Residential Retreat Research Articles

Changes in peripheral oxytocin and vasopressin during a silent month-long Insight meditation retreat.

Given its putative roles in mediating prosocial behavior, attachment bonds, and stress physiology, oxytocin modulation has been hypothesized to be a biological correlate of the salubrious effects of meditation practice. Here we investigated the effects of a month-long silent meditation retreat on changes in oxytocin, and the related hormone and vasopressin, in relation to psychosocial changes in attachment style, anxiety, personality measures, and feelings of social connectedness with fellow meditators. Plasma oxytocin and vasopressin and self-report questionnaires were measured in retreat participants (n = 28) at the beginning of, and 3 weeks into, a residential meditation retreat. Control participants (n = 34), who were similar in age, gender, and meditation experience, were also assessed across a 3-week interval. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess outcomes. The retreat group showed a small but significant decrease in oxytocin compared to controls who showed no change. In the retreat group, higher openness to experience at Time 1 predicted greater reductions in oxytocin during the retreat, and lower oxytocin at Time 2 was related to stronger feelings of personal connection with fellow meditators. The changes in oxytocin were not related to attachment style or anxiety. Vasopressin decreased over time across both groups, suggesting no specific effect of retreat. These preliminary findings suggest that meditation training in the context of a silent residential retreat may reduce circulating levels of oxytocin. We interpret this finding from multiple theoretical perspectives, discussing key measurement limitations and proposing future study designs that may help to differentiate the effects of different meditation practices and contexts on oxytocin signaling.

Serum BDNF predicts increases in telomere length during a month-long residential meditation retreat

BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a modulatory neuroprotein implicated in learning, memory, and neuroplasticity. Studies have found increased peripheral BDNF in participants of meditation interventions, indicating that BDNF may play a role in the learning and habit formation that occurs with meditation training. In this study, we assessed changes in peripheral BDNF protein and gene expression across a month-long insight meditation retreat. We also explored relationships between BDNF and previously reported measures of telomerase activity and telomere length—biomarkers implicated in cell aging and longevity. MethodAll participants were experienced meditators. Retreat group participants (n = 28) were assessed at the beginning of, and 3 weeks into, a silent residential retreat. Control group participants (n = 34), who were similar in age, gender, and meditation experience, were also assessed across a 3-week interval. BDNF was measured in serum. BDNF transcripts, telomere length, and telomerase activity were measured in PBMCs. ResultsIn retreat participants, higher levels of serum BDNF at the beginning of retreat predicted increases in telomere length during retreat. We also found negative correlations between serum BDNF and telomerase activity. Contrary to our prediction, we observed no mean-level change in serum BDNF or BDNF transcripts as a function of retreat. ConclusionOur results suggest that basal BDNF levels may play a role in retreat-related improvements observed in telomere biology.

Mind Force Retreat: Improving the Subjective Well-being of Military Veterans Through Alternative Mental Health Therapies

This study focuses on the subjective well-being (SWB) of a sample of military veterans before and after their engagement with a nonclinical, alternative mental health therapies residential retreat in the United Kingdom. The study findings have relevance for trauma-exposed individuals globally. Military veterans will actively avoid seeking traditional mental health treatments due to factors such as stigma and life-long labels, as well as a reluctance to engage in talk therapies. This is despite the widespread occurrence of diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic mental health conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder following periods of service. Moving beyond trauma-informed practice and embracing a healing-centered approach involving holistic therapies delivered during a retreat-type format has a positive impact on the SWB of service users. Positive changes in SWB were recorded using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the lived experiences of the participants. A shared military identity contributes immeasurably to a veteran-centered approach to holistic therapy, healing, and recovery.

The feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the multimodal, community-based LoveYourBrain Retreat program for people with traumatic brain injury and caregivers

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the LoveYourBrain Retreat program using a pre-post, retrospective, concurrent triangulation mixed methods study. Materials and methods A 5-day, multimodal, residential Retreat intervention was designed to improve quality of life among traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and caregivers through mindfulness, movement, nutrition, art, and community-building. Eligibility included being a TBI survivor (>2 years post-injury) or caregiver, 18+ years old, independently mobile, able to communicate verbally, and a first-time participant. Self-reported quantitative and qualitative data were collected via electronic surveys pre- and post-retreat, analyzed separately, then combined. Paired t-tests assessed mean differences in scores on Quality of Life After Brain Injury Overall scale (QOLIBRI-OS) and NIH TBI/Neuro-QOL Resilience, Cognition, Positive Affect/Wellbeing, and Emotional/Behavioral Dysregulation scales. We assessed feasibility using sample characteristics and program frequency and retention, and acceptability using quality ratings. Content analysis explored perceived benefits and improvements. Results 68 People—53 with TBI and 15 caregivers—participated in one of three LoveYourBrain Retreats. Significant improvements were found in QOLIBRI-OS (6.91, 95%CI 1.88–11.94), Resilience (2.14, 95%CI 0.50–3.78), Cognition (2.81, 95%CI 0.79–4.83), and Emotional/Behavioral Dysregulation (2.84, 95%CI 0.14–5.54) among TBI survivors (n = 41). Mean satisfaction was 9.6/10 (SD = 0.64). Content analysis revealed community connection, reframing TBI experience, self-regulation, and self-care themes. Conclusions The LoveYourBrain Retreat is feasible, acceptable, and may be effective complementary rehabilitation to improve QOL among TBI survivors.

Examining the Efficacy and Feasibility of a Residential Retreat Program for First Responders and Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study

Examining the Efficacy and Feasibility of a Residential Retreat Program for First Responders and Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study

Shifting Baselines: Longitudinal Reductions in EEG Beta Band Power Characterize Resting Brain Activity with Intensive Meditation

ObjectivesA core assumption of meditation training is that cognitive capacities developed during formal practice will transfer to other contexts or activities as expertise develops over time. This implies that meditation training might influence domain-general neurocognitive systems, the spontaneous activity of which should be reflected in the dynamics of the resting brain. Previous research has demonstrated that 3 months of meditation training led to reductions in EEG beta band power during mindfulness of breathing practice. The current study extends these findings to ask whether concomitant shifts in power are observed during 2 min of eyes closed rest, when participants are not explicitly engaged in formal meditation.MethodsExperienced meditation practitioners were randomly assigned to practice 3 months of focused attention meditation in a residential retreat, or to serve as waitlist controls. The waitlist controls later completed their own 3-month retreat. Permutation-based cluster analysis of 88-channel resting EEG data was used to test for spectral changes in spontaneous brain activity over the course of the retreats.ResultsLongitudinal reductions in EEG power in the beta frequency range were identified and replicated across the two independent training periods. Less robust reductions were also observed in the high alpha frequency range, and in individual peak alpha frequency. These changes closely mirror those previously observed during formal mindfulness of breathing meditation practice.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the neurocognitive effects of meditation training can extend beyond the bounds of formal practice, influencing the spontaneous activity of the resting brain. Rather than serving as an invariant baseline, resting states might carry meaningful training-related effects, blurring the line between state and trait change.

Conditions for a meaningful writing retreat: Time, space, community and transition

This article investigates a five-day residential retreat for seven women from one academic institution and examines writing retreats through the analysis of texts written by the participants. The aims of this paper are 1) to develop more knowledge about the experiences of what constitutes good conditions for writing in a writing retreat context, and 2) to identify elements of a meaningful writing retreat. The experiences and reflections of the participants are examined and concludes to four conditions that shaped the meaningfulness of the retreat: transition, space, time, and community.

Water off the Guru’s Back

This article is a personal reflection on Swami Shankarananda’s se­cretive sexual behaviour with female devotees within his Mount Eliza Ashram, and the Guru-disciple relationship. Shankarananda developed his own Shiva Yoga in Melbourne after being a senior disciple in Muktananda’s Siddha Yoga. As his Ashram grew, so did his notoriety, and eventually he was accused by some of the female devotees of sexual abuse; a situation reminiscent of his own guru. Shankarananda admitted the harm he had caused; however, he rationalised it with his notion of secret Tantra initiation within Kashmir Shaivism. At the time, in 2015, Mount Eliza was a successful meditation centre and residential retreat. When the news broke, the Ashram was reported to have lost two thirds of its followers and was described in the media as a ‘Guru sex scandal.’ Today the Ashram is flourishing as Shankarananda seems to have moved on, continually attracting new followers; however, allegations persist.

