Tag Archive for: body-mind-spirit healing

Deep Emotional Healing Retreats 2023

/in /by

.

Excavate and express your radiant Authentic Self …

the person God meant you to be.

.

Two days: April 22-23, 2023. Deadline: March 23

or

Two days: October 7-8, 2023. Deadline: September 7

 

Young Harris, Georgia overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Maximum of 6 participants. Register early to ensure your seat.

.

Many clients attend multiple retreats because they are all different. The retreats evolve organically based on the participants’ goals.

 

Unresolved emotional wounds decrease our ability to create fulfilling relationships and a meaningful career. They contribute to stress, dis-ease, anxiety and depression. But the good news is, you can heal.

Who Should Attend?

Adults over 21. Singles and couples are welcome..

Why Attend this Retreat?

Relationship issues: Do you get emotionally triggered when you have conflicts and it takes a long time to recover? Wish your relationships were more fulfilling? Do you find yourself repeating unwanted patterns?

Spirituality: Do you get thrown off-center when things don’t go your way? Do you want to feel whole all the time, no matter what people do?

Mindset and Mood: Do limiting thoughts and “monkey-mind chatter” generate anxiety or depression? Do you procrastinate, hoping conflicts will just go away?

Health: Do you experience physical illness or pain? Do you suspect that unhealed emotional wounds may be a contributing factor?

Career: Do you want to create a meaningful career where you can be your Authentic Self? Do you sense the creative reservoir within, but you don’t fully express your gifts in the world?

Work-Life Balance: Do you find yourself being so busy that you have trouble finding enough time for your loved ones and down-time for yourself?

If you answered “yes” to many of these questions, I want you to know that you don’t have to continue to suffer. This retreat can help you make deep core changes … more than you think is possible in one weekend.

Retreat venue. Photo credit: Benita A Esposito

Retreat venue. Photo credit: Benita A Esposito

“I just wanted to thank you again for hosting such a wonderful and inspirational weekend retreat. I continued to ride the wave all the way home! As I reflected on one of the weekend’s more intense moments I found myself crying tears of despair, but they were instantaneously transformed into tears of joy as I instinctively felt comfort from the Divine. Thanks to your guidance, I now know how to access the healing, the answers, the wisdom and the love.” ~B.M., Computer Programmer

This retreat will help you …

Raise your relationships, career, health and spirituality to a whole new level of fulfillment.

Receive insights so compelling that you naturally flow into effective action instead of getting bogged down in self-defeating patterns.

Experience rigorous yet gentle leadership so you stop procrastinating and effectively reach your goals.

Allow God’s love to heal you and release wave after wave of creativity. Bask in the sweetness of spiritual intimacy, drawing ever closer to God. Enjoy accelerated healing in the beauty of our mountain lake.

  1. You’ll transform life patterns that no longer serve you.
  2. You’ll heal emotional wounds so you can create what is most meaningful in your life.
  3. You’ll be better equipped to create flourishing relationships.
  4. You’ll connect with your Authentic Self and God so you can feel whole all the time.
  5. You’ll develop self-compassion so you accept yourself right where you are, flaws and all.
  6. You’ll learn skills to reduce physical and emotional pain. Your body will feel safer to unwind and relax. You’ll heal faster.
  7. You’ll experience the sweetness of spiritual intimacy and unconditional love in a group of like-hearted companions. Feeling safe helps you open up.

Last night while soaking in the hot tub, I had a mental slideshow of past retreats and how transformative they’ve been for me.  For many years there’s been a deep ache inside of me because my father didn’t affirm me. This unresolved pain caused great difficulty with my romantic relationships. During the breathwork session while I was in a dreamy state, I appeared as a radiant bride and my Dad finally gave me the adoration I have wanted all my life. Now six months later, I still feel the love that was planted in me during that retreat. What a priceless journey, worth more than gold!  – T.H, Entrepreneur

What Makes This Retreat So Powerful?

This retreat is a safe place for you to dive deep into emotional healing so you can experience major transformation in a compressed time.

