This retreat is for women who have spent years taking care of everyone else and now find their own health slipping, fatigue, poor sleep, headaches, IBS, chronic pain, or their first prescription medication.

It’s for those who are ready to understand why their body feels stuck and to heal from the root, not just manage symptoms.

Breathwork is only a “trend” when it’s delivered without clinical grounding, measurable outcomes, or understanding of the nervous system. This work is none of those things.

What we do is rooted in three pillars:

1. Evidence from neuroscience and physiology

Breath is the only system in the body that is both automatic and consciously controllable, which means it is the most direct way to influence the body’s homeostasis and autonomic nervous system. Research since 2020 has shown measurable improvements in:

• HRV (heart-rate variability)

• Depth of sleep, repair and recovery

• Stress reactivity and emotional regulation

• Gut and immune function

• Cognitive performance and focus

• Trauma symptom reduction

This modality is now being studied and applied in trauma-informed therapy, long Covid care, elite performance, and clinical settings, because the physiological shift is real and trackable

2. Clinical and research-led practice

This work is shaped by over two decades of clinical experience and current Ph.D research in breathwork for somatic symptom disorders. Every protocol is built through the lens of physiology, stress load, and measurable change, not generic techniques or mass application.

3. Outcomes you can observe and feel

Women consistently report:

• Deeper, more restorative sleep

• Reduced reactivity and calmer responses under pressure

• Improved digestion, energy, focus, and hormonal balance

• Children coping better with exams, social stress, and emotional shifts

• A more regulated, connected family dynamic

These changes are not abstract, they are visible within weeks and can be tracked through biofeedback, HRV, sleep data, or functional markers.

Even though this retreat is led by a Registered Health Professional this retreat is educational and experiential, not medical treatment.

Bal draws on over 25 years as a Respiratory Specialist Physiotherapist and researcher in lifestyle medicine to guide you through evidence-based practices that complement (not replace) your healthcare

Breathwork is rapidly gaining popularity, but most offerings focus on relaxation, group sessions, or generic mindfulness practices. BODY | MIND IQ takes a fundamentally different approach, rooted in clinical expertise, nervous system science, and personalised application.

Here’s what sets this work apart:

1. Science-led, not trend-led
This approach is grounded in ongoing PhD-level research into breathwork and somatic symptom disorders, not surface-level techniques or mass-market delivery. Breath is treated as a physiological intervention, not a wellness add-on.

2. Results that go beyond stress relief
The work addresses sleep, digestion, immune function, hormonal balance, focus, performance, and co-regulation, not just moments of calm.

This is not wellness as a lifestyle accessory. It’s nervous system optimisation as a health, relationship, and longevity strategy, designed for women who want real, sustained change.

Breathwork isn’t just a stress tool, it is the only conscious way we can directly influence the autonomic nervous system and shift the body out of survival mode. Unlike mindset work or lifestyle advice, the breath is hardwired into our biology. It is the fastest and most measurable way to regulate internal homeostasis.

Over the past few years, breathwork has moved from ancient pranayama traditions into the centre of modern research. Since 2020, there’s been a surge in studies exploring its effects on stress recovery, trauma resolution, sleep, cardiovascular function, immune health, and emotional regulation. It is now being used in trauma-informed care, long-Covid recovery, anxiety treatment, and peak performance settings, because of its ability to down-regulate stress at the source.

Emerging research, including Ph.D level studies, shows that breathwork can:

Reset the stress baseline
Lowering reactivity and allowing the brain and body to respond rather than collapse into old survival patterns.

Regulate the nervous system
Improving sleep, energy, digestion, hormonal balance, cognition, and emotional stability.

Support cellular and immune health
When chronic stress is interrupted, the digestive, reproductive, and immune systems come back online, allowing the body to restore, repair, and thrive.

Enable co-regulation within families
Children don’t learn regulation through advice, they attune to the nervous system of the adults around them. Breathwork gives parents and caregivers access to internal safety they can model and transmit.

