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.