Uniting Mind-Body Retreat Program
a comprehensive journey to increased health and well-being
Picture Rocks, Tucson
Arizona

Our 6-day intensive retreat program is open to those who want to enhance their inner growth, health and well-being or personal leadership through mind-body medicine. Blending therapy based on the healing power of nature with concepts, tools and techniques derived from cognitive-behavioral psychology, the program is restorative and comprehensive and offers the opportunity to align yourself with your nature, to re-align one’s life to one’s passions. The purpose of this work is to create a healthy state of mind in order to better deal with life challenges.

Concepts addressed are: emotional competence and thought transformation - responsibility - change and resolving old issues - dealing with stressors - spiritual beliefs - living with hope and trust - inner wisdom/guidance - non attachment - and more. One learns how to think healthier, feel better and connect with surrounding and inner nature.

The program takes place at Redemptorist Renewal Center, bordering Saguaro National Park, in the Sonora desert. The Retreat Center is situated in the foothills of the Tucson mountains and is a spiritual life and renewal center that provides a unique opportunity for solitude, reflection and contemplative practice. The desert may enable you to find, restore and develop your personal inner connection with Nature. Hippocrates pointed to the value of understanding the connectedness between the healing power of nature surrounding us and the healing power of the nature residing within us. Encounter your inner nature while meeting open space and silence.

In its comprehensive approach our program integrates cognitive, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of our being; we address our wholeness as human beings. All that we teach is based on ancient knowledge and current medical and psychological scientific research. The focus is on learning self-help tools that decrease stress and emotional or physical pain and that increase happiness. The program is a 6-day residential program and includes lectures, assignments, meditations, structured and unstructured experiences, exercises in working groups, and one-to-one meetings as desired. All that is offered is aimed at strengthening the underpinnings of our own healing and of effective personal growth and leadership through self-reflective learning, which deepens the connection with our authentic self. It is through more deeply connecting with our own nature that we can meet our fullest potential as leaders in our own lives, and that we move to increased health and well-being. Although this program is open to anyone, we very much welcome those who are facing or who have healed from an illness. If one is currently dealing with an illness please know that the program supports people in the treatments they are already following, while offering an additional mind-body approach for mobilizing their own healing energy. Participants are offered ways to impact their own health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that beliefs, attitudes and emotions can impact our health and the course of a disease. Healing does not always mean the body gets well or recurrence can be prevented. The program includes learning how to deal with the unknown, and how to create peace of mind around death and dying, in order to live one’s life to the fullest
today.

Training Program
Hekademos Foundation offers a training program to educate therapists, social workers, nurses, doctors, psychologists, coaches and volunteers in understanding the concepts of our Mind-Body Medicine Program. By offering training we hope to serve the community in two ways. First of all we wish to support professionals in their personal as well as professional life so they can work in good health themselves and enjoy a good quality of life. Secondly we hope to serve their clients who deal with an illness, by training others to serve them in a holistic and comprehensive way, with hope, camaraderie and compassion.

Participation in only one 6-day retreat session generates immense knowledge, insight and immediately applicable skills. For those who, after having had this introductory session, desire to help their clients through mind-body medicine, we offer tailor-made training to meet the needs
of the trainee. In addition, we offer a 2-year training program that can lead to certification as a Hekademos Mind-Body Practitioner. One will develop competencies in guiding clients through emotional distress and becoming well equipped to approach clients in a c0mprehensive way - including the emotional, cognitive, behavorial, social and spiritual aspects of our being.

If you are interested in training with us, please contact us.

Teaching Staff
This retreat week will be led by Barbara de Beukelaar MSc. She worked as an executive consultant and trainer in change and leadership programs besides her volunteer work with people facing cancer. Barbara was introduced to the work of Dr Carl Simonton in 1999, was trained by him and later became member of the teaching staff at Simonton Cancer Center. In 2012 she co-founded Hekademos which holds retreats in South Africa, The Netherlands/ Belgium, and Arizona. In 2015 Barbara left the consultancy firm that she had founded to fully dedicate her time to her social work, serving those who want to increase their personal growth, health and well-being. Barbara and her staff have a rich educational and training background and varied experience in working with people who are dealing with a crisis, like a lifethreatening illness.

Schedule & Location
We will welcome you at Redemptorist Renewal Center on Sunday February 11th between 2 and 4 PM. There will be a short intake, dinner and introductory evening program. Monday through Thursday there will be morning and afternoon programs. The teaching staff is available at anytime during the day to ensure that each participant receives personal attention. Since nature has an important role in the program we will offer optional outside sessions. The session will conclude on Friday February 16th before lunchtime.
The Retreat Center offers comfortable and simple rooms; each room has standard 2 twin beds and a private bathroom. There is no Wi-Fi, phone or TV in rooms. Wi-Fi and cell phone reach are available though on the premises. The Tucson airport is a 25 to 30 minute drive. Alcohol is not served on the premises.
If you have any dietary requests, please send them to us together with your registration form.
After registration and payment of a deposit of 1/3 of the cost your place is secured. In case of a cancellation we will refund your full payment if someone can take your place. However, when cancellation is communicated less than three weeks before the start of the program ànd your place cannot be taken by someone else, the deposit of 1/3 will unfortunately not be refunded.

Cost & Registration
Cost of the program is $ 1,700 or € 1.500,– per participant who attends for the first time. If you are dealing with or have healed from an illness we do advise you to bring a support person - life partner, spouse, family member or friend - to participate in the program with you. The cost for the support person is $ 850 or € 750,–.
The cost for those who are returning with us is $ 1,400 or € 1.250,–. And the cost for the support person is $ 700 or € 625,–. Included are lodging, three meals a day, and selected drinks and snacks. Excluded are travel costs to/from Redemptorist Renewal Center at Picture Rocks, Tucson, Arizona. For single accomodations, please add $ 125 or € 100,–. For those who live in Tucson and want to attend the program while commuting, the cost of the program is $ 950 and $ 475 for the support person. Commuters are encouraged to join us for breakfast, lunch and dinner so as to fully participate in the group and benefit from elective sessions during the break and/or after dinner. The Retreat Center’s price for all meals for the week (BLD) is $ 300 per person. If you’re considering commuting please contact us for additional information and making arrangements.

For further information or a registration form, please contact Barbara de Beukelaar:
barbara@hekademos.org
C + 31 (0) 654 773 895
S barbaradebeukelaar
http://www.hekademos.org