About the retreat
Every activity has a precise purpose
This retreat is designed for people who live intense emotions that sometimes overwhelm them: anxiety, tiredness, sadness, a mind that will not stop. Every activity in the programme has a precise purpose and is based on approaches studied by scientific research: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Schema Therapy, mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy and interventions based on contact with nature and the body.
The thread that ties all the activities together is one: learning to recognise what state your nervous system is in, and having concrete tools to bring it back into balance. Not only understanding it with your head, but experiencing it in your body, so that it remains available in difficult moments too.
The work does not end on Sunday. After the retreat the journey continues in a small online group, where we check together that what you learned really works in everyday life.
A guiding concept
The window of tolerance
The “window of tolerance” (Siegel, 1999) describes the zone in which we can feel emotions without being overwhelmed by them. Above the window there is hyperarousal: agitation, alarm, anger, racing thoughts. Below it there is hypoarousal: emptiness, detachment, shutting down. People who have lived through prolonged stress or traumatic experiences often have a narrower window. All the activities of the retreat serve to widen it, a little at a time (Ogden, Minton & Pain, 2006).
The programme
Three days: arrive, feel, take home
Tap each activity to read what we do and why it works.
Friday · Arrive
- 14:00Arrival and settling in
15:00Ecotherapy: free walk with grounding
What we do
An aimless walk through the estate, alone or in company, as your body prefers. The only instruction is to notice the ground under your feet and what is around you: colours, sounds, scents. On your return, one question: what did you notice that you would usually have missed?
Why it works
Grounding brings attention back to the senses and to the present moment: it is one of the first tools for returning to the window of tolerance when alarm rises. Nature amplifies the effect. A study published in PNAS showed that a 90-minute walk in a natural setting reduces rumination and the activity of a brain area linked to brooding, which does not happen when walking in the city. Leaving people free to be alone or in company respects everyone’s pace: for those who are more reserved or neurodivergent, feeling free is already regulating.
References: Kaplan, 1995; Bratman et al., 2015; Ogden et al., 2006
16:00Gardening with grounding
What we do
Hands in the soil: sowing, caring, removing what is no longer needed, with attention to gestures and sensations.
Why it works
A meta-analysis of studies on gardening found positive effects on anxiety, depression, mood and life satisfaction. Contact with the soil is a natural grounding, and the garden offers powerful metaphors for inner work: taking care, waiting, putting down roots, pruning.
References: Soga et al., 2017
17:00Therapeutic writing: what the garden taught me
What we do
Straight after gardening, everyone writes freely from one question: what did the garden teach me about how I take care of myself?
Why it works
Expressive writing is one of the most studied interventions in psychology: putting experience into words helps to organise it and give it meaning. A large meta-analysis confirms positive effects on psychological well-being. We write during the day and starting from a concrete experience, to work in depth without weighing down the evening and sleep.
References: Pennebaker & Beall, 1986; Frattaroli, 2006
18:00Yoga: arriving in the body
What we do
A gentle, trauma-sensitive practice: no forced poses, everyone chooses how much and how to take part.
Why it works
Trauma-sensitive yoga helps you feel your body as a safe place again and trains interoception, the ability to perceive internal signals (breath, heartbeat, tension). In a controlled study of people with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, ten weeks of yoga significantly reduced symptoms. Reviews with meta-analyses also point to benefits for anxiety and depression.
References: van der Kolk et al., 2014; Emerson & Hopper, 2011; Cramer et al., 2013; Cramer et al., 2018
19:30Shared dinner
What we do
The first dinner is together, in an informal atmosphere.
Why it works
A sense of belonging and the feeling of not being the only one facing certain difficulties (“universality”) are among the most important therapeutic factors in groups. Eating together on the first evening builds cohesion quickly. On the following days meals are more flexible, out of respect for those who need quiet space.
