HUNGRY FOR WHOLENESS: An Embodied IFS Retreat for Self-Led Eating

Name: HUNGRY FOR WHOLENESS: An Embodied IFS Retreat for Self-Led Eating
Start: 2025-10-06T14:00:00+01:00
End: 2025-10-09T12:00:00+01:00
Location: Florence House, Seaford, East Sussex

Schedule

Mon, 06 Oct, 2025 at 02:00 pm to Thu, 09 Oct, 2025 at 12:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Florence House, Seaford, East Sussex | Seaford, EN

Monday 6 October (2pm) - Thursday 9 October (12pm)
Florence House, Seaford, East Sussex
Plus post-retreat online integration call: Thursday 30 October 6.30–8.30pm
Book here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/calmheart/1648640
Join Ruth Culver for this 4-day experiential retreat at the lovely Florence House on the Sussex coast, to explore parts in your system around food and eating.
Food often holds stories and strategies woven from our emotional and relational histories. This retreat offers a chance to meet the parts involved with curiosity and care, allowing the body to speak in its own language and be truly heard, and bringing parts into connection with Self energy for hope and healing.
The retreat takes an embodied approach, integrating the Internal Family Systems protocol within Ruth's unique Drawing into Self method. This highly accessible yet profound approach helps participants access wisdom that lies beyond the thinking mind, through 'spontaneous scribbling' that emerges from the energy of parts, in flow from the body.
No artistic talent is needed, or even desirable — it has nothing to do with art! This is an accessible way to deepen connection with and develop trust in the wisdom of the body, through discovering and giving somatic expression to what’s sensed within. It is also a wonderful method for working with your parts alone, so you will take home a skill for continued connection afterwards.
If you're seeking personal insights while navigating your own eating patterns, this retreat provides a compassionate environment for deeper self-understanding, in a beautiful and relaxing location by the sea. We will also be supported by the magnifying power of the collective, to witness, validate and support as we share, digest and reflect in growing community, far beyond what one-to-one work can achieve.

IS THIS RETREAT FOR YOU?
This is deep-dive experiential (not a training) suitable for anyone who wants to explore their parts around food and eating.
Participants are asked to have some familiarity with IFS, eg through personal therapy, IFS courses, books or podcasts.
If you haven't worked with Ruth before, she will schedule a short Zoom conversation with you in order to meet in advance and answer questions.
This retreat is not suitable for people who are in acute situations or undergoing psychiatric treatment. In joining you are making your own personal assessment that you can take emotional care of yourself.
You are advised to schedule 1-2 gentle days after the retreat ends to digest and integrate your experience. You might also want to schedule an integration session with a therapist or bodyworker during the following week.
Ruth aims to actively work from a place of anti-oppression, cultural/neural/gender-diversity affirmation, and to uphold inclusivity, confidentiality and safety within her workshops.

PRICES
PRIVATE bedroom (shared bathroom): £850
PRIVATE SEMI-ENSUITE bedroom (shower, no toilet): £950
PRIVATE ENSUITE bedroom: £1050
Bring your own CAMPERVAN: £675
Prices include home-cooked vegetarian meals, refreshments and three nights accommodation.
Option to add meat/fish at a cost of £5 per main meal.
Vegan/gluten-free available at no extra cost.
Unusual diets can also be catered for and are charged at £5 per main meal (ie total £30 for 6 meals).
There is a small bursary fund for those with limited means — please enquire.
Book here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/calmheart/1648640

PAYMENT SCHEDULE
£400 deposit payable on booking
Final balance due by 1 September
Please get in touch if you need to request an alternative payment schedule

DRAFT RETREAT SCHEDULE
Monday
1.30pm - arrivals
2.00pm - opening circle
6.00pm - supper
7.00pm - workshop
8.30pm - end
Tuesday
7.30am - optional yoga
8.30am - breakfast
9.30am - workshop
1.00pm - lunch
2.00pm - optional walk (may move to another day/time, depending on weather)
4.00pm - workshop
6.00pm - supper
7.00pm - workshop
8.30pm - end
Wednesday
7.30am - optional yoga
8.30am - breakfast
9.30am - workshop
1.00pm - lunch
2.00pm - free time
4.00pm - workshop
6.00pm - supper
7.00pm - fire, play, & sharing (weather permitting)
Thursday
7.30am - morning movement
8.30am - breakfast
9.30am - workshop
1.00pm - lunch
2.00pm - departures

ABOUT RUTH CULVER
Ruth Culver is Certified and Level 3 trained in IFS, and specialises in somatic and creative integrations. She offers experiential workshops and trainings both online and in-person, and also works individually with adolescents and adults in Brighton (UK).
Her interest in trauma, attachment and resilience led to the creation of the The Survive/Thrive Spiral infographic, which maps together IFS and Polyvagal Theory. It is used by mental health professionals and individuals across the globe, and can be downloaded free from her website in a wide range of languages.
Ruth has also devised two other IFS integrations: Drawing into Self: a method for doing IFS though guided intuitive drawing, and IFS Constellations: a method for doing IFS through the somatic group resonance process of constellations.
Ruth has been a guest on a number of podcasts including IFS Talks and The One Inside, and has been published in The International Journal of Trauma. She is currently creating a certified training course for Drawing into Self.
“Ruth is an amazing IFS practitioner and human being. She is so skilled at what she does and brings love, kindness, patience, clarity and humour to her workshops. More than highly recommended."
"Ruth cultivated a heart opening, safe bubble where magical healing ensued. I highly recommend her workshops to anyone who is looking for a transformative experience."
"I have just attended one of Ruth Culver's residential courses. It was a profound, intensely moving and healing experience. Ruth's compassion and professionalism was truly awesome to observe as she held a safe space for the group to work."
"Having just attended one of Ruth’s residential courses, all I can say is WOW. Not only is Ruth professional, but she is so incredibly insightful and knowledgeable bringing such warmth, kindness and an almost magical knowing."

THE VENUE
Florence House sits at the top of Seaford Head, set within an area of outstanding natural beauty on the edge of the South Downs National Park in East Sussex. It offers a calm interior and six acres of gardens (including a Mongolian Yurt), and is just a 5 minute walk from the sea. The iconic Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven (backdrop to many Hollywood movies including Atonement) are within easy walking distance along a scenic coastal path.
We will have this much-loved luxury retreat venue to ourselves for the week.
Tasty and nourishing home-cooked vegetarian meals will be prepared by the in-house chef and will include home-grown produce from the kitchen garden. Vegan and gluten free can also be catered for.

TRAVEL
TRAIN: The nearest mainline station is Seaford (10 minute walk).
PLANE: The nearest airport is Gatwick, from where the train takes about 1 hour to Seaford (one easy change at Lewes).
CAR: We will be in touch about ride shares when possible, in order to respect the environment.
LOCAL ACCOMMODATION for before/after course dates: https://www.wingrovehousealfriston.com/ is recommended, in the picturesque nearby village of Alfriston.

CANCELLATION POLICY
Your deposit is refundable until 45 days before the retreat begins, minus £50 admin fee.
If you need to cancel less than 45 days ahead we will do our best to re-sell your place. If successful we will refund minus £100 admin fee.
If the event has to be cancelled, your ticket price will be refunded in full.
Please consider taking out your own travel insurance in case you are unwell and unable to attend.