Healing from Trauma: Psychotherapy, Yoga & Sound Healing with Dr. Michelle Mars in a Jungle Oasis
Healing from Trauma: Psychotherapy, Yoga & Sound Healing with Dr. Michelle Mars in a Jungle Oasis
Daramarama Mawatha, Diggarada Rd, Ahangama 80650, Sri Lanka
Up to 5 in group
9 Days Package (8 nights)
Retreat Highlights
- Enjoy a peaceful retreat in the jungle surroundings of Villa My Way, featuring a beautiful garden, swimming pool, and a thoughtfully curated schedule of daily yoga, pranayama, sound healing, guided meditation and therapeutic experiences. Benefit from individual psychotherapy sessions and opportunities for meaningful self-inquiry, personal growth and nervous system regulation. Optional Ayurvedic massages and additional body treatments are available as add-ons for deeper relaxation and restoration. With the beautiful beaches and ocean close by, guests can enjoy time in nature, refreshing swims and the relaxed coastal atmosphere of Ahangama, including its wonderful cafés, restaurants and vibrant culture. Experience warm tropical weather, nourishing food, meaningful connection and the freedom to balance structured retreat activities with plenty of time to simply relax and enjoy Sri Lanka.
About this Retreat
Dr. Michelle Mars is a psychotherapist, educator, and academic with over 30 years of professional and personal experience supporting wellbeing, resilience, and human growth.
She is also an experienced yoga teacher and sound healing practitioner, blending her lifelong yoga practice, therapeutic sound, and evidence-informed psychotherapy to guide guests in reconnecting with themselves, cultivating resilience, and supporting lasting transformation.
As a highly experienced leader in the wellness space, Dr. Mars’ decades of academic and clinical expertise make this retreat a premium, evidence-based experience—integrating psychotherapy, yoga, and sound healing to offer tools, practices, and insights that continue to have impact beyond the retreat.
Her facilitative, trauma-informed approach creates a safe, supportive space for exploration, self-discovery, and the integration of mind, body, breath, and nervous system..
Dr Michelle Mars PhD
Psychotherapist MCAP
WhatsApp +61 4000 82 93 6
Website
Linkedin
Member ASSERT NSW
Email for appointment times to
OnlinePsyCoTherapy@gmail.com
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”
― Carl R. Rogers, On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy
Igor Dandik is a former professional athlete and hotelier with more than 25 years of experience as a host. His background in professional sport shaped a disciplined, steady approach to work and a strong sense of responsibility for the people around him. These qualities continue to define how he welcomes guests today.
After sport, Igor went on to establish and run his own restaurant, where he developed a hands-on style of hospitality focused on consistency, care, and personal connection.
In 2014, he founded Villa My Way, the first retreat of its kind in Ahangama, setting out to create a place that felt calm, well-managed, and genuinely comfortable rather than overly formal.
Set in the jungle, Villa My Way Yoga Retreat reflects Igor’s belief that good hosting is about presence and attention. He remains closely involved in the day-to-day experience and is known for personally checking in with guests, often simply asking if they are happy, and making sure they are.
For many guests, the sense of ease and trust they feel comes from knowing the retreat is run by someone who is attentive, experienced, and fully invested in the quality of their stay.
Details of this retreat
This retreat is designed to offer you a spacious, restorative experience, one that helps you slow down, reconnect, and reset. We offer a range of options for peace and healing at Villa My Way. The idea is that you do things your way here, connecting with what feels right for you in the moment.
Each day follows a gentle rhythm that supports both structure and freedom. Mornings begin with a curated movement and mindfulness session, including practices like yoga, pranayama, qigong, and meditation.
After a nourishing breakfast, you’ll have the option to join a brief grounding session to ease into your day.
The afternoons are intentionally open, giving you time to rest, reflect, read, or explore at your own pace. A smoothie or fruit platter is available midday if you just want to chill out at the villa, and most days include a focused session like massage, psychotherapy, or a local cultural experience.
Evenings wind down with a second movement and meditation session to help you settle and restore before rest.
This isn’t a retreat about doing more. It’s about doing less, with intention. It’s for people looking to step away from daily noise, tune into themselves, and be gently supported by a thoughtful program and peaceful environment.
Each day follows a gentle rhythm that supports both structure and freedom. Mornings begin with a curated movement and mindfulness session, including practices like yoga, pranayama, qigong, and meditation.
After a nourishing breakfast, you’ll have the option to join a brief grounding session to ease into your day.
The afternoons are intentionally open, giving you time to rest, reflect, read, or explore at your own pace. A smoothie or fruit platter is available midday if you just want to chill out at the villa, and most days include a focused session like massage, psychotherapy, or a local cultural experience.
Evenings wind down with a second movement and meditation session to help you settle and restore before rest.
