Return to Self Retreat
An EMDR Intensive & Restorative Ryokan Stay
Centre Self Collective × Shizuka Ryokan - Hepburn Springs
A Retreat for those who are ready
Have you noticed yourself making yourself small,
just to get through the day, even if this doesn't feel good?
Have you tried talk therapy but still find yourself triggered by the past
& want to unhook from the control this has over you?
Do you understand why you do this
but find that understanding alone has not been enough to change it?
At Centre Self Collective, we believe that real change requires more than insight. It requires the right conditions - the right container, the right pace, and an environment that supports your nervous system to do what it needs to do.
The Return to Self Retreat brings together five dedicated days of specialist EMDR therapy with the restorative beauty of Shizuka Ryokan - Australia's only authentic Japanese Ryokan, nestled in the mineral-spring country of Hepburn Springs.
This is not a spa weekend. It is a carefully designed therapeutic experience for people who are ready to do meaningful work, in a place that holds them completely while they do it.
Who this retreat is for
Different paths. The same destination.
People arrive at this retreat from very different places. What they share is a readiness to find their way back to themselves
Processing past experiences
"I understand why I do this. I just can't seem to change it."
You've done the reading - you know about nervous system, attachment, and the way the past shapes the present. But insight alone hasn't shifted the patterns. You want a format that works at a deeper level, efficiently, without starting from scratch.
High achievers, burnout & performance
"My life looks successful from the outside. On the inside, I'm exhausted."
You're the person others rely on - at work, at home, everywhere. The pressure is constant. Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the inner critic aren't just habits. They're patterns shaped in something deeper, and you're ready to work on the cause.
Women seeking meaningful restoration
"I give so much to everyone else. I want a week that is truly, completely mine."
You want more than a spa weekend. You want to rest deeply and return changed - not just relaxed. A retreat that pairs genuine therapeutic work with a beautiful, held environment feels like exactly the right thing.
Why the intensive format works
More happens in five days than months of weekly sessions.
Traditional weekly therapy is valuable - but its rhythm has limits. Much of each session is spent re-finding your footing before you can go anywhere new.
An intensive format changes that. With ten hours of EMDR concentrated across one dedicated week, we build momentum, go deeper, and hold a sustained therapeutic container that complex healing often requires.
Combining this with an environment designed for nervous system restoration - Shizuka's mineral-spring landscape, Japanese Ryokan hospitality, and the quiet of the Hepburn bush - is not incidental. It is part of how this works.
10hrs
specialist one-on-one EMDR therapy across five dedicated sessions during your retreat week
4hrs
Bed & Breakfast at Shizuka Ryokan - Australia's only authentic Japanese Ryokan, Hepburn Springs
1st
EMDR Immersive in partnership with Shizuka - designed by Centre Self Collective specifically for this experience
Infinite
Lifetime access to the CSC EMDR Resource Hub, supporting your integration long after the retreat ends
The setting
Nestled in the mineral-rich landscape near Daylesford, Shizuka is Australia's only authentic Japanese Ryokan - a place where the pace changes as soon as you arrive. The choice of Shizuka as our retreat partner is intentional. Japanese Ryokan culture shares something with CSC's therapeutic values: genuine attention to the whole person, care expressed through environment, and a deep understanding that change is possible when people feel truly held.
The mineral springs, native bushland, and the Ryokan's considered stillness are not abackdrop to the therapy. They are part of it.
Approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne by car
Check in: Monday 2pm
Check out: Friday 11am
Bathing
Private Outdoor Bathing
Mineral spring waters in your own private outdoor bath. Grounding and deeply restorative
between sessions.
10% off subsequent sessions
From $135
Nature
Forest Therapy (Shinrin-Yoku)
Slow, sensory guided walks through native bush - drawn from the Japanese practice of forestbathing.
$230
Movement
Move, Meditate & Massage
Two days of yoga, pranayama, shiatsu and oriental therapy - one-on-one, with a personalised take-home practice.
Day 1: 2hrs - Day 2: 1.5hrs + take-home program
$680
Dining
Banquet Dining
Three evenings of curated Ryokan banquet dining (Mon–Wed). Nourishment as part of your restoration.
