Sabbatical
/“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
A sabbatical is a period of time which is set away from everyday life, responsibilities and stressors to bring rest and rejuvenation into our being. Today, many people refer to this as a vacation, but the two are very different.
Vacations are where we just get away from it all, but upon our return we are met with the same challenges and stressors. Have you ever returned from vacation and days later felt like it had been eons since you were away?
A therapeutic sabbatical/retreat allows time for deep reflection and exploration of what is creating the challenges and stressors in one’s life. Stress is the felt sense of the body trying to draw our attention to what is out of sync with us.
Through exploration and understanding one comes into a new inner dialogue with one’s self in relation to what is creating these challenges and stressors. This new dialogue allows us to enter our daily experiences from a new perspective allowing for new outcomes that diminish or nullify the stress which is usually experienced. Thus, coming back from a sabbatical into daily routines, one is in an ever expanding dialogue and awareness of personal interactions and growth.
Signals for a sabbatical/retreat
A longing for more out of life
Not being able to achieve goals
Stalled career
Workaholism and diminishing time for personal relationships
Health factors
Increased fears/anxieties
Insomnia
Burnout
Blurred lines between work and home boundaries
Modalities used
Body Oriented Psychotherapy
Dream Interpretation
Mindfulnes
Body Movement
Massage
Tapping
Proprioceptive Writing
Relaxation & Visualization
Group Experience (sabbaticals 3mths or more)
Through discussion, a sabbatical program will be designed to your specific needs and goals. The program can range in length from 2wks to months or longer depending on your time availability and areas you want to address. Typically, a sabbatical program is based on three sessions a week. Session are usually 1.5 - 2hrs in length, giving plenty of time to reflect, pursue other interests, enjoy events and sightseeing in and around the Toronto area or take a trip to Niagara Falls, etc. Sabbaticals three months and longer can incorporate a weekly group experience into the program.
A sabbatical can also be a time for those who have done therapeutic work before, but feel they need a "refresher", feeling that they may have slipped into old patterns, but do not want to engage in long term therapy.
A sabbatical builds HOPE, SELF CONFIDENCE, SELF AWARENESS and SELF ESTEEM the basis from which new pathways in life are forged.