Weekend Suicide Loss Retreats
NEW Dates added
9th – 13th October 2026
21st – 25th April 2027
Herefordshire, England
A space to learn to love yourself again
If life feels unfamiliar and you’re no longer sure who you are within it, this retreat offers a place to surrender to what is.
Held in a calm and nurturing space, you’ll be invited to step away from the outside world and simply be – without pressure, without expectation. Through gentle resourcing practices, you’ll begin to reconnect with a sense of inner steadiness and support.
This Retreat May Be Right For You If…
- You’ve been carrying the weight of a sudden, traumatic loss and quietly question whether you’ll ever feel like yourself again.
- From the outside, you seem to be coping – but inside, grief still rises in waves, and some mornings feel heavy before the day has even begun.
- There are moments of flashbacks, guilt, or shame that you hold alone, unsure if they will ever ease.
- You find yourself exhausted from holding it together – at work, with friends, or around those who care but don’t truly understand.
- You long for the person you once were, while feeling uncertain about who you are now.
- There’s a sense of spiritual disconnection… yet a pull toward something deeper, something meaningful.
- You feel a desire to support others, to give back in some way – but you’re not sure how to begin when you’re still finding your own ground.
- More than anything, you need space – to rest, to slowly process, and to rediscover a sense of purpose.
Today you are waking to the stillness of the English countryside, surrounded by open fields and beautiful woodland… a place where nature itself begins to soothe you.
This is a space where you can begin to learn to cope with the weight you’ve been carrying. A space to be with what is, while slowly reconnecting with a sense of steadiness and peace within yourself.
With time to rest, reflect, and be guided with care, you may begin to feel a quiet shift within… and to sense the possibility of a different way forward.
One that unfolds one moment at a time with others who understand.
A grounded, integrative approach to traumatic grief that honours both the science of trauma and the sacredness of love and memory.
This Retreat May Not Be For You if…
- You don’t feel ready, at this time, to gently explore the emotional impact of your loss.
- The idea of being in a compassionate space where experiences may be shared feels too uncomfortable right now.
- You feel unsure about engaging in mind-body or holistic practices designed to support the nervous system.
- Letting your guard down, even a little, feels out of reach at the moment.
- Or you sense that you’re not quite ready to offer yourself the time, space, and care this experience invites.
These Retreats…
…are a gently held space to take supported steps toward steadiness, connection, and renewal.
During your time here, you will be invited to:
- Honour the life of your loved one, in a way that feels meaningful to you
- Acknowledge your own journey, with compassion and care and begin to love yourself again
- Begin creating space for moments of peace, purpose, and clarity
Healing is not something that can be rushed – but it can be supported, gently and safely.
Through EMDR-informed resourcing, guided reflection, shared conversations, and restorative practices such as sound healing, somatic movement, massage, creative expression, and time in nature, your nervous system will be given the opportunity to settle and restore.
You’ll be held within a supportive group of others who understand the depth of this kind of loss – where there is no need to explain, and nothing you have to hide.
Within this space, connection with yourself and your life now begins to grow . And alongside it, the possibility of relating to your grief in a different, more compassionate way.
What Awaits You
Informative, Reflective Workshops on Grief
Take part in gently guided sessions that invite you to practically learn how to manage your grief, reconnect with who you are now, explore what matters to you, and begin to imagine a future shaped by your truth — not just your loss.
Together, we’ll make space for what still lights you up, even in the midst of grief, and begin to notice what might be holding you back from fully engaging with life again.
You’ll leave with a deeper sense of what living fully means for you — in your own time, in your own way — grounded in honesty, self-compassion, and the quiet courage to honour what your heart truly wants.
Guided Movement
Gentle movement sessions aim to help release the physical weight of trauma grief, focusing on slow, intuitive practices that foster safety and relaxation. These sessions are accessible to all, prioritising feeling over fitness and encouraging participants to show up as they are.