References: Yalom & Leszcz, 2005
21:00Fireside therapy: the fire of stories — third-person stories, herbal tea and rest
What we do
Around the fire, anyone who wishes tells a two- or three-minute story in the third person: the story of someone who went through a difficulty and found a way to move forward. It can be your own or someone else’s, and no one asks whose it is. Listeners only say what stayed with them: an image, a word. No advice, no interpretation. We close with a caffeine-free herbal tea.
Why it works
By “fireside therapy” we mean group therapy held around a fire. The fire is not the method, but a context that supports it. An anthropological study published in PNAS observed that, by day, hunter-gatherer communities talk mostly about work and conflicts, while around the fire they tell stories that create bonds and pass on meaning. Another study found that watching and listening to a fire lowers blood pressure and promotes relaxation. Talking about yourself in the third person is a form of “self-distancing”: studies show it reduces emotional reactivity and helps you look at your experience more clearly, without being overwhelmed by it. Listening without comment draws on the “outsider witness” practice of narrative therapy, which helps people feel seen and welcomed without exposing themselves too much. With its warmth and soft light, the fire activates what compassion-focused therapy calls the soothing system. The final herbal tea is a DBT self-soothing exercise through the five senses, which accompanies the body towards sleep.
References: Wiessner, 2014; Lynn, 2014; Kross et al., 2014; Kross & Ayduk, 2017; White, 2007; Gilbert, 2010; Linehan, 2015
Saturday · Feel
08:00Gentle activating yoga
What we do
A short practice before breakfast, to wake the body up kindly.
Why it works
Starting the day by listening to the body helps you begin from a regulated state. Practices that combine movement and slow breathing act on the autonomic nervous system and on the stress-response systems.
References: Streeter et al., 2012; Cramer et al., 2018
- 08:40Breakfast (until 10:00)
11:30Mindful cooking class
What we do
We cook a traditional Tuscan dish together, paying attention to scents, textures and gestures.
Why it works
Cooking with full attention trains mindfulness in everyday life, not only on the mat. A systematic review of cooking interventions found benefits for self-esteem, socialisation and mood. In DBT, building pleasant experiences and a sense of mastery is part of the skills that reduce emotional vulnerability.
References: Farmer et al., 2018; Linehan, 2015
13:00Lunch and free time
What we do
Free time is part of the method, not a gap in the programme.
Why it works
Resting allows the nervous system to integrate the morning’s experiences and prepares you for the more intense afternoon.
14:00Optional winery and vineyard visit (with grape juice for those who do not drink)
What we do
During the break, anyone who wishes can visit the winery and vineyard of the family hosting the retreat. The tasting is optional and you can choose grape juice instead of wine.
Why it works
It is a moment of mindful pleasure. Slow tasting draws on a classic mindfulness exercise (the raisin of the MBSR programme) and on the DBT skills of “observing” and “describing”: looking, sensing, savouring calmly and without judgement. It is optional because alcohol can interfere with emotion regulation and with some medications, and because freely choosing what to do with your time is part of the work: listening to what you need, even if it is rest.
References: Kabat-Zinn, 1990; Linehan, 2015
15:00Equine-assisted session and therapeutic photography (in alternating groups)
What we do
The group splits in two. One half works with the horse, accompanied by the psychotherapist and the animal handler; the other half goes out with a camera or phone to freely photograph whatever strikes them. Then the groups swap.
Why it works
The horse responds to the emotional state of whoever is near it: it becomes an immediate mirror of your level of activation and a chance to experience co-regulation. Systematic reviews suggest promising effects of equine-assisted interventions, although the evidence is still preliminary. The session follows the Italian National Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions, with a professional dedicated to handling the animal. Therapeutic photography uses images as a way of looking at your experience from another perspective: choosing what to frame is already an exercise in attention and self-expression.
References: Linee guida nazionali IAA, 2015; Kendall et al., 2015; Weiser, 1993
18:00Restorative yoga
What we do
Supported poses and long pauses, to release the day.
Why it works
Saturday is the most emotionally intense day. A slow, supported practice helps the body “digest” what has emerged and eases the transition to a state of calm before the evening.
