I've just returned from a two-week trip to Morocco, and I am now finally stepping back down to Earth. After meeting such strong, wonderful ladies and forming new friendships, I've returned feeling incredibly energised and encouraged. With all of my retreats, including the "divorce retreat," I try to get there a little early before the scheduled start date so I can prepare and get familiar with the surroundings. It's also useful to be available for anyone who wants to arrive a bit sooner on their own, exactly like Jane and Marcus, who have attended many of my retreats, Jane having attended them all.
Unfortunately, Marcus got sick just before the start of the retreat and was unable to attend. However, we've been in touch, and it seems like he's finally recovering. If Marcus is reading this, please know that you were greatly missed and that all the ladies feel like they already know you. The other ladies joined us on September 24 and were picked up via private transfer. All of us, including myself, can experience some anxiety on the first day of the retreat. Therefore, it’s important for the ladies to be picked up from the airport and to know they will be looked after the moment they arrive. After a 45-minute drive from the airport, we finally arrived at Elgoute, the beautiful Moroccan villa where everyone will begin their healing journey for the following seven days. Once I allocated everyone to their rooms, we all sat down for a beautiful Moroccan lunch in the glorious sunshine, where everyone got more acquainted and shared a little more about themselves.
The first day was more of a relaxing day so that everyone could rest a little after flying on a redeye flight. Unfortunately, Heather, our regular counsellor, was unable to make it out this time. As a result, we had another lady come over from Spain who scheduled the afternoon to assess everyone before the group sessions began the following day. The scheduled activities followed like this: yoga at 9 a.m., breakfast at 10 a.m., group therapy at 11 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., then free time to enjoy the villa and pool. The morning yoga sessions, group therapy, and free time to enjoy the pool were a perfect combination for relaxation and personal development. Towards the end of the afternoon, around 6 p.m., Catherine, our counsellor, would get the ladies together to perform a visualisation, which helps ease anxiety and boosts motivation. During the ladies' downtime, some would have a massage, swim, hammam, or a private one-to-one session with Catherine. After a few days into the retreat, I organised a trip into Marrakesh for the ladies to explore the souks and hone their negotiating skills. After some hard haggling and a pit stop for mint tea and hummus, we all came back with a few gifts. Later in the week, we planned a camel ride into the Agafay desert followed by lunch and a swim in a desert camp before returning back to the villa. Overall, the retreat was a huge success and a fantastic, memorable experience, I met some incredible ladies, and great friendships were formed. We've already made plans to meet up again and I've now booked some new dates to return and do it all over again. Our next retreat will be on 10-16 March 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco. If you are interested in joining us please sign up below.
