RETURN TO SELF
Codependency Retreat
A 5-Day Immersive Codependency Retreat for High-Functioning Codependency
Many high-functioning codependents look like they have everything under control—successful, responsible, kind, and endlessly capable. But underneath that strength, there can be loneliness, overwhelm, exhaustion, or a quiet sense of not feeling fully known. You give so much, yet struggle to identify what you need. You may find yourself relying on perfectionism, people-pleasing, or over-functioning just to keep things afloat.
The Return to Self Retreat is a 5-day, trauma-informed codependency retreat created specifically for people who live with outward competence paired with an internal sense of disconnection. It’s a space to slow down, reconnect, and understand the patterns that keep you stuck.
What Makes This Codependency Recovery Retreat Different
This is not a coaching workshop or a feel-good weekend. It’s a codependency recovery retreat grounded in real clinical work, held by a licensed psychologist, and designed for people who want meaningful, lasting change.
Over five days, you’ll have the time and privacy to look at the deeper layers of your relational patterns, explore how they were formed, and begin the process of healing and reorienting toward your true self. The retreat combines individual and group therapy, relational process work, experiential exercises, and body-based practices that support integration and emotional repair.
Upcoming Retreat Dates
January 18-22
2026
February 15-19
2026
April 19-23
2026
July 26-30
2026
What You Will Gain
Throughout the retreat, you’ll work toward:
Seeing yourself and others with more clarity
Understanding how your family of origin shaped your patterns
Letting go of perfectionism as a strategy for belonging
Reducing people-pleasing and reclaiming your energy
Setting boundaries that feel protective instead of guilt-inducing
Trusting your own internal signals
Identifying your needs and voicing them with confidence
Moving away from chronic over-giving or over-controlling
As a family of origin retreat, it offers a structure for reconnecting with the parts of you that existed before relational trauma required you to adapt.
A Day at the Retreat
Our days are intentionally structured to support both depth and grounding. You can expect:
Individual therapy within a small group
Group processing and experiential work
Attachment-focused and somatic practices
Journaling, nature walks, and quiet reflection
Organic, nourishing meals
Time to rest and integrate
Many participants say the retreat feels like “a year of therapy in five days” because immersive work provides a depth that can not be reached in weekly sessions.
Who This Retreat Is For
This codependency intensive is for people who are:
High functioning on the outside but quietly struggling on the inside
Tired of repeating the same relational patterns
Unsure where their needs end and others’ needs begin
Stuck between independence and longing for connection
Carrying unresolved attachment wounds or relational trauma
Ready for deeper insight than weekly therapy alone can provide
If you recognize yourself as a high-functioning codependent—organized, competent, and deeply caring—yet privately overwhelmed or disconnected, this retreat is designed for you.
Our Clinical Approach
This codependency intensive therapy retreat integrates trauma-informed care, attachment awareness, somatic practices, and experiential work. The foundation of the curriculum comes from Pia Mellody’s model for facing codependence, paired with Somatic Experiencing and sacred practice.
Over the course of the week, we’ll explore:
The 5 core symptoms of codependence
How your childhood experiences shaped them
How they’re playing out in your adult relationships
Skills to regulate distress around early trauma
How to strengthen your functional adult self
A plan for integrating and continuing the work after the retreat
This structure allows for meaningful healing within the safety of a trauma intensive therapy setting.
Led by a Licensed Psychologist
Every retreat is personally facilitated by Dr. Rachel Rosenfeld, a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in trauma, attachment, and high-functioning codependence. Rachel trained directly with Pia Mellody and received explicit permission to integrate Mellody’s concepts into the Return to Self curriculum.
Since 2019, Rachel has led every codependency retreat group at The Codependency Clinic, with participants consistently reporting profound clarity, increased internal stability, and transformation that would have taken months or years to achieve in weekly sessions.
This isn’t a wellness retreat or a coaching model. It’s a held, clinical space designed for deep repair.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Intensive Therapy Retreats
Is intensive therapy worth the money?
While some people experience sticker shock when considering intensive therapy, the reality is that focused, uninterrupted therapy tends to yield faster and longer-lasting results than intermittent weekly or biweekly sessions—and it costs less in the long term.
Retreat participants regularly report that they accomplished more healing and repair over the course of a week than they had in a year, and our therapists know from personal and professional experience that this process is incredibly effective.
How am I going to pay for the retreat?
Half the fee for the retreat is required upfront as a deposit to reserve your spot.
For participants who are eligible for insurance coverage, we can submit a claim for reimbursements of $1,000 or more. We also offer in-house 0% financing for the remaining balance after the initial deposit is paid. Details can be further discussed in your consultation call.
Shouldn’t time off from work be spent doing something more relaxing?
While vacation and rest time are no doubt important to your healing, intensive therapy is one of the most valuable ways you can spend your time—especially if you’ve struggled with the ongoing effects of codependency and complex trauma for most of your life. Our retreats are designed to help you heal and reparent yourself, ultimately creating more space in your life to bolster self-esteem, maintain healthy relationships, and do what fulfills you.
Don’t make time spent away from work an excuse to put off healing! You can get so much out of this retreat, setting yourself up for a more peaceful, relaxing existence.
Am I going to be
comfortable?
We know that in order for intensive therapy to work, participants need to be comfortable to focus. That’s why we conduct our intensives in some of Nevada City’s most serene, high-end retreat locations.
If there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable, please let us know during your consultation call.
What about my dog?
We are pet lovers too! Our retreat space is surrounded by exceptional “stay and play” facilities here in the mountains where dogs can enjoy their own restful and enriching getaway. Many of our participants love knowing their dogs are nearby, cared for by attentive staff, and spending their days exploring the outdoors. Once your retreat dates are confirmed, we’re happy to provide a list of trusted local options so your dog can have a healthy vacation too.
Location And Logistics
Hosted by The Codependency Clinic in Alameda, this family of origin retreat is held in a serene, natural setting in Nevada City, CA. This short distance from the Bay Area allows participants to step out of daily life and into a fully immersive healing environment that is intentionally chosen to support restorative work—quiet, comfortable, and grounding.
Participants gather for a welcome dinner the night before the retreat begins. Organic breakfasts and lunches are provided daily; dinners are open for personal time or shared group experiences. We accommodate dietary needs whenever possible.
Space is limited to four participants so each individual receives personalized attention and support.
How to Join
This codependency intensive is limited in size and fills quickly. To begin, schedule a free consultation. You’ll have the chance to share what you’re hoping to work on, ask questions, and determine whether the retreat is the right fit.
Retreat pricing varies by room type and accommodations. All details are reviewed during the consultation so you can choose what feels best for you.
Begin Your Return to Self
You don’t have to keep carrying the weight of over-functioning, self-doubt, relational confusion, or the fear of letting others down. You can learn to trust yourself again. You can reconnect with your needs, your voice, and your inner clarity.
This codependency retreat provides the time, space, and support to begin that process.
Schedule your free consultation and take the next step toward your return to self.