Private counseling sessions of 50 minutes don’t allow for this kind of deep healing. You have an entire weekend to heal layer after layer. Your Authentic Self will shine so much more brightly.

You will benefit from my four decades of professional counseling expertise, but the most powerful healer is the Holy Spirit.

This retreat is custom-tailored to the small group of 4-6 participants.

–>If you’d like to see if this retreat is a good fit for you, please complete the Contact Form for a complimentary 10-minute get-acquainted phone chat. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

“As we closed the retreat, I felt probably for the first time in my life, a deep grief that I would be leaving a group of people that meant so much to me. It’s rare for me to have a deep desire to continue to be a part of new people’s lives, and have them be a part of mine. My path in life has been a solitary one, and I mostly liked it that way, but at the same time I felt lonely, isolated, and different. I never before realized how much I wanted to share myself with others, and to share their path and their experience.” E.W., Software Development Consultant

Retreat Activities

You will complete a questionnaire two to three weeks before the retreat telling me exactly what you want to experience in this retreat. I will design processes to meet your specific needs. The agenda remains fluid throughout the retreat so that everyone’s goals are met. Every retreat is different. Some people attend retreats for several years, deepening their growth and renewing friendships with other participants.

There will be several types of experiential learning formats that facilitate deep transformation.

(1) I will coach one person while the group learns vicariously. Group members learn more than they ever thought possible by observing someone else being coached. We have Q&A sessions so you understand everything as you go along.

(2) Several people with similar issues will participate in a transformational process simultaneously.

(3) Short lectures, written exercises, hand-outs, movement to music, mindfulness, deep breathing, relaxation, body-awareness activities, and didactic conversations.

(4) We do Breathwork when we meet in person. We will have at least one long Breathwork session. Breathwork is my most effective tool for generating deep spiritual-psychological-emotional-physical transformation.

***Read all these pages before you apply for the retreat if we meet in person.  Breathwork is an intense transformational process. That’s why it is important that you read all the following posts before inquiring about the retreat.

Read this description of Breathwork.

Read these client stories on Breathwork.

Read this Breathwork Q&A discussion.

Click to read FAQs – What is it like to attend a Deep Emotional Healing Retreat?

TallulahGorgeFalls BEsposito

Tallulah Gorge by Benita Esposito

 

“I had never really even entertained the idea of doing a retreat. Scared me to death. This time I had some help coaxing me to go, but I knew I would do it anyway. Once my spirit decided it was the place to be, then it was so powerful that I had to surrender. So far it’s been one life changing experience after another. Right now I am flying. I mean high! I feel like running up this path barefooted if I have to. What an amazing life I have!” – V.S., Psychotherapist

Agenda: Saturday and Sunday

Group 9:30am – 11:30pm

Break  11:30 – 12:30pm

Group  12:30 – 2:30pm

Break 2:30 – 3:30pm

Group 3:30 – 5:30pm

Please be flexible on the ending times to accommodate the needs of the group.

This semi-private retreat consists of 4-6 people. If we have 4 people, we may meet five hours on Sunday, instead of six hours.

Prerequisites

Three private sessions for new clients must be completed at least one month before the retreat. Please apply now to get started with your private sessions if you are a new client. Complete the Contact Page for a complimentary10-minute get-acquainted phone chat to see if we are a good fit.

“My cheek muscles have been sore since I returned from the retreat. Could this be from smiling so much that it hurts? I have to say, when I left the retreat I had some good gut wrenching cries of loss and now I do believe that joy is here! I am walking around singing, laughing, and just having fun with myself.  I want to spread this around to everyone.”- M.F., Technical Trainer

a-teaching-authentic-self-wordlist-be2016

Photo Benita A Esposito

Facilitator: Benita A. Esposito, MA, LPC, LCMHC

Benita is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Christian spiritual counselor with four decades experience. She respects all spiritual paths that advocate love and respect for life.

Benita’s Bio

Want a preview of my work?

Click here to watch my book video: The Gifted Highly Sensitive Introvert: Wisdom for Emotional Healing and Expressing Your Radiant Authentic Self.

