Step into the world of ancient storytelling, Celtic wisdom, and Viking strength. This immersive retreat is an invitation for women to reclaim their true power through the stories they hold within. Here, you will dive deep into the archetypes of the Authoress, Warrioress, Wild Woman, and other powerful feminine energies, using ancient and modern practices to reshape and redefine your life’s narrative. Drawing from early traditions and storytelling techniques including Viking runes and Celtic rituals, as well as utilising modern Polyvagal technique and arts therapy, this journey will empower you to become the creator of your own destiny.
A 5 Day Retreat PLUS ongoing somatic coaching, for 6 months
Your journey with Wanderess does not end when you leave the retreat centre. With all of our retreats you are also purchasing 6 months of therapeutic and spiritual support via our Wanderess circle and group somatic coaching. Italy is just the beginning of your journey of deep transformation: we will be there to help you integrate the tools we give you along the way.
Who is the Authoress?
The Authoress or Heroine archetype is a potent symbol of self-empowerment, creativity, and courage. In a world where the roles we have sometimes been assigned can feel limiting, this retreat will help you transcend those narratives, empowering you to write your own. No longer bound by the “damsel in distress” story, and drawing inspiration from the warrior queens and heroines and goddesses of old, you will step into the role of the woman who crafts her life with intention and boundless creative power.
Here, guided by facilitators experienced in storytelling, performance, somatic healing, and more, you will liberate yourself from the stories that have kept you small—those internalised scripts of doubt, fear, and dependence. Through a transformative blend of storytelling rituals, archetypal exploration, and somatic therapy, you will reimagine your life’s story, one rooted in authenticity, strength, and creative freedom.
This Isn’t Just a Retreat. It’s a Rewrite.
This Retreat is For You If You’re Ready To:
🌹 Shift and release the limiting beliefs and stories that have kept you stuck.
🌹 Own your narrative and create a future aligned with their true self.
🌹 Reclaim your voice and your truth – no more shrinking, silencing, or staying small
🌹 Break free from societal expectations and the internalised roles of victimhood or silence.
🌹Connect with other intelligent, inspiring women and find inspiration, whether on a personal growth journey or in your work as creators and writers.
Why is this Retreat Different?
Because here, you don’t just tell your story.
You embody it. You rewrite it. You perform your future into being.
We go beyond surface-level wellness. This is deep work grounded in theatre, trauma-informed practice, intercultural wisdom, and somatic storytelling—a method where your body becomes the stage for transformation, your voice the instrument of liberation.
Through the Wanderess Method, you’ll explore iconic feminine archetypes, not as fixed roles, but as powerful tools to reclaim your identity, your expression, and your life path.
What awaits you
What you will experience:
🌹 Explore Your Inner Archetypes:
Step into your Authoress, Warrioress, and other powerful feminine energies. Through deep introspection, journaling, and embodiment, transform your old mental scripts into empowering narratives that align with your true desires and life purpose.
📕 Storytelling Workshops:
Tap into the creative wellspring within you as you explore the power of spoken word and storytelling, delving into tales of Goddesses/Mythical Heroines. Learn to embody your narrative with confidence, unlocking your full feminine power as the Authoress—the woman who speaks her truth and lives her story unapologetically.
💃🏻 Polyvagal-Informed Somatic Healing:
Understand how your body holds stories—and how to release, reshape, and reauthor them using cutting-edge therapeutic techniques. Learn how to regulate your nervous system using techniques grounded in Polyvagal Theory for deeper safety, connection, and empowerment.
⭕️ Research-Informed Rituals & Reflective Practices:
Connect deeply with a sense of heritage and the collective through rituals rooted in Celtic and Nordic wisdom. These ceremonies will guide you in tapping into your inner strength, as you release limiting beliefs and embrace your authentic self.
✨ Energetic Reset:
Rejuvenate through Reiki, Yoga, Crystals, Sound Healing, and more. Holistic tools will reset your energy and support your journey toward self-discovery and empowerment.
🌟 This is more than a retreat. It’s a deep, embodied re-authoring of your identity—supported by expert facilitators and a global sisterhood. 🌟
Awaken Your Inner Archetypes
Developed by archetype and performance specialist Dr. Ellie Chadwick (PhD), the Wanderess Method draws from cutting-edge research in embodiment, trauma theory (including Polyvagal-informed practice), and performance studies to help women step into the full authorship of their lives.
This retreat explores the performative nature of identity: how we live the stories we’ve inherited, and how we can rewrite them through the body.
