Breema Bodywork & Self-Care Weekend in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Breema comes out of the Breema Center in Oakland, California, and this weekend is taught by their senior instructors. Jon Schreiber has been teaching it since 1980 and directs both the Center and the associated Breema Clinic. Alexandra Johnson is a board-certified family physician who has practised and taught Breema for over 25 years and runs clinic hours at Hummingbird Valley itself. Kevin Johnson has studied Breema for more than 20 years. Several other certified instructors — Dena Ehrlich, Birthe Kaarsholm, Angela Porter and others — teach across the weekend.

The Friday open house runs 6:30–7:00 pm with mini bodywork sessions, then a class from 7:00–8:30 pm. Saturday and Sunday follow the same shape: a morning workshop, a long lunch break, an afternoon workshop. Each session mixes demonstration, partnered practice and Self-Breema. You work with different people through the weekend rather than sticking to one partner.

First-timers get taught the basic leans, holds and stretches from scratch. If you've done Breema before, the instructors work with you on refining sequence and on the quality of touch — the emphasis is on not using force, and on staying relaxed while you work, which is harder than it sounds.

Accommodation is booked separately from the workshop fee. Options are a private room in the Guest House, a private room at the Clinic, a shared vintage trailer, or camping. Everyone on site gets use of the shared kitchen in the Guest House and the pool, hot tub and bathhouse with sauna. The camping and trailer areas sit away from the main buildings and need a short hike or a lift from staff to reach the bathrooms and pool.

Meals aren't included and there's no set meal plan — you cook in the shared kitchen or drive into Santa Cruz or Felton. Complimentary water, tea and snacks are set out during class. The property is at 1690 Glen Canyon Road, about 30 miles from San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) and 60 from SFO; most people rent a car, take an Uber/Lyft or book a shuttle. Continuing education credits may be available for this event.

What's included

- Complimentary water, tea and snacks during class - Access to shared kitchen in the Guest House - Access to pool, hot tub and bathhouse with sauna for overnight guests - Wi-Fi in the Guest House and Clinic buildings - Four Breema bodywork workshops across the weekend - Instruction from certified Breema practitioners and instructors

What's not included

- Meals - Accommodation (private rooms, shared vintage trailers or camping are booked separately) - Transport to and from the venue - Airport transfers - Personal expenses