POP UP MINI RETREATS

 An opportunity to take time out, relax and recharge

 

A pop up retreat gives employees ‘time out’ as well as a toolkit of practical exercises to take away.

Content can be tailored to suit a client’s need for example, they may be focused on stress relief and relaxation, recuperation or re-energising.

 

Pop Up Retreats can be adapted for…

 

A company event or exhibition

An employee health and well-being promotion day

Lunch hour or breakfast events

 

They merge the ancient with the current

Pop-up Balance Retreats bring to the fore wellbeing and stress management techniques from the worlds of Traditional Chinese Medicine presented in a relatable and current way.

Typically, Pop-up Retreats provide a mix of guided relaxations, breathing and mindfulness techniques, qi gong exercises (known as acupuncture without the use of needles), self-acupressure, self-massage sequences and stretching techniques.

They also introduce the concept of ‘qi ‘or ‘chi’ – translated loosely as energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Gaining even just a little awareness of your own qi is a great way to actively tackle stress build or re-energise up as both mindfulness and meditation are encapsulated within any qi practice.  During relaxation segments acupressure and ‘ear seeds’ (small black seeds from the Vaccaria plant) may be used to stimulate key acupuncture points to enhance results.  During a pop up retreat, participants learn how to feel their own qi, build up their qi and also direct qi for when it’s needed e.g to come out of an afternoon energy slump or before a presentation or meeting to gain instant focus.

 

 

They can “pop-up” anywhere

Be it in the boardroom, a hired meeting space, or a hotel booked for a corporate away day.  As both relaxation and focus are key elements of the Pop-up Retreat, every effort is put into transforming any space in to a “switch off zone”.  We will provide everything that is needed to promote a sense of calm, relaxation and restoration.

They are held in a  “switch off zone” – we use essential oils (cold diffusing method), lighting (including LED candles), relaxing music, eye relaxation masks, essential oil rollers (in some cases we use jade facial rollers) and provide speciality teas and flavoured waters.  Depending on the length or location of the pop up retreat, we may also bring yoga mats, cushions and blankets.  Typically, the room is assessed before the Pop-Up to see what is required to transform the space in to a “switch-off zone.

Pop Ups can be held…

Off-site as part of an away-day
On-site as part of a wellness promotion day/event
Combined with a luxury location (e.g. Spa/ 5 star hotel)
As a reward for top performers
Prior to an event to focus and energise
As executive wellness retreats
Combined with other wellbeing talks & workshops

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Pop Up Retreat have a theme?

A Pop-up Retreat can be adjusted to focus on the needs of the participant group e.g. to teach and experience techniques for stress reduction, recuperation, relaxation, resilience etc.

How many people can participate?

A typical team size for a Pop-Up Retreat is 12- 15 participants – although this will vary by the room/ space available

How long do they last?

Formats can be adjusted for one hour mini retreats to ½ day or full day and can be combined with other practices, workshops or talks.
Once the “switch off zone” has been created – an alternative option is to hold rotating, more personalised one hour sessions (for example for 3 or 4 employees in each session) which can be run throughout the day – a popular variation for teams.

Who leads the Pop Up Retreat?

This unique retreat experience is led by Helen Hayes, a Traditional Acupuncturist & Stress Management Specialist.  Helen has extensive experience of corporate life from her time working in Financial and Corporate PR and now specialises in helping others to de-stress and achieve work/life balance.

I would just like to say how well thought through and relevant the session you did for us was. You must have put a great deal of thought into making the most of hour for us. The atmosphere you created was amazing as it was in a board room. I thoroughly enjoyed the session and was inspired to do something with my girlfriends in the future. Thank you very much.

Thanks so much for coming into our office. Thoroughly enjoyed the session and it has taught me so much. I must admit that I did feel totally energised afterwards. Looking forwards to the next one. Many thanks.

With barely a moment for myself in recent times, this Clear & Calm pop up retreat was recommended to me by a friend for some much needed “me time”. I hadn’t realised quite how much I needed some time out until I was there and during the session I felt myself appreciating the sense of pampering with a unique mix of relaxation techniques filling all the senses, including lovely extras – herbal teas and the wonderful aromas of essential oils. I would highly recommend these pop ups to anyone who leads a busy life as a method of taking some special care and attention to your wellbeing.”

I really enjoyed my experience of the 2 hour pop up Balance Retreat at Crow and Wild Wellness Centre. It was very calming and effortless. I felt I had learned some new self help skills to help me be still and calm. I was recovering from a debilitating virus and afterwards I was able to use the stimulating techniques to help clear my lungs affected by the viral infection. Thank you both to Helen and Gemma for such a lovely morning in a tranquil place. I look forward to attending another retreat experience.

Helen looks after me beautifully in terms of the monthly acupuncture sessions and I attended a two hour ‘pop-up’ at Harts Barn. I felt  very relaxed and welcome. I felt that the mixture of Qi Gong and yoga movements complimented each other really well, nothing strenuous but lots of really relaxing stuff. All in all, I came away feeling relaxed and comfortable and like I’d had a couple of hours of real ‘me time’, exactly what I was after! Thank you.

I was lucky enough to experience one of Helen’s Wellness experience mornings. Helen did an amazing job, I felt very comfortable, calm and peaceful. Helen’s love for health, wellness & Chinese Medicine is exceptional and I would highly recommend this mini retreat. Afterwards I felt so relaxed I couldn’t quite believe it was only a couple of hours or so – it felt like I’d taken a whole day off! Thank you Helen, I look forward to attending another pop-up retreat soon.

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