 

“By working with Benita Esposito over the last eight years in one-on-one and in group settings, I have deeply explored the outer reaches of consciousness, and the inner depths of my body-mind-soul-emotions. Via strong empathetic connection with me, Benita has intuitively guided me and coached me through issues so I can create healthy personal and business relationships. I benefit most from group retreats where there is a mixture of people’s energies. The extended time to work on things is crucial to digging deep and making major changes, while the beautiful Nature settings give me the soothing arena I need to process the experiences. Jump at the chance to be involved in a retreat as often as possible – that is my recommendation. If a retreat doesn’t suit you, choose another format. It is an honor and a privilege to have Benita as the co-creator of my true destiny and journey towards my Authentic Self.”  ~ L.S., Software Engineer

 

Tuition for two days: $640.00.

Registration deadline:  one month prior to each retreat

Space is limited to 6 people. Register now to save your seat.  

Contact me for payment instructions.

..

List of hotels and restaurants

When we meet in person (not during the pandemic), you will want to reserve your lodging early. Space fills up quickly for the Fall leaf season in the mountains at the end of October and beginning of November.

 

Photo credit: Benita Esposito

Refund Policy

All refund requests must be made via email. Complete the contact form.
• 30 or more days before the retreat, there will be a full refund minus a $50 processing fee.
• No refunds 0 – 29 days before the retreat, but you may apply your fee to private sessions or another retreat within 1 year, minus a $50 fee.

 

Facilitator’s Cancellation Policy

If an event must be cancelled due to unforeseen events (such as the weather or illness of the facilitator) the event will be rescheduled. Every attempt will be made to accommodate a new date that will suit your needs. If that is not possible, you may apply your tuition to another event of your choice within one year or apply your fee to private sessions.

“When you polish your facet of the diamond, the whole diamond glows more brilliantly.” ~ Benita A. Esposito, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor

Share

Breathwork Story: How Elaine’s Eating Disorder Was Healed

/in , /by

I’m posting Elaine’s evaluation from our weekend retreat, “Your Authentic Life”, on April 2013 where we did two Breathwork sessions. When Elaine did her inner child healing, it yielded a surprising unexpected result. Her 20-year eating disorder was healed. Elaine gave me permission to publish her evaluation form. Read more

Share

“Your Authentic Self Retreat” FAQs

/in /by

The following dialogue will give you a glimpse of typical concerns people experience as they decide to attend a Retreat.  I refer to myself as ‘BE’ in the dialogue. These photographs are pictures from our Labor Day retreat at the Florida panhandle.

Click here to view the complete Retreat schedule.

Client: What will happen at the retreat?

BE: Every retreat is different because they evolve organically based on the needs of the participants. You begin by completing a questionnaire to help you define your goals. Instead of expecting me to lead you through a specific set of exercises, you are an active co-creator along with the other participants.  We stay focused on excavating Your Authentic Self, and transforming patterns  that have prevented you from living a truly fulfilling life. You’ll learn tools to successfully attain your goals. You will define your core values, your uniqueness, and draw a picture of the life that would be most fulfilling for you. As you proceed toward creating the life of your dreams, it’s natural for fears and doubts to arise. You’ll learn how to eliminate resistance so you continually move to a higher level of excellence … who God made you to be … Your Authentic Self.

This is a retreat where deep emotional processing is done. There’s nothing superficial about it. Think of the word “deep,” deeper than you’ve ever gone. That’s where we’re going. We also have lots of fun and there’s plenty of lightness. We have time to meditate and take naps and rejuvenate. We have time to play. Think of the words “inner peace.”  Think of the words “balance and healthy living.”  I support you to do that at the retreat so you can implement it in your daily schedule when you return home.

Client: I’m nervous. I’ve never done anything like this before.