Meditation Sessions
Meditation sessions provide a gentle way to reconnect with oneself, focusing on creating space to breathe, feel, and be. They include guided meditations, breath awareness, and moments of silence to soothe emotional overwhelm, regulate the nervous system, and foster a sense of presence, all at an individual pace.
Gong Bath
Sound is healing. Gong baths create a cocoon of sound that allows the nervous system to soften and reset. The deep, resonant vibrations bypass the thinking mind and reach the body directly – helping to release emotional tension, regulate the stress response, and create space for rest and integration. You don’t need to do anything. Just lie back, listen, and let the sound move through you. Grief doesn’t always need words – sometimes, it simply needs to be felt, softened, and held.
Therapeutic Singing Workshops
Our gentle singing workshops invite you to use your voice as a tool for healing. Through simple, soothing songs and mindful breathing, you’ll release tension, calm your mind, and reconnect with your inner strength. No experience needed – just bring yourself and an open heart.
And if that isn’t enough to feel nourished and cared for, a massage therapist and reflexologist will be available for private massage sessions.
AND
This isn’t just a wellness retreat – and it’s not here to replace yoga or cacao ceremonies. Those have their place. But this retreat offers something different.
Here, science meets soul. We combine the proven power of EMDR – an evidence-based trauma therapy – with holistic practices like sound healing, movement, and meditation to support deep, lasting nervous system repair.
It’s a space designed specifically for the layered grief of sudden and traumatic loss. A place to safely process trauma, reconnect with your inner strength, and rediscover the parts of you that got left behind in the aftermath.
The only place you will find an EMDR retreat for traumatic grief in the world – created specifically for those bereaved through sudden loss – like you.
What will Nourish You
Nourishing Vegetarian Meals to Support Your Healing
At the retreat, you’ll enjoy fresh, wholesome vegetarian meals crafted to nourish your body and soothe your soul. Our menu features vibrant, seasonal ingredients—think colourful salads, hearty grains, comforting soups, and satisfying plant-based dishes bursting with flavour. Each meal is designed to provide gentle energy and support your emotional and physical well-being throughout your healing journey.
Where You Will Be Held
These retreats will take place in exclusive beautiful, lovingly restored stone barns on a peaceful family farm tucked away in the hidden countryside of Herefordshire.
You’ll have space to unwind – whether that’s soaking in the hot tub, curling up on one of the many comfy sofas, or wandering the private gardens and farmland. You might find yourself meandering through apple orchards, meeting the gentle Ryeland sheep and pedigree Hereford cattle, or exploring the nearby ancient village with its black-and-white timbered buildings.
Your room – whether private or shared – will offer all the comforts you need: spa towels, robes, slippers, and thoughtful touches like a hairdryer and essentials. With underfloor heating and a welcoming farmhouse kitchen stocked with hot tea and coffee, you’re free to relax and truly make yourself at home.
Herefordshire, on the border of Wales and nestled near the Shropshire hills, is known for its rolling landscapes, small market towns, and the famed literary haven of Hay-on-Wye. The peaceful village of Lyonshall is the perfect base to rest, reflect, and reconnect – surrounded by beauty at every turn.
I'M READY
This is your time to celebrate your loved one and celebrate yourself for surviving what you have.
Example Itinerary
Arriving Wednesday 4pm – Settle into your accommodation and meet your companions for this journey over a nutritious meal – followed by an evening group sharing circle.
Each morning we will have a guided somatic movement or yoga class.
Thursday – Psychoeducation on trauma and grief, time for yourself in the English countryside followed by an evening meditation and celebrations to honour your loved ones.
Friday – Group EMDR regulation skills, time for using the hot tub and optional time for massages or reflexology, followed by an evening gong bath.
Saturday – Workshop on post traumatic growth, making raw chocolate delicacies followed by an evening ‘moving on’ ceremony,
Sunday – Saying our goodbyes (with connections you will have made for a lifetime) – leaving by 10am.
This is an example itinerary and is open to change. All activities are open as an invitation – you are free to come and go as you please.