A short Mindfulness retreat can improve biological markers of stress and inflammation

ObjectiveMindfulness practice, a form of meditation, has shown benefit for psychological and physical health. In this study, we investigated the effect of an intensive period of Mindfulness practice on some biological mediators of stress and inflammation during a 3-day residential retreat. MethodsA total of 95 healthy individuals (aged 18–67) were recruited and randomized to a Mindfulness retreat arm or an active control arm. Before (t0) and after (t1) the intervention, all the participants were assessed for salivary cortisol levels and for a panel of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines measured in saliva. Psychometric measures on stress, anxiety and awareness were carried out using PSS, STAI-Y and MAAS questionnaires, respectively. ResultsAs to the within-group differences, we observed a statistically significant decrease in perceived stress (β = −8.85, p < 0.0001), and anxiety scores (β = −12.39, p < 0.0001), while awareness increased (β = 15.26, p < 0.0001) between t0 to t1 in retreat participants. In the mindfulness intervention group, we also observed a statistically significant reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (β = −0.94 p = 0.001) and IL-8 (β = −176.40, p < 0.0001), and an increase in anti-inflammatory IL-10 (β = 0.89 p < 0.0001) levels at the end of the retreat. At t1 we observed a highly significant correlation between cortisol levels and both anxiety (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001) and perceived stress (r = 0.92, p < 0.0001) scores. ConclusionsMindfulness retreat participants showed a significant reduction in perceived stress and anxiety levels, as well as an improved balance of some key mediators of inflammatory states. Our data provide evidence that a mindfulness retreat may be effective in improving physical and mental health. Future studies with larger numbers of subjects and follow-up periods may examine mindfulness practice as a non-pharmacological alternative to promote stress reduction and overall health and wellbeing.

Deconstruction as Repair

Deconstruction as Repair: An ecological perspective on the Six Viewpoints is a co-authored article by Josh Armstrong and Meryl Murman. The writing is carried by the personal and subjective experiences of the authors aiming to understand how postmodern deconstruction is an act of ecological repair. The experiences and thoughts that arise are informed by ecological and postmodern philosophy, by Mary Overlie’s Six Viewpoints — both as phenomenological and philosophical theory and practice — and culminate in reflections on practice-led research through the facilitation of becoming-Botanical somatic movement laboratories. Drawing on the personal observations and reflections from regular participants in weekly somatic movement laboratories held in New Orleans from the Summer of 2018 through the Autumn of 2019, including a residential retreat in rural Mississippi, this article focuses on the restorative qualities which emerge as common themes. According to Overlie, the proper deconstruction of the Six Viewpoints should not be confused with ‘mistaken postmodernism’ and the resulting deconstruction that appears as collage, pastiche or Kitsch Art. Overlie’s deconstruction emphasizes the need for a sharp tool and an observant mind to disassemble the materials of performance with a view to better understand them and ultimately to free them from the hierarchical structures that act upon them. This is not a deconstruction of demolition or damage, but of discovering that which was once hidden or unknown — a process of reification that Overlie champions as the basis for both art and science. Through the becoming-Botanical movement laboratories, we apply this performance-based deconstruction in contexts outside of theatre and performance and find that the Six Viewpoints as phenomenological and somaesthetic training can enable participants to mend psychic and emotional relationships with more-than-human life and make reparations and preparations for the inevitable end of the world.

