A Restorative Retreat for Educators
Space to Rest, Reflect, and Reconnect
Next Retreat for Educators in Vermont:
Stowe, Vermont
Wednesday 25th February – Saturday 28th February 2026
Book Now
This retreat is designed for educators who are feeling the cumulative impact of sustained responsibility, emotional labor, and constant demand.
Held at the von Trapp Family Lodge in Vermont, this experience offers time away from institutional pressures and daily expectations, a place to pause, restore your nervous system, and reconnect with what matters most to you.
Athara Retreats by Seoka Salstrom, PhD, offers an opportunity to do just that.
A Mindfulness Retreat for Educators Navigating Increased Demands and Burnout
Educators often give more than their systems are built to replenish. Over time, many begin to notice subtle but persistent changes: exhaustion that doesn’t resolve with rest, emotional depletion, difficulty concentrating, disrupted sleep, heightened anxiety, or a growing sense of disconnection from the work they once loved.
This retreat creates space to step out of urgency and into reflection. It supports mental health for educators by offering time to both understand how sustained stress and responsibility have shaped your nervous system, your energy, and your sense of self and to practice skills for rejuvenation.
A Grounded Space to Pause, Not Perform
This is not professional development.
It is not therapy.
It is not a productivity reset.
It is a psychologically grounded retreat for educators, offering space for rest, reflection, camaraderie, and learning without pressure to optimize, fix, or explain yourself.
Through guided mindfulness, quiet practices, and moments of stillness, you are invited to slow down and listen to what your body and mind have been asking for.
How has this work affected my body, energy, and sense of self?
What feels sustainable, and what no longer does?
What are my core values and what do I want to carry forward?
Designed for the Realities of Educational Work
Educator burnout is rarely about lack of skill or commitment.
More often, it reflects chronic overload, moral strain, and limited recovery within complex systems.
This retreat recognizes the lived realities of educational work, including:
Continuous cognitive and emotional demand
Responsibility for others’ wellbeing alongside your own
Limited space for processing or integration
Identity becoming tightly bound to professional roles
A sense of meaning eroding under pressure
Rather than asking you to push through, this experience offers space to listen to what your nervous system has been signalling and respond with clarity and self-compassion.
What You Can Expect During the Wellness Retreat
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This retreat offers a rhythm that supports reflection without overwhelm. The days are structured enough to hold you, yet spacious enough for you to move at your own pace.
There is no pressure to share more than feels comfortable, and no expectation to participate in anything that does not feel right for you.
You will experience:
Guided ACT-based sessions focused on values, meaning, psychological flexibility, and stress reduction techniques
Reflective practices for journalling and self-understanding
Experiential exercises shaped by group needs
Gentle movement supporting presence, not performance
Time outdoors for grounding and perspective
Steady, meaningful conversation with other educators
Optional activities for rest or quiet exploration
Moments of calm, stillness, and integration
The content is tailored rather than standardized, shaped by what participants share beforehand and what the group needs in the moment.
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By the end of the retreat, you will have created space to hear yourself more clearly and understand what this stage of your professional and personal life is asking of you.
This experience does not promise grand transformation.
It offers something quieter and more sustainable.
You will leave with:
A clearer sense of who you are beyond your professional role
Tools to support emotional regulation and nervous system recovery
Reduced self-criticism around fatigue and limits
Greater clarity about what matters to you now
Renewed confidence in your next steps
A calmer inner rhythm and more spacious perspective
Meaningful connection with others who understand the work
Practical ways to continue this reflective process at home, supporting ongoing personal growth/personal development, and emotional resilience
This lasting shift is supported by the retreat’s neuroscience-informed phases of Deep Rest, Exploration, and Integration.
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The retreat in Vermont is held at the von Trapp Family Lodge, a setting known for wide horizons, natural beauty, and a quiet sense of grounding.
The surrounding landscape creates spaciousness, a quality often missing in educators’ daily lives, supporting reflection, rest, and steady internal work.
You will have access to:
Peaceful communal areas for reading, journalling, or quiet conversation
Walking trails and open outdoor spaces
Spa and wellness facilities
Comfortable rooms designed for deep rest
Quiet indoor and outdoor spaces for reflection
Everything about the setting is chosen to encourage calm, clarity, and reconnection.
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This educator retreat offers space to pause and listen inward, without pressure to decide or commit to anything yet.
You may be feeling burned out, emotionally depleted, or questioning how long you can continue at your current pace. You may still care deeply about your work while sensing that the way you are doing it is no longer sustainable.
You do not need to be in crisis.
You only need to feel the pull to pause and listen inward.
Begin your Athara experience
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1. Choose your retreat
Select the retreat that fits where you are now.
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2. Start a conversation
Schedule a quick call to determine if this retreat is a good fit, or reserve your spot directly through the link.
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3. Join us on your next chapter
Experience meaningful personal growth in extraordinary landscapes.
Bringing Love and Science Together
with Compassion and Humor
Seoka Salstrom, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience supporting people through burnout, transition, and identity change. Her work draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and neuroscience-informed approaches, balancing depth with warmth and steadiness.
In a retreat setting, ACT is not therapy, it is a collaborative framework for intentional growth, helping participants reconnect with their values, build psychological flexibility, and move forward with clarity and resilience.
Retreat FAQS
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We intentionally create a safe, judgment-free space where vulnerability is welcomed and respected. Group sizes are small to allow deep connection and personal attention. Confidentiality and mutual respect are at the core of our group agreements, which are the foundation of our time together. Disrespectful or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.
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The 5-day experience follows a carefully designed, yet flexible flow rooted in neuroscience:
Deep Rest
Exploration
Integration
Frequent breaks, optional movement, outdoor activities, and cultural tours are woven into the week to ensure balance.
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We offer integrated support, including:
Pre-retreat virtual orientation
Optional follow-up group and individual video calls
A supportive email series for post-retreat grounding
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This retreat can be booked directly through the registration link.
If you have any questions, please book a call, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
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The 4-day Educator’s Retreat is €2,090, although the price will be conveniently displayed in your preferred currency.
This retreat includes daily brunch, gentle movement sessions, engaging workshops, pre- and post-retreat follow-up support, access to spa facilities, and one special dinner. Please note that lodging, additional dinners, spa treatments, and activities outside the retreat's offerings are not included.
If you choose to stay at von Trapp Family Lodge, we have secured a special room rate for you available until January 25, 2026.
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Absolutely. We are committed to sustainable and ethical travel, including:
- Supporting local inns, guides, and artisans
- Following Leave No Trace outdoor principles
- Enjoying locally sourced, seasonal meals
We believe in honoring the people and land we visit.
Photo credit: Inset header photo by Lany-Jade Mondou | Lodging images courtesy of von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort