IFS Healing and Connecting Retreats
All 2026 and 2027 options here for booking
Therapy Northwest offer 3 day retreats. They are particularly suited to individuals with some experience of IFS (although this isn’t necessary as an introductory workshop is included in the retreat price). Participants are often but not always therapists, practitioners, psychologists or similar. Everyone is there for their own personal therapeutic work. The retreats offer a healing space for all parts of you. These are spaces for healing trauma in its broadest sense.
Each offer an intensive yet gentle programme, combining Internal Family Systems Therapy, somatic work and ritual work with holistic approaches to healing trauma and providing missing experiences. They are a true mind, body, spirit experience.
Retreats are offered within beautiful surroundings in the UK. Non residential retreats will have accommodation options within walking distance should they be needed. Residential retreats offer you a private room within shared accommodation with your small group in stunning countryside. If you live locally and do not require accommodation please contact us to reduce the cost.
There is a maximum of 14 individuals per retreat to provide a high ratio of therapists and offering a balance of group and small group internal exploration and guidance.
- A retreat where all parts of you are welcome
- Opportunities to explore and map your internal system
- Body focused practices to access safety, connection and self compassion.
- Deeper inner work held by the compassion and safety of the facilitators and broader group each day
- Exploration and healing of experiences of shame
- Deepen your understanding of patterns that show up in your internal and external life which are barriers to a life more fulfilling and joyful.
- Multiple opportunities to practice ways to anchor the body into safety with a range of therapy modalities.
- Leave the retreat with many practices to continue to use in your daily life
- Opportunities to work with early experiences of trauma
- Pre retreat consultation if this is indicated.
- Optional follow up consultation for further integration
- Some retreats incorporate a greater emphasis on spiritual connection
These retreats will be led by Dr Zandra Bamford, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Approved IFS Consultant & Certified IFS Therapist with many years experience working with trauma within a deeply compassionate and holistic approach, and supported by other Psychologists, IFS approved consultants or/and therapists. We provide sessions for full mind, body, spirit and ensure the time is both healing and gently paced. .
HEALing THE MOTHER WOUNDs: An IFS and Somatic Retreat for profound Healing
A retreat for those who carry unresolved pain, guilt, or longing from your relationship with your mother. Many, but not all, participants are psychologists, practitioners or therapists.
A space to break generational patterns and reclaim your inner peace and connection.
Our bodies remember the echos of the women who came before us even though our minds may not. Healing the mother wound requires deeper somatic and spiritual work held in love and presence.
Join us for a transformative 3-day retreat designed to gently uncover and heal the mother wounds using powerful practices from IFS therapy and Somatic therapies,
What to Expect:
- Guidance to connect with parts carrying grief, anger, aloneness or abandonment
- Somatic healing large and small group work to safely release stored emotional pain
- optional 1:1 internal family systems therapy
- Internal and external healing through relationship with Self and our community
- Exploring and healing legacy and burdens down the maternal ancestral line
- Work with cultural burdens of daughters and mothers
- 3 nights accommodation in a retreat center (accommodation is optional, please contact if you do not require this)
- Highly nutritional food created for our work by our own chef
In a safe, nurturing environment, you’ll be supported in meeting the parts of you that felt unseen, unworthy, or unloved. With great gentleness we will be working with the primitive agony of parts that hold this wounding.
Who This Is For:
- Adults struggling with perfectionism, striving, people-pleasing, or shame rooted in early maternal dynamics
- Those looking to deepen their self-compassion and emotional freedom
- Very early experiences of trauma
- Anyone committed to breaking cycles for future generations
- Individuals with feelings of deep aloneness and / or distancing in relationships
Healing the mother wound is a profound act of courage and love.
It is a journey that winds from the depths of one’s own childhood pain to the far reaches of the ancestral lineage and wider culture.
Led by Zandra, an IFS Approved Clinical Consultant Psychologist with over 20 years experience in working with relational trauma. Supported by other IFS Approved Clinical Consultants, sound healers and shamanic practitioners.
Healing and connecting ifs therapy RETREAT
The time will be held within the Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) model and blended with body practices informed by neuroscience to release Self energy, inner and outer resourcing for your personal healing and therapy. Somatic work will be offered alongside IFS in action within a connected and safe group space.
A healthy, nutritious lunch and refreshments throughout the days are provided. Overnight accommodation is optional, you can contact us if you do need require this.