What’s Included
All workshops and healing sessions are included, and you’ll be nourished throughout the retreat with delicious, vegetarian freshly prepared meals lovingly cooked by our Djamilla, our private chef.
What’s Not Included
Sadly we cannot include:
- Any luxury food items such as wine or your favourite chocolate.
- Travel to and from the accommodation (although we will start a whatsapp group which you are free to join and agree any shared travel).
- Optional Individual Massage or Reflexology treatment is available to book in advance.
- Optional Individual Intensive EMDR Therapy can be added-on following the end of the retreat.
i'M READY TO APPLY
Why I Created Retreats
Grief — especially traumatic grief — has a way of silencing us. Of stopping time. Of making the world feel unfamiliar.
I know this because I’ve walked through it myself. I lost my mother from dementia when she was 63 years old… and later, my brother died by suicide at just 44. That kind of loss changes you. It breaks things open. And in time — if you allow it — it can also become the soil where something new, something meaningful, begins to grow.
As a counselling psychologist, EMDR therapist, and single mum of 4 children, I’ve spent years supporting others through their own grief journeys. Many clients have shared with me how healing a retreat like this could be, and have asked me to create one. I’ve also come to understand that real healing doesn’t always happen in a clinical setting. It happens when we step away — from our routines, from expectations, from the noise — and make space to listen inward.
That’s why I created this retreat.
From Pain to Purpose isn’t just a few days away. It’s a sacred container. A pause. A place to land for anyone carrying the deep, long-lasting, complicated pain of traumatic grief.
Here, we gather not to be fixed or to fix others — but to be witnessed, to remember who we are beneath the weight, and to reawaken the parts of us that still long to live.
Through EMDR-informed sessions, somatic practices, nature, ritual, and shared story, we begin to release what no longer serves, rise toward what might be possible, and rediscover a sense of self that feels grounded, real, and alive again.
If your heart is communicating “it’s time” — to be held, to feel, to put yourself first — I’d love to welcome you.
Still not sure? Reach out below and we can have a conversation to see if this retreat is right for you.
With care and love,
Dr. Sue Egan
Counselling Psychologist | EMDR Therapist | Traumatic Grief Coach
Why EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. Recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Psychological Association (APA), and NICE (UK), EMDR is widely recognized as a frontline treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex grief.
Unlike traditional talk therapies, EMDR targets the neurological roots of trauma. Through bilateral stimulation it helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge while integrating them more adaptively. Research shows that EMDR can significantly decrease symptoms of anxiety, flashbacks, guilt, and emotional numbness.
Sudden loss often includes trauma responses: shock, unresolved questions, and intrusive memories. These can remain stuck in the nervous system long after the event. EMDR supports the body and brain in completing the processing that didn’t happen at the time of the trauma.
At the retreat, we use a modified group EMDR protocol informed by the latest research in trauma therapy. It allows for deep, contained emotional work without requiring participants to speak about their loss in detail. This approach offers both the benefits of EMDR and the healing power of community – within a safe, supportive space.
To our knowledge, this is one of the first EMDR grief retreats in the world specifically created for those who have experienced a sudden loss. Because it needs a different kind of healing – and you’re not alone.
Meet Your Other Guides
Meet our Massage Therapist, Sarah
Sarah is a physiotherapist and massage therapist who works at a local hospice supporting families through some of life’s most tender transitions.
At the retreat, Sarah will offer gentle, body-based grief support to help you reconnect with your body, soften the weight of loss, and find moments of grounding and relief. Her calm presence and skilled touch create space for deep rest, safety, and release – when words are not enough.
You will be able to book a private massage with Sarah in advance of the rereat for a private fee – more details will follow.
