Women's Wellness & Equine Connection Retreat in the Southern Highlands

The Connection Retreat is a women-only weekend held at the Highlands Centre For Healing, a property Soo Woods has developed as a sanctuary for people, wildlife, and her therapy horse herd. The retreat runs from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, with all activities included in the price—though you're welcome to sit any of them out if you need a quieter moment instead.

The heart of the weekend is equine therapy. Over three sessions, you'll work with Soo and her horses in a way that's less about riding and more about presence—reading the horses, being with them, and letting their sensitivity mirror something back to you. Guests often describe feeling a release of stress or a sudden clarity during these sessions, and the small group size means you get plenty of space to process what comes up.

Alongside the horses, the schedule includes a yoga class, a breathwork session, a sound bath, and a guided art-in-nature workshop. The idea is that different modalities give you different ways in—some afternoons you're moving, others you're lying under a tree with pastels. There's also plenty of unstructured time to walk the bush trails, watch the wildlife, or nap.

Soo Woods has run the centre for over a decade. She's a registered counsellor, Reiki practitioner, and energy healer, and she describes herself as the custodian of the Gundungurra country the centre sits on. Her approach is trauma-informed, and she's known for creating a space where women feel safe to let their guard down. The property runs on standalone solar power, which adds to the off-grid feeling.

What's included

- 2 nights accommodation - Home made clean organic vegetarian gluten-free meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning & afternoon teas!) - Water, tea, coffee served throughout the day - 1 x yoga - 3 x sessions with therapy horses - 1 x breathwork - 1 x art in/with nature - 1 x sound bath - Parking - Wifi connection

What's not included

- Airport transfers - Flights costs - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Additional activities not included in the itinerary