Mindfulness Retreat for Anxiety & Low Mood

Worry has a way of gathering momentum on its own: one thought leads to another, self-criticism joins in, and before long the mind feels like it is spinning beyond your control. This four-night mindfulness meditation retreat in Totnes, Devon, offers a different way of meeting those patterns, through steady practice and unhurried time in the natural world.

Held at The Coach House on the Sharpham Estate in South Devon, the retreat is led by Emma Thom and Ollie Frame, both trained mindfulness teachers who are also practising therapists and counsellors. Together they teach Mindfulness-Based Nature Connection, an approach that grew out of the estate's Mindful-in-Nature programme. It is designed for people experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and low mood who are looking for a supportive, non-clinical space to learn practical ways of stepping out of worry, rumination and overwhelm.

Whether you are new to meditation or already have a practice, you are welcome. The aim is not to fix yourself, but to begin relating to your thoughts and feelings with more kindness and balance.

What to Expect

The days weave together structured practice and generous space to rest. You can expect:

- Guided meditations, relaxation sessions and mindful movement
- Gentle nature-based practices that bring sensory awareness to time outdoors
- Periods of silence and quiet contemplation, with silence held nightly until morning and for one whole day
- Small-group sharing and supportive discussion with others who understand what you are going through
- Free time to slow down, reflect and reconnect with the natural world

Mindfulness-Based Nature Connection brings together mindfulness practice, sensory awareness and time in nature to support a direct, embodied experience of connection. Participants leave with practical tools for working with stress, anxiety and low mood, and with a steadier awareness of their own minds that can be carried into everyday life.

The retreat is open to adults aged 18 and over and is limited to 16 places. It is not suitable for anyone experiencing severe anxiety, depression or an acute mental health crisis, or who requires clinical or therapeutic intervention.

Venue & Logistics

The Coach House is a beautifully converted 18th-century Georgian quadrangle on the Sharpham Estate, set within Capability Brownian parkland and Grade II*-listed gardens designed by Percy Cane, in a designated National Landscape on the banks of the River Dart. Each guest has a single-occupancy room, most of them en-suite, offering a private place to rest.

Accommodation is full-board. Meals are home-cooked, seasonal vegetarian food, much of it grown in the estate's 18th-century Walled Garden, and teas, herbal infusions and comforting refreshments are available around the clock.