3 evenings available · $294 total
$98/evening
—C a r l J u n g
Understanding EMDR
Therapy that works where insight alone can't reach.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most rigorously researched therapies available for trauma, anxiety, burnout, and persistent emotional patterns.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR targets the way distressing memories are stored in the brain - helping it reprocess experiences that have become "stuck," reducing their emotional intensity and freeing you from the patterns they create.
If you've ever felt the frustration of understanding something intellectually but still being controlled by it -EMDR is often what finally moves the needle.
You don't need to know much about EMDR for it to work.
Our approach is thorough and never rushed. Your first session begins with detailed assessment and careful resource-building - you'll be prepared before any processing begins.
EMDR doesn't require you to talk through distressing events in detail. It works with your brain's own natural processing capacity. Many clients describe it as more effective, and less re-traumatising, than other approaches they've tried.
EMDR Can help with
Trauma & PTSD
Burnout
Perfectionism
Anxiety
People-pleasing
Inner critic
Relational patterns
Grief & loss
Performance anxiety
Attachment wounding
Impostersyndrome
The Retreat Packages
Check in: Monday 2pm
Check out: Friday 11am
Hepburn Springs, Victoria
Enhance Your Retreat
Therapy that works where insight alone can't reach.
Dining
Banquet Dinner
Available Mon, Tue & Wed evenings. CuratedRyokan banquet dining.
3 evenings available · $294 total
From $135
Bathing
Private Outdoor Bathing
Mineral spring waters in your own private outdoor bath. Deeply grounding between sessions.
10% off subsequent sessions
$135
Body Work
Relaxation Massage
A restorative full-body massage to settle the nervous system - ideal between sessions.
$170
Your Week at a glance
A week designed for deep work.
EMDR session are paced to allow for genuine integration between them - structured to build momentum across the week without being rushed.
The rest of the time is yours: to walk, rest, journal, draw, eat slowly, soak in the mineral water, or simply be somewhere beautiful without obligations
Day 01 - Monday
Arrive & ground
Check in from 2pm. Session one: assessment and careful resource-building. Evening is yours.
Day 02 - Tuesday
Begin processing
Session two deepens the work. Time between sessions for rest and chosen extras.
Day 03 - Wednesday
Deepen & integrate
Mid-week often brings the most significant shifts. Banquet dinner available this evening.
Day 04 - Thursday
Continue & consolidate
Session four consolidates the week's work. A quiet evening for things to settle.
Day 05 - Friday
Arrive & ground
Closing session, post-assessments reviewed, take-home resources confirmed. Checkout 11am
This is for coming back.
FAQs
Do I need a Mental Health Care Plan?
A Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) from your GP enables Medicare rebates on the EMDR therapy component of the retreat. We recommend arranging this before booking - your GP can refer you to us directly. If you're unsure whether you're eligible or how to go about it, get in touch and we'll walk you through the process.
Is this suitable for complex or long - term trauma
Yes. The Starter Program is appropriate for a wide range of experiences - from single-incident events through to complex and long-term trauma. If you're navigating something more layered, we'll usually focus on one key theme or memory cluster for this round, with the option to book additional programs over time. You don't need to resolve everything in one week. You just need a place to start.
What if I've never tried EMDR before?
Many clients begin their EMDR journey with this retreat. Your first session is specifically designed to orientate and prepare you - there's no expectation of prior knowledge, and no processing begins until you feel resourced and ready. The personalised workbook and pre-retreat preparation materials mean you arrive informed and grounded, not apprehensive.
Where is Shizuka Ryokan?
Shizuka Ryokan is located in Hepburn Springs, Victoria -approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne by car. We recommend driving for the flexibility to explore the region at your own pace.
Are meals included?
Breakfast is included with your accommodation each morning. Lunch is at your own arrangement - Daylesford and Hepburn Springs have an exceptional food scene, and part of the retreat experience is the freedom to find what nourishes you. Banquet dinners on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings are available as an optional extra ($98 per evening) and are worth considering as part of your full experience.