References: Streeter et al., 2012
- 19:00Dinner
21:00Fireside therapy: emotions as a compass — herbal tea and rest
What we do
The second fireside therapy evening is a conversation around the fire, not a lesson: what message does each emotion carry? What does it need? Emotions should be neither suppressed nor eliminated: they are a compass that guides us.
Why it works
In DBT, emotions have precise functions: they communicate to others, prepare us for action and give us information about what matters to us. Recognising and naming them is the first step to regulating them. Emotion-focused therapy shows that change comes from welcoming emotions, not fighting them. We close again with herbal tea and self-soothing through the senses.
References: Linehan, 2015; Greenberg, 2002
Sunday · Take home
08:00Moon yoga: slow, with stretching
What we do
A slow, relaxing practice, with sequences inspired by the moon salutation.
Why it works
On the last morning the body gathers what it has lived. Slow movement and deep breathing promote calm and presence, the best foundation for the group work that follows.
References: Streeter et al., 2012
- 08:40Breakfast (until 10:00)
10:00Group therapy: window of tolerance, crisis skills and my “when… then…” routine
What we do
This is the practical heart of the retreat. We learn to recognise when we are leaving the window of tolerance and what to do in that moment, with DBT distress-tolerance skills. Then everyone writes one or two sentences to bring grounding into their day, for example: “When I switch on the coffee maker in the morning, then I take three breaths feeling my feet on the ground.” No big goals, no list of targets: just small gestures linked to moments that already exist in your routine. Everyone takes their sentences home on a small card.
Why it works
Many people know the techniques but cannot use them in the critical moment. DBT crisis skills are designed precisely for that moment. “Implementation intentions” (“when… then…” plans) are among the most studied strategies for turning an intention into a habit: a meta-analysis of almost one hundred studies shows a medium-to-large effect. Linking the gesture to a concrete moment of the day avoids the performance anxiety that comes from overly ambitious goals.
References: Siegel, 1999; Linehan, 2015; Gollwitzer, 1999; Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006
11:15Truffle hunting
What we do
In the woods with the truffle dog, following its nose and its pace.
Why it works
It is an experience of presence in nature and shared pleasure. In DBT, accumulating positive experiences is a skill in its own right, because it makes us less vulnerable to difficult emotions. The woods, like the walk on the first day, help attention recover.
References: Linehan, 2015; Kaplan, 1995
12:45Closing circle and presentation of the online group
What we do
Before sitting down at the table, the group closes in a circle: what am I taking with me? The online group that continues after the retreat is presented. All information is also given in writing, so everyone can decide calmly.
Why it works
A careful closing helps consolidate the experience and part well from the group. Moreover, one of the central aims of DBT is “generalisation”: carrying skills from the therapy room into real life. The online group serves exactly this purpose: checking over time that what you learned really works in everyday life.
References: Yalom & Leszcz, 2005; Linehan, 2015
13:15Celebration lunch with the truffles we found, then departure
What we do
The retreat ends at the table, with the truffles found together.
Why it works
Celebrating together anchors the memory of the experience in a moment of joy and belonging.
After the retreat
The online continuity group
The online group is a way to stay in touch after the retreat. It is not mandatory, but we recommend it: it is the place to tell each other what helped you bring into your everyday life what you learned to do at the retreat, and to check together that it keeps working over time.
Where
Villa Tiberini
The retreat is hosted at Villa Tiberini, a farmhouse estate of about 50 hectares of fields, olive groves and woodland in Torrita di Siena, run by the family of the Tiberini winery.
For more information and booking, contact the Villa directly:
+39 0578 716112 · +39 375 906 7985
booking@tiberiniwine.com
Loc. La Pece, 53049 Torrita di Siena (SI)
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An important note
The retreat is a group intervention led by a psychotherapist and does not replace individual psychotherapy when this is needed. Every activity is offered, never imposed: you can always choose to observe.
