7-day Small Group EMDR Retreat

What if you did not need to retreat from your life but you could run towards it?

Who is this for?

This retreat is designed for individuals who wish to engage in an intensive group EMDR experience while also living their life. It’s a chance to focus on yourself. This is a fully immersive and experiential retreat, not a training or workshop. You will journey inwards daily towards a personal and private place alongside others on their own journeys. You will also have the opportunity to explore the stunning landscape of Newfoundland while you continue to process and begin to integrate your personal work into everyday life experiences. The backdrop includes a sweet and historic coastal town filled to the brim with natural beauty.

What can I expect?

Join retreat facilitators, clinical psychologists Noelle Opsahl and Lisa Carlin for this unique retreat experience! You will arrive in St. John’s, a bustling explosion of music, art, jelly bean-colored homes, and steep hills that will get your heart going. As the retreat gets underway, we will slow down the pace and move deeper into nature and immerse ourselves in Port Rexton, a quaint little town tucked away on the Bonavista Peninsula. You may wish to join others on a hiking trail or sit by the ocean with a cup of tea and soak up the salt air. You will engage in daily EMDR work as a group with this beautiful backdrop, eat fresh local ingredients, and rest in a room with a view.

Why Newfoundland?

The breathtaking natural beauty of Newfoundland will hook you from the moment you land to the moment you cozy-in at your retreat setting. The intensive EMDR work in which you have chosen to engage on this retreat requires a setting that fosters rest, relaxation, and quiet. Newfoundland also invites you to move your body in gentle ways on walks and hikes as other forms of self-care, present moment awareness, and perspective taking. The ocean’s salt air, rugged cliffs, and wildlife will activate the wonder of your beginner’s mind as you take in the striking setting for the first time.

Retreat Cost

$6,000 per person

Fee includes

  • Daily EMDR group processing and integration

  • 2 hours of Zoom prep (pre retreat)

  • 2 hours of Zoom integration (post retreat)

  • Room and board (Monday dinner-Sunday breakfast)

  • Transportation to and from St. John’s and Port Rexton, NL

Fee does not include

  • Travel/airfare to and from St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada

  • Breakfast and lunch on 10/26; Lunch and dinner on 11/1

  • Excursions of your choosing

What’s the Schedule?

Monday October 26-Sunday. November 1, 2026

Monday: Meet in St. John’s in the morning for an optional hike; travel to Port Rexton as a group; Retreat welcome and orientation; EMDR group prep

Tuesday|Wednesday: EMDR Intensives 

Thursday: Morning EMDR Integration; Afternoon rest and excursions on your own

Friday|Saturday: EMDR Intensives 

Sunday: Retreat closure and final reflections; Travel back to St. John's together

Application Process

  1. Complete the retreat interest form below. Registration opens November 10, 2025!

  2. Interview invitation to assess fit

    *Due to the small group nature and commitment to creating a cohesive community, not all applicants who apply will be accepted. Interest forms will be reviewed as they are received and registration will close when the retreat is at capacity.

  3. Reserve and confirm your attendance

    *Refunds will be given at 50% before March 1st, 2026. No refunds will be issued after this date.

Complete Interest Form

Meet Your Team

You will be supported by Noelle and Lisa throughout the entire retreat. Noelle and Lisa have worked collaboratively for 8 years and counting! They look forward to welcoming you on this journey and will actively support your hard work as well as add some playful energy throughout the week.

  • EMDRIA Approved Consultant and EMDR therapist

    Noelle will be leading your EMDR intensive days. She has been working with clients using EMDR since 2016 and is passionate about brining groups together to experience this work in community. Noelle is excited to be working alongside Lisa Carlin, a trusted colleague and skilled therapist.


  • Clinical psychologist

    Dr. Lisa Carlin is a dedicated trauma-focused therapist, co-founder, and supervisor at the Trauma Resilience and Education Center (TREC DC), and EMDR trained clinician. She and Noelle will be working collaboratively to provide a safe and nurturing experience for retreat participants individually and as a group.