Andalucía · November 2027 · Max 10 women
The Recharge and Refocus Retreat
A nourishing, small group retreat for women in academia ready to pause the busyness, slow down, reconnect with what truly matters, and rediscover a more aligned and meaningful academic path — guided by their unique academic archetype.
Who it’s for
This retreat is designed exclusively for mid-career academic women who are:
Feeling overwhelmed
- Feel overwhelmed and stretched thin by the demands of academic life — and long to just pause.
- Crave time to breathe, reflect, and be inspired — under rays of sunshine, far from busywork and everyday stress.
- Want to prioritise themselves and put their email auto-reply on “not available at the moment”.
Craving calm
- Are seeking peace to reflect on their academic vision and make space for what truly matters.
- Want to reconnect with their deeper “why” and move forward with clarity and confidence.
- Want to become a stronger, calmer version of themselves — anchored in purpose, not pressure.
Wanting to grow
- Long to meet new people and share experiences with like-minded women navigating academia.
- Hope to rest and regroup, but also make meaningful progress on something important.
- Are ready to find energy, inspiration, and self-trust again.
Location
Join us in Spain
Villa Sunshine, Andalucía
This retreat takes place at Villa Sunshine, a serene and soul-soothing haven nestled in the hills above the Spanish coast. Run by a warm Swedish couple who’ve made it their mission to care for sun-hungry, overworked souls, this space offers everything you need to rest, recharge — and gently return to yourself.
A glimpse of the week
Slow mornings, shared meals, sunshine
Why this retreat is different: the power of your academic archetype
At the core of this retreat is the Her Academic Archetype Framework — a lens to understand yourself as a scholar in a way that plays to your strengths and helps you out of self-sabotaging patterns in a compassionate way.
You’ll discover your archetype, recognise your patterns of burnout or self-sabotage, and learn to navigate your career based on your values — not external pressure.
Through the group coaching you will:
- Reconnect with your strengths, values, and aspirations
- Understand what’s been holding you back — and how to release it
- Rediscover what your academic life can look like when it’s rooted in intentional, meaningful, sustainable work practices
“I can’t go… November is so busy!”
I hear you. November is when the semester kicks into high gear. Deadlines are stacking up. The weather is dark and heavy. Colleagues are stressed. Students are tired.
And that’s exactly why this is the perfect time to pause.
You’ll probably feel a little guilty about leaving your inbox, or saying no to yet another meeting. But you’ll return with clarity, warmth, and renewed energy — ready to finish the semester strong and head into the holidays with more presence, peace, and purpose.
Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is take a break before you hit the wall. Let the sun, space, and stillness work their quiet magic.
Most academic events leave you more tired than inspired. This isn’t that.
This retreat was designed to be the exact opposite — supportive and soul-filling. Compare what usually happens at a typical conference… versus what you can expect here.
Typical academic conference
- Stuffy rooms and tight schedules
- Stressful prep and performance mode
- Endless panels and passive listening
- Superficial networking and business cards
- Performing your “academic self”
- Leaving drained and overloaded
The Recharge and Refocus Retreat
- Beautiful surroundings and open space
- Gentle, no-pressure presence
- Interactive, reflective sessions rooted in your reality
- Real, soul-level connection with like-minded women
- Rediscovering who you really are as a scholar
- Leaving rested, clear, and energised
This retreat isn’t another event to perform at. It’s a pause. A return. A deep breath in the middle of your academic life. You won’t need your “conference face”. Just bring yourself. As you are.
Early birds receive a 1:1 post-retreat coaching session to support integration.
What you’ll experience
Recharge
Slow down. Breathe. Step away from the endless demands of academia. Peaceful mornings, nourishing meals, unstructured time, and spaciousness to do nothing — or everything. Yoga, journaling, walks, or curling up in the hammock with a book. You don’t have to be “on” here. You just get to be.
Reconnect
Reconnect with your inner compass, your academic archetype, and a circle of like-minded women who get the struggles of academic life. Through group coaching, reflection, and meaningful conversations, you’ll come back to yourself — and what you truly care about.
Refocus
This is your time to explore what a different way of being in academia could look like — one that feels more human, intentional, and true to who you are.
Daily programme
- 8:30Yoga sun salutation on the rooftop terrace (sunrise)
- 9:00Breakfast
- 10:00Personal time or writing time
- 12:00Group coaching session
- 14:00Lunch
- 15:00Personal time or writing time — siesta
- 17:00Yin yoga with spectacular mountain views
- 18:30Personal time or writing time
- 19:30Dinner
- EveningAt your own disposal
Optional
Bring your own ‘priority’ project to write on
- A book or book proposal
- A major research paper
- A keynote
- A grant application or project idea
- A career plan
What’s included
- Ample free time to rest, create, write, or simply be
- Daily group coaching for professional and personal development
- 1:1 coaching session for tailored guidance
- Supportive space for legacy project writing (book, paper, grant, etc.)
- Yoga sun salutations during sunrise
- Yin yoga in the late afternoon with a view of the mountains
- All meals — delicious, home-cooked, vegetarian and gluten-free. Meat options can be purchased some days for dinner.
You’ll be surrounded by
- Avocado trees and mountain views
- Nourishing vegetarian meals made from local ingredients — many from their own garden
- A glimpse of the sea in the distance
- A stunning yoga deck facing the mountains
- Quiet corners and open air for writing, thinking, and dreaming
- A peaceful swimming pool and walking trails at your doorstep
More details about the retreat
- Dates
- November 2027
- Length
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Location
- Villa Sunshine, Andalucía, Spain
- Group size
- Max 10 participants, for deep conversations and connection
- Price
- Shared room €1,700 · Private room €2,600
What participants say about the retreat
In their words
“Even after two weeks, I feel more confident in my skills and my research agenda than I ever did in my career.”
I am always amazed how effective even single coaching sessions with Sanne are. She asks exactly the right questions and gives advice and support that just make sense to me. No wonder that the retreat version of coaching exponentiated that experience for me. I returned from an energizing week in a beautiful setting filled with joy and gratitude for the life I have, fuelled by the great connections I made with the other brilliant women. Even after two weeks, I feel more confident in my skills and my research agenda than I ever did in my career.
“I feel more connected to myself and confident in being who I am.”
I feel more connected to myself and confident in being who I am. This has been building over some time, so not just from the retreat, but it did help me a lot in also prioritizing accordingly. Most importantly, I redrew from a project that I could no longer see moving in the direction I was hoping for. That felt great and opened up other options that are already starting to materialize.
Frequently asked questions
Spots are limited. Join the waitlist to secure your place.
This is a small, intimate group experience — a maximum of ten women.