Ground and Explore Weekends
Upcoming weekend: 20th to 23rd May 2027, Jura Mountains, France
Are you being asked to find new ways of being in the world?
Whatever life looks like from the outside, it can feel unsteady and hard going on the inside. The pace of our daily routines leaves very little room to breathe, let alone process the changes we are facing. I believe real clarity and steadiness is challenging to develop when we are within the day-to-day reality of our life. However, I do find that it can come from stepping outside, in a supportive and intentional way.
This weekend in the Jura is an invitation to pause and explore. In a small group – max 4 participants, we will head into the mountains to let the landscape hold some of the weight. We will walk. We will set up a simple bivouac. We will sit together and individually, we will reflect and we will share. As the noise settles, the rhythm of nature will help us regulate our nervous systems, bringing us more into the present moment. With a range of powerful and supportive practices, we can begin to look at our inner landscape so that we can start to answer the questions of how we support ourselves, how we move forward and how we find stronger ground in all the challenge of our lives today.
This is not a structured classroom, nor an endurance test. It is a shared exploration. I am holding a space where it is safe to be unsure. As a group, we will gently lean on practical psychological tools to make sense of our transitions. We will share experiences and gather snippets of wisdom from one another.
What to Expect
- Preparation and integration: Structured support to prepare for the weekend and to integrate your learnings into your everyday.
- Moving together: Hiking through the Jura to reconnect with the physical body.
- Practical support: Blending psychological insights with the reality of your current situation.
- Expert facilitation: As an experienced coach, nature guide and hiking leader I will be present to support each of you on your own journey.
- Rustic simplicity: Sleeping out under the stars, finding comfort in the elements (with shelter nearby if the weather demands it).
- Shared reflection: A small, peer-to-peer group offering conversation, warmth, and quiet moments by the fire.
Feedback from previous weekends
The weekend was so full, yet seemed to go by in a flash. I really didn't want it to end! I loved the variety of activities Tom suggested, and his openness and flexibility in adapting them to the needs of the group. One of my highlights was creating my own piece of land art, which gave me a wonderful, creative way to express and share something of my personal journey.
Tom has found an exceptional location where you feel completely safe, while being surrounded by nature and having the opportunity to explore and gently push your own boundaries. I felt supported throughout the experience, whether through practical advice, guidance or simply having the right equipment available. And Tom was always on hand to offer a helping hand or make a much-appreciated brew when needed!
I would wholeheartedly recommend this experience to anyone curious about spending time immersed in nature but perhaps lacking the experience to do so independently, as well as those who already feel at home in nature but would like to explore their inner world a little more. It's truly fascinating!
- Trudi
One weekend to be unapologetically yourself and recharge your batteries in nature. That's how I'd sum up the retreat.
Tom has a rare gift: he made me feel so safe and supported that I was able to access and release unconscious patterns that used to block me in certain areas of life and that I normally can't reach.
What stood out to me is that I came in with a lot of challenges and left feeling more than ready to tackle them, yet the weekend felt more like a good time outdoors with friends than heavy work.
Eating breakfast together with a view of the Jura Mountains, sitting by the fire, sleeping in nature or going for a hike are all things I'd do anyway to balance out my hectic daily life. Doing them surrounded by people you can have heaps of laughs with and be unapologetically yourself made it even better.
- Billy
I enjoyed a fantastic hiking wild camping retreat weekend with Tom in the beautiful Jura mountains.
Just loved having the time and space to connect with nature and with myself with Tom’s guidance. Felt completely safe, encouraged, and supported by nature (and Tom’s!) wisdom to learn about me and my emotions.
Tom is guiding with the right amount of listening and questions, has a wealth of experience he can draw upon to help you go through the questions you have.
This weekend felt like luxury and at the same time was so simple and natural. Something I will want to repeat!
- Jennifer
Logistics
- Meet on Thursday afternoon - just get yourself to Geneva airport I'll help you with the rest.
- Finish around 4pm on Sunday, option to go for a swim in Lac Leman before you go back to the airport.
- Food will be provided, and there will be a strong element of communal eating.
- Potential for an over night personal fire quest.
- Sleeping under the stars with a sleeping bag and bivi bag.
- There will be a kit list available and plenty of support to figure out what you need ahead of time and you can borrow kit if you need to.
- In the lead up and follow on from the weekend, you will receive support to prepare for and to integrate your experience over the weekend.
- Cost: 600 euros (550 euros earlybird price until 1st December 2026)
If you are hoping to build mental, emotional and practical confidence in your ability to handle the challenges ahead, please reach out and we can discuss if the weekend is right for you, and whether this timing is right for you. I invite you to risk exploring together.
