Heal the Healers Retreat
Sally Nilsson, Eric Kolesar and the rest of the Tula Vida horse and human team are partnering with Gretchen Morgan of Lighthouse Counseling Sand Play Training Center to offer this special retreat of rest, healing and rejuvenation for those affected by the recent COVID-19 and other societal events.
Burnout and compassion fatigue are common challenges for those of us in the caring or healing professions this year.
Mentored by our horse partners, we will take a deep dive into self-care for body, mind and spirit and let the rhythm of the natural world guide us to restore our balance, energy and peace.
Renew your mind, body and spirit!
Many of us show up as healers, whether by profession or chosen role, and – especially when also processing our own trauma and reaction to big life events, of which we have had many recently!, our own “well” of internal resources can become drained and depleted. If we want to be able to keep going and keep giving it is vital to consciously address this, to make space for ourselves to receive, and to find tools for our own self-regulation.
In this reflective workshop, you will join our extraordinary horses in their home - the vibrant green fields, rivers and rainforest near the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica – and experience becoming part of the herd, fully connected to yourself, the horses and the natural world.
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Let the horses show and teach you how to balance your nervous system.
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Take a dive into your own consciousness through the transformative modality of Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy and find healing at the deepest levels.
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Allow yourself to play in the bubbling, carefree streams.
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Cherish and nourish your body with healthy food, gentle movement designed to get your energy flowing, beautiful natural surroundings, restorative wood-fire sauna and healing massage.
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Feel your life force return little by little…
No prior horse experience required
Our mission is to provide a deeper connection with self, through horses, nature and experience.
RETREAT DETAILS
Date: Arrival on 17 July, departure on 23 July 2022
(ask us if you would like to extend your stay or go to the beach afterwards)
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Limited number of Participants to ensure a personal experience for each of you.
What’s included:
Each Package Includes:
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Daily Tula Vida horse experiences - – includes all facilitation, materials & equipment
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Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy (see below for details)
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Horseback riding to a private waterfall
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Daily mindful movement/yoga (see below for details)
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All meals – delicious homecooked, farm fresh meals or meals out in stunning lake view restaurants
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1.5 hours restorative massage
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Transport to/from Tula Vida each day from your accommodation
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36 Continuing Education Credits for New Jersey social workers through NBCC, ACEP
Price: $3,250
Accommodation in your own private room in a beautiful guesthouse / retreat center near Tula Vida
Excluded: flights, airport transport, tips, alcohol & soda
No prior horse experience required
What They Say
About Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy
Sand Play is a cutting edge healing modality, a creative and powerful way to process what lies outside of your conscious thinking mind in a safe, supportive way. The client chooses from a large collection of figures and builds a miniature “world” in the tray of sand that reflects what is going on in their lives, allowing them to process inner thoughts, struggles, and concerns through the figures. By making changes in their make-believe world, clients are often empowered to make similar changes in their real world.
Gretchen Morgan, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is an extremely experienced holder and trainer of sand play therapy and has trained thousands of clinicians in the art. In 2018 Gretchen, together with Sally Nilsson, explored combining the power of the sand with the wisdom of the horses and created Equine Facilitated Sand Play (in which they now offer trainings in Costa Rica):
“Horses have an incredible capacity to sense what is going inside us, which is what Sand Play is accessing too. When we introduced the horses to a Sand Play process we were amazed how interactive and engaged they were, not just being a calming and supportive presence but seemingly able to indicate – and even choose - figures that turned out to be hugely significant for the client.” Gretchen Morgan, LCSW
Equine Facilitated Sand Play is a profound experience, awakening your consciousness and inner feelings. Working with the sand, supported by your horse, can reveal and shift whatever is asking for your attention to heal.
Recover, Restore and Renew
In these reflective experiences, you will join our extraordinary horses in their home - the vibrant green fields, rivers and rainforest near the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica – and experience becoming part of the herd, tuned in to your own senses, safe and free to be yourself, connected to the great wisdom of Mother Earth for healing, balance and growth.
Let the horses show and teach you how to just “be” rather than doing or thinking. Take a dive into your own consciousness through the transformative modality of Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy and find healing at the deepest levels. Allow yourself to play in the bubbling, carefree streams. Cherish and nourish your body with healthy food, gentle movement designed to get your energy flowing, beautiful natural surroundings and healing massage. Feel held and supported by the natural world.
