Emotional Intimacy Retreat
Upcoming dates in Summer 2024
Want to allow yourself to be seen just as you are, loved and accepted even in those parts of yourself that you find challenging?
Often we are not so aware of how our emotions are shaping our reality, how they inform our relationships and how we see the world. By coming into deeper connection with what is really going on during our connections we can access the intimacy that we truly desireEmotional Intimacy Weekend is a residential weekend for queer men where we get to do just that. It’s a loving and connective space that allows us to soften into revealing the truth of who we are at any moment.
By stepping into this space you’ll learn how to open to deeper intimacy in yourself and in relation to others. It will give you the tools to feel and understand what is going on beneath the surface and how to express these things.
Many queer men struggle in hookup culture, desiring deeper and more meaningful connections. Over this weekend, you'll be provided with tools and practices to gently open up to deeper layers of intimacy, so you can be seen and accepted for who you are, while finding greater love and compassion toward yourself.
Often we feel we need to wear a mask, to be the funniest, the most seductive, the most helpful. This is a weekend to come together, let go of those places and connect beyond our standard ways of being.
What happens?
We start on Friday night with some touch based exercises and a space to get to know and start to feel comfortable with other participants. This is a non-sexual space, however we will use clothed consensual touch to bring you into deeper connection with each other.
On Saturday and Sunday, Simon will lead you through a series of exercises that allow you to connect deeper with your own emotions and give you the space to bring this into connection with others. We’ll sometimes do this as talking exercises, sometimes we’ll work more deeply from your body and its experience. At its core all this work comes from a sense of playfulness, creativity and joy.
The work is playful and joyful in its essence and from this point we will allow deeper and possibly more difficult emotions to arise if they are present.
In the evenings we will do touch based exercises to connect with each other in a non-verbal space. This could include massage or dance and movement.
There will also be time to just be in the land, be in nature and swim in the lake.
Who is this for?
This weekend is for GBTQ+ people who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of their intimacy desires and want to create a more playful and open relationship with their emotional realities.
Simon’s experience includes working with Highly Sensitive People (HSPs); neurodiverse people; people suffering from anxiety and depression; people going through major life shifts.
If you have any questions about whether the event would suit you, pop me a message and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
“I felt welcome, held and was able to get in touch with pain, vulnerability and joy. I felt human and less alone, and had space to grow in my capacity to feel”
- Martijn
How does it work?
We will be a small group, a maximum of 8 people, in a beautiful retreat centre near Apeldoorn.
Weather depending, the sessions will take place both in the beautiful workshop space and outside in the grounds.
The schedule looks something like this (although this may change slightly depending on the needs of the group, however, the start and finish time will remain the same)
Friday
19h - Arrival
20h - Opening session
Saturday
8.30h - Breakfast
10h - First session
13h - Lunch
15.30h - Second session
18h - Break
18.30 - Dinner
20h - Evening session
Sunday
8.30h - Breakfast
10h - First session
13h - Lunch
14.30h - Second session
17h - Finish
“Simon has a really beautiful way to conduct workshops and hold a free space”
- José
Practicalities
The weekend takes place at Samaru, a beautiful retreat space in Olst, between Apeldoon and Deventer in the east of the Netherlands. For more information check out www.samaru.nl.
There will be time to walk in the grounds, swim in the lake
The price includes all accomodation and meals mentioned above alongside all facilitation.
The full price for the weekend is €395
If you are interested but unsure whether it is for you, get in touch and we can have a call to see if this is the right thing for you to be doing at his part of your life.