About This Retreat
This isn't a wellness retreat with yoga mats and smoothie bars. This is a clinically informed burnout recovery programme set in the deodar forests of Jibhi, in the Tirthan Valley of Himachal Pradesh.
Co-facilitated by Aishani Paul - an RCI-licensed clinical psychologist (M.Phil, Clinical Psychology) who specialises in working with high-performing professionals experiencing chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalisation.
The first two days are intentionally empty - sleep as long as you need, walk along the Tirthan River, eat warm food. From Day 3, Aishani introduces gentle therapeutic sessions: identifying burnout patterns, understanding what drained you, somatic release exercises, and building a recovery framework you can take home.
The setting is a family-run homestay in Jibhi surrounded by cedar and deodar forest. Water is clean. Food is exceptional - Himachali dham, fresh trout from the Tirthan River, local honey. Phone signal is zero. Groups are limited to 6 people.
Your Facilitator
Aishani Paul
Aishani Paul is an RCI-licensed clinical psychologist with an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology. She runs Ms Paul Therapies, offering individual, couples, and family therapy with an integrative, culturally sensitive approach. Her retreat work focuses on helping high-performing professionals reconnect with stillness through guided reflection, somatic practices, and therapeutic conversation.
Day-by-Day Schedule
Arrival & Rest
Arrive at the Jibhi homestay by early afternoon. The cedar forest surrounds you. No briefing. No introductions. Just settle in, walk to the river, eat dinner. Sleep as long as you need tonight.
The Empty Day
No schedule. Sleep. Walk to the Jibhi waterfall (a gentle 30-minute trail through the forest). Sit by the Tirthan River. Read. The host family serves three meals. Nothing is asked of you.
Recognising the Pattern
Morning: Aishani leads the first group session - understanding the three dimensions of burnout (exhaustion, cynicism, reduced efficacy). Afternoon: solo reflection walk through the deodar forest. Evening: optional one-on-one check-in with Aishani.
What Drained You
Morning: guided journaling - mapping the specific stressors, relationships, and habits that contributed to burnout. Aishani provides a clinical framework for understanding energy depletion. Afternoon: free time. Evening: fireside conversation (group, informal).
Somatic Release
Morning: somatic experiencing session with Aishani - the body stores stress that the mind refuses to process. Gentle movement, breathwork, and body-scan techniques. Afternoon: walk to a nearby village or trout fishing in the Tirthan River. Evening: group dinner, no agenda.
Building the Framework
Morning: Aishani's final group session - building a personal recovery framework: boundaries, non-negotiables, energy audits, and re-entry planning. Afternoon: second one-on-one with Aishani. Evening: closing fire circle - what are you protecting when you go back?
Departure
Slow morning. Breakfast by the river. No rush. Depart by noon. Transfer to Aut/Bhuntar.
What's Included
- All meals (Himachali home-cooked + fresh trout)
- 7 nights homestay accommodation
- All group sessions with Aishani Paul
- Two one-on-one therapeutic sessions per person
- Nature walks and forest bathing
- Jibhi waterfall excursion
- Burnout recovery framework workbook
What's Not Included
- Travel to/from Aut or Bhuntar
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Additional private sessions beyond the included two
Founder's Note
I tested this retreat venue myself - four nights in Jibhi, no phone, no laptop. By Day 3 I'd slept 30 hours total and felt like a different person.
When I started talking to Aishani about what a real burnout recovery programme could look like - not a yoga retreat, not a motivational seminar, but actual clinical psychology in a forest - Jibhi was the only venue that made sense. Zero signal. Exceptional food. A family that treats guests like family. The forest does half the work. Aishani does the rest.
— Uddip, Founder
Interested in this retreat?
Retreat batches are small and fill quickly. Reach out to express interest and we'll share dates, availability, and next steps.