BE: That’s normal.  I’ve done tons of retreats, and sometimes I still get nervous.  When we move out of our known reality, our ego gets scared. It doesn’t want to let go of its comfort zone. That’s understandable. But our spirit, our Authentic Self, calls us forward. One time I attended a 5-day retreat and I was so nervous I had diarrhea the day before and the whole first day of the retreat. I told one of the support staff and she said, “Oh, we’ve all had that. You learn how to deal with it and continue to participate.” I found the bathrooms quickly. In our retreat, it’s important to bring with you whatever feelings you have. There’s no judgement. That’s one of  rules of the retreat. It’s OK to feel how you feel and still show up and be real.

Client: I’ve been this way for so long. I always try to make people happy. If they are not happy, I’m not happy. I’m afraid to be my Authentic Self.

BE:  I accept you where you are. I will support you to understand the pattern fully so you can change it. I’ll support you to develop your self-esteem. I’ll be a catalyst for you to develop the courage and take the risks to fully show up as your Authentic Self, not the mask you’ve grown to believe is the real you.

Client: I wonder, “Who am I really behind all this programming?”

BE: You are growing and you have come a long way. One of the major issues I dealt with when I was doing heavy-duty transformational work was comparing myself to others, or comparing myself to an ideal standard that I should be functioning at. I came to realize that the act of comparing myself  created painful suffering over and over again. I didn’t love myself very much, although I thought I did. I wasn’t good at self-forgiveness. This is an example of an issue that might come up at the retreat.

Client: I’m concerned my spouse won’t want me to attend the retreat. He will say that what I need isn’t important.

BE: Ask yourself these questions. Do you deserve a safe place to heal? Do you deserve to be with like-minded people? How important is it to uncover and express your Authentic Self? Are you worth it? This is a self-esteem issue.

Client:  This retreat is something I need to do for myself. I will say to him, “I know you may not agree with it. I’ve already got time off work. I hope you can understand.’”  Then he’ll ask about the money for the retreat, and I’ll say “I’ve got it covered.”

BE: Great answer.

Client: I don’t know if I’ll like my Authentic Self.

BE: Your programmed self, or your ego we could call it, may feel awkward and scared, like a fish flopping around on the shore. Ask this: “Who is the ‘I’ who won’t like my Authentic Self?  Who have I identified with? What is my programming for survival?” That is not the real you.  I suggest you do this exercise with every challenge you come upon.  Ask yourself “What would a woman say or do who has high self-esteem? Begin each morning with this contemplation. How does God see me? What does God want to do?

Client: Do you have any ground rules?

Photo by Benita A. Esposito

BE: Yes, I do.  These guidelines promote maximum growth ad healing for everyone.

  • Speak for yourself. Keep it personal and specific. This creates maximum connection with yourself and emotional intimacy with the group.
  • Confidentiality.
  • Take responsibility for yourself, your feelings, your thoughts, and your desires and communicate them.
  • Check out your interpretations about others. You might be right or wrong. Listen to what they say.
  • No withholds. Withholds dampen your ability to be fully present with yourself and the group. Be transparent. Express your needs.
  • Handle conflicts as they arise. I will support you to practice healthy communication and conflict management skills.
  • Explore what is needed for you to develop trust in yourself and with others.
  • Don’t project onto others, or when you do, look at it and learn from it. I’ll help you with this. When you get emotionally triggered by someone else, it often means that you have unresolved issues. This is a great opportunity to dive deeper and heal.
  • Give me the reader’s digest version. Get to the heart of what you want to say. Remember, we want to go deep, not stay on the surface.
  • Be on time for the beginning of group sessions. I’m pretty strict about this. Allow flexibility on the ending time to accommodate the needs of the group.
  • You are in charge of taking care of yourself and asking for what you need. For example, if you need to go lie down and rest, do so. If you can lie down while the group activities are taking place, you can still be present and participate in a milder way. There will be a long break in the afternoon.
  • If you don’t want to participate in an exercise, don’t. Tell me where you will be. We will agree when you will return to the group. I want to make sure you are safe emotionally and physically.
  • Observe your behavior patterns in the retreat. The retreat is a microcosm of your macrocosm. It’s your life wherever you go. We are all adults and we all agree to be responsible for our own feelings. We can usually resolve conflicts with win-win solutions. Try it. I know you’ll like it.