This isn’t a retreat about doing more. It’s about doing less, with intention. It’s for people looking to step away from daily noise, tune into themselves, and be gently supported by a thoughtful program and peaceful environment.
Schedule
self directed program which can include any or all of the following
7:20 am – Morning herbal tea
7:30 am – Guided Vinyasa Yoga practice
9:00 am – Nourishing breakfast
Morning – Free time for relaxation, swimming, nature and personal exploration
12:00–1:00 pm – Fresh fruit platter or nourishing smoothie
Afternoon – Individual psychotherapy sessions, scheduled throughout the retreat
3:00 pm – Pranayama, sound healing and guided meditation
5:20 pm – Afternoon herbal tea
Evening – Time to relax, reflect and integrate the day's experiences
7:00 pm – Nourishing evening dinner
Throughout your stay, enjoy a peaceful jungle setting, opportunities for meaningful connection, personal reflection and restorative time to support your wellbeing and personal transformation
7:20 am – Morning herbal tea
7:30 am – Guided Vinyasa Yoga practice
9:00 am – Nourishing breakfast
Morning – Free time for relaxation, swimming, nature and personal exploration
12:00–1:00 pm – Fresh fruit platter or nourishing smoothie
Afternoon – Individual psychotherapy sessions, scheduled throughout the retreat
3:00 pm – Pranayama, sound healing and guided meditation
5:20 pm – Afternoon herbal tea
Evening – Time to relax, reflect and integrate the day's experiences
7:00 pm – Nourishing evening dinner
Throughout your stay, enjoy a peaceful jungle setting, opportunities for meaningful connection, personal reflection and restorative time to support your wellbeing and personal transformation
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Dr Michelle Mars , Daramarama Mawatha, Diggarada Rd, Ahangama 80650, Sri Lanka
Directions
Airport transport can be arranged for USD $65.
Please let us know in advance if you would like us to organize your transfer from the airport directly to Villa My Way.Directions to Villa My Way (from the A2)
Travel along the A2 coastal road toward Ahangama.
When you reach the Ahangama Bus Station, continue a short distance until you see the Hotel School located on the corner near the railway line.
At the Hotel School corner, turn away from the A2 and cross the railway track.
Continue straight along this road. Villa My Way is located further along on this road, as indicated on the map. There are no street numbers in Ahangama but the Villa is easily found via Google Maps
If you need assistance on arrival, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Please let us know in advance if you would like us to organize your transfer from the airport directly to Villa My Way.Directions to Villa My Way (from the A2)
Travel along the A2 coastal road toward Ahangama.
When you reach the Ahangama Bus Station, continue a short distance until you see the Hotel School located on the corner near the railway line.
At the Hotel School corner, turn away from the A2 and cross the railway track.
Continue straight along this road. Villa My Way is located further along on this road, as indicated on the map. There are no street numbers in Ahangama but the Villa is easily found via Google Maps
If you need assistance on arrival, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Accommodation
We offer a range of comfortable rooms designed to support rest and relaxation in a peaceful, natural setting. Most are single bungalows with two additional rooms inside the house. There are six standard rooms, all fan-cooled with private bathrooms. These rooms do not have air-conditioning, but temperatures during the retreat dates are generally comfortable, so most guests find air-conditioning unnecessary. Our deluxe room includes air-conditioning and is available for an additional $10 per day. All guests enjoy access to reliable, high-speed broadband internet with good Wi-Fi throughout the property.
Program Price
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Villa My Way is a tranquil jungle retreat designed for rest, privacy, and connection with nature. Surrounded by birdsong and lush greenery, the space offers a swimming pool, quiet areas to relax or read, and shared gathering spaces for connection. Open-air areas host yoga, sound healing, and meditation sessions, while nourishing meals are served together at 9:00 am and 7:00 pm, creating a gentle, restorative daily rhythm.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
We provide breakfast and dinner daily, made from fresh, organic ingredients. Meals alternate between vegan, vegetarian, and dishes featuring freshly caught local fish, balanced and nourishing.
What's Included
- Each day at Villa My Way begins with morning herbal tea followed by an energising Vinyasa Yoga practice at 7:30 am, before enjoying a nourishing breakfast at 9:00 am. Mornings offer time for relaxation, swimming, connecting with nature or personal exploration, with a nourishing smoothie served around midday for those who stay at the Villa. Afternoons provide space for individual psychotherapy sessions, alongside time for personal reflection and integration. At 3:00 pm, guests come together for a restorative practice combining pranayama, sound healing and guided meditation, creating space to slow down, regulate the nervous system and reconnect within. Herbal tea is served at 5:20 pm, followed by time to unwind before gathering for a nourishing evening dinner at 7:00 pm.
What's Not Included
- airport transfers, lunch
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