Some Key Practices of Our Retreats

At Inerise, every retreat rests on a clear foundation: human transformation happens when physical practices and psychological science work together.This is why we’ve built a community of professionals whose disciplines have been researched, tested, and recognised worldwide each contributing a method that improves how people think, move, feel, and work.

Below is a closer look at the practices that support our retreats, and the scientific principles that make them effective.

Psychology Workshops

During our retreats, coaching psychologists lead structured workshops designed to introduce participants to evidence-based psychological methods that directly support their professional and personal well-being.These sessions give employees practical tools they can apply immediately in their workday.

What we teach in these workshops

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)Participants learn how to identify distorted thinking patterns, reduce rumination, and break cycles of overwhelm. Through guided exercises, they practice reframing real work-related scenarios to develop clearer, more balanced thinking.

ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)Workshops focus on building psychological flexibility helping people navigate uncertainty, reduce perfectionism, and make decisions aligned with their values rather than stress reactions.

Organizational Neuroscience (e.g., SCARF Model by Dr. David Rock)We introduce frameworks that help teams understand why certain behaviours trigger stress or defensiveness. Participants explore how status, certainty, autonomy, relationships, and fairness influence collaboration and communication.

Somatic Awareness Tools (mental perspective)We teach employees to recognize early physical signs of stress tightness, breath changes, muscle tension and how to intervene before these escalate into emotional overload.

Outcome of these psychology workshops

Teams leave with:

• practical cognitive tools

• clearer communication habits

• strategies to manage pressure

• a better understanding of their emotional and behavioural patterns

Psychosomatic & Nervous System Regulation Workshops

These workshops focus on the physical response to stress, teaching participants how to regulate their nervous system using scientifically supported methods.The goal is to help employees reconnect with their bodies and release accumulated tension.

What we teach in these workshops

Polyvagal Theory (Dr. Stephen Porges)Participants learn how the vagus nerve and autonomic nervous system influence emotional states, energy levels, social engagement, and reactivity.We guide them through practices that shift the nervous system toward safety and calm.

Somatic Experiencing (Peter Levine)We introduce simple, accessible exercises that help release stored stress through body awareness rather than cognitive analysis. These include grounding practices, micro-movements, and guided sensory reconnection.

Outcome of these somatic workshops

Employees develop the ability to:

• down-regulate stress in real time

• prevent emotional shutdown or overwhelm

• build physical resilience

• create a healthier relationship with their body’s signals

Yoga: A 5,000-Year-Old Discipline Backed by Modern Science

Yoga is one of the oldest documented mind-body systems traced as far back as 5,000 years and its global expansion is not accidental. It survived centuries, crossed continents, and became an internationally recognised practice because its effects on the human body and mind are consistent, measurable, and profound.

Scientific literature now confirms what ancient traditions have always taught:

• Yoga reduces cortisol levels

• Improves flexibility, posture, and muscle balance

• Supports cardiovascular health

• Regulates the nervous system

• Reduces anxiety and improves emotional stability

Each branch of yoga carries its own specialised wisdom from grounding practices like Hatha, to dynamic flows like Vinyasa, to restorative methods such as Yin. This diversity allows yoga to respond to the specific needs of each participant, whether they need strength, stability, grounding, or release.

In our retreats, yoga teachers help participants rebalance the body, reconnect to physical sensations, and rebuild a foundation of presence all essential for mental clarity and resilience.

Meditation: Evidence-Based Mental Training With Measurable Impact

Meditation is one of the most researched well-being practices in the world.Studies from institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford show that regular meditation:

• reduces activity in the brain’s stress centres (amygdala)

• strengthens the prefrontal cortex (focus & decision-making)

• improves emotional regulation

• reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia

• enhances overall life satisfaction

  
  

Some forms of meditation have even shown positive effects on chronic illness, immune function, and pain regulation.

At Inerise, we teach meditation through structured workshops designed for beginners because we know that meditation can feel intimidating or discouraging at first.We break it down into simple stages:

• how to sit

• how to breathe

• how to approach thoughts

• how to stay consistent

Our goal is to make participants comfortable and autonomous, so meditation becomes a tool they can continue long after the retreat ends.

Breathwork: A Direct Path to Nervous System Regulation

Breathwork teachers guide participants in techniques rooted in physiology rather than trend.Breathing practices such as:

• Cohérence cardiaque (HRV regulation)

• Diaphragmatic breathing

• Box breathing

• Extended exhale sequences

  
  

…have been demonstrated to:

• lower stress hormones

• improve cardiac coherence

• accelerate recovery after pressure

• sharpen mental clarity

• regulate emotional responses

Breathwork is a core component of our retreats because it provides immediate and measurable effects on the body allowing participants to reset their nervous system, restore focus, and create emotional steadiness.

Pilates & Functional Fitness: Alignment Meets Strength

Pilates combines control, precision, and deep muscle engagement. When blended with functional fitness principles, it becomes a method that strengthens the body while protecting it.

Benefits include:

• improved posture and alignment

• stronger core and stabilising muscles

• reduced back and neck pain

• increased mobility and flexibility

• enhanced body awareness

• better balance and injury prevention

  
  

Pilates is highly complementary to yoga: where yoga opens space and mobility, Pilates brings structure, strength, and muscular intelligence.This combination supports not only physical health but also mental clarity through improved proprioception and connection to the body.

Our Signature Approach: The Blend of Physical & Psychological Science

What truly distinguishes Inerise is the integration of all these disciplines.Our method sits at the crossroads of:

• psychological science (CBT, ACT, emotional regulation)

• organisational neuroscience (SCARF, cognitive load management)

• somatic and nervous system work (Polyvagal theory, Somatic Experiencing)

• mindful physical practices (yoga, Pilates, movement therapy)

• breath-based regulation techniques

  
  

This blend allows us to address modern human challenges from both angles:

• the mind (thoughts, stress, behaviours, emotions)

• the body (nervous system, posture, breathing, physical tension)

It is this dual approach mental + physical that enables lasting transformation, not temporary relief.