Play and Creative Arts Therapy Retreat 2027
18th October - 22nd October 2027
About
Imagine five days of joy, laughter, and creative renewal on the beautiful shores of Loch Lomond.
Join fellow play and creative arts therapists for five days of joyful, hands-on workshops, collaborative community, and space to reconnect with the parts of yourself that first drew you to this work.
As a play and creative arts therapist, you spend your days holding space for your clients. You know the power of play and creativity intimately because it forms the basis of your work.
This retreat isn’t about adding another skill to your toolkit or another modality to your offer. It’s about remembering what it feels like to play - free, messy, joyful and collaborative, so that you can return to your work and life with your own cup full (to bursting!).
If you’re craving connection with people who understand the complex, beautiful work we do, come along and experience the retreat.
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The Location
Loch Lomond
Tucked into the lochside village of Balmaha, right on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, The Oak Tree Inn offers a warm welcome to this corner of Scotland. Beyond the shoreline, the hills of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park roll away into the distance, heather-covered, mist-wrapped, endlessly changing and forever stunning.
Accommodation
Every retreat guest will be assigned a private room, including en-suite bathroom, either in the main house or in one of the nearby cottages. Each room includes a TV, complimentary beverages, wi-fi and free parking close by.
Book early: first ten bookings receive a complimentary upgrade from a standard room to a superior room.
Rooms
Workshops - Playfulness
30 hours of CPD
An invitation to 30 hours of workshops, linked to the theme of playfulness, will be provided. These will take place either in The Roastery, a fully private space metres from the main building or in the beautiful natural surroundings. All creative supplies and resources required to participate in the workshops are included. You can gain 30 CPD hours if you attend every workshop - that’s a whole year of CPD in one go!
Example Workshops:
Workshop One: Clay
Get your hands dirty and reconnect with the playful medium of clay. Explore free-form sculpting with no rules.
Workshop Two: Forest Bathing
This playful take on forest bathing invites you to wander, wonder and engage your senses like a curious child.
Workshop Three: Ceilidh Celebration
A traditional Scottish Ceilidh invites guests to experience playfulness in their own bodies, embracing spontaneity, mistakes, and laughter.
Dining
As three times winner of Scotland’s Best Pub, The Oak Tree Inn knows how to make people feel at home.
From early afternoon on Monday to early afternoon on Friday, all meals are provided, including;
Breakfast buffets,
One course lunches,
Three course evening meals from the main menu,
Plus, unlimited tea/coffee from St Mocha’s Coffee Shop throughout.
Loch Lomond has a way of slowing people down. Wooded islands rise from the water like something out of a folk tale. For five days, this will be your backdrop. Believe me, it’s simply stunning.
Local Area
Itinerary
The full itinerary to be confirmed. This is an example of one day.
8:00am
Buffet breakfast
9:00am
Workshop One - Clay
11:00am
Tea/coffee break
11:30am
Workshop Two - Puppets
1:30pm
One course lunch
3:00pm
Workshop Three - Forests
5:00pm
Free time
6:30pm
Three course meal
8:00pm
Workshop Four - Ceilidh
Sign Up Now
Secure your place by 31st December 2026 at the early bird price of £1900. Plus the first ten bookings receive a complimentary upgrade to a superior room.
Play and Creative Arts Therapy Retreat 2027
£2,100
£1,900
Pay In Full:
£1,900
Pay In Instalments:
£380 Deposit
£380 January 2027
£380 March 2027
£380 May 2027
£380 July 2027
Sign Up Now!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Follow the link on the website. Just add the retreat to your basket and head to the checkout.
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You can pay in full or pay in instalments. Follow the checkout steps on the website. If you select to pay in instalments, you must secure your booking by the 31st of December 2026. You then pay the deposit through the website and the follow up payments via bank transfer - we will email you the invoices for payments of £380 in January, March, May and July.
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For the early bird offer price, you must book before the 31st December 2026.
For the payment plan, you must book by the 31st December 2026.
For all other places, booking will be open until September 2027 or until all places are filled.
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You need to cover the costs for travel to and from the venue, soft and alcoholic drinks and travel insurance as these are not included in the price of the retreat.
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It’s Scotland so cold and damp mainly! Sunny days are a wonderful treat but not guaranteed.
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Of course. Please read the Terms and Conditions document at the bottom of this website. You are advised to read this prior to booking.
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Yes. You will be assigned a free parking space close to your accommodation.
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Plenty of comfy clothing suitable for indoor relaxation and outdoor gentle walking. There may be an invitation for movement workshops, so active wear may be useful.
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Absolutely! You’ll be asked to sign in to each workshop you attend so your CPD hours can be added to your certificate.
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Any trainee or qualified play and / or creative arts therapists working with adults or children.
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Car, plane, train or a mixture of all three! Check out the venues website for more details: www.theoaktreeinn.co.uk
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Yes. When you book a place, you’ll be asked if you’d like to join the retreat WhatsApp group. You’ll be able to offer car shares etc in this group.
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Absolutely. Having time and space to pause and recharge is important. Throughout each day, there is free time for you to use in whatever way feels most restorative to you. The schedule has been thoughtfully designed to give you breathing space throughout the day.