You can sign up to receive information about future retreats as they are released on our contact page.
RETREAT TESTIMONIALS
“The IFS Retreat was a wonderfully enriching experience for me and allowed attention to my personal needs. I felt that genuine healing occurred at the level of mind, body and spirit and opened the door to deeper understanding of myself and a clearer vision for my life. The space and group experience felt very safe and I really enjoyed spending time with like-minded others. It was joyous and fun with lots of laughter, as well as being emotionally impactful. I would highly recommend to all.”
Mel.
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“Despite not knowing quite what to expect, this retreat exceeded all of my hopes and wishes. Everything from the venue, the facilitators, the group, to the food were all second to none and contributed to what was an incredibly powerful, connecting and healing experience. I cannot recommend Zandra, Maria and the Rewilding space enough“
Adele.
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“This was a relaxing and life enhancing retreat skilfully and gently facilitated by the staff”
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“I left the retreat with a general sense that all was well with the world; that at the heart of it, there is something deep that connects us all that is fundamentally healing. It felt thoroughly therapeutic. The facilitators created the most calming, safe, playful, open and authentic context for the group to flourish. I was blown away by the healing power of IFS and feel so grateful to have experienced this gorgeous retreat.”
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“The food was exquisite, the location was wholesome and surrounded by wild and beautiful nature. On top of immersion in IFS, we had the opportunity to experience other healing and body-based therapies (craniosacral therapy, a sound bath, restorative yoga, and a range of exercises aimed at toning the vagus nerve). The facilitators had planned a programme for the mind, body and soul and gently adjusted the plans based on the ebb and flow of how the group naturally developed and what it needed at each stage. I felt genuinely nurtured. All my parts are so grateful for the beautiful Self-energy generated by this experience. Thank you!“
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“I’m fairly new to IFS but feel such a strong connection with it, so when the opportunity to attend this retreat came to me, I instantly had to book on. There were some anxious and petrified parts – they soon felt at ease when they were welcomed, along with all my parts to the retreat.”
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The location was perfect and the timetable felt a great balance of IFS practise as well as other therapeutic practises that complemented each other nicely. There was plenty of time for self reflection and time to connect with nature and the others on the retreat. The food was just amazing too!
I could have stayed there longer and feel that the more familiar I get with IFS and the practise, the more I will get from attending these retreats. I will certainly be looking forward to book onto more and maybe next time for a longer period!!
Thank you Zandra, Maria, and all the other practitioners as well as all those who attended the retreat too, in creating such a safe and nurturing place for me to explore my internal family system more“
Jenny
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When I signed up for the retreat I didn’t really know what I was expecting but the whole experience truly exceeded any expectations I was holding on to. The experience I had over the 4 days is something I will hold on for many years to come, maybe even forever. Such a welcoming and holding space. As a group I feel that we all felt able to be authentic and vulnerable, all our parts were truly welcome. Zandra and Maria’s facilitation was so gentle, respectful and nurturing. I think I need this in my life at least once a year!!!
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This retreat was everything I needed and more. The location was stunning and was therapeutic in and of itself. The facilitators are the loveliest people you could meet. Their warmth and compassion was present throughout and we all felt safe and contained. The 3 days were a fabulous mixture of body and IFS focused activities. I have learned a lot about my need to explore my own parts further. I enjoyed everyone’s company and learned so much from everyone’s experiences. I didn’t want to leave and would love to return another year, if that’s possible.
Thank you so much for offering such a wonderful opportunity.
Sarah
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“The retreat was very enjoyable and nourishing on many different levels. Zandra created a safe, loving and nurturing space and I would definitely book up again”.
Kathy.
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Thank you for a wonderfully restorative and nourishing experience. The location was stunning, and the facilitators created a safe, containing space for some genuinely transformative exploration of self. I came away professionally and personally inspired. Thank you.
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So gentle, welcoming and nurturing. As someone who tends to find it hard to be vulnerable I felt truly held.
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The retreat was an extremely special experience -which felt incredibly nurturing and safe. Extremely generous and skilled facilitators who provided just the right balance of ‘work’ and ‘play’.
Yvonne.
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Well planned and paced retreat with a great combination of wide ranging and lovely embodied and reflective practices and time for connection with others and with self. Held beautifully by Zandra and other supportive therapists. I felt nourished and nurtured and most importantly for me, safe – to do some deep dive work as well as have fun! A heartfelt thank you!
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Clinical Psychology Services 