About Your Facilitators
Guest Co-Faciliator - Gretchen Morgan
LCSW is a founding partner of Lighthouse Counseling Sand Play Training Center in New Jersey, where she lives with her husband, daughter and 2 dogs.
After receiving her MSW in 1997 from the University of Pennsylvania, Gretchen received extensive training in trauma based treatment modalities, including EMDR, Sand Play Therapy and Trauma Sensitive Yoga.
To date, Gretchen has introduced Sand Play Therapy to thousands of clinicians through her comprehensive Certificate in Sand Play Therapy training program. In 2018 Gretchen (along with Sally Nilsson and Debbie Legg) created Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy, an intensive healing modality that combines Equine Facilitated Learning with Sand Play Therapy and can be used in individual, family, group and workshop settings.
Gretchen offers regular Heal the Healers retreats for those in the healing arts or people-focused professions and hosts regular Sand Play trainings in her second home, Costa Rica.
Sally Nilsson
Sally Nilsson is an expert facilitator, certified executive coach, experienced mentor and certified advanced instructor in Eponaquest Equine Facilitated Learning and Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy.
In 2019, Sally co-founded Tula Vida together with her partner Eric Kolesar to offer transformational experiences with the talented Tula Vida horse herd. Read more about Sally and the Tula Vida Team.
Eric Kolesar
Eric Kolesar is a certified instructor in Eponaquest Equine Faciliated Learning and Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy, a 500 hour certified yoga instructor and expert in a multitude of energy modalities. In 2019, Eric co-founded Tula Vida together with his partner Sally Nilsson to offer transformational experiences with the talented Tula Vida horse herd. Read more about Eric and the Tula Vida Team.
These Special Horses will:
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Magnify the parts of you that are hidden inside, the tender and true parts. Through their innate horse communication skills and non-judgemental presence, they show us humans what is buried in our unconscious, beyond the mind chatter and busy brain: the non-verbal part, the intuition, the senses – our true authentic selves.
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Sense and respond to subtle changes in our body language and energy. As highly sensitive animals, horses provide immediate, powerful and visual feedback on our presence in that moment so we get to practice and modulate how we want to come across, and how to find true internal peace and balance of the nervous system (self and co-regulation).
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Welcome you as part of the herd. Horses are wired for connection and will actively work with you to allow your real and best self to be seen and accepted without words.
What They Say
Stay in the stunning local area
This part of Costa Rica is surrounded by lush pastures and rainforest overlooking the Arenal Volcano and Lake, Costa Rica, about an hour from Liberia airport (LIR).
You will have clean and comfortable accommodation run by friendly hosts in the small village of Sabalito, around the corner from Tula Vida and the horses.
ENJOY DAILY Mindful Movement
We take a holistic approach in all our retreats, supporting mind, body and soul to feel nourished and restored. The pace of modern life, as well as the challenges of living through the pandemic, can be hard on our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
You will enjoy daily Mindful Movement with Eric Kolesar to rebalance your whole being and give you take-away tools manage life stress and live more mindfully – the essential ingredients in adapting to change and uncertainty, as well as keeping your own energy topped up.
“I feel more grounded and connected to myself, through mindful movement and interaction with the horses.” Angela, Therapist
What is Mindful Movement?
Eric started his movement expertise in martial arts, going on to become a 500 hour certified yoga instructor and energy practitioner. Through his lens as a life coach and equine facilitated learning facilitator, and hearing about intimidating experiences some people have had with “yoga”, Eric has combined the neuroscience, flow of energy, physical benefits of movement and natural rhythms to create what he calls “Mindful Movement”, a powerful and gentle blend of stretches and movements designed to calm and rebalance your body so the energy can flow freely again.
Imagine standing in a lush green space, birds singing in the background, horses grazing in the distance. Tune in to the rhythm of nature and breathe out. Let the tension melt away and experience feeling part of something whole. Start mindfully and gently moving with the rest of the group, in ways designed to get the energy flowing again through your whole body. You feel balanced, relaxed, alive.
