Healing Trauma Retreats for Women
Over 1,200 women have taken part in this carefully held retreat, offering supportive guidance and genuine time to rest in a peaceful mountain setting.
Max 5 women · Led by trauma psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell. 15+ years’ experience
"For many, life continues on the surface while something underneath is asking for time and attention."
What This Retreat Is
A carefully held, small-group retreat for women working with trauma, grief, sustained stress, or navigating a period of significant transition.
The retreat is designed and led by Tess Hunneybell and takes place at San Flaviano, a restored 15th-century monastery in the Umbrian hills of Italy.
Over many years, this structure has supported more than 1,200 women in a five-person format that allows for genuine depth and individual attention. The week unfolds gradually, with one-to-one therapeutic sessions alongside shared learning and guided integration.
Days include time outdoors, simple movement, shared meals, and quiet space. A small, experienced team remains present throughout, offering continuity and calm support. Practical details are thoughtfully arranged so that participants can step out of daily demands and focus on the work.
There is room for focused therapeutic work, rest, conversation, and ease — so that change can be integrated in daily life.
This is not a group therapy retreat. There is no requirement to share personal history or speak about private experiences within the group.
Led by Tess Hunneybell
Tess Hunneybell is a British trauma psychotherapist with over two decades of clinical experience. She is known internationally for her work with women navigating high-complexity trauma and has been leading small-group retreats at San Flaviano for fifteen years.
Her approach is relational, steady, and grounded — integrating contemporary psychological understanding with body-based practice in a setting she knows intimately.
Women travel from around the world specifically to work with Tess in this format.
Further details about Tess’s clinical background and training can be found at tesshunneybell.com
“Whatever the magic formula is, it works. This retreat is one of the
best things I’ve ever done.
Sally, UK.“
Who This Retreat Is For
This retreat is open to women from around the world who feel drawn to deeper self-understanding, are working with the impact of past experience, or are moving through a period of strain, loss, or transition.
Women arrive at many different stages of life. Over the years, guests have ranged from young adulthood through to later life. What connects people here is not age or background, but a shared curiosity about themselves and a readiness to engage with the process.
Participants are asked to be able to share space with others, take responsibility for themselves, and respect both personal and shared boundaries. Within this setting, the work is held with care, discretion, and professional attention.
30% early booking rate now available — limited places for 2026.
View dates and details →
As featured in
“I felt so gently held throughout the week. The balance of support, space,
and time to rest was exactly what I needed.“
Mirelle, Switzerland
A Gift for Booking Direct
Guests who book through this website receive a complimentary pass to Triponzo Thermal Spa — a natural sulphur spa in the Umbrian countryside, a short drive from San Flaviano.
During the retreat there is time to spend a half day there, resting in the warm pools and stepping briefly outside the rhythm of the week. The visit is offered as a small gesture of welcome and as an extension of the retreat’s emphasis on integration, rest, and steady pacing.
This pass is available to guests who book directly through this site.
An Invitation
If this retreat feels relevant to where you are, you’re welcome to get in touch. We can arrange a short conversation — a space to ask questions, hear more about the structure, and consider whether it would be a good fit. There’s no expectation to decide immediately. It’s simply an opportunity to explore.
With care, Tess