Together, we will deconstruct the lingering impact of the Damsel in Distress archetype and reclaim the powerful energies of the Heroine, drawing on Celtic and Norse mythology, folklore, and feminine wisdom traditions. Through the mythic figures of Brigid (Celtic goddess of healing, fire, and poetry) and Freya (Norse goddess of love, war, and sovereignty), we’ll uncover inner resilience, agency, and voice.
This is not about fantasy—it’s about embodied reality. It’s about using somatic tools, performance methodologies, epigenetic knowledge, and archetypal mapping to access your strength, disrupt internalised narratives of powerlessness, and root into your lived, expressive power.
We will explore and embody:
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The Heroine/Authoress, who writes her own story from a place of clarity and courage.
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The Rebeless, who dares to dismantle inherited systems and speak truth.
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The Warrioress, who acts with grounded strength.
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The Huntress/Wild Woman, who leads with instinct, freedom, and fierce authenticity.
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The Enchantress, who brings allure, creativity, and transformation.
Through immersive storytelling, ritual theatre, and body-based practices, you’ll move from passive roles into empowered authorship. You’ll learn how to regulate your nervous system, hold space for emotional complexity, and embody your truth with creative confidence.
This is more than myth—it’s methodology. This is where story becomes structure, and performance becomes transformation.
What you'll get from this retreat
Control Over Your Narrative
Using journalling, future progression meditation, and performance practice to step into your role as the author of your life story.
Archetypal Understanding
Use research-backed techniques to explore powerful female archetypes, transforming limiting beliefs into embodied narratives of strength, wisdom, and creativity.
Polyvagal-Informed Nervous System Regulation
Body-based tools to regulate your nervous system, improving emotional resilience and performance confidence.
Somatic Healing for Emotional Release
You’ll learn trauma-informed somatic techniques to release emotional blockages, fostering creative flow and personal growth.
Embodied Historical & Epigenetic Knowledge
Through embodied ritual and creative practices we will connect with ancient cultures of the British Isles and Europe to tap into ancestral ways of thinking and inherited patterns to release and integrate.
Creative & Personal Transformation
Integrate research-based practices from ancient oral storytelling traditions and modern somatic therapy to unleash your inner creative power and step into your true self with confidence.
Ongoing Support
Receive 6 months of somatic coaching and access to the Wanderess Circle to help you continue your growth and integrate the retreat experience into your daily life: because real transformation takes time.
You will leave this retreat with a clear sense of self, purpose, and direction.
Our Retreat Venue
Welcome to Hills Farm Wellness Retreats, a sanctuary of tranquility nestled in the heart of the stunning Devonshire countryside. Set amidst over 100 acres of breathtaking landscapes in East Devon, our retreat offers the perfect setting for rejuvenation, healing, and personal growth.
Hills Farm is steeped in history, dating back to 1272. Originally a dairy farm, it was thoughtfully transformed in 2006 into the serene wellness space you see today. Surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with sweeping views of the Jurassic Coast, Hills Farm invites you to step away from the everyday hustle and into a world of peace and restoration. From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel the weight of the world lift and a deep sense of calm take over.
The natural beauty of Devon provides the perfect backdrop for your wellness journey. From mindful walks through peaceful countryside to invigorating sea swims along the Jurassic Coast, every experience at Hills Farm is crafted to help you reconnect with nature and yourself.
Your Hosts
Dr Ellie Chadwick (PhD)
Lead Facilitator
Dr. Ellie Chadwick is an internationally experienced theatre practitioner, creative facilitator, and scholar working at the intersection of performance, storytelling, ritual, and somatic healing. With over 15 years of experience creating theatre shows, immersive experiences, and installations, her work has been commissioned by institutions including Tate Modern, Barbican Guildhall, National Trust, Plymouth Theatre Royal, and Bristol City Council. Ellie has been interviewed for The Stage magazine and for BBC Radio 4 on the subject of creative education and immersive arts.
Ellie holds a PhD and MFA in Theatre and is a published author with expertise in archetypes, collective memory, intercultural performance, and the role of the arts in collective wellbeing. Her academic work includes lecturing in performing arts and postdoctoral research in intercultural artistic practice, with creative collaborations across Europe, China, Indonesia, and the UK.
For nearly a decade, Ellie has led international retreats, workshops, and masterclasses, including recurring gatherings in Bali, blending ritual, art, and body-based practices. She is the creator of Historically-Responsive Theatre Practice—a method that integrates ancient and modern techniques, honouring the sacred roots of art-making across cultures.