773 Do Physician Apparel, Posture and Familiarity Impact Adolescent Girls’ Engagement in Post-burn Medical Care?

Abstract Introduction Pediatric burns require ongoing developmental adjustment to lifelong medical care. One well documented phenomenon, “white coat syndrome”, highlights the influence of physician status and medical settings on physiology, while data assessing patient perception of physician care highlights the importance of disarming power attributions by sitting at patient eye-level. The current qualitative report aimed to understand how adolescent patients engage with doctors and whether physician’s clothing, posture and white-coat influence willingness to engage. Methods As part of a 6-day therapeutic residential retreat for girls with burns, girls participated in three question-and-answer sessions with the retreat Medical Director, a burn reconstructive surgeon. In the first two sessions, the surgeon wore casual clothing and sat down in a circle with the girls. Session three, the surgeon wore a white coat and stood amongst the seated girls. Engagement with care was assessed via girls’ willingness to ask the surgeon medical care questions. Clinical quality assurance measures assessing nervousness and comfort with doctors were administered at baseline (T0) and post-second (T1) and third sessions (T2). Univariate t-tests were used to assess for mean differences across timepoints. Results Fifteen girls (range = 12–20 years old) attended and completed quality assurance questionnaires. Girls reported a significant reduction in nervousness from T1 (M = 2.70) to T2 (M = 1.60), t (9) = 2.54, p = .03, but no change from T0 to T1. Topics discussed included women’s health, scar revision for function vs aesthetic options and communication skills for conversing with medical professionals. Girls exhibited behavior consistent with increased comfort with the surgeon during the final session, as evidenced by spontaneous questions and candid discussion as the girls leapt from their chairs rolling up sleeves, pulling up pant legs and shifting their hair covering scars for a hands-on assessment. Conclusions Subtle shifts in physician apparel, posture and interaction may impact adolescent patient’s willingness to engage in their care via asking questions. Future research applying “white coat syndrome” theory to behavioral presentations and engagement with care may be warranted. Applicability of Research to Practice Future prospective quantitative research with a larger sample size may be warranted. Physicians treating adolescents who were burned as children may want to consider the formality of their clothes, white coat, stance and posture during initial encounters with patients in an attempt to increase patient comfort and engagement with care.

Intensive Residential Treatment Program: Efficacy for Emergency Responders’ Critical Incident Stress

Little research exists to determine the efficacy of residential treatment for first responders. In this article, data from a residential retreat were used to examine factors leading to symptom reduction in emergency responders suffering from critical incident stress and post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI). Data were analyzed using multivariate analyses of variance and a 2×2 mixed factorial design. A repeated measure design, the Symptom Assessment for Emergency Responders (SAFER) questionnaire, consisting of 18 clinical and three validity scales, was assessed and analyzed through causal-comparative data. The participant group consisted of 122 emergency responders attending the West Coast Post-trauma Retreat (WCPR) during 2017. The waitlist group consisted of 20 emergency responders. Retreat clients were asked to complete the SAFER questionnaire on the first and last days of the retreat, as did the waitlist participants. Comparisons were then made between the scores of those attending the retreat and those on the waitlist. The results from the SAFER questionnaire indicated a significant pre-post-test decrease in many of the measured symptoms for the retreat participants, as compared with that of the waitlist participants.

A systematic review of interventions for supporting partners of military Veterans with PTSD

Introduction: Partners of military Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health difficulties can themselves develop difficulties with stress, well-being, and secondary trauma. Various interventions exist which involve partners of military personnel, but very few with an explicit focus on the partners’ well-being. This article aims to conduct a systematic review of these interventions and outline the range of interventions and the outcomes measured. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search, from which 25 papers were reviewed. Papers were included if they described any form of intervention in which a partner was involved, where the Veteran was described as having PTSD, and where the aim of the intervention was aimed at least partly at improving the well-being of partners. Results: We found various types of interventions, such as group-based interventions, residential retreats, couples therapies, Internet-based interventions, and family-based interventions. Of the 25 studies reviewed, 21 reported on well-being outcomes, either via randomized controlled trials (RCTs), evaluations, or case studies. In most cases, interventions reported improvements in the well-being of partners, although there were very few controlled studies. Only a small number of interventions were aimed solely at partners. The most common feature of interventions was psychoeducation on topics such as communication, problem solving, and emotion regulation. Many papers described the advantages of group processes such as social support and normalization, gained from partners sharing experiences with one another. Discussion: A wide range of formats exist of interventions for improving the well-being of military partners. The literature would benefit from more robust experimental research into their effectiveness, and exploration of interventions aimed directly at the well-being of partners.

