Supporting guests along a journey of emotional self-discovery, Thai wellness retreat Kamalaya draws upon principles of Eastern healing. Rose Dykins reports
Thai wellness resort Kamalaya is introducing a new offering for 2023 that helps guests explore their own emotional habits to improve their mental wellbeing.
Located on the south coast of Koh Samui, Kamalaya applies principles of Eastern healing and local traditions to its wellness journeys for guests, which are centred around self-discovery and transformation.
Kamalaya’s six-night group retreat, Finding Emotional Balance and Freedom, will see up to 12 guests come together to explore their own emotional patterns, learn tools so they can better respond to life’s challenges, and forge a deeper relationship with themselves and others.
Guests will be guided by Kamalaya’s “Life Enhancement Mentors”, who have extensive experience in practising profound sacred healing methods, ancient Asian philosophies and monastic lifestyles. They will coach guests towards a stronger sense of emotional wellbeing and inner happiness during their time at the resort.
Throughout the retreat, guests will join twice-daily group coaching sessions, where together they will learn practical tools for navigating emotionally challenging circumstances and for minimising stress and anxiety.
Guests will also be offered a 90-minute private personal mentoring session to delve deeper into their own emotional needs, alongside four 60-minute wellness treatments to help them de-stress and recharge between coaching sessions. 
These treatments are Kamalaya’s Traditional Asian Foot Massage, Traditional Asian Hand Massage, Thai Massage and Indian Head Massage.
Those on the retreat will also receive a 60-minute Chi Nei Tsang session, a form of abdominal massage rooted in the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Based on the Taoist theory that refers to the gut as the “second brain”, this treatment is effective for releasing stored emotional and psychological tension, as well as aiding poor digestion, which is a common side effect of increased stress and emotional imbalance.
Group retreat guests will also benefit from an additional 20 per cent discount on any additional wellness treatments they wish to add during their time at Kamalaya.
The group retreats at Kamalaya sit alongside its existing 17 wellness programmes that are available on an individual basis, ranging from three nights up to two weeks and longer.
Guests seeking a solo version of the above could opt for the resort’s Emotional Change and Embracing Harmony programme. Other dedicated programmes at Kamalaya are centred around fitness, sleep enhancement, yoga, detoxification, gut health and immunity-boosting, ensuring all manner of health issues are catered to.
The Finding Emotional Balance & Freedom group retreat at Kamalaya will run between May 7-13 and September 3-9, starting from £3,690 per person.
The rate includes six nights’ accommodation, full board meals and beverages, roundtrip airport transfers, ten group coaching sessions, a personal mentoring session, four 60-minute massages and a 60-minute Chi Nei Tsang session.