Meet our Yoga Teacher & Reflexologist – Yogacharini Christine
With almost 40 years of personal yoga practice, Christine brings a depth of lived experience to her teaching. In 2014, she trained in traditional Gitananda Yoga, a lineage known for its authentic focus on movement, breath, and energy awareness, and she has been sharing this practice ever since. Christine weaves together her long NHS career and holistic training to offer a strengths-based, compassionate approach to wellbeing. Her work blends yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation, creating a safe and restorative space for participants to nurture both body and mind. Christine’s teaching supports physical health, emotional resilience, and the gentle release of trauma stored in the body. Find out more here
Options and Investment
- 3 immersive days of therapeutic EMDR regulation practices, somatic practice, nature connection, sound bath, circles & rituals.
- Expert-led by Dr Sue Egan (registered psychologist, certified EMDR therapist, traumatic grief specialist).
- All meals included – nourishing, comforting, grief-sensitive and vegetarian.
- Luxury barn conversion in the English countryside.
- Full retreat kit and follow-up group integration session.
9th – 13th October 2026 (3 full days, 4 nights)
EARLY BIRD RATE ENDS 31 MAY 2026
- Double Occupancy – shared double bed or shared rooms with other guests (max 4): £1,450 GBP per person
- Single Occupancy with private bathroom: £1,750 GBP per person
- Single Occupancy with En Suite: £1,950 GBP per person
How To Join Us:
- Click the link below and fill in the form and we will be in touch with more information.
- Once your booking has been accepted a £500 GBP non-refundable deposit will be required and thereafter…
- The full balance is due in full by August 1st, 2026
- Payment Plans Available.
21st to 25th April 2027 (3 full days, 4 nights)
EARLY BIRD RATE ENDS 31st May 2026
- Double Occupancy – shared double bed or shared rooms with other guests (max 4): £1,450 GBP per person
- Single Occupancy with private bathroom: £1,750 GBP per person
- Single Occupancy with En Suite: £1,950 GBP per person
How To Join Us:
- Click the link below and fill in the form and we will be in touch with more information.
- Once your booking has been accepted a £500 GBP non-refundable deposit will be required and thereafter…
- The full balance is due in full by March 1st, 2027
- Payment Plans Available.
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REGISTER FOR APRIL 2027Frequently Asked Questions
DOES IT MATTER WHERE I AM ON MY GRIEF JOURNEY?
This retreat is designed to meet you where you are.
You don’t need to be “further along” in your grief, but it is important that you feel stable enough to be in a group space and gently connect with your emotions. The focus of this retreat is not on deep processing, but on creating safety, supporting your nervous system, and helping you find moments of steadiness again.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or unsure how to cope, this space may offer the pause and support you need.
At the same time, it’s important that you feel ready to take a step away from daily life and be open – at your own pace – to reflection, connection, and gentle guidance.
Please trust your intuition. If something in you feels drawn to this space, that is often a good place to begin.
Once you complete the booking form, we’ll be in touch to confirm your place and ensure this retreat feels like the right level of support for you. If needed, we may suggest a short call beforehand to make sure you feel safe and comfortable moving forward.
CAN I ATTEND WITH A PARTNER OR FRIEND?
If you have a friend or partner that is also experiencing the same loss, yes of course – just let me know when booking who you wish to be roomed with/next to and we will do our best to ensure your accommodation is managed appropriately.
DO I HAVE TO ATTEND ALL SESSIONS
The sessions during the retreat are designed to gently support you in reconnecting with your truth and beginning to shape a life that feels more aligned, meaningful, and uniquely yours.
You’re always welcome to take part — but you’ll never be pressured. If there’s a session you’d rather sit out, that’s absolutely okay.
We’ll invite you to stretch a little beyond what feels familiar, because often that’s where the healing starts.
But more than anything, we want you to feel safe, supported, and at ease during your time here. This is your retreat, and your well-being comes first.
WILL TRAVEL BE INCLUDED
While everything will be taken care of once you arrive at the retreat, please note that travel to and from the venue isn’t included and will need to be arranged separately. In order to reduce our footprint, a WhatsApp Travel Group will be started where anyone who wishes to join can request offers of shared transport. Details of how to get to the retreat will be provided closer to the date.
