Embarking on a retreat is all about timing and heeding your inner call
It’s listening to the whisper from deep within your heart that desperately wants you to switch off
To give some time and energy to what truly matters
To be still for a moment

Have you been hearing the buzzword “retreats” a lot recently, but not really sure what they entail?

It is often a pilgrimage to a sacred and powerful place and may or may not have religious connotations.
For e.g. we often know folk who make the pilgrimage to Mecca, or Jerusalem or who walk the Camino
in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims.
At some point – we are all called to make the pilgrimage into the heart of ourselves.
An inward journey to delve into our deepest desires and wishes.

A lot of folks think a retreat is simply a workshop or conference in an idyllic location! 
Nope – it’s all about less. About quality and downtime.
S   p   a   c   e
Not about lots of work or data input to your already overwhelemed brain.

A retreat is an invitation to go within
Slowing down, pausing, reflecting and immersing

I attended my first silent retreat when I was just 23 years old and felt the massive impact it had on me. I have been facilitating retreats in various forms ever since, and have hosted over 25 in the past few years alone. I take myself on retreat about 3 times a year. Click to learn all about DIY @ HOME RETREATS 

DESTINATION GROUP RETREATS: These are professionally facilitated group retreats to experience a profound immersion in a specific theme. I have been on detox, creative, silent, spiritual, yoga and other transformational retreats over the years.

PRIVATE RETREATS:  Private 1:1 and tailor-made just for you! Depends on availability, location and how much intense focus you need. There is something deeply profound about 1:1 time with someone you trust. I run these on IONA or VIRTUALLY done from anywhere in the world

Going on retreat, away from all the obligations of life, the hustle and hassle of a busy life is a way of being accountable to live a better life. It’s a profound way to be still, seek answers, heal any sticky emotional blocks that might be hindering you. It’s also to revel in igniting life and a vision for the chapter ahead. It gives one power, a source of inspiration and connects you to your sacred self so that you can come out and BE more at one with the world again.

Retreats are part of my very fabric of life and a way to stay sane, present and connected.

RETREATS invite you to pause, immerse and reconnect 

♥ Regain a sense of self – for your sanity & peace of mind
♥ See things from a different perspective
♥ To close out the past and face the next chapter
♥ Disconnect & let the answers quietly find you
♥ Have someone to hold you to your own promise at last

If you are unable to travel to meet Kate, perhaps her VIRTUAL BESPOKE RETREATS are a better way of accessing her support. This is personally created for you 1:1 from ANYWHERE in the world!

Read more about VIRTUAL BESPOKE RETREATS HERE

Dear Kate
Thank you so much for my recent private retreat – Cutting the Threads that Bind. I’d never been on retreat before, so I had a mixture of nerves and excitement. The few days at your Iona Retreat Space (flat) were powerful. You worked with my goal and energy levels and created a memorable and moving experience. As an over-worked CEO, looking ahead to a new chapter (professionally and personally), the retreat gave me space, stillness and deep calm to reflect, release and feel clarity moving forward. Thank you for your kindness and support, I’m truly glad I did this and would highly recommend it to other women. CK

NEW YEAR VIRTUAL RETREAT

29th Dec – 1st Jan 

Looking for  meaning and purpose over New Year

You wish to PAUSE. IMMERSE. RECONNECT.

Some QUIET INTROSPECTIVE TIME needed

You want a personalized retreat even though it’s VIRTUAL

You want to end the year feeling proud of 2022 no matter what you have faced

WRITE YOUR STORY – letters of a lifetime EDINBURGH

Have you been feeling drawn to recall and note down your life experience and share stories from your heart to preserve them – for yourself or a loved one …but just don’t know where to start?

Your stories matter: you have a lifetime of wisdom, heartfelt tales, hard lessons learned, ideas, thoughts and juicy tidbits buried deep in your heart. It’s time to reveal and share them.

Edinburgh 23rd February  10 am – 1 pm
All info and bookings here 

“I really enjoyed the workshop and loved Kate’s energy and her ability to hold space for me: my letter to my ex was something which I felt I had to do and was emotional and I absolutely felt that she knew that and enabled me to do what I needed to do. Thank you for opening your beautiful home to us, too. I would urge others to do this workshop, not just because it allows you time to yourself, dedicated to you alone, but also because of the way Kate facilitates the session, it is like a hug and rainbow sprinkles combined with spending a couple of hours with your best friend.” Lesley

LESBOS, GREECE. Aaaaaah Greece!
Popular retreat & residency in our favorite Greek village

All the information + how to apply is on our retreat page.

2023  DATES 
6 -13th June 2023: 7 NIGHT WRITING RETREAT
14-24th June 2023: 10 NIGHT WRITING RESIDENCY

CUTTING THE THREADS THAT BIND

Kate’s signature retreat on her home base of IONA
Experience a deep healing retreat to honour the past, sit in the GAP that exists between No Longer & Not Yet ….and leave the island ready to embrace a magnificent next chapter
10 -15th April 2023 3 places left
This can also be done as a BESPOKE private retreat
All info here 

SPAIN 2023 The French Way – Camino Frances. POSTPONED TO 2024

A 15-night pilgrimage to enter the realm of creative writing inspired by our daily walks. What more could you ask for? This is open to ALL writers, regardless of whether it is a book or not. The emphasis is on creative writing processes and daily writing connection.

TUSCANY, ITALY
Late Summer Writing Retreat
26th August – 2nd September 2023
7 NIGHT WRITING RETREAT – ALL GENRES WELCOME
This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience with us and the awesome team at Strada Toscana.
Join us in an authentic 17th Century Villa in the heart of Tuscany for this summer Retreat. Will follow a similar itinerary to our summer 2022 retreat.
All retreat info HERE

COME AND FIND ME IN IONA…

Mail Kate@kate-emmerson.com to request an application form to be considered for the next mastermind group.