7-Day Women's Trauma Healing Retreat with Psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell – Umbria, Italy
7-Day Women's Trauma Healing Retreat with Psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell – Umbria, Italy
San Flaviano, Spoleto, Province of Perugia, Italy
Up to 5 in group
May 20 - 26, 2026
Retreat Highlights
- Maximum five women — small, carefully held retreat
- Led by trauma psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell (20+ years experience)
- Residential retreat in a restored 15th-century monastery in Umbria, Italy
- Psychotherapy, somatic therapy, and nervous system regulation practices
- Private ensuite rooms within the monastery
- Home-cooked Italian meals prepared with seasonal local ingredients
- Countryside walks in the Umbrian hills
- Visits to nearby natural thermal spa baths
- Quiet, private environment designed for deep rest and reflection
- Over 1,200 women have attended these retreats over the past 15 years
- Healing Trauma Workbook
About this Retreat
Tess Hunneybell is a British trauma psychotherapist and the founder of Healing Trauma Retreats, held at San Flaviano Monastery in the Umbrian mountains of Italy. She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with more than 20 years of experience working with trauma, grief, and major life transitions.
Over the past fifteen years Tess has developed and led small residential retreats designed to provide the time, safety, and professional containment needed for meaningful therapeutic work. More than 1,200 women have attended these retreats.
Tess’s approach combines psychotherapy with somatic therapy and nervous system regulation, creating a structured but humane environment where women can process difficult experiences at a steady and supported pace.
Her wider work has included humanitarian and educational projects internationally, supporting vulnerable communities and initiatives for children and young people.
Eszter Balázs is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (Level II), somatic therapist, yoga teacher, and reflexologist. Her work focuses on helping people reconnect with their bodies and regulate the nervous system after stress and trauma.
Drawing on somatic therapy, therapeutic movement, and reflexology, Eszter offers a calm and attentive presence that supports guests in gently releasing held tension and restoring balance.
At the retreat she guides body-based practices that complement the psychotherapy work of the week, helping participants build awareness of their nervous system and develop practical tools for grounding, regulation, and recovery.
Viktoria Varga is a holistic practitioner and yoga teacher who supports guests through mindful movement, breath, and therapeutic bodywork. She guides yoga and relaxation practices that help the body unwind and the nervous system settle during the retreat. Viktoria also offers Aerial Thai Massage, a deeply relaxing treatment combining supported stretching and traditional Thai massage techniques in a soft aerial hammock.
Details of this retreat
This intimate residential retreat is designed for women who are carrying more than they should and want the time, space, and professional support to begin working with trauma safely.
The retreat takes place at San Flaviano, a restored 15th-century monastery in the quiet Umbrian mountains of Italy. The setting offers privacy, nature, and distance from the pressures of everyday life.
The retreat is led by British trauma psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with over 20 years of experience supporting women through trauma, grief, and major life transitions.
The group is intentionally small — maximum five women — allowing each participant to receive careful attention while also benefiting from the strength of a supportive group environment.
Across the week, psychotherapy, somatic therapy, nervous system regulation practices, nourishing meals, countryside walks, and thermal spa visits create the conditions for deep rest, processing, and meaningful change.
Each guest receives their own Healing Trauma Workbook — a gentle guide to support reflection and integration during the retreat.
The retreat takes place at San Flaviano, a restored 15th-century monastery in the quiet Umbrian mountains of Italy. The setting offers privacy, nature, and distance from the pressures of everyday life.
The retreat is led by British trauma psychotherapist Tess Hunneybell, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with over 20 years of experience supporting women through trauma, grief, and major life transitions.
The group is intentionally small — maximum five women — allowing each participant to receive careful attention while also benefiting from the strength of a supportive group environment.
Across the week, psychotherapy, somatic therapy, nervous system regulation practices, nourishing meals, countryside walks, and thermal spa visits create the conditions for deep rest, processing, and meaningful change.
Each guest receives their own Healing Trauma Workbook — a gentle guide to support reflection and integration during the retreat.
Schedule
The week follows a natural daily rhythm, balancing therapeutic work with time for rest, nature, and personal integration.
Morning movement or yoga to wake the body
Shared breakfast at the monastery
Psychotherapy and therapeutic group session led by Tess Hunneybell
Lunch prepared with fresh local ingredients
Time for rest, countryside walks, or quiet reflection
Somatic therapy and nervous system regulation practices
Occasional visits to nearby natural thermal spa baths
Shared evening meal at the monastery
Evening conversation, integration, or personal reflection
Morning movement or yoga to wake the body
Shared breakfast at the monastery
Psychotherapy and therapeutic group session led by Tess Hunneybell
Lunch prepared with fresh local ingredients
Time for rest, countryside walks, or quiet reflection
Somatic therapy and nervous system regulation practices
Occasional visits to nearby natural thermal spa baths
Shared evening meal at the monastery
Evening conversation, integration, or personal reflection
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
San Flaviano Monastery , San Flaviano, Spoleto, Province of Perugia, Italy
Directions
San Flaviano is most easily reached by train from Rome or Florence.
Fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO) or Florence (FLR) and take the train to Spoleto — a straightforward journey through some of Italy’s most beautiful countryside. From Rome Termini, Spoleto is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes by direct train. From Florence, allow around 2 hours with a change at Foligno.
Chauffeur pick-up is provided from Spoleto Train Station at 13:50 on arrival day, with drop-off in time for the 09:38 train to Rome on departure day.
If preferred, a private chauffeur can also be arranged for direct airport transfers from Rome or Florence.
If you are travelling from further afield or would like help planning your journey, I am happy to assist with route suggestions, overnight accommodation in Rome or Florence before or after the retreat, and any practical travel questions. Just get in touch.
Fly into Rome Fiumicino (FCO) or Florence (FLR) and take the train to Spoleto — a straightforward journey through some of Italy’s most beautiful countryside. From Rome Termini, Spoleto is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes by direct train. From Florence, allow around 2 hours with a change at Foligno.
Chauffeur pick-up is provided from Spoleto Train Station at 13:50 on arrival day, with drop-off in time for the 09:38 train to Rome on departure day.
If preferred, a private chauffeur can also be arranged for direct airport transfers from Rome or Florence.
If you are travelling from further afield or would like help planning your journey, I am happy to assist with route suggestions, overnight accommodation in Rome or Florence before or after the retreat, and any practical travel questions. Just get in touch.
Accommodation
Guests stay within the peaceful walls of San Flaviano Monastery, a restored 15th-century stone building set in the Umbrian mountains. The retreat accommodates a maximum of five women, creating a quiet and private environment throughout the week. Most guests stay in private bedrooms with their own ensuite bathrooms, offering a calm personal space to rest and withdraw between sessions. One spacious room within the monastery’s former church mezzanine is shared by two guests only, each with clearly defined sleeping areas and access to two bathrooms. The rooms are simple, comfortable, and kept at a stable temperature year-round. Thick stone walls, fresh mountain air, and the quiet of the surrounding countryside create an atmosphere that supports deep rest and nervous system regulation.
Private Monastery Room — Ensuite Bathroom
Shared Room — Church Mezzanine
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
San Flaviano is a restored 15th-century stone monastery set in the Umbrian hills, surrounded by forest, olive groves, and wide valley views. Historically known as “The Land of Light where the Doves Meet,” the property carries a long sense of quiet and refuge.
Today the monastery offers comfortable bedrooms, shared living spaces, terraces, and peaceful outdoor areas where guests can rest, walk, and take in the surrounding landscape.
Today the monastery offers comfortable bedrooms, shared living spaces, terraces, and peaceful outdoor areas where guests can rest, walk, and take in the surrounding landscape.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
A selection of home-cooked Italian meals prepared with fresh seasonal ingredients. Shared breakfasts, lunches, and dinners at the monastery nourish and sustain the retreat week.
What's Included
- 7 nights accommodation at San Flaviano Monastery in the Umbrian mountains
- Private ensuite bedroom or shared twin room (maximum two guests)
- Small group retreat — maximum five women
- Daily psychotherapy and therapeutic group sessions led by Tess Hunneybell
- Somatic therapy and nervous system regulation practices
- Gentle yoga and movement sessions
- Home-cooked breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepared with fresh local ingredients
- Fresh fruit, tea, and coffee available throughout the day
- Countryside walks in the surrounding Umbrian landscape
- Visit to nearby natural thermal spa baths
- Transfers to local activities during the retreat week
- All retreat activities and therapeutic sessions
- Each guest receives their own Healing Trauma Workbook — a gentle guide to support reflection and integration during the retreat.
What's Not Included
- Airport transfers
- Flights to and from Italy
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees (if required)
- Additional activities outside the retreat itinerary
- Optional body massage treatments
Similar retreats
Health & Wellness
5-night Wellness, Culinary and Cultural Retreat in Tuscany
6 Days Package
From €5,745
Health & Wellness
OF REALITY, MYSTICISM AND THE POWER OF LONGING with Bernd Windhofer
Jun 6 - 13, 2026
From €2,000
/ 8 days
Health & Wellness
Sardinia Residential Therapy Intensive: Movement, Group Work, and Integration
May 4 - 9, 2026
€2,000
/ 6 days
/
