A Retreat of Exploration and Healing on the island of Ikaria

A personalized and therapeutic program of 10 days or longer, depending on your needs. You can participate alone or with your partner. We work approximately 4 hours per day one-on-one.

For whom? For people dealing with persistent survival patterns. Life then becomes a continuous cycle of struggling. 

There is a need for deep processing.

 

The basic emotion is fear, sadness, or anger, and it is often accompanied by a lot of confusion.

The question is, "Who am I really?" Because sometimes you no longer understand your own behavior. One moment you feel good, relaxed, calm, and then suddenly something happens that throws you completely off balance. You find yourself drawn to a place inside yourself where you would rather not be, because it feels unbearably painful.

 

Is this familiar?

 

Survival patterns stem from a part of our brain that wants to protect us and reacts when something is perceived as a threat. All of this happens on an unconscious, instinctive level, which makes it especially difficult. Sometimes, the reaction in our body is completely disproportionate to the actual situation.

This can create confusion, which pulls you even deeper into the emotional loop, making the pain even bigger. As long as there is not enough awareness of this pattern, it continues to repeat itself.

 

Do you recognize this?

 

It requires an intensive processing process, and therefore it is helpful to undertake this journey, away from your daily situation and with the guidance of a professional. It is a unique opportunity to explore together, heal, and work through things at the core.

Why Ikiaria? The gentle, receptive surroundings of the island help you slow down. The silence, purity, and simplicity of the sunny island, along with walks in nature, contribute to a deeper healing process.

 

You enter a different experience of time: from Chronos to Kairos: chronos stands for linear, measurable time or clock time. Kairos stands for a temporary interruption of that. During that interval you enter a different experience of time, which has unexpected insights in store for you.

Process:

 

• Individual Approach and Alignment 
  We work one-on-one, tailored to your personal process.

   

 

• Focus on Feeling and Slowing Down 
  Learning to feel in slowing down helps you connect with your deepest integrity.

   

 

• Pre-verbal Trauma and Patience
  For trauma that predates words, it is important to be patient and present through feeling (for example, via craniosacral therapy). Some painful memories gradually soften through feeling, carrying, and processing in the body.

   

 

• Co-regulation and Psycho-education
  Co-regulation using Somatic Experiencing (SE) and understanding the biological survival mechanism through psycho-education are essential.

   

 

• Emotional Processing with EMDR 
  Persistent, recurring images are emotionally discharged through EMDR therapy.

 

 

• Family Dynamics and Psychodrama 

        Family patterns are explored with constellation work and psychodrama to gain insight into

        underlying processes.

 

 

• Awareness and 'Now' Experience 
  From a new awareness, exercises are practiced to be more present in the moment.

 

 

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

        A method for mapping patterns: Event, Thoughts, Feelings, Behavior, and Consequence.

 

 

• Feeling and Discussing Boundaries 
  Exercises help to sense boundaries, anchor them, and openly discuss them.

   

 

This approach combines various therapeutic techniques and focuses on restoring mental and physical well-being through an integrative, trauma-sensitive method. 

 

The most important in this process is to implement the right therapeutic approach at the right moment!

 

If we have all the time and space, this is an organic and magical process.

 

 

Effect:

• Your awareness expands significantly.
• You begin to recognize and accept yourself for who you truly are.
• You give yourself the time and space you need to grow.
• From the present moment, you express your needs and take action on them.
• A deep inner sense of well-being begins to take root.
• Feelings of guilt and shame lessen.
• ‘Must,’ ‘need,’ or ‘have to’ may transform into ‘could’ or ‘may’—allowing for a more gentleand self-compassionate approach to life.

• You can once again find your footing. 

• You communicate in a connecting way without losing yourself.
•  ...
  
   

Together, we walk a path of recognition, permission, grounding, feeling, grieving, letting go, becoming more aware, discovering with curiosity, connecting, trusting, anchoring ...

From 'dorsal vagus/freeze' to 'ventral vagus/connection'.

We work somatically, combining craniosacral therapy (CST), Somatic Experiencing, trauma therapy, and/or EMDR therapy, family constellation work, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and psychodrama.

If this program resonates with you, please let me know, so we can delve deeper into all practical questions!