Currently training as a trauma-informed integrative somatic therapist, Ellie’s work draws on polyvagal theory, nervous system regulation, and archetypal exploration to guide transformational experiences rooted in story, embodiment, and emotional healing. Whether on stage, in retreat, or within coaching spaces, Ellie is devoted to helping others reclaim their voice, rewrite their story, and remember the body as a source of truth, power, and creative possibility.
Laura McNeill
Co-Facilitator
Laura is a Shamanic Reiki Drumming Practitioner, Reiki Master Teacher, Crystal Healer, and Sacred Somatic Journey Practitioner. She blends crystal healing, somatic movement, sound, chanting, and shadow work to create safe, authentic spaces for deep healing. With a BA (hons) in Theatre and Performance, Laura has a background in theatre production, and is also currently training as a Sound Practitioner.
Laura’s healing path began eight years ago through researching nutrition, when she sought alternative ways to support her children when conventional medicine fell short. This led her to a deeper exploration of holistic and energy-based practices. Today, she helps others release trauma, reconnect with their inner light, and transform through one-on-one sessions, circles, and retreats.
Karma Tucker
Co-Facilitator
Testimonials
Words from our Wanderesses on previous events, retreats, and circles:
“A wonderful 2 weeks… Ellie made me feel safe and supported the whole time. The memories I made with her will stay with me forever.” – Amanda
“Memories I will carry with me forever. The course designed by Ellie was culturally informative but respectful to local community, driven by creativity and, most of, amazing fun. If you want a break from the day-to-day and time to nourish your creative side, join one of Ellie’s retreats.” – Morven
“An unforgettable journey of self-discovery. The blend of rituals, storytelling, and somatic healing was truly transformative.” – Sophie
“Absolutely life-changing! The workshops and activities helped me tap into parts of myself I didn’t even know existed. I left with a renewed sense of confidence and purpose.” – Dani
“The archetypes work is so powerful – blew my mind!” – Rose
A beautiful experience that opened my heart and mind. Ellie’s guidance through this retreat was deeply nurturing.” – Chloe
“Beautiful… emotionally rewarding and feel supported – a wonderful rush of love and acceptance” – Nita
“Very powerful! Especially liked the drumming and archetypes” – Ruth
Pricing
Super Early Bird Payment Plan Available for:
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Get an early bird deal!
We have an early bird deal available to save up to £800 off the total retreat price when booking by 12th May 2025.
There are two options for you to choose from :
£2,500 up front (save £800), or
Pay a £600 deposit and sign up to our payment plan of 4x £500 (June 2025-September 2025), saving £700.
What this includes:
Accommodation:
A gorgeous and comfortable twin room shared with another Wanderess (ensuite).
Empowering Workshops:
Transformative sessions designed to help you tap into your inner Heroine.
Holistic Treatments:
Rejuvenate with treatments such as sound baths and reiki to nurture your body and spirit.
Delicious Meals:
Enjoy delicious, freshly prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
Pick Up:
Return transport from the local train station (Axminster) to the retreat venue.
🌟 Plus! Our Special Retreats Bonus! 🌟
A 6-month complimentary membership to our online Wanderess Circle, a coaching container offering group somatic therapy, extending your journey of growth and connection long after the retreat ends.
This is your invitation to break free from the roles you’ve inherited, the expectations you’ve absorbed, and the stories that no longer serve you. Set against the backdrop of timeless myth and ancient wisdom, this immersive 5-day retreat blends storytelling, cutting-edge somatic practices, and Jungian archetypal work to guide you back to your most authentic self.
Embrace your inner Wanderess
At the core of every Wanderess retreat is our signature Archetypes Method—a powerful blend of academic research, performance practice, and somatic storytelling designed to help you transform inherited roles into authentic expressions of who you truly are.
Archetypes aren’t clichés—they’re living, symbolic energies rooted in history, psychology, and culture. We help you uncover those shaping you unconsciously, challenge limiting narratives, and consciously choose the ones that empower you.
Created by Dr. Ellie Chadwick (PhD), a scholar, therapist, and international theatre practitioner, the Wanderess approach invites you to explore your personal mythology through the performance of self. Through movement, voice, and creative ritual, you’ll access embodied wisdom and new ways of being.
Every retreat is an invitation to step beyond imposed stories and into embodied truth. We work with a rich spectrum of feminine archetypes—the Sorceress, Mysticess, Creatress, Empress, Rebel, Wild Woman, and more. Each reveals aspects of your voice, sensuality, authority, and creativity that may have been silenced or forgotten. These archetypes offer doorways into your full multidimensional self.
This is more than personal growth. It’s re-authoring your story, healing deep wounds—and reclaiming your place in a larger, collective narrative.
Join our waitlist today to begin your journey into archetypal embodiment and radical self-discovery.