Evaluation of an Occupation-Based Retreat for Women After Pregnancy or Infant Loss.

Pregnancy loss and infant death are unexpected, traumatic, life-changing events. The role of occupational therapy practitioners in treating this population is not well defined. To describe the outcomes of an occupation-based residential retreat for women who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss. Program evaluation. Seven residential retreats for bereaved mothers. One hundred forty-one women who experienced perinatal loss. Residential retreats that were held in natural settings and included occupation-based activities such as group discussions, yoga, meditation, crafts, and rituals to facilitate grieving and healing processes after perinatal loss. The Beck Depression Inventory, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, Self-Compassion Scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support were collected pre- and postretreat. Statistically significant improvements were seen in women's depression, trauma, self-compassion, and perceived social support from pre- to postretreat. At present, occupational therapy practitioners support this population primarily by providing referrals and information about local resources. However, as occupational therapy practice in primary care settings grows, so too do possibilities for the development of occupational therapy-related interventions to support maternal mental health. This article provides preliminary support for occupation-based retreats as a treatment for improving maternal mental health after perinatal loss.

Vacation or therapy? Exploring the demographics, motivations and experiences of health retreat guests in different locations around the world

Contemporary investigations of mindfulness and meditation have predominately emphasized the short-term effects of brief inductions or standardized, multi-week interventions in people with little to no prior meditation experience. Considerably less is known about the effects of continued or intensive meditation practice as proficiency and expertise are acquired over time. In this article, we describe the form and function of residential retreats, an understudied class of meditation intervention that holds promise for bridging this gap in the empirical literature. We outline a number of design features that distinguish retreats from other meditation-based interventions, and highlight their utility for informing functional and developmental perspectives on meditation, cognition, health, and well-being.

Digital storytelling using co-production with vulnerable young people

Summary The importance of listening to young people is enshrined in legislative and policy frameworks and is integral to the children’s rights agenda. However, social work has often struggled to give a voice to vulnerable young people, especially when their views conflict with adult perspectives. This project pioneers the use of digital storytelling using a co-productive approach to address an ongoing deficit in the way accommodated young people express their views at key decision making forums. A four-day residential retreat was used as the venue for co-constructing a digital story and collecting data about young people’s experiences of the process. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes emerging from participants’ accounts of their experiences. Findings The findings suggest that child care meetings should be re-conceptualized as a process in which young people undertake the role of educator, rather than their current positioning as passive information giver. The shift from a passive provider of information to educator is theorised by linking the concepts of scaffolding and Zone of Proximal Development to co-production. Applications This study expands current conceptualisations of co-production as an approach to digital storytelling that holds transformative potential for genuine inclusion of children’s voices in decision-making forums. Whilst the study focused on accommodated young people, the findings are relevant to other service user groups. New technology presents exciting opportunities for practitioners and policy makers to involve those most excluded in society, and at a time when key decisions are made about their lives.

The health impact of residential retreats: a systematic review

BackgroundUnhealthy lifestyles are a major factor in the development and exacerbation of many chronic diseases. Improving lifestyles though immersive residential experiences that promote healthy behaviours is a focus of the health retreat industry. This systematic review aims to identify and explore published studies on the health, wellbeing and economic impact of retreat experiences.MethodsMEDLINE, CINAHL and PsychINFO databases were searched for residential retreat studies in English published prior to February 2017. Studies were included if they were written in English, involved an intervention program in a residential setting of one or more nights, and included before-and-after data related to the health of participants. Studies that did not meet the above criteria or contained only descriptive data from interviews or case studies were excluded.ResultsA total of 23 studies including eight randomised controlled trials, six non-randomised controlled trials and nine longitudinal cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies included a total of 2592 participants from diverse geographical and demographic populations and a great heterogeneity of outcome measures, with seven studies examining objective outcomes such as blood pressure or biological makers of disease, and 16 studies examining subjective outcomes that mostly involved self-reported questionnaires on psychological and spiritual measures. All studies reported post-retreat health benefits ranging from immediately after to five-years post-retreat. Study populations varied widely and most studies had small sample sizes, poorly described methodology and little follow-up data, and no studies reported on health economic outcomes or adverse effects, making it difficult to make definite conclusions about specific conditions, safety or return on investment.ConclusionsHealth retreat experiences appear to have health benefits that include benefits for people with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, various cancers, HIV/AIDS, heart conditions and mental health. Future research with larger numbers of subjects and longer follow-up periods are needed to investigate the health impact of different retreat experiences and the clinical populations most likely to benefit. Further studies are also needed to determine the economic benefits of retreat experiences for individuals, as well as for businesses, health insurers and policy makers.