“The mindful movement with Eric was by far the best yoga experience I have encountered as it was a spiritual and soul replenishing moving meditation not just a work out.” Jennifer, Real Estate Agent Owner
Additional Activities and Excursions
As well as sharing Sand Play experiences and exploring the natural world with your horse, you will have the opportunity to see some of the local area and eat out at some local restaurants. Tula Vida is located next to the stunning Lake Arenal in the shadow of the Arenal volcano.
You will have the opportunity to go horse-riding with Sally, Eric and our friend and expert naturalist guide, Enrique Molina, to a private waterfall near the Arenal volcano. Stand in the shadow of a giant 500 year old Ceiba Tree, the inspiration behind the Avatar movie and (if you choose to) finish the day at paradise natural hot springs where you can soak your body and relax in the warm, healing waters.
What Will This Retreat REALLY Be Like?
Each day you will experience uniquely designed activities with the horses on the ground, as well as sand play work, nature, mindfulness and movement activities, and outside excursions. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be at Tula Vida or at a local restaurant. There will be a mixture of group and individual exercises, with processing and down-time in restorative nature, together with healing massage and other experiences aimed at settling the mind, body and spirit.
The vibrant colours and sounds of the rainforest as the sun rises and sets, and the clean, fresh oxygen and water, all support your body to get back in tune with its natural rhythm and find balance at a deep level.
Allow yourself to receive (rather than always giving), to be nurtured and to self-nurture, to process, heal and restore your energy for life.
Who is it for?
Anyone who wants to re-find their own balance, or is experiencing burn-out or so-called compassion fatigue, in particular:
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Healing arts professionals (this retreat qualifies for Continuing Education points in the state of New Jersey), or
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Anyone who supports the needs of others in their work or their life.
No prior horse experience is necessary – all levels are welcome. Tula Vida horse activities will be mainly on the ground.
What is so exciting about this experience?
You will learn and practice calming your nervous system to restore your own balance and energy to handle whatever is ahead and flourish in uncertain times.
In addition to the incredible wisdom the horses have to offer, Gretchen Morgan will bring her years of clinical expertise in Sand Play Therapy and her recent experiences with mental health and COVID-19 to allow a deep foray into recovering and moving forwards in our new world.
AND you get Continuing Education credits!!
THE (NOT SO)
SMALL PRINT
Continuing Education Credits - NBCC Approved
This course, Heal the Healers Using Equine Facilitated Sand Play Therapy to Identify, Treat and Prevent Burn-Out, Approval #180608-425R, provided by Lighthouse Counseling & Sand Play Training Center LLC is approved for continuing education by the New Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative, which is administered by NASW-NJ, CE Approval Collaborative Approval Period: June 1, 2020 through August 31, 2022. New Jersey social workers will receive 36 Clinical & Social/Cultural Competence CE credits for participating in this course. This course is also approved for 36 Continuing Education Credits through NBCC, ACEP #6253.
Cancellation Policy and Insurance
Cancellations more than 60 days before the start of retreat will receive a refund less a 20% processing fee. Cancellations 60 days or less before the start of retreat will not receive a refund. A deposit is required to secure your place. Payment in full is required 60 days before the event.
Travel insurance is required to attend all workshops and retreats. Travel insurance should cover changes in plans and emergency medical care and evacuation. Retreat organisers will not be liable for any injuries or illness.
Medical or Mobility Questions
We will do our best to accommodate all ADA or accommodation requests. However, participants should know that the retreat is located in a jungle in the northern part of Costa Rica. Please inform retreat organisers of any medical issues which may affect your participation in the retreat so that necessary adjustments can be made where possible. If you have medical/mobility concerns, please contact Sally to discuss modifications.
COVID-19 tests
We have at-home testing kits which everyone will take upon arrival to reduce any concerns of transmission (although most people may already be vaccinated in any event). If tests are required to re-enter your home country, there are many testing facilities nearby (including at the airport) and we can help you arrange this.
For other questions, terms & conditions see Frequently Asked Questions in our FAQs
Explore our other options...
There are different options here at Tula Vida, tailored to suit your needs. We offer individual, group and family experiences with the horses. Perhaps you are looking to design your own experience, or would love an internship...we can help with that too. Take a look at the options below, and if you don't see what you are looking for just get in touch.
