Broughton Sanctuary in Yorkshire, UK, is working with psychologists and therapists to deliver a four-night retreat called Sense for Highly Sensitive People (HSP) between 10-14 October.

Kirsty Allan – a professional coach, psychology graduate and PhD candidate – is one of the facilitators of the retreat. She describes HSP as a healthy subset of the general population (approximately 20-25 per cent according to her research), who naturally have a ‘sensory processing sensitivity’.

These people think and feel very deeply, which offers advantages such as self-awareness, empathy, creativity, imagination and a rich inner life.

HSP experience paradoxical challenges, however, which the retreat seeks to lessen. These include a propensity for sensory overwhelm, anxiety and worry, self-doubt, social fatigue, weak social boundaries and burnout.

Allan says sensing and predicting threats has proved to be an evolutionary advantage historically, but, “our modern culture is largely disengaged from our ancestral natural cycles, including those of environmental shift and risk. For example, when it gets dark, we lock our doors, pull the curtains, put artificial lights on and stay awake – unbothered by nocturnal events.”

Sense Retreat

The Sense retreat will attempt to empower these people, who have perhaps felt misunderstood for their level of sensitivity. Facilitators will lead a range of nature-based activities, while also hosting experiments for guests to participate in, which will form part of an active research project by Allan on this topic.

The results of the research will shape future thinking around wellbeing and sensory processing styles.

Each morning, guests will experience movement and play sessions as well as educational talks on the psychological science in this field.

Afternoons will feature creative and intuitive workshops and opportunities to learn about philosophy from art history and films.

Soundbaths, mindfulness practices, meditation, skygazing and fireside songs will take place in the evenings.

Allan told Spa Business: "Through a delicate blend of arts, science and philosophy with deep rest and embodied practice, our retreat at Broughton Sanctuary supports highly sensitive people to embrace their authentic nature, step into their light and play their important role in a new wave of human flourishing.

“By recognising sensitivity as a strength of subtle knowing, you can uncover and explore your natural gifts: empathy, creativity, intuition, imagination and heightened perception - and leverage them as an 'innate magic' for positive influence, social change and psycho-spiritual transformation,” added Allan.

When asked what operators of spa and wellbeing facilities could do to cater to HSP, Allan replied, “Quiet spaces need to be available; there should also be no overwhelming unnatural scents or lighting. HSP don’t like scratchy or unnatural fibres and facilities should have good external sound barriers.”

“Operators should offer R.E.S.T. treatments – ‘restricted environmental sensory technique/therapy’," added Allan. "Flotation tanks are a good example of this kind of treatment because they reduce the availability of external stimulation and create an opportunity for sensory sanctuary.

“My research also shows that during R.E.S.T. therapies, sensitive people experience deeply rewarding disengagement from their external pressures whilst fostering expanding states of consciousness, through which they can truly adventure in their ‘inner world’ and explore their creativity,” said Allan.

Read more about the facilitators and special guests speaking at the retreat here.

The Sense experience will be held at Broughton Sanctuary’s central hub for residential retreats and wellbeing, Avalon. It has a swimming pool, sauna, steamroom, fitness training studios, a Somadome meditation pod, plus daily yoga and meditation sessions.

The price of a stay during this retreat ranges from £1,300 in a single bedroom within a Retreat House for one person, to £3,300 for two people in a premium suite within Broughton Hall.

Broughton Sancutary

Broughton Sanctuary is a 2,500-acre property with a philosophy of wild wellbeing through activities and retreats.

It recently held a four-night mindfulness retreat, led by a 16th generation ninja and samurai.

Read more about how retreats at Avalon account for approximately 50 per cent of Broughton Sanctuary’s revenue in an interview with Roger Tempest from the Q2 2024 edition of Spa Business here.