A5073 - A novel but fundamental approach to follow-up after weight loss surgery an evaluation of a revised therapeutic program in a residential retreat facility in New Zealand

A5073 - A novel but fundamental approach to follow-up after weight loss surgery an evaluation of a revised therapeutic program in a residential retreat facility in New Zealand

Examining the effects of a mindfulness-based distance learning professional training module on personal and professional functioning: a qualitative study.

BackgroundTraining people to deliver mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) is becoming an important activity as mindfulness has been shown to have clinical benefits across a variety of conditions. Training courses must not only address the principles, skills and theory of mindfulness, but the trainers themselves must be able to embody the practice. There is limited research on the ability of teachers-in-training to embody the practice as a result of teacher training programmes. This study explored the extent to which a short course enabled future teachers to embody mindfulness practice. This first module was part of a larger course of four modules to prepare future teachers of MBIs.MethodsQualitative data was obtained from 10 out of 35 end of course written assignments that asked respondents to reflect on their experience of mindfulness practice during the course. These were systematically selected and a focus group interview was also conducted with local participants. Data was analysed by means of the framework method and key themes identified.ResultsThe combination of a retreat and on-line learning was perceived to be effective. Students reported significant changes in personal functioning as a result of daily mindfulness practice: self-awareness, improved relationships, enhanced connectedness, better self-regulation, enhanced compassion and curiosity towards self and others and self-acceptance. Participants began to introduce elements of mindfulness into their professional practice.ConclusionsThe first module of a post-graduate training programme for health professionals who want to teach MBIs successfully supported students to embody, explore and apply mindfulness in their lives. The integrated teaching modalities of residential retreat and distance-based on-line learning appeared effective.

The I-ONE trial: Integrative oncology education for patient navigators—A randomized pilot trial of web-based distance learning with or without small group retreat.

171 Background: One of the major barriers to implementation of an integrative oncology (IO) approach is appropriately trained providers. This trial investigated the effectiveness of a mixed method educational program versus web based learning only for oncology patient navigators relative to knowledge and application of IO modalities. Methods: Patient navigators were randomized 1:1 to Web based education only (WEB) vs. WEB plus residential retreat (WEB+R). The trial was conducted as a randomized, two-group, pre-test/post-test design with 4 repeated measures. The primary study outcomes were knowledge and attitudinal beliefs about the perceived efficacy of IO approaches, as well as clinical and personal practices related to IO. Results: 24 patient navigators from varied educational backgrounds and practice settings were randomized to WEB vs. WEB+R. Referrals to complementary therapies increased by 104% immediately after training (p = .013) and by 77.4% 30 days out. (p = .013). There was a statistically significant increase in attitudinal beliefs about the perceived efficacy of IO approaches as measured by the Integrative Medicine Attitude Questionnaire (IMAQ) from baseline to posttest (p = .013). There were no significantly different values between randomized groups in any of the areas surveyed, however internal group pre and post test comparisons had multiple statistically significant improvements in the WEB + R group while there were no such changes in the WEB group, suggesting a trend toward increased educational efficacy for WEB + R that was likely the major driver of entire group educational improvements. Conclusions: Both Web based and Web based plus small group retreat programs were found to be effective in increasing clinical application and attitudinal beliefs about IO in patient navigators. There was a trend toward improved educational efficacy with WEB +R likely related to shared group and personal experience. As IO approaches become part of standard of care, mixed method online plus small group retreat programs would be useful for widespread dissemination of medical knowledge and increased clinical application of IO approaches.