Email: contact@souliology.com
RELATIONSICK
An In-Person Residential Retreat for Healing Relational Trauma To Optimize Health Outcomes with Dr Lissa Rankin
October 26-30, 2026
A little about Dr Rankin…
Lissa Rankin, MD, New York Times bestselling author of Mind Over Medicine and seven other books, is a former OB/GYN physician, an Internal Family Systems educator and practitioner, a creative writing teacher, the founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute training program for doctors and therapists, radical remission researcher, the founder of the health equity, trauma healing based non-profit Heal At Last, and a professional artist. After leaving her job in conventional medicine in 2007, Lissa began experimenting in her integrative medicine practice with what really helps resolve symptoms in people with chronic illness who have failed to improve with either conventional medicine or alternative medicine. All roads led to the same conclusion: People who are not responding to other treatments often have untreated, unhealed relational trauma, and treating that trauma can sometimes lead to seemingly miraculous radical remissions.
Upon realizing this epiphany, Lissa became a passionate ambassador for raising awareness about the importance of treating trauma as both preventive medicine and medical treatment for hard-to-treat mental and physical illnesses. Because old school psychoanalysis (talk therapy) and therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) do not effectively treat trauma on their own, and because medication, surgeries, and even most alternative medicine or spiritual healing techniques, such as acupuncture, meditation, or energy healing, only treat the symptoms of trauma, not the nervous system dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and immune system impairment trauma leads to.
Lissa became a devoted student of many forms of trauma therapy, including Richard Schwartz, Ph.D.’s Internal Family Systems (IFS), Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing, Lawrence Heller’s NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), and Asha Clinton, Ph.D.’s Advanced Integrative Therapy (AIT.) She also teaches about spiritual bypassing recovery for those who have used spirituality as a way to avoid healing their trauma.
A little more about Lissa....
In addition to her public health advocacy and health care reform activism, Lissa leads workshops- online, at US retreat centers like Esalen, 1440, Omega, and Kripalu, and internationally.
During the pandemic, Lissa played a public role in debunking “Conspirituality,” the Covid denialism, anti-vaccination propaganda, and conspiracy theories promoted by many wellness, yoga, mind-body medicine, alternative medicine, and spirituality influencers who got “red-pilled” during 2020. This shakeout anchored her as a physician influencer to trust who is grounded in science, open to the mystical, spiritually aware, and trauma-informed.
Lissa is currently co-writing her eighth book with Harvard psychiatrist Jeffrey Rediger, MD, MDiv about the link between relational trauma and medical illness and how healthy boundaries and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can help reverse diseases related to nervous system dysregulation caused by relational trauma. Lissa lives with her partner Jeff Rediger and her golden doodle Moose in West Sonoma County, now that her daughter has flown the nest. She thrives on daily hikes in nature, dancing, making art, singing, writing, DJ'ing music whenever she can, and healthy gourmet cooking.Relationships are where our deepest wounds surface—and where our greatest possibilities for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing live.
Relationsick is an immersive, in-person residential retreat designed to help you understand why even the most self-aware people can find ourselves caught in over-giving, over-functioning, people-pleasing, enabling, unbalanced relational dynamics with people who take too much and give too little, putting us at risk of physical symptoms.
Using an Internal Family Systems–informed lens, we’ll explore how protector parts cause us to self-abandon in the name of love and experiment with how to put ourselves and our parts first, for a change.
Together, we’ll create a compassionate, non-shaming space where you can safely observe your relational patterns without blaming yourself or anyone else.
This retreat is for you if......
-You're a giver who gives too much, without receiving enough reciprocally, and you identify with being the sacrificial "giving tree" martyr in your relationships
-You’ve been in relationships that felt like a roller coaster—intense chemistry paired with confusion, self-doubt, or intermittent reinforcement—and you want to understand why you keep getting pulled back in.
-You fear letting people down but let yourself down on the regular
-You've struggled with physical symptoms, chronic illness, or are interested in healing your relationships as preventive health
-You've misused spirituality to bypass your trauma and justify excusing inexcusable behaviors in relationships (all in the name of unconditional love)
-You’re ready to stop abandoning yourself in relationships and start practicing healthy boundaries, secure relating, accountability and repair, and self-honoring choices.
