What Actually Happens at a Women's Retreat?

What to Expect When You're Craving a Break but Not Sure a Retreat Is "For You"

Part of The Exhale Series: Reflections on motherhood, burnout, curiosity, and learning to slow down.

Maybe you've seen pictures of women's retreats before.

Women doing yoga as the sun comes up.

Beautiful meals around long tables.

Journals.

Candles.

Pools.

People sitting in circles looking far more comfortable sharing their feelings with strangers than you imagine yourself ever being.

And maybe part of you thinks:

"That looks amazing."

While another part immediately says:

"Yeah...but I don't think I'm a retreat person."

I understand that.

Because if you've never attended a women's retreat before, it can be surprisingly difficult to understand what you're actually signing up for.

Is every minute scheduled?

Do you have to meditate?

Do you have to share personal things with strangers?

What if you've never done yoga?

What if you're introverted?

What if you want to spend an afternoon by the pool by yourself?

And perhaps the biggest question:

Is it really okay to spend this much time, money, and energy doing something just for me?

Let's talk about it.

What Is a Women's Wellness Retreat?

At its simplest, a women's wellness retreat is intentional time away from the demands and routines of everyday life.

But retreats can be very different.

Some are centered almost entirely around yoga or fitness. Others focus on meditation, spirituality, adventure, creativity, personal development, or wellness.

And then there are retreats designed primarily around rest, reflection, connection, and creating space to hear yourself again.

That's the kind of experience I wanted to create with The Exhale Retreat.

Not four days of fixing yourself.

Not four days of becoming a "better" mother.

And definitely not four days packed from morning until night with activities you're afraid to miss.

The Exhale Retreat is built around a much simpler idea:

What happens when the woman who usually takes care of everyone else gets a few days where she doesn't have to?

Do You Have to Be Burned Out to Go on a Retreat?

No.

You don't have to reach some imaginary level of exhaustion before you're allowed to want space.

You can love your life and still need a break from managing it.

You can adore your children and still want a few mornings when no one wakes you up asking for breakfast.

You can love your partner and still enjoy traveling without them.

You can be grateful for everything you have and still recognize that you've been giving a lot of yourself away.

Those things can exist together.

Sometimes we wait until we're completely depleted before we give ourselves permission to stop.

But what if we didn't have to?

What Do You Actually Do at a Women's Retreat?

This depends entirely on the retreat.

At The Exhale Retreat in Portugal, there will be experiences intentionally woven into our four days together.

There will be gentle yoga.

Nervous system-focused experiences.

Guided reflection.

Brainspotting-informed coaching experiences designed to invite curiosity and self-awareness.

Meaningful connection with a very small group of women.

Nourishing meals.

And a beautiful winery experience at Quinta da Aveleda.

But I want to be very clear about something:

There will also be nothing.

And I mean that intentionally.

There will be time when you don't have somewhere you're supposed to be.

You can sit by the pool.

Read.

Nap.

Call home.

Take a walk.

Have coffee with another woman you connected with.

Sit quietly.

Journal.

Or stare at absolutely nothing for a while.

I don't want women coming to Portugal and leaving exhausted because we managed to turn resting into another thing they had to accomplish.

The space between the experiences is part of the retreat.

What If I've Never Done Yoga?

That's okay.

The yoga at The Exhale Retreat isn't about performing.

You don't need to be flexible.

You don't need a yoga practice.

You don't need expensive workout clothes.

And you certainly don't need to know what you're doing before you arrive.

This isn't about proving what your body can do.

It's an opportunity to slow down and spend some time noticing it.

That's very different.

Do I Have to Share Personal Things?

No.

This matters to me.

Connection doesn't require forced vulnerability.

You will never need to tell a room full of women your deepest story simply because you're attending a retreat.

There will be opportunities for reflection and connection, but participation is always an invitation.

You get to decide what you share.

You get to decide when you need quiet.

You get to decide when you want company.

Curiosity works best when we don't force it.

What If I Come Alone?

I actually think this is one of the biggest fears women have about retreats.

Walking into a place where you don't know anyone can feel intimidating.

But there's something interesting about being in a very small group where nobody has to arrive already knowing each other.

You don't have to be someone's wife.

Someone's mom.

Someone's coworker.

Someone's neighbor.

You simply get to arrive as yourself.

And sometimes there's freedom in that.

The Exhale Retreat is intentionally limited to a small number of women because I don't want it to feel like a conference.

I want there to be room for actual conversation.

For laughter.

For sitting around a table longer than planned because nobody feels like leaving yet.

For connection to happen naturally rather than being scheduled into a 45-minute networking block.

What If I'm Introverted and Need Time Alone?

Then take it.

Seriously.

One of my biggest intentions for this retreat is to create a balance between connection and space.

There may be moments when you want to be with everyone.

There may be moments when you want to disappear with a book.

Both are welcome.

You don't have to perform connection.

And you don't have to apologize for needing quiet.

But Is Going on a Retreat Selfish?

This is probably the question underneath many of the others.

I've written before about my own complicated relationship with taking time for myself.

There was a time when even going to the spa could create an internal debate.

I would think about how much the money cost.

What else I could have spent it on.

How long I'd been away from my children.

There were times when I was physically somewhere relaxing while my mind was already racing home.

I've had to become curious about that over the years.

Why was giving to everyone else so easy to justify while giving something to myself required a defense?

And I've learned something.

Taking care of myself doesn't compete with loving my family.

There is room for both.

That understanding is part of why this retreat exists.

Why Portugal?

Because environment matters.

Sometimes getting out of our normal routines gives us perspective we simply can't access while we're standing in the middle of them.

And Portugal gives us something beautiful for this particular experience: countryside, slower mornings, incredible food, history, nature, and enough distance from everyday responsibilities to make the pause feel real.

The Exhale Retreat will take place in Felgueiras, Portugal, May 14–17, 2027, in a peaceful countryside setting. It's four days and three nights, with an optional fourth-night extension.

This isn't a coastal resort retreat.

And I'm glad it isn't.

I wanted somewhere that felt tucked away from the noise.

Somewhere you could wake up, pour a cup of coffee, look outside, and realize:

Nobody needs anything from me right now.

How Do I Know If a Women's Retreat Is Right for Me?

I don't think there's a checklist.

But I do think there are questions worth getting curious about.

Have you been craving space?

Do you miss parts of yourself that haven't had much room lately?

Does the idea of spending a few days without being responsible for everyone sound wonderful...and maybe slightly uncomfortable?

Do you want meaningful connection but also room to be alone?

Are you tired of waiting until some future season of life to finally slow down?

You don't need to answer those questions perfectly.

Just notice what comes up.

A Gentle Invitation

Maybe you've never considered yourself "the kind of woman who goes on retreats."

That's okay.

You don't need to become her.

You don't need to arrive in Portugal transformed, enlightened, perfectly regulated, or suddenly comfortable putting yourself first.

You just need to arrive.

Bring the version of you who has been keeping everything moving.

The version who loves her family deeply.

The version who has goals and responsibilities waiting at home.

The version who might feel a little guilty about coming.

And the version who is quietly wondering what it might feel like to have a few days where she gets to ask:

"What do I need?"

The Exhale Retreat was created to give you enough space to get curious about the answer.

You don't have to earn your exhale.

Maybe you simply have to give yourself permission to take it.

The Exhale Retreat | Portugal

May 14–17, 2027 | Felgueiras, Portugal

Four days of rest, connection, nervous system support, gentle yoga, meaningful experiences, beautiful food, and something women rarely get enough of:

Unscheduled space.

The retreat is intentionally small, with only 8 guest spots currently available, and Founding Member registration is open.

Explore The Exhale Retreat in Portugal

How to Claim the $250 Labor Day Deposit

Because this is a special reduced deposit, contact me directly to reserve your place with the $250 deposit.

Text or WhatsApp Self-Energy:
720-509-9001

Email:
barbara@self-energycoaching.com

Simply let me know you're interested in the Labor Day $250 deposit for The Exhale Retreat, and I'll help you with the next steps.

The reduced deposit is available through Monday, September 7, 2026.

There is absolutely no pressure to book. You're also welcome to reach out if you have questions about the retreat, traveling to Portugal, accommodations, payment options, or whether this experience might be a good fit for you.

Maybe it's simply time to give yourself something to look forward to.

Labor Day Offer: Reserve with a $250 deposit through September 7, 2026

You can learn more about The Exhale Retreat and reserve your place here!