WHAT IS EMDR AND HOW CAN REGULATION EXERCISES HELP ME?
This retreat offers an EMDR-informed approach focused on nervous system regulation, safety, and stabilisation – rather than deep trauma processing.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a well-researched psychological approach that helps the brain process and integrate difficult experiences. In traditional therapy, this often involves working directly with specific traumatic memories.
However, on this retreat, we focus on the foundational phase of EMDR – supporting you to feel safer in your body before any deeper work takes place.
You’ll be gently guided through structured practices drawn from EMDR principles, including:
- grounding and resourcing techniques
- bilateral stimulation (such as tapping or guided eye movements)
- body-based awareness to reduce overwhelm
- tools to help your nervous system settle and feel more stable
These practices help your brain and body begin to move out of survival mode, creating more space for calm, clarity, and emotional steadiness.
Alongside this, the retreat weaves in a range of holistic, body-based and restorative practices – such as gentle movement, meditation, time in nature, and reflective exercises. These approaches support the nervous system in a different but complementary way, helping to:
- release physical tension held in the body
- create moments of calm and presence
- reconnect you with yourself beyond the trauma
- support emotional expression in a non-verbal, non-pressured way
Together, the combination of EMDR-informed practices and holistic support allows your system to soften, regulate, and restore – without the intensity of traditional trauma processing.
All EMDR-informed elements are delivered under my accreditation with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), ensuring that everything is held safely, ethically, and within clinical guidelines.
Many people find that learning how to regulate their nervous system – while being supported by both clinical and holistic approaches – becomes a powerful foundation for healing, both during the retreat and beyond.
If you’re unsure whether this approach is right for you, you’re very welcome to reach out for a conversation before booking.
IS THIS SUITABLE FOR COUPLES?
Yes – this retreat can be a deeply supportive space for partners or family members who have experienced the same loss.
For example, it may feel especially meaningful for:
- Couples who have lost a child
- Siblings who have lost a parent
- Close family members navigating a shared traumatic loss
Grieving together can feel incredibly isolating, and at times, it can be hard to support each other while carrying your own pain. This retreat offers space for both – connection and individual healing.
You are welcome to share a room if you attend together, which can also help reduce the overall cost.
At the same time, each person’s grief will be honoured as their own. There will be opportunities for personal reflection as well as gentle moments of shared understanding, so you can support one another without feeling responsible for each other’s healing.
HOW DO THESE DIFFER FROM OTHER EMDR RETREATS WE OFFER?
These 4-day retreats are focused on EMDR-informed resourcing rather than deeper processing work.
That means the emphasis is on calming and regulating the nervous system, building inner stability, and gently supporting you to feel more grounded and resourced in yourself.
The longer 6 night retreats include more in-depth EMDR processing, where we work more directly with traumatic material in a structured therapeutic way. This shorter retreat does not go into that level of processing.
Instead, it offers a slower, more accessible space to rest, reconnect, and strengthen your internal foundations – supported by group connection, holistic practices, and gentle therapeutic guidance.
It is designed for those who want support, space, and tools for stability, without entering deeper trauma processing work.
WHO CAN ATTEND?
This retreat is open to people of all genders who have experienced suicide loss.
We welcome you as you are, into a compassionate and respectful space where shared understanding and connection can support your healing.
Your Next Chapter Begins Here
You don’t have to stay in survival mode.
You deserve moments of peace… real connection… and a future that feels possible again.
If something in you is moving and you feel a pull toward healing, toward hope — trust it.
This retreat is a safe, sacred space to begin again.
Spaces are very limited, and I would be honoured to walk alongside you.
— Dr. Sue Egan
Need a custom payment plan?
Not sure if this trip is for you?
Want to know about retreats serving different cohorts?
Feel free to connect with me on DrSue@suicidegriefsupport.com to discuss options.
Professional Accreditations and Media Appearances