-You’ve been labeled “too sensitive,” “too much,” or “not enough,” and you’re beginning to suspect that maybe your sensitivity is wisdom, not pathology.
-You want language for what you’ve lived through—gaslighting, breadcrumbing, fawning, narcissistic abuse. enabling, and the push-pull dynamics of insecure attachment.
-You’re done blaming yourself for someone else’s unhealed wounding and want to finally understand how trauma-based behaviors shape relationships—and how to stay empowered in the face of them, without throwing your parts under the bus in order to stay in connection with others.
-You want your relationships to feel nourishing rather than depleting, and you know you need support, community, and guidance to get there.
-You’re curious about Internal Family Systems (IFS) and want to learn how to work with the parts of you that get hooked, triggered, loyal to suffering, or afraid to leave relational patterns that hurt.
-You’re ready for a grounded, non-pathologizing approach to break free from “relationsickness” and move toward relational health, sovereignty, and self-trust.
-You want to be in a sacred space with people who get it—people who have lived through similar patterns and are committed to healing, growing, and loving ourselves back into alignment.
What to expect from this retreat....
Over the course of our time together, you’ll learn how trauma-based behaviors show up in both yourself and the people you date, love, parent, or attach with. You’ll discover the nervous system science behind “relationsickness”—why chemistry can be misleading, why healthy connection can feel unfamiliar, and why old attachment wounds get activated even in relationships that have the potential to be secure.
We’ll map the internal protectors that leap in to manage fear, vulnerability, shame, and longing, and you’ll practice turning toward those parts with curiosity rather than judgment. This is a retreat for anyone who wants to stop repeating old cycles and begin relating from Self: grounded, spacious, clear, and compassionate- as medicine for the body, mind, and soul.
Because insight alone doesn’t shift a lifetime of conditioning, Relationsick blends teaching with experiential practice. You’ll be guided through IFS meditation, parts-mapping exercises, somatic grounding, gentle partnered explorations, facilitated dialogues, role playing, creative writing, dance and movement exercises, and art practices that help you try on new relational skills in real time. You’ll practice taking a pause when something is being requested, setting boundaries from Self, navigating conflict without collapsing or attacking, recognizing when you’ve left your body, and repairing ruptures before resentment calcifies. Whether you arrive single, partnered, or somewhere in between, you’ll gain practical tools you can apply the moment you return home.
By the end of the retreat, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your inner system, a deeper sense of relational self-trust, and an embodied experience of what it feels like to connect without fawning, people-pleasing, or abandoning yourself. Most of all, you’ll walk away with grounded hope—because once you see your relational patterns through the eyes of compassion, you finally have the power to transform them, and that just might make your body ripe for miracles.
Eligibility Requirements:
You do not have to be trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) or be a therapist to participate. But we will expect you to know the basics of IFS as we will not cover the basics during the retreat.
IMPORTANT: If you're new to IFS and you secure your spot by March 1st, you'll receive as a free bonus Lissa's online program IFS For Self-Healing, which will get you up to speed on what you need to know in order to participate fully in this retreat, as long as you complete it before attending.
Where you will be staying....
Avon Old Farm Hotel is the perfect place for our 5-day retreat.
Nestled amidst 10 acres of breathtakingly manicured grounds on Connecticut’s scenic Talcott Mountain, Avon Old Farms Hotel is a haven of peace and timeless New England charm.
It provides a true escape from the everyday, with this boutique hotel perfectly blending warmth, elegance, and personalised hospitality with the comforts of a world-class stay.
Just a short drive from downtown Hartford, and a 30-minute Uber drive from Bradley International Airport, the hotel offers a serene sanctuary where nature and luxury harmonise.
Wander through picturesque gardens blooming with vibrant flowers, cross a charming wooden bridge over a gentle stream, or find a moment of quiet reflection in the garden gazebo.
The interiors exude classic sophistication, with beautifully appointed rooms and suites featuring four-poster beds, plush down featherbeds, and modern amenities to ensure a restful and rejuvenating stay.
