Deepening Self Compassion & Befriending your Nervous System
April 8th (5pm) to 13th (3pm) 2025
Spring workshop in Devon
Have you glimpsed the potential of NVC, but are forgetting or finding it hard to use in everyday life? Or have you been practising NVC for a while, but still wish you were more in your heart and less in your head? Are you daunted, trying to do things differently in a world that seems harsh and exhausting? Do you spend a lot of time online or alone, and are longing for community, whilst perhaps being a bit wary of it?
These 5 days offer a supportive space to learn and practise NVC, in an embodied way, in good company, whilst having fun, with time to relax and restore in nature.
It is an invitation to grow your confidence and competence in NVC and leave with greater capacity to meet whatever life throws at you with courage and love - including tough-love. You may end up more ok with yourself, more real, or readier to make changes at home or at work that feel aligned with who you are.
“The retreat provided an intense experience of living empathically within NVC. I learnt a lot but also experienced tremendous love and compassion from the leaders and the whole group. The combination of NVC practice and theory, along with the dancing, provided an amazing workout for mind, body and spirit and I left feeling renewed and inspired.”
What to expect
A group of about 12 people spending the mornings practising NVC. We will work with reflective and communicative exercises and NVC kinaesthetic ‘dance floors’ (as developed by Gina Lawrie and Bridget Belgrave).
There’ll be a dance session each afternoon where you get to embody different aspects of NVC through movement. If you’ve never tried ‘conscious dance’ before you are especially welcome. No experience is necessary – you cannot do it wrong! And all ages, body shapes, abilities and fitness levels are welcome.
You’ll have the option to meet daily in small groups for an empathy exchange (a chance to be heard without judgment for anything at all and to practise listening to others with empathy), dyad enquiry (exploring needs) or further practice of your choice.
To keep costs down and NVC practice up, we’ll be cooking meals for ourselves :-) Menus and ingredients will be provided and you’ll be asked to cook a couple of simple vegetarian meals, alongside a couple of others, with the support and ‘supervision’ of an assistant.
There’ll be plenty of time between sessions when you’re not cooking to rest or walk in the beautiful surrounding countryside. We will have places where you can enjoy silence to support self-connection.
There’s also the option of a sauna and outdoor fire.
You may need or want to stay in Totnes on your way to / from this event. Totnes is an interesting little town to explore and Blackpool Sands beach is 12 miles away, about 30 minute’s drive. Please arrange any visits to friends, the sea or the local area before or after, not during, the workshop, as it’s a full programme. Here’s a link to the Totnes Tourist Information Office to find out what you can do and see there and where to stay: https://visittotnes.co.uk/
Eden Rise Retreat Centre
“Happiness cannot be found
Through great effort and willpower,
But is already present, in open relaxation
and letting go.”
Theme: Deepening Self Compassion & Befriending Our Nervous System
Most of us aren’t living a life of deep self compassion. This retreat is an invitation to welcome and release whatever you may be reacting to, striving for, or resisting, to the extent that is possible for you.
Do you lose your cool and react in ways that upset yourself and others?
Do you withdraw in certain relationships when really you want to come closer?
Are you hard on yourself in some way and wish you experienced joy more often?
Perhaps you sabotage your well-being by engaging in behaviours that don’t meet your needs, such as being endlessly busy or not taking action to do what you actually want to do?
During this workshop you will explore
bringing presence, warmth and compassion to your reactive states: fight, flight, freeze, fawn, flock
understanding how the nervous system works through the lens of Polyvagal Theory
building your capacity to feel intensity and subtlety, of emotion and physiological state
resourcing yourself to rebalance when activated and be resilient in the face of life’s very real challenges
finding appreciation and gratitude in everyday experiences
“Cath created a safe and accepting environment that enabled me to be much more aware of my needs as they arose. I have noticed that I have been more aware of my feelings following the course, and am more consistently expressing my needs as they come up through the day.”
“Embodying NVC has made me feel like it’s more a part of me and I have become so much more confident and comfortable using NVC in everyday connections with myself and others. ”
Who’s it for?
Some NVC Training is required. If you haven’t completed a 12 hour Level 1 Foundation Training or equivalent, please get in touch to discuss. People come with a wide variety of experience and support each other. No ‘conscious dance’ experience necessary. Every body is warmly welcome. Whatever your age, body shape or fitness level. Whatever your ethnic or class identity. Whatever your first language or nationality. However you identify in terms of gender and sexuality. And if you are impacted by mental health, neurodivergence or disability I am committed to exploring together how this event can be accessible and welcoming to you.
Board & accommodation
All food & drinks are provided. Participants will prepare and cook meals (see ‘what to expect’ above) which will be simple, vegetarian and mainly organic. We can cater for special diets but PLEASE inform us of your needs IN ADVANCE.
You’ll be sharing a room with 1, 2 or 3 others, or have your own private space in a partitioned dorm. There are a few single rooms, allocated on the basis of need. You can also sleep in your own camper van.
Location & travel
Eden Rise Retreat Venue, Sandwell Barns, Harberton, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 7L J
Train to Totnes
Short taxi ride (about £10/10 minutes) to Eden Rise. If you drive there’s parking space,but limited, so lift-sharing is encouraged. A month before the start date you’ll receive an email with contact details of those offering a lift.
“Cath planned and delivered the sessions in such a way that the group gelled quickly, felt safe and enabled to go deeply into the learning. The structure and content was balanced with beauty, delicious food, laughter, and singing. A real retreat from the busyness of life, and a complete refresh of my nervous system.”
Cost
Payment for this event is in 2 parts:
a) Fixed cost: £300 to be paid in advance as confirmation of your booking. The fixed cost covers the basic expenses of running the workshop including accommodation, food, drinks, printing, basic expenses for Cath & one assistant. If it’s easier for you, please pay a £150 deposit to secure your place, and the remainder one month in advance of the start date. If you sleep in your own camper van the fixed cost is £235.
b) Sliding scale contribution: £200 - £600 to be given at the end of the workshop. You choose within the sliding scale what you are willing and able to contribute to Cath for her facilitation and all the organisation that goes into putting on such an event.
About the sliding scale
I offer a sliding scale for what you give to me because I want to reduce the financial barriers to attending my events. I am also open to payment being made in instalments that work for you. The sliding scale also allows those who are financially abundant to contribute according to their means, thus supporting me to offer lower fees.
Bursary
If any amount beyond the £300 fixed cost puts this event out of reach for you, please get in touch. I am willing to waive the sliding scale contribution to me completely for 1 person. I will use a lottery system if more than 1 person applies and make the offer 6 weeks before the start date.
“I really enjoyed this nourishing alchemy of community, communication, learning, movement, and enquiry. I loved the opportunities to express myself more authentically, to practice relating with more care towards myself and others, and to orientate more towards ease and delight. ”
Cancellation policy
If you cancel then I am willing to refund you in full minus a £50 administration fee as long as I can get someone to take your place.
If I’m not able to replace you then the cancellation cost is the full amount you have paid (for board and accommodation). I am open to considering waiving this fee in exceptional and unforeseen circumstances.
In the unlikely event that I cancel then I’ll refund your course fees in full, but not any travel or accommodation costs that you have incurred.