Many of us feel the pain after a split is accompanied by weeks spent watching reality TV, eating chocolate and chatting with anyone about our ex.
But whether you’ve been cheated on, lied to, or dumped out of the blue, The Heartbreak Hotel’s inaugural ‘Moving Beyond Betrayal’ retreat could be the way to speed up the healing process.
This luxury retreat for three days was created by Alice Haddon from London. She is also a lecturer and counsellor.
The £2,500 retreat takes place at Barsham Barns, a luxury private home on the Norfolk coast and sees women learn how to get over their exes while teaching how to avoid toxic relationships in the future.
From Friday to Monday, the residential retreat will be attended by eight women.
Alice (in her 40s) spoke out to FEMAIL to say that the experience is aimed at a ‘turbo-charge’ recovery in order to help guests learn how to forgive and move on in long-term relationships.
This three-day luxury retreat at Heartbreak Hotel is for women who want to heal their hearts. The retreat’s bedroom is illustrated in this picture taken at Barsham Barns.
The £2,500 retreat takes place at Barsham Barns, a luxury private home on the Norfolk coast running from Friday to Monday with a maximum of eight women. This is the bright and spacious dining room of the home.
Barsham Barns Holiday Cottage (pictured) is a stunning barn conversion located in North Barsham situated close to the beautiful Norfolk coast
The retreat was founded last year by counselling psychologist and lecturer Alice Haddon (left), from London and her all-female team includes Ruth Field (right), an international bestselling writer and criminal barrister known as The Grit Doctor
“Three Days is an excellent opportunity to make massive and lasting changes in perspective that will aid your ongoing healing process,” she stated.
“Heartbreak is a part of human nature. At the Heartbreak Hotel, we’ve created a context in which to live and love while embracing this essential truth.
‘We can’t take away the fact of it, nor the pain of it, but we can turbo charge recovery so that our guests leave feeling hopeful, strong and free.’
Alice leads an all-female team with her right-hand woman Ruth Field, an international bestselling writer and criminal barrister known as The Grit Doctor who helps women overcome trauma through resilience.
Warm fires, long views, and an exquisite seasonal menu are all part of the welcome package for guests. One of the living rooms in the private residence boasts stunning views over the Norfolk coast.
A typical day at the Hotel includes guests enjoying a healthy breakfast and then meditation or group therapy. The luxurious living area of the hotel is where guests can meet and bond.
The retreat teaches you how to learn your love language, attachment style and how to turn your infidelity anger into agency. It also demonstrates how to let go of your relationship narrative and how to meet your core love needs.
Guests will heal trauma from betrayal by harnessing ‘the plasticity of your neural pathways’ while also learning how to spot and avoid ‘narcissists’ in the future.
A typical day at the hotel sees guests enjoy a healthy seasonal breakfast followed by meditation, group therapy, a ramble on the beach and ‘delicious heart healing snacks’.
Before enjoying mocktails or dinner, guests can take part Eye Movement Desensitisation Processing. It is an evidence-based treatment that helps overcome trauma.
Alice said, “At The Heartbreak Hotel, we know that there’s heartbreak and trauma.” This therapy allows our guests to leave behind the trauma and create the space for positive energy.
The experience is designed to allow guests to drift off into deep sleep, free from technology and distractions.
The Norfolk home’s luxurious ensuite bedrooms allow guests to enjoy long, deep sleeps without technology distractions.
As part of the therapy provided on the luxury three-day retreat guests will be led through a walk on the beach
Alice, a London psychologist who is based in London, founded the hotel after listening to a programme on radio where a woman spoke out about her grief after she was betrayed by her partner.
Alice said that she was shocked by the inability to provide tailored support for women who are heartbroken.
After her heartbreaking loss, she had taken some time from her psychology practice and began to think about the efficacy of therapy.
Alice was able to see clearly after hearing the program.
Ruth, a seasoned psychologist with twenty-five years of experience, suggested that the veteran approach her friend Ruth.
Alice said that the Heartbreak Hotel’s November retreat was a huge success, and she is already anticipating high-demand sessions.
A typical day at the hotel sees guests enjoy a healthy seasonal breakfast followed by ‘delicious heart healing snacks’ and a nutritious dinner
Although alcohol is not permitted on retreats, the hotel serves a selection of tasty mocktails with every meal.
Alice claims that intense therapy retreats have a ‘deeper impact’ on their guests, because there is no distraction, demand or choice.
“Guests can be helped to heal their pain through our unique therapy programme,” she stated. ‘It takes what’s most effective in psychotherapeutic techniques and delivers them inside a reimagined therapeutic context that uses the lens of shared experience to magnify and accelerate the healing process.
“The therapeutic relationship and the traditional therapeutic space have been completely redefined. We offer intensive compassion care.
Alice shared that one of the guests at the retreat had been happily married and suffered from a traumatic loss long ago, which cast a shadow on her marriage.
Sharing the key lessons the hotel tries to impart on visitors, Alice added: ‘Our heartbreak connects us to the very essence of our humanity; it is the birthplace of a daring creativity and radical new way of being when we have the courage to shine a light on our heartbreaking loss.
‘That if you are willing to sit with your pain and be vulnerable, you’ll ultimately find within yourself a more empowering context from which to live, and love. Heartbreak Hotel is a place where guests can rediscover their authentic selves.