This spring, Mind Environment is launching an intensive four-day retreat in the 17th-century French mountain village of Bardou to ‘reasses life’s meaning and purpose’. Jenny Southan reports

The “Whole Environment Individual Programme” from Mind Environment, a consultancy that structures and guides immersive programmes in extraordinary places, aims to deliver “deep clarity around identity and purpose” in a wilderness setting.

The company says that the intensive four-day all-inclusive retreat is “ideal for those at a transition point or looking to reassess life’s meaning and purpose”.

It says: “Participants come away with a deeper insight into their identity, wider place in the world and what drives their interactions with others. They’ll gain clarity on personal and professional challenges, along with solutions on how to overcome obstacles and unlock opportunities.”

Ultimately, the programme offers a practical plan for better living in the world, so people can maximise their contribution to it.

“Whether it’s climate change, loss of biodiversity, the rise of automation, or geopolitical tensions, the scale and pace of change in the world right now affects us all,” says Mind Environment founder and programme director, Dr Tom Cotton, an experienced psychotherapist, executive coach and leadership consultant.

“Our individual and collective responsibility has never mattered more, and that responsibility rests on knowing our own minds. We provide a focussed space to gain insight into how our minds function, along with a deeper understanding of core issues, such as identity, meaning and purpose in life,” he says.

Drawing on collective specialisms, the Mind Environment team uses innovative, creative techniques to help clients gain deep psychological insights in a short space of time.

Cotton says: “The work can be challenging, but is also a profound adventure that brings about tangible and long-lasting change. Our ‘Whole Environment’ thinking drives our model of group-based learning, which helps clients work with both the visible ‘above surface environment’, such as stated identity, and work and life goals, and the invisible ‘below surface environment’, including emotions, unseen contracts, deeply-held assumptions and limiting beliefs.”

Aimed at anyone seeking personal and professional development, the new programme would also appeal to practitioners such as executive and life coaches, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, and business mentors seeking a CPD opportunity. Mind Environment also organises leadership retreats in France and Scotland.

The first “Whole Environment Individual Programme” will run from May 1-5, 2022. The course combines group discussion, creative techniques and outdoor activities into a powerful process for positive change. The groups are kept small, with a maximum of ten participants.

Prices: Individual rate – £2,100 (early bird price £1,800 until January 22, 2022). Corporate rate – £2,500 (early bird price £2,250).

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