An intensive retreat is a concentrated, immersive form of therapy that takes place over several consecutive days rather than weekly one-hour sessions. By removing you from your everyday environment and dedicating extended, focused time to the work, an intensive can achieve in days what traditional therapy often takes months or years to reach. It is particularly powerful for deep-seated patterns, relationship challenges, and personal breakthroughs

Weekly therapy works well for ongoing support and gradual progress, but it has real limitations — each session ends just as things start to open up, and the week in between can diffuse momentum. An intensive removes that stop-start dynamic. You build depth quickly, sustain it across consecutive days, and leave with significant movement rather than incremental steps. Many clients describe it as the equivalent of a year or more of weekly work.

We offer intensives for individuals, couples, and families. A Solo Intensive is a powerful option if you are working through personal patterns, a life transition, unresolved trauma, or burnout. You do not need to come with anyone else — in fact, for many people, working alone in a dedicated space is exactly what has been missing.

An intensive may be right for you if you feel stuck despite previous therapy, if the issues are too complex or urgent to resolve at a weekly pace, if one partner has been reluctant to engage with traditional therapy, or if you simply want to make a decisive investment in change. We offer a no-obligation conversation before any commitment, so you can explore whether this approach is the right fit for your situation.

Each programme is bespoke, so no two retreats are identical. In general, mornings typically begin with a grounding practice — breathwork, movement, or time in nature — before moving into therapy sessions. Afternoons may include a continuation of therapeutic work, integration time, or complementary sessions such as massage, yoga, or forest bathing with our affiliate practitioners. Evenings are yours to rest, reflect, and enjoy Tomar. The pace is calibrated to what you need.

Our lead therapist Gaylin Tudhope draws on a multi-modal approach tailored specifically to each client. This includes Coherence Therapy and Memory Reconsolidation, Imago and Gottman methods for couples, Schema Therapy, Somatic Work, Autogenic Training, Lucid Hypnosis, and Systemic Family Constellation Therapy. The combination used in your programme is agreed in advance based on your history, goals, and what will be most effective for you.

Most intensives run for three to five consecutive days. The exact duration depends on the type of intensive (individual, couple, or family) and the depth of work you wish to do. This is discussed and agreed during your pre-retreat consultation with Gaylin. Some clients choose to extend their stay in Tomar to allow additional integration time after the intensive days conclude.

Our retreats are held in and around Tomar, a beautiful historic town in central Portugal, approximately 1 hour 25 minutes from Lisbon by car or just under 2 hours by train. We can arrange a taxi transfer from Lisbon if preferred. Accommodation in Tomar is arranged independently by each client — and we do this intentionally. Choosing where you stay is the first small act of self-advocacy in your retreat: a chance to make a decision entirely for yourself, on your own terms, before the deeper work begins. Our Accommodation page offers guidance on recommended places to stay.

Pricing varies depending on the programme type and duration. Please get in touch directly to discuss your needs and receive a tailored quote. We are happy to talk through what is involved before any commitment is made.

Intensive sessions are held in the Templarios hotel conference centre. https://www.hoteldostemplarios.com/en/home-en/