Possible shape one
Rest, recharge, reconnect
For when you are running on empty and know it. Time in nature, sleep, proper food, sound and stillness, and enough space to hear yourself think. Less doing, more restoring.
Be the first to know when 2027 retreat dates open.
Vet Empowered Retreats, 2027
Every time we ask what you want, you say the same thing.
A Vet Empowered retreat. In the feedback forms. In the surveys. In the corner of the room at the end of every event. So we are doing it. Two weekends in 2027, one near Edinburgh and one in the Peak District, with workshops, time in nature, and space to actually reset. We are building them with you rather than presenting you with something finished and hoping it fits.
Join the early access list
Nothing to pay and nothing to commit to. Early access means you hear first, and you get a say in what these actually are.
You asked. Repeatedly.
We have run a lot of events, sent a lot of surveys, and read a lot of feedback forms. The same request comes back every single time.
A weekend away. Somewhere quiet. With people who understand the job.
So rather than sit on that for another year, we are starting now. This page exists because we are in the early stages of planning two retreat weekends for 2027 and we would like you in the room while we design them, not after.
Where we are up to
Being honest about the stage we are at, because you deserve that more than you deserve a polished brochure.
What we know
- Two residential weekends, in 2027
- One in the Edinburgh area, one in the Peak District near Manchester
- Likely Friday lunchtime to Sunday evening
- Small groups, so nobody disappears into the back of the room
- Led by us, alongside the Vet Empowered coaching team and guest practitioners
- Certificated CPD
What we have not decided
- The months, the venues, or the exact length
- Which of the two themes runs where, or whether both run at both
- How much of the weekend is structured and how much is yours
- The investment
That gap is deliberate. We would rather build this around what people actually want.
Two possible shapes
We are considering two quite different weekends. They are not fixed, they are not yet tied to a location, and your answers on the form will decide which we run first.
Possible shape two
What next
For when you are at a crossroads and the thinking has nowhere to happen. Careers, pivots, portfolio work, staying put on purpose, and what a sustainable next chapter would actually look like from here.
Some of you will want one. Some will want both. Some will want a blend. Tell us on the form, because at this stage you genuinely are the deciding vote.
You already told us what you wanted in it
When we last asked what a Vet Empowered retreat should include, this is what came back loudest.
- Meditation, sound baths and guided relaxation
- Time in nature, from forest bathing to wild swimming
- Workshops on the topics you choose
- Shared meals and evening connection
All of it is going in. What we are still working out is the balance, and how much of the weekend stays unstructured. More on the form.
Disconnect to Reconnect
During these weekends we would really encourage you to pop your phone out of the way. Do not worry, we will still have one phone on and we can give that emergency contact number to everyone else.
We are going to look at the best way to help you disconnect as much as possible. It might be an hour a day, or it might be no phones during the day at all. We might even offer it as an optional thing, so you can choose the level that feels right for you.
We will be honest, the first few hours are uncomfortable. Most people reach for an empty pocket roughly forty times on the first evening. What comes after that is the entire point.
Drag the phone into the box, or press Enter while it is focused.
The bits we are not going to pretend about
A weekend is not a cure for an unsustainable job. You will not come home rebuilt. You will come home rested, with a clearer head and, we hope, one or two decisions you had been avoiding.
You have to actually leave. Nights away, arrangements made, someone else covering. That is the hardest part of the whole thing, and it is worth doing anyway.
This is coaching and CPD. It is not therapy or crisis support, and we will always say so plainly.
Why we are doing it at all
You can only think clearly about your life when you step outside it for a while.
Rest and strategy are not opposites. A rested brain makes the better decision, and most of us are trying to do the thinking on empty.
Being with people who understand the job without explanation changes the quality of the conversation. You skip the preamble and start somewhere useful.
Who you would be with
Katie Ford and Claire Grigson, who between them have nearly 30 years of clinical veterinary experience and have spent the last eight coaching the people of vetmed. Katie is a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and an RCVS Inspiration Award recipient. Both of us have locumed over the years, which keeps us honest about what first opinion life actually feels like on a Tuesday.
Both of us are trained in somatic and trauma-informed coaching. Neither of us will make you do a trust fall.
Depending on the weekend you may also meet others from our coaching team, all veterinary professionals who trained with us, alongside guest practitioners for things like breathwork, sound and movement. We will confirm who is joining each weekend once the dates are set.
“Like a balm for the soul that gives you clarity, comfort, hope and acceptance.”
A few moments from previous Vet Empowered rooms.
Who this is for
Vets, nurses, techs, practice managers and support team members who are good at their jobs and quietly running on empty. Whether you have been qualified three years or thirty.
It might not be the right moment if you are in crisis or in the middle of mental health diagnostics. That is not a door closing. Tell us and we will talk about what would help more right now.
Join the early access list
Eight quick questions, about a minute. Which location suits you, which of the two weekends appeals, which months could work, and what you would actually want from it.
Nothing to pay and nothing to commit to. You are helping us decide.
Open the form
Opens in a new tab. We only use your details to contact you about this. We never share them.
Questions
Why are you telling us about this so far ahead?
Because we would rather design it with you than for you, and because a residential weekend takes real planning to do properly. Also, you have been asking for a while now, and we wanted to say yes out loud.
Is any of this confirmed?
The locations, roughly. The year, yes. Almost everything else is genuinely open, which is why the form matters.
What does it cost?
We are still working that out. The early access list hears first.
How many people will be there?
A small group, with at least two of us. Small enough that nobody disappears into the back of the room.
Do the phones really go in a box?
That is the plan we like best. It is not set. Tell us what you think on the form.
Will it be CPD?
Yes, certificated. Many employers fund this kind of development and we will provide everything you need to make that case.
Do I have to share anything?
No. You take part at whatever depth suits you.
Is this therapy?
No. This is coaching and CPD, and it is not a substitute for therapy or crisis support.
Do I need to know anyone?
No. Most people come on their own.
What about dietary needs and accessibility?
Tell us and we will plan around it. We will share full venue accessibility details before anything is confirmed.
Do I need to be a Vet Empowered client already?
No. Plenty of people will be new to us.
What if I can only do one of the two weekends?
That is completely fine, and most people will. Tell us which on the form.
What actually happens after I join the list?
We email you when the shape, dates and venues are set, before anything opens publicly. That is it. No sequence of sales emails.