In a world where everything moves so quickly, a Launceston counsellor is reminding people to stop and take a breath.
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Riverside counsellor Belinda Wood has established a new mindfulness business on the North-West Coast.
Tasmanian Wellness Weekends offers a two-night getaway for groups of women, friends or family, to slow down and connect with themselves and others through outdoor activities.
Mrs Wood said the idea came about from her interest in outdoor mindfulness activities and the impact it has on mental health.
"I have always been an active, outdoor person. I always prioritise self-care for myself because it helps in my private practice work," she said.
In other news:
Tasmanian Wellness Weekends is a joint project between Mrs Wood and her sister, who will be offering in-house massages for the retreats.
She said while the focus of the retreats was on outdoor wellness and mindfulness, what sets their weekends apart is all about the fun.
"The main idea is that we want to provide relaxation but also fun."
The weekends will include mindfulness activities such as relaxation techniques and the Eastern practice of "forest bathing" but will also include vintage bike rides throughout Port Sorell and wine tours.
Mrs Wood said forest bathing was growing in popularity among self-care techniques and involved spending time among nature to stop and smell the roses (which in this case is the sights, smells, sounds of the environment).
"I find that being in nature like this, it's just such a grounding experience and gives me a place to recharge," she said.
"I have spent a lot of time in places around the world and have found that Tasmania's nature, it's really special."
The first retreat will be held in two weeks this month, with two more scheduled for September. The first two are already sold out.
The target demographic for the retreat are groups of women who already know each other, groups of between five and nine are best.
However, a retreat scheduled for September 18 has been opened up for solo women who want to meet other women. There are still places open for this retreat.
- If you are interested in joining a wellness weekend contact Belinda Wood on bwcounselling@icloud.com. You can also follow the business on Instagram by following the handle Tas_wellnessweekends