A Weekend with Kate

Set within the grounds of Kate’s home in Pleasant Valley, a few minutes from Geraldine
(and neighbours with the Barkers factory).

This is a two-day retreat for people 14 months or more post-surgery. This isn’t exactly your usual weekend getaway, although we’ll certainly squeeze in some of the sights for you.  There are no massages or other pampering, although you’ll get nourishing food and glorious surroundings. The retreat includes relaxing walks, but nothing strenuous.

It’s a deep dive into the whys and hows of yourself, with Kate as your guide.

Kate guides you through a process that unpacks your story, examining what drives your behaviour around food and (lack of) self-care.

”You can change your location, meet new people and still have the same old problem. To truly change your life, you need to look inward, get to know and love yourself and heal the trauma and dense conditioning in your mind. This is how you get to the root. Internal changes have a significant external impact.”

Yung Pablo

The weekend is set within the grounds of Kate’s home in Pleasant Valley, a few minutes from Geraldine (and neighbours with the Barkers factory).

A consistent theme of Kate’s one-on-one sessions with people past the one-year mark is that they feel broken and that their surgery didn’t work. There’s a fear that they’re going to go back to the place (both mentally and physically) where they were before.

Kate’s Master of Nursing research showed that self-care after WLS isn’t intuitive, for all kinds of reasons. It’s what the weekend is all about - discovering self-care, and understanding why you haven’t been doing it in the first place.

“Wow, it sure opened a wee few worm holes in my head - was exhausting but fulfilling.”

Genevieve

"There’s immense value in a retreat as a therapeutic activity. Being in a bigger body is socially isolating and it’s important to build connections and community, something that’s difficult if you’re doing online appointments or watching a webinar. You get to see that you’re not alone. You get to experience the collective wisdom, support and motivation of others who are in a similar space. In the 48 hours or so you spend together, you can really focus in and spend time on your needs.”

Kate Berridge, Tiaki-Whaiaro

“I feel very connected to these ladies and am absolutely sure we will continue to stay in touch.”

Penny

All guests get their own bedroom. All rooms have double beds - there is one bathroom per two rooms.

COST: $1250 (inc GST) per person.

TRAVEL: we do offer a pickup and dropoff service to and from Christchurch airport at an extra cost. If there's more than one person requiring pickup the cost is shared between everyone.

We ask for a non-refundable $200 deposit to confirm the booking, and the remainder is due three weeks before the Weekend begins.

“I feel like I have made some like-minded lifelong friends who understand the journey I am on. The group size was just right. Also, I think Kate’s probing and questioning is subtle enough to not be confronting and encourages you to be open and honest. The flow of the weekend with deep conversation, exercise and downtime for me was just right.”

Donna