Welcome, Lena

 

Reviews

 

• “In a mirror you do not see without external light. 

  Fourteen days ago, I stepped out onto Ikaria with the backpack of my life. Inner drives that I could not quite grasp and that weighed increasingly heavy. 

  Now, at the gate before departure, I feel more balance, calm, and optimism about the future. 

  Lena does not take me to answers. She takes me to my inner self. With her many years of experience, she knows exactly where the light switch is in my darkest rooms. Rooms whose doors I couldn’t even find. Through various techniques, I am learning to view my own memories differently, understand my reaction patterns, and how I can act differently now. And perhaps the most powerful of all: the realization that everything I think I see and experience outside of myself is actually myself. I am looking into a mirror. 

  Ikaria does the rest. The island exudes peace and beauty. Panoramic views in all directions, a vast spring landscape in full bloom. The daily walks with Lena are no minor matter for me. They are the physical complement to my inner work. 

  I return stronger. Physically and from within.” (B.-NL)

• Thanks to Leen's pleasant and effective way of working, awareness of the identity we have developed is increasing. This identity is like a suit of armor or a shield that we created through our upbringing, experiences, clashes, and traumas, from conception to today. That armor covers our true nature, our core. Through therapy and theory, you gain insight into this system, and the armor begins to loosen, coming loose with unscrewed bolts and eventually falls apart. What is uncovered is the "I," consciousness, also known as God or Love. Beautiful work, Leen, thank you!!! (K.-BE)

 

• After two weeks of therapy on Ikaria, I understand myself, my body, and my emotional reactions much better. I realize that all my reactions are normal and part of the healing process from trauma. We are more than just 'a head'; it is a holistic approach that is body-oriented. My nervous system feels calmer, which has made me feel more comfortable in my interactions with others (partner). We worked at a very slow and gentle pace, giving me enough time to feel and integrate my experiences. I have gained a clearer insight into my situation and now know how to regulate my nervous system. I feel more in control of my healing and regulation process. (G.-DK)

 

• EMDR has reduced my heaviness and allowed my inner strength to awaken once more. During the therapy days, I discovered that the contrast between mental effort and the calming nature is a powerful combination. At home, it would take longer to achieve the same results, but the calmness and natural environment make the process feel much more manageable and effective. The physical effort during walks further enhances my recovery, making the ongoing transformation deeper and more sustainable. The minimalist interior of the studio where I stay, free from excessive consumption and distractions, helps me maintain focus and improve my well-being. This journey teaches me that simplicity, calmness, and natural connection are crucial ingredients for healing and inner balance. I feel myself becoming stronger and lighter, ready to see the world with new eyes. (J.-B.)

 

• The first 10 days of my life where everything was only about me! How special! My pace, rhythm, insights, and all of this with the support of Lena. I still had some things to look at, process, and find a place for in my life, driven by a desire to get closer to my authenticity and to make it sustainable. To finally let go of what did not belong to me. Who am I, what do I stand for, and what path do I want to follow…All of this took place in an unbelievably beautiful location, Ikaria. I knew I wanted to undertake this process with Lena. Because in moments when I thought, “I can’t handle this; I don’t dare to go through with it,” she guided me in such a way that I still did it, and successfully! Ten days of process through sessions, education, EMDR, craniosacral therapy, and family constellations. Additionally, body-oriented exercises supported the process.Feeling my life rhythm and living in accordance with it feels like a huge, loving gift to myself. (CH.-NL)

 

• The past two weeks, we were guests at Lena’s place on Ikaria. I called it a ‘work vacation’ at home, and it truly was! Ikaria is a beautiful island with lots of nature and tranquility. Walking in the afternoons was really like a holiday. In the mornings, we had sessions with Lena, which is truly working on yourself. Thanks to her personality and her many trainings, she can precisely provide what is needed at that moment. Lena fully adapted to our needs.  Sometimes, it was quite intense, and we really needed the peace (which is abundant here) to process everything. In a busy environment, this concept wouldn’t suit us. This was the perfect place. Lena is very skilled and dedicated; she gently and pleasantly guides you through a personal process. It was a very valuable ‘work vacation’. (W. and T.-NL)