From Overwhelm to Balance and Clarity
A restorative wellbeing retreat in North Wales for anyone feeling stressed, overwhelmed or ready to reconnect with themselves.
The Loreto Centre, Llandudno, 23–25 October 2026
When your mind has nowhere to rest…
Sometimes one problem takes over your thoughts.
Sometimes several significant challenges arrive at the same time.
Sometimes it isn't one big thing at all. It is the accumulation of countless small demands until there is nowhere for your mind to settle.
If that feels familiar, this retreat was created for you.
The Clarity Retreat offers the opportunity to pause, breathe, widen your awareness and gently rediscover clarity, balance and a renewed sense of direction.
Imagine leaving the weekend...
- sleeping more deeply
- thinking more clearly
- understanding yourself with greater compassion
- feeling calmer in your own body
- knowing your next step
Our approach
Rather than trying to 'fix' people, we create the conditions in which awareness, insight and lasting change can emerge naturally. Through reflection, conversation, therapeutic exercises, creativity, silence and time in nature, you'll be invited to discover new ways of relating to yourself and your life.
Book now with a £100 deposit
£350 early bird before 31/8/26; £375 after that.
What makes this retreat different?
Unlike many retreats, we don't ask you to become someone else. We help you understand yourself more deeply. Rather than offering a single method, we combine dreamwork, Transactional Analysis, EFT, reflective writing and therapeutic conversation so you discover what genuinely works for you.
You'll leave with greater clarity about yourself and a deeper sense that you don't have to carry everything alone
Awareness • Insight • Clarity
We begin with awareness: noticing what is happening in the present moment without judgement. From awareness comes insight. From insight comes greater freedom to respond differently.
Dreamwork, Transactional Analysis (TA), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and guided reflection are used not as ends in themselves, but as practical ways of helping hidden patterns become clearer.
Why insight matters
Most of us try to solve our lives by thinking harder.
But lasting change often begins somewhere quieter.
When we slow down, pay attention and become curious about our thoughts, emotions, dreams and relationships, new possibilities begin to emerge naturally.
This retreat isn't about giving you the answers.
It's about helping you discover your own way forward.
Reserve your place with a £100 deposit
£350 early bird before 31/8/26; £375 after that
The Setting
The Loreto Centre offers a peaceful, unpretentious base overlooking the North Wales coast. It is a ten-minute walk from the beach and around a 45-minute hike to the summit of the Great Orme. Its simplicity encourages attention to what matters most: slowing down, reconnecting and allowing space for new insight.
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Transport
The venue is a 5-minute drive from Llandudno Station or 15 minutes from Llandudno Junction. It's just over an hour's drive from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport.
What you'll leave with
Participants typically leave with:
- A deeper understanding of your own patterns
- Greater clarity about what matters most
- Practical ways of responding to stress and overwhelm
- Simple reflective practices to continue at home
- Greater self-compassion and emotional resilience
- A renewed sense of balance, possibility and direction
Not hyped.
Not overwhelmed.
Grounded. Steady. Resourced.
This Retreat Is For You If…
✔ You’re ready to stop pushing and start listening
✔ You sense there’s more to you than your current life allows
✔ You want depth without dogma
✔ You value safety, presence, and integration
✔ You’re willing to meet yourself honestly — and kindly
Book now with a £100 deposit
£350 early bird before 31/8/26 ; £375 after that
Your Presenters
Jo is a deeply experienced psychotherapist with over 30 years of practice, holding formal qualifications in counselling, psychotherapy, and supervision.
She has worked across both private practice and corporate environments, and is known for her emotionally intelligent, compassionate approach.
Jo’s work is shaped not only by her training, but also by her personal journey through profound grief and healing — experiences that deepened her understanding of what it truly means to come home to yourself.
As a BACP and UKCP-registered therapist, Jo ensures ethical, compassionate, and impactful support throughout your retreat journey.
She is the CEO of Jo Edwards Training Ltd and The Liverpool Empowerment Centre.
Dennis Richards is an NCPS-accredited and BACP-registered counsellor with over 25 years' experience helping people navigate change, recover from overwhelm and reconnect with what matters most. He teaches CBT to Level 5 counselling students and has led therapeutic retreats for over a decade.
Through his own experience of burnout and trauma recovery he developed Gestalt Writing—a simple awareness practice that helps people slow down, notice more clearly and widen their perspective. His work combines practical psychology with creativity, curiosity and compassion.
FAQs
Do I have to do anything I don't want to
No, although we're here to support you through any difficult emotions that come up, you're always in control. Take a time out for self-care whenever you need to.
What is projective dreamwork?
Dennis has been using projective dreamwork for 25 years. In a group setting one participant tells a recent dream. Other participants ask questions for clarification and when people are satisfied they have all the information they need, they begin to offer interpretations. In order to own their own projections onto the dream, they will usually begin their interpretation with, “If it were my dream…” Using this method Dennis has helped countless participants find insight and resolution of engrained patterns of thinking and behaving.
What is Emotional Freedom Technique?
EFT, often called tapping, is a simple, body-based technique that combines gentle tapping on acupressure points with mindful attention to thoughts, emotions, or body sensations.
It works with the nervous system to help calm stress responses and reduce the emotional charge around difficult experiences.
In this retreat, EFT is used in a soft, accessible way to:
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Reduce anxiety and emotional intensity
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Support regulation and grounding
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Create a sense of internal steadiness
You don’t need to believe in anything specific for EFT to be effective.
It’s practical, gentle, and adaptable to your own pace.
What is Transactional Analysis (TA)?
Transactional Analysis (TA) helps us understand the patterns we develop in relationships—with ourselves and with others. By recognising familiar ways of thinking, feeling and communicating, we can begin to make choices that are more conscious, compassionate and effective.
Not sure if this retreat is right for you? We're happy to arrange a relaxed, no-obligation conversation to answer your questions.
Testimonials
A journey I will never forget. We were truly spoilt during the weekend with incredible sessions and food, I felt totally relaxed and inspired. Personally, I was open to this new experience for myself, but I really didn’t expect the weekend to be as powerful as it was.
I went places with my past and thoughts I never expected, I feel really different, in a good way. My thoughts and future are extremely clear to me and I feel a lot more at peace with my past.
I would 100% recommend attending this retreat. If you’re open to change and a new experience I’m sure you will get out of it what did.
- Lloyd, 2023
I came to the retreat very open-minded. I found the whole experience very uplifting and very helpful and, after never doing anything like this before, I have learnt so much about myself and am leaving with a heavy heart after an amazing experience meeting Dennis and the other people on the retreat. Thank you for opening my mind and my heart. I’m now very keen to carry on the work. Darren, March 2024.
A fantastic retreat with Dennis in North Wales set in beautiful grounds. A truly uplifting and transformative weekend, warm welcome and great connections all round. Michelle, March 2024.
What an amazing experience! I came here feeling stressed and overwhelmed and I’m leaving feeling a lot more calm and at peace. I feel inspired and excited for my future. Hannah, March 2024.
As ever, Dennis provided a transformative experience leaving me feeling in touch and grounded. A safe port on the voyage of life. -Emily, March 2024.
I just attended Dennis's personal retreat in North Wales and it was amazing! I could not have asked for a more lovely group of people to spend a transformational weekend with. It was my first time attending anything like this and I felt so comfortable and welcomed. This weekend truly changed my life!
- Lauren, March 2024.
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