Thrive in Paradise: A Women's Wellness Retreat in Barbados

The retreat is built around a daily rhythm rather than a packed schedule. Mornings start with somatic movement at 8:00 AM — gentle practices aimed at nervous system regulation — followed by breakfast at 8:30. A group workshop runs from 9:30 to around 11:00, covering themes like self-compassion as a foundation for self-care, mindfulness and mindset, and what Michelle calls 'tending your mental garden'. After lunch, afternoons are reserved for personal restoration or a pre-booked 1:1 coaching session with Michelle, and you're free to nap, walk the beach, swim, or journal.

Evenings vary. Some nights there's dinner at 6:00 or 6:30 followed by a restorative practice — yoga nidra on Tuesday, an optional 30-minute sound bath on Wednesday, a sharing circle on Thursday. The week closes with a ceremony and a celebration dinner on Thursday night before Friday's departure. Midweek there's a group island excursion, and a catamaran cruise is included at some point in the programme, along with beach meditations.

What sets this apart from a standard yoga-and-beach week is the amount of one-to-one time. Every guest books a private coaching session with Michelle during the retreat, and additional sessions can be arranged. Michelle is a Licensed Mental Health Counsellor and Licensed Professional Counsellor in the US, and the group work draws on that clinical background — the workshops are facilitated rather than taught, with structured integration circles and an accountability workbook.

The villa itself is private and used only by the retreat group. Rooms range from a master king suite with a semi-outdoor shower to shared doubles and a triple, and common areas include a pool and terrace. Barbados provides the setting: the island excursion takes the group out for a day, and there's beach time built into the schedule on several afternoons. Airfare and airport transfers aren't included, so guests arrange their own arrival, though the retreat team coordinates closely on logistics.

Group size is kept small — the villa has a set number of rooms across the different categories — which means the workshops and sharing circles stay intimate. The tone is warm and emotionally open rather than ascetic; the testimonial from a past guest describes arriving to a welcome at the airport and a dinner on the first night as 'an outstanding start' to the week.

What's included

- 5 nights / 6 days luxury villa accommodation - All meals, chef-prepared - Non-alcoholic beverages - Daily somatic movement and yoga sessions - Guided meditation and yoga nidra - Group workshops and integration circles - 1:1 private coaching session with the retreat facilitator - Catamaran cruise - Group island excursion - Retreat workbook and journal - Special gifts - Access to all villa amenities - Pre- and post-retreat connection sessions

What's not included

- International and domestic airfare - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Optional spa and massage treatments - Personal expenses - Alcohol