Book on WhatsApp
Led by
Psychologist, psychotherapist and neuropsychologist (Albo n. 11988) · yoga teacher
CBT · DBT · ACT · Schema Therapy
Frequently asked questions
What can I expect from a wellness retreat in Tuscany?
Small-group experiences in nature, gentle yoga, mindful cooking, time with horses and a truffle hunt, each with a clear purpose: learning to recognise the state of your nervous system and having practical tools to bring it back into balance.
Is alcohol allowed? Do I have to drink?
No one has to drink. The winery visit and tasting are optional and grape juice is always available. Vegetarian, vegan and alcohol-free options are available on request.
How much does a 3-day wellness retreat in Italy cost?
Prices are available directly from Villa Tiberini: write to them on WhatsApp.
Do I need experience with yoga or meditation?
No. Every activity is offered, never imposed: you can always choose to simply observe.
Do I have to hand in my phone?
No. Phones are not taken away, but we advise using them as little as possible during the retreat: constant digital stimulation is one of the things we work on.
How do I book?
Information and booking directly with Villa Tiberini.
Bibliography
All references verified against the original publications.
- Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., Hahn, K. S., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J. (2015). Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(28), 8567–8572.
- Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Langhorst, J., & Dobos, G. (2013). Yoga for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 30(11), 1068–1083.
- Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Anheyer, D., et al. (2018). Yoga for anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety, 35(9), 830–843.
- Emerson, D., & Hopper, E. (2011). Overcoming Trauma through Yoga. North Atlantic Books.
- Farmer, N., Touchton-Leonard, K., & Ross, A. (2018). Psychosocial benefits of cooking interventions: A systematic review. Health Education & Behavior, 45(2), 167–180.
- Frattaroli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 823–865.
- Gilbert, P. (2010). Compassion Focused Therapy: Distinctive Features. Routledge.
- Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503.
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.
- Greenberg, L. S. (2002). Emotion-Focused Therapy: Coaching Clients to Work Through Their Feelings. American Psychological Association.
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living. Delacorte.
- Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182.
- Kendall, E., Maujean, A., Pepping, C. A., et al. (2015). A systematic review of the efficacy of equine-assisted interventions on psychological outcomes. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, 17(1), 57–79.
- Kross, E., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., Park, J., et al. (2014). Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: How you do it matters. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(2), 304–324.
- Kross, E., & Ayduk, O. (2017). Self-distancing: Theory, research, and current directions. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 55, 81–136.
- Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
- Lynn, C. D. (2014). Hearth and campfire influences on arterial blood pressure: Defraying the costs of the social brain through fireside relaxation. Evolutionary Psychology, 12(5), 983–1003.
- Ministero della Salute (2015). Linee guida nazionali per gli Interventi Assistiti con gli Animali (IAA). Accordo Stato-Regioni del 25 marzo 2015.
- Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.
- Pennebaker, J. W., & Beall, S. K. (1986). Confronting a traumatic event: Toward an understanding of inhibition and disease. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(3), 274–281.
- Siegel, D. J. (1999). The Developing Mind. Guilford Press.
- Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017). Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92–99.
- Streeter, C. C., Gerbarg, P. L., Saper, R. B., Ciraulo, D. A., & Brown, R. P. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 78(5), 571–579.
- van der Kolk, B. A., Stone, L., West, J., et al. (2014). Yoga as an adjunctive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 75(6), e559–e565.
- Weiser, J. (1993). PhotoTherapy Techniques: Exploring the Secrets of Personal Snapshots and Family Albums. Jossey-Bass.
- White, M. (2007). Maps of Narrative Practice. Norton.
- Wiessner, P. W. (2014). Embers of society: Firelight talk among the Ju/’hoansi Bushmen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(39), 14027–14035.
- Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (5th ed.). Basic Books.
Slow down, feel, and take home what works.
Book your place → Information & booking: Villa TiberiniVilla Tiberini · +39 0578 716112 · +39 375 906 7985