opening this retreat to just six survivors so we can hold it deeply, gently, and safely. If you’re reading this, your invitation is already waiting.
VIP Retreats
- Best Value
VIP Retreats
2,200£Full Payment- Accommodation
- All meals included.
- 3 transformative days of guided workshops and movement.
- Opening Fire Ceremony to release and reset intentions.
- Breathwork and sessions to regulate the nervous system.
- Therapeutic movement & Pilates.
- Soulful evening connections and group reflections.
- Shared nourishing meals prepared with care.
- Access to sensory toolkit experiences and take-home resource
- Closing circle and personalised healing toolkit.
- 1 post-retreat group check-in call for ongoing support.
Vip Retreats Monthly Option
366.66£Every monthSpread the cost of your healing journey over six months.Valid for 6 months- Accommodation.
- All meals included.
- 3 transformative days of guided workshops and movement.
- Opening Fire Ceremony to release and reset intentions.
- Breathwork and sessions to regulate the nervous system.
- Therapeutic movement and Pilates.
- Soulful evening connections and group reflections.
- Shared nourishing meals prepared with care.
- Access to sensory toolkit experiences and take-home resource
- Closing circle and personalised healing toolkit.
- 1 post-retreat group check-in call for ongoing support.