Avon Old Farms Hotel creates the perfect space to relax, recharge, and fully engage in this retreat with Cece, allowing for deep connection, renewal, self-exploration, and personal growth.
Retreat particulars
Applications are currently open for this retreat in Connecticut from October 26-30, 2026.
The retreat will take place over 5 days starting on Monday, October 26th, 2026 at 2pm and concluding on Friday, October 30th at 1pm, 2026.
The retreat is open to 30 participants. If you are interested in participating in this retreat, please register your interest. You will then be directed automatically to a registration form for completion. Only applicants who complete a full registration form will be considered for this retreat. Once your registration is approved we will advise you formally and it is only at this point that we will request payment of your non-refundable and non-transferable deposit to reserve your place on this retreat. We require a minimum of 24 participants for this retreat to proceed, so please do not make travel arrangements until you have been formally advised in writing that the retreat is proceeding. If we do not get the required numbers for the retreat to proceed, we will refund all fees paid to Souliology towards the retreat cost.
Any travel costs to the retreat location in Avon, Connecticut, USA is the sole responsibility of the participant.
IMPORTANT: Please read our FAQS page on this website for further guidelines and information, the arrangements we have in place in the unlikely event the retreat is cancelled due to illness or in the unlikely event the retreat leader is not in a position to attend. The FAQS page also provides further general information which you may find useful when planning your trip. If after reading the FAQS page you have any further information, please feel free to email us at contact@souliology.com
RelationSick Retreat Schedule.
Five Day Retreat Schedule – This is a broad outline of what the schedule for the week will look like but it is subject to change at the retreat leaders discretion.
Monday October 26th – Friday October 30th, 2026
Monday
Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
Friday
2pm – 3pm
3pm – 6pm
6.30pm
8am – 9am
9am – 12pm
12.30pm
3pm – 6pm
6.30pm
8am – 9am
9am – 12.30pm
1pm
Lunch
Afternoon Session
Dinner
Breakfast
Morning Session
Lunch
Afternoon Session
Dinner
Breakfast
Morning Session & Goodbyes
Lunch
Please note we will serve teas/coffees and refreshments during our morning and afternoon breaks which will usually be at 10.30am and
4.30pm daily.
Your Investment:
Total Retreat Cost: - $2,695 (USA) per participant (single room occupancy only).
The retreat cost includes the 5-day retreat itself with Dr Rankin, 4 nights private ensuite accommodation in a charming boutique hotel in Connecticut and 3 delicious meals a day to include a full breakfast, a light lunch and a delicious evening meal. Our retreat location can also cater to a variety of dietary requirements such as vegetarian, gluten free and lactose intolerance. You can indicate your preference on the registration form.
Retreat Payment Schedule:
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Payment 1: $500 (USD) non-refundable deposit – (Due on acceptance onto the retreat).
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Payment 2. $1,000 (USD) per person due by the 1st May, 2026. (This amount will be refundable until 1st August, 2026 should you decide to cancel.
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Payment 3: The remaining balance depending on your room type must be paid by the 1st August, 2026.
Please note: There is no refund of fees over and above your non-refundable deposit for withdrawal for any reason after 1st August, 2026.
If you register for the retreat after the specified payment deadlines outlined above, the existing payment schedule will no longer apply. Your payment schedule will either be adjusted to align with the existing payment plan, provided the payment deadlines allow, or you will be required to pay for the retreat in full.
Partners/Companions: If you wish to attend the retreat with a companion and share accommodation, we offer a reduced fee for both attendees. The total cost for two people to attend the full retreat and share accommodation at the retreat hotel is $5,000
Additionally, you are welcome to bring a companion who can stay at the hotel with you in shared accommodation, enjoy the set retreat meals but not attend the retreat itself. This option incurs a supplementary cost of $800. Please ensure to indicate your preference during the registration process.
Please note:
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Any companion accompanying you must be an adult over 18 years of age.
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Children are not allowed to join you in shared accommodation during the retreat.
Possible additional charges -:
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An additional $100 (USD) per person late fee for payments received after 1st May, and 1st August, 2026.
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An additional $50 (USD) administrative fee for room or occupancy category changes.
