In 2020, due to the COVID epidemic, I put my Bipolar Awakenings Healing Retreat program on temporary hold. While the pandemic was the initial reason for stopping retreats, to be honest, my enthusiasm for doing them was starting to fade.
 

I'm very proud of the retreat process that I created, as it helped many clients. However, it did have some limitations which got me curious about exploring other possibilities.
 

First, dedicating 10 consecutive days to one client was always going to be an expensive proposition, especially once travel costs were taken into consideration. In this way, the retreat process would never be able to meet the needs of the greater population of people suffering from mental health issues who usually experiencing financial difficulties.
 

Second, some clients had difficulty integrating in the weeks after the retreat. After all, we were doing intense therapy for ten consecutive days. In preparation, I used to tell clients, “Most people think of spiritual healing as similar to reaching a mountain peak, like a feeling of elation and achievement. In truth, you may feel more like the rug has been pulled out from under your feet!” I began to wonder if a more gradual process could make it easier on people.
 

Third, the retreats weren’t an ideal use of my time. Despite working with a single client for two or three hours per day, I would need to stay with them around the clock. Plus, I was missing home, even if the retreats were held at our location in Brazil.
 

While it’s still early, the online therapeutic approaches, Distance Surrogate Breathwork and Conscious Emotional Clearing, appear to have the potential for resolving these three issues. As both the client and I remain at home, travel costs are eliminated. Working together only once or twice a week, integration can happen gradually, and I can dedicate my week to multiple clients, so I can help more people!
 

This isn’t to say that I’m closed to doing retreats. Now that it is safe to be in personal contact, I’m happy to return to working with a few clients a year in a retreat format. There may be situations where working together in person is essential. However, my suggestion is that all clients start with the online therapeutic approaches (DSB and CEC) as I believe they are a more efficient investment and provide a gentler integration process.
 

For those of you who are still curious about the retreat process, please watch the videos below and read the PDF where I provide all of the details.
 

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