REWIRE: Nervous System Reset for Real Life

WELCOME

REWIRE is a step towards optimum mind-body health and a more aligned, peaceful life.

Step away from the noise and into a sanctuary of relaxation, movement, and reconnection. 

This 6-night immersion is designed to gently reset your nervous system, release stress held in the body, and help you reclaim clarity and embodied presence.

Through a blend of somatic practice, nervous system education, breath work, stillness, altered states of consciousness and nature immersion, you'll create a lasting internal shift — from tension to grounded vitality.

REWIRE cultivates deep self-awareness and self-compassion. Rooted in trauma-informed care, neuroscience and integrative wellbeing, this retreat is an opportunity to honour your own individual needs, with a chance to curate the program to exactly where you are at in order to restore your body’s natural balance.

Autumn’s reflective aura enhances our focus on going inward, making it an ideal time to retreat, go inwards, share, and learn with a like-minded community.

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THIS IS FOR YOU IF (Who’s ready to tend their soil)

• You wish to align mind, body and consciousness – striving for more authenticity and a greater sense of purpose or wholeness in every‑day life.

• You want to experience deeper connection to yourself, others and the natural environment in a safe and intentional way.

• You want to strengthen your physical and mental resilience.

• You are curious about the nervous system, somatics, and the body’s wisdom.

• You are a burnt-out professional, caregiver, or highly attuned to others.

• You experience auto-immune symptoms, physical tension, or emotional fatigue.

• You experience anxiety, overthinking, or nervous system dysregulation.

• You crave release, relaxation, and embodied presence.

• You wish to plant new roots after a period of depletion.

• You wish to integrate and reset after an intense transition. 

This program is ideal for anyone seeking relief from physical and emotional stress, wanting to revive their natural vital energy or craving more connection to themselves, others and the environment — it’s a space to replant yourself in your body and experience deep inner peace. 

REWIRE offers a supportive capsule to restore balance through embodiment and mindful presence.

WHO THIS IS NOT FOR

To ensure this retreat remains a safe and supportive space for all, it may not be the right fit if you:

• Are in an acute mental health crisis.

• Are seeking clinical therapy, psychiatric treatment, or medical detox — this retreat is educational and somatic in nature, not a replacement for 1:1 clinical care.

• Are uncomfortable with gentle movement, guided touch (self or optional partner-based), or exploring inner sensations.

• Are not open to group process, introspection, or emotional exploration in a respectful, shared space.

• Need a highly structured, performance-oriented environment — this space prioritizes slowness, softness, and nonlinear healing.

• Are actively using substances in a way that may interfere with presence or group safety.

We honor that self-care looks different for everyone. If you're unsure whether this retreat is a good fit for your needs, we’re happy to chat and explore it together — just reach out.

APPLY HERE

AIMS OF THE REWIRE PROGRAM

By the Final Harvest (Key Outcomes), You Will:

• Understand how your nervous system works — and how to nurture it.

• Shift from chronic or acute fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest states.

• Cultivate inner calm, emotional flexibility, and embodied confidence.

• Build a sustainable “garden” of practices for daily self-regulation and self-awareness.

• Learn to grow relationships and environments that support nervous system health.

• Reconnect to vitality, clarity, and joy in your body.

• Experience greater alignment between your mind (thoughts), body (sensations) and consciousness (including spiritual and other values).

• Root deeper into the present moment and rise from an inner stillness.

WHAT REWIRE OFFERS

• Preparation resources

• 6 Theoretical Insight Sessions: 

  • 1) Introduction to the nervous system: Polyvagal theory and regulation

  • 2) The effects of stress and overwhelm on mind, body and consciousness

  • 3) The importance of somatic and emotional release for NS regulation

  • 4) The role of compassion in inner stillness 

  • 5) Boundaries as a safeguard for peace

  • 6) The importance of integration

• Somatic Meditations in Nature  

• Restorative Yin Yoga 

• Somatic Art Therapy

• Grounding Sessions

• Deep Breath Work: From regulation to Altered States of Consciousness

• Intensive Movement Meditation

• Sharing Circles

• Conscious Relating group dynamics

• Bioenergetic therapies

• Guided walks and time to reflect

• Full access to amenities: Swimming pool, farm, green areas for reading and journaling.

• All meals: Farm to table food designed to detox, nourish and ground.

• Optional Integrative Massage (added cost)

• Follow-up virtual group integration session

APPLY HERE

PROGRAM OUTLINE

 Day 1: Preparing the Soil — Understanding Your Nervous System

Theme: Fight, Flight, Freeze vs. Rest and Digest: Knowing Your Inner Terrain

Theory:

• Introduction to the autonomic nervous system

• Polyvagal theory basics

• The neurobiology of burnout and chronic stress

• What “regulation” really feels like in the body 

 Practice:

• Ground-mapping and foundational grounding practices

• Box breathing to center system

• Movement: Shaking to loosen old stress roots

• Meditation: “Observe the garden”—sitting with what’s present

Day 2: Rooting In — Safety, Grounding & Reconnection

Theme: Reclaiming safety in your body through movement and earth contact

 Theory:

• Why stress and overwhelm pulls us from the body

• Interoception: cultivating inner awareness

• Grounding as an embodied practice for nervous system repair

 Practice:

• Bioenergetic Barefoot rituals and sensory rooting

• Movement: Self-soothing

• Breath: Vagus Nerve Stimulation

• Meditation: “Your Body as a Garden”—sensory landscape journey

Day 3: Emotional Composting — Expression & Somatic Flow

Theme: Moving stuck energy and nourishing growth through rhythm and release

Theory:

• Emotions as energy-in-motion

• The cost of emotional suppression

• The energy arc of emotional release and deep relaxation 

• How free movement supports nervous system detox

• Aligning mind, body and consciousness through integrative practices 

Practice:

• Somatic tracking of emotional sensations

• Trauma-informed tension and stress-release (neurogenic tremors)

• Breath: Altered State of Consciousness nervous system reboot

• Meditation: “Still Soil”

Day 4: Soft Bloom — Yin, Stillness & Self-Compassion

Theme: Meeting the inner critic with softness and slowing down

Theory:

• The restorative power of stillness for the nervous system

• The link between the inner critic and sympathetic overdrive

• Compassion as a regulator

 Practice:

• Yin Yoga for deep rest 

• Breath: Heart coherence breathing

• Meditation: Loving-kindness 

Day 5: Pruning & Protecting — Boundaries and Nervous System Safety

Theme: Creating relationships and environments that nourish, not drain

Theory:

• Co-regulation vs. enmeshment

• Somatic cues of “yes,” “no,” and “not yet”

• Aligning outer life with inner safety 

Practice:

• Partnered boundary sensing

• Movement: Gestures of containment + expansion

• Conscious Relating group dynamics

Day 6: Integration & Inner Harvest — Embodied Sovereignty

Theme: Living as the garden — whole, rooted, and growing forward

Theory:

• Integration as a necessary phase of healing

• Expanding the window of tolerance with steady practice

• Rest as the root of action 

Practice:

• Ritual movement: Intentional ecstatic flow to seal the journey

• Art therapy: integrative mapping

• Closing: Creative harvest ritual 

FACILITATOR

SASCHA ANNA VRIEND

Clinical Psychologist & Mind-Body Therapist            

Sascha is a certified Clinical Psychologist also trained in somatic therapies  (mind-body practices and Neo-Reichian therapies including Bioenergetics, Biosynthesis, Vegetotherapy, art therapy, therapeutic yoga and Integrative Massage). Prioritizing holistic and multidisciplinary approaches to health and well-being, she has further specialized in integration and Altered States of Consciousness, mindfully interwoven into her individual and group sessions. She has worked within diverse clinical and creative contexts supporting people with Trauma, chronic illness, and other emotionally challenging conditions, as well as those seeking to enrich or transcend their personal journey within an integrative model where mind, body and spirituality are inextricably linked. Above all, she believes in being of service within an inside-out philosophy, where transformation that starts within the individual naturally emanates out to their relationships, their community and ultimately, the wider ecosystem.

VENUE

REWIRE takes place at a beautiful small farm in Valongo, just north of Ericeira and close to the coast. 

Our host Givernie Lowe will be with us to provide calming guided tours of the animal pastures, surrounding forests and fields, permaculture gardens with veggies and herbs and a small bakery with a fire oven.

Nature immersion will be a central theme, with a pool area and walks possible all the way to the beach.

APPLY HERE

 ROOM OPTIONS

Rooms are cosy and comfortable, with the essentials required for a relaxing stay. 

You will be provided with fresh linens, towels and organic soaps from the farm. All rooms have a private bathroom and two single beds that can serve as a double. Because of the intimacy of the rooms, we suggest booking a shared option only if you intend to come with a partner, family member or close friend (to share a double bed or separate the beds in your room to make two singles). 

We will not allocate you with a random guest to access the shared option, as we prioritize your comfort throughout the retreat as a way of nourishing your nervous system through a private and curated daily environment.  Please let us know if you wish to book a shared room when you fill out your application form.

ROOM PRICING AND PROGRAM FEES

To participate, select one of the accommodation options to combine with the REWIRE program fee.

*The REWIRE fee includes 6 full days of the program and admin fees. 

Materials/equipment are provided throughout the retreat, including yoga mats, bodywork tools, blankets, and art materials.

What’s not included: Transport to and from Ericeira. Personal journal and personal comfort items (ie water bottle, warm socks, etc).

SPONSORSHIP and DISCOUNTS

In the spirit of community and collective resilience, there are sponsored spaces available on the retreat for a reduced rate. Priority is given to individuals of significantly low income or historically marginalised communities. The initiative aims to promote accessibility and community wellbeing by reducing the financial barriers that often prevent participation in wellness spaces. 

Please send an email with your sponsorship request alongside your application form, should you feel this applies to you.

APPLICATION

Due to the integrative nature of this retreat we require all interested participants to fill in an application form prior to sending your deposit. We have very limited spots and want to ensure this is the right retreat for you before you commit to coming, so as to make the most of your precious energy and investment.

This application form is available here: APPLICATION FORM

BOOKING

You can only book a place once your application form has been approved.

To book your place we ask kindly that you pay a 250€ deposit for the REWIRE program, with final payments due on the 1st of October. Or you may choose to pay in full upfront, whichever is preferable to you.