    Photo by Erica Wieland

  • Speak from your heart, not just your head. Your head is important; we want it fully engaged. We also want you fully present in your body and spirit. We’ll be doing a lot of body-based work. Your body is sacred.
  • Listen. Be open to my coaching. Be open to other’s feedback. Receive. I will dive as deep as you are willing to go. I will match your commitment level. You get to choose. The more you ask, the more you will receive.
  • Don’t give unsolicited advice. Talk about your own experience that arises in the face of another’s discomfort. Stop care-taking others in unhealthy ways. The retreat is a really good place to practice.
  • If you don’t want to be coached at any given moment, say so. I’ll back off.  Be direct and clear. I will respect your wishes.
  • Eat healthy. Drink lots of pure water. Rest. Go to bed when you need to.
  • Be kind to yourself and kind to others while being honest and transparent. Intend to develop enough trust in the group so everyone feels safe to reveal themselves, warts and all.  I’ll help you learn how to do this.
  • Stay focused these questions: “Who am I really in my Authentic Self? What’s my divine blueprint? Am I living it? What would be my most truly fulfilling life? How much am I willing to commit to creating it? How do I stop myself? What do I need to learn about myself?” Asking the questions will catapult you in the direction of wisdom, vitality and creativity. The more you use a precise laser beam focus, the more you will accomplish. Having said that, don’t be attached to how you will get there. Some of your ways may be limiting. Trust me to guide you please. I will be listening to your Authentic Self and to God. I will design exercises for you to access your Authentic Self and develop a deeper relationship with God, your source of well-being.
  • Remember, I love you and so does God. We practice grace.

Panama City Beach. Photo by Benita A. Esposito

These are only some of the issues that participants face as they decide to enter a retreat. Questions are normal and I am happy to address them.

I am like an orchestra leader, helping each person play their instrument well and weaving it together with the entire group so the concerto can be played beautifully.  The concerto, in this case, is your life and how you interact with the group at the retreat.

As more and more of us do this kind of healing transformational work, we uplift our families, our communities and our world.

The Retreat Invitation

If you would like to speak with me about the possibility of attending our next retreat, please click the Contact Page. Tell me 3 good times for you to talk. Please leave your name, phone number and email address. This is a complementary phone interview to determine if this retreat is a good match for you. If it isn’t, I’ll do my best to recommend other supportive formats for you.

Pre-requisites: You must have a minimum of three private sessions before attending this retreat so it is important to contact me ASAP.

To see the Retreat schedule, click here.

Contact Information

Facilitator: Benita A. Esposito, MA

Licensed Professional Counselor

The Esposito Institute, Inc.

 

Click here to contact Benita to inquire about private sessions or retreats.

Psychotherapy Website: www.Flourishing-Lives.com

Life Coaching and Spiritual Counseling: www.SensitiveIntrovert.com

Specialties: Couples counseling, personal development, divorce, emotional roots of disease, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, grief, and success skills. Combining intuition and evidence-based practices, Benita gets to the bottom line quickly to help clients create flourishing personal and professional lives. Psychotherapy is available in-person in Blairsville, Georiga. Life coaching and spiritual counseling for high achievers is available worldwide via telephone and videoconference. In this retreat, Benita functions as an ordained minister with AIWP, applying hands-on-healing as appropriate and invited.

Share

My Body and I are Sacred.

/in , /by

Erica’s Reflections after our “Awakening the Authentic Self Retreat.”

It’s the day after our retreat, and I just got a massage this morning in Asheville, NC. My body was tired and sore from the weekend, and I wanted to take care of it. As I lay there on the table, I became aware of how much I have hated and hurt my body. Read more

Share

Healing the Heart: Emily’s Story

/in /by

Research published by the American Medical Association indicates 90% of all disease is stress-related. The mind, body, emotions and spirit intricately affect each other. When we heal the emotional or spiritual root of dis-ease, pain and other physical symptoms can ease up, and sometimes they vanish completely.   Read more

Share