Access stored stress and subconscious imprinting
Through breath-led somatic journeys, trapped survival energy in the fascia, diaphragm, and tissues can be released, reducing the “stress set point” and freeing the system for new patterns.

Beyond published evidence, there are now thousands of case reports and testimonials showing improvements in anxiety, trauma recovery, clarity, focus, sleep, digestion, emotional balance, and family connection. The results are not temporary, they're physiological.

Breathwork is not a wellness trend. It is the most direct, immediate and scientifically backed pathway to nervous system regulation and the foundation upon which all other forms of healing and performance depend.

What you're already doing matters, but everything you invest in still has to run through the nervous system.

You can hire the best trainer, follow the most precise nutrition plan, and take every supplement, but if your body is dysregulated:

• Sleep doesn’t restore

• Digestion doesn’t absorb

• Hormones stay imbalanced

• Recovery is slow

• Focus becomes inconsistent

• The immune system stays on standby

A regulated nervous system is the prerequisite for every other health investment to work. Breathwork and somatic regulation don’t replace your existing support, they make it more effective, more sustainable, and more measurable.

This is the layer most high performers miss, not because they don’t care, but because no one ever showed them how essential it is.

Breathwork restores balance at the core, making every other investment in your health more effective, sustainable, and long-lasting.

• 4-week pre-retreat online breathwork priming series

• 5 days / 4 nights accommodation in a tranquil nature-based venue

• Daily breathwork and somatic movement sessions

• Root cause and lifestyle medicine workshops

• Nature immersion (beach, forest, or waterfall walks)

• Wholesome, anti-inflammatory meals (vegetarian/vegan options)

• Group integration and reflection circles

• 4-week post-retreat online breathwork integration series

(Travel costs not included.)

Spaces are limited to 12 women to ensure a deeply personal and supported experience.

Our retreats are held in carefully selected nature-rich venues across the UK (and soon, internationally). Think ocean views, forest walks, or countryside stillness, each space chosen to help your body exhale and reconnect.

If you’re living with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, post-viral fatigue, or similar, this retreat may support your recovery journey.

However, if you’re pregnant or experiencing an acute health flare-up, we recommend joining a future cohort once your system has stabilised.

You’ll be asked to complete a health form before acceptance to ensure safety.

Once you apply, you’ll be invited to a short Clarity Call with Bal to ensure the retreat is right for you.

If accepted, you’ll receive your welcome pack and payment link (deposit or instalment plan).

From there, we’ll support you with travel details and preparation guidance.

Following the health assessment and enrolment, a £500 deposit secures your place and is non-refundable.

• 60+ days before start: refund minus deposit.

• 30–59 days: 50% refund.

• Under 30 days: no refund (transfer may be possible).
  If we cancel due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. illness, travel restrictions), you’ll receive a full refund or credit toward a future retreat.

Comfortable clothing, a reusable water bottle, journal, open mind, and any wearables (like Oura or Fitbit) if you’d like to track your HRV.

You’ll receive a full packing list and welcome guide once your place is confirmed.

Yes, your journey continues after the retreat.

You’ll join a 4-week online integration group with weekly breathwork sessions to help you anchor what you’ve learned into your daily life.

If you’re tired of searching for fixes and sense that your body is asking for deeper safety, connection, and space to heal, then this is for you.

You don’t need to be perfect, just willing to show up as you are. Because that’s where the healing begins.

Confidentiality is one of the cornerstones of the BODY | MIND IQ experience and what truly sets us apart.

Everything shared during workshops, breathwork sessions, or group discussions is treated with the utmost respect and discretion. Your personal information, health history, and experiences are never shared outside the retreat space.

We create an environment where participants can express their true selves without fear of judgment or exposure.

For this reason, we do not take photographs or videos during the workshops for social media. Any images used in future promotions are taken only with explicit consent and in a way that protects participant privacy.

This approach ensures that every woman feels safe, seen, and free to explore her healing journey authentically.

We also invite every participant to honour the same level of respect for one another, so what’s shared in the group stays within the group. This mutual trust creates the safety that allows true healing to happen.