The Vermont Women's Retreat is a five-day restorative experience hosted by green living educator & retreat leader, Amy Hartshorn, and therapist, Andrea Chiappa, at Hartshorn Organic Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Designed for health-conscious women who feel overstimulated, disconnected, or burned out, the retreat combines organic farm immersion, medicinal herbs, sound healing, biofeedback, nervous system regulation practices, and practical nontoxic living guidance.

Limited to a small group to ensure an intentional, curated experience.

If you're tired of carrying everyone else's stress, second-guessing your own instincts, or feeling like your nervous system never gets a real break -- this retreat was built for you.

Five days in Vermont. Clean air, quiet land, and intentional space to come back to yourself.

Modern life is relentless -- not just because it's busy, but because of what it asks your body to absorb every day.

Food and products that strain your system. Constant noise and information. Emotional tension with no room to exhale.

Over time, that accumulation dims your clarity.

Decisions feel heavier. You start second-guessing yourself -- not because you've lost your wisdom, but because there's too much interference in the way.

This retreat is about removing that interference.

This isn't a cleanse or a packed schedule. There's nothing to fix, prove, or push through.

The retreat is built around subtraction -- gently reducing chemical exposure, sensory overload, and constant decision pressure so your nervous system can recalibrate on its own terms.

Vermont does a lot of this work simply by being what it is: unhurried, spacious, and grounded in something older than the noise you came from.

When your system finally gets a sustained break, many women find that their mind quiets, their body releases tension, and decisions that felt murky become simple again.

Boundaries get clearer. It becomes easier to tell what's a yes and what's a no.

Not because something new was added -- but because enough was removed.

You won't leave a different person. But you may leave feeling like yourself again -- the version of you that trusts her own instincts, moves through her days with less friction, and doesn't need to brace for what's next.

You might be a fit if you feel overstimulated or mentally exhausted, want clarity without extremes, and are ready to stop managing the noise long enough to hear yourself again.

You don't need to be "into retreats." You just need to feel the pull to slow down.

Because this is a small, intentionally curated retreat and accommodations are reserved in advance, all payments are non-refundable.

If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your spot to another participant with prior approval. Transfer requests must be submitted no later than 30 days before the retreat start date. Transferred participants must complete the retreat intake process and be approved by the host to ensure the integrity of our curated experience.

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your commitment in case of illness, emergencies, or travel disruptions. We specifically recommend policies that include Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage for maximum flexibility. Many policies offer the most comprehensive coverage when purchased shortly after booking.

In the event of circumstances beyond our control — including severe weather, natural disaster, or public health emergencies — the host reserves the right to postpone the retreat. In such cases, payments will be credited toward a future retreat date rather than refunded.

In the event that the retreat is canceled by the host for any other reason, all payments will be fully refunded.

This retreat isn't about becoming someone new.

It's about removing what doesn't belong -- so you can hear yourself again, trust your own guidance, and return to your life with more ease.

If that resonates, you're in the right place. I'm happy to connect by phone or Zoom if you'd like to explore whether it's a fit.

This is a small, intentionally curated experience designed to support a thoughtful and supportive group dynamic.
We reserve the right to ensure alignment with the retreat experience.

Once we have the pricing available, then you will:

1. Reserve Your Spot
Choose your room and secure your place.

2. Complete Your Intake Form
You’ll receive a short form to help us prepare for your experience and finalize your participation.

3. Brief Connection (if needed)
Because this is a small, curated experience, we may connect briefly by Zoom to ensure a strong fit for the group.

4. Prepare for the Retreat
You’ll receive all retreat details and next steps once everything is confirmed.

Amy Hartshorn has been leading women's restorative retreats for over eleven years — and in that time, she has witnessed what happens when women are finally given permission to stop.

At one early retreat, three female veterans and three civilians gathered together. A veteran who had struggled with alcohol since her deployment got sober during the weekend. A former military medic left feeling like herself again — so much so that her husband noticed immediately. And a third participant said simply: "I don't want to be dramatic, but it was life-changing."

That is what this work is at its core. Not information delivery. Not a checklist of swaps. But a space where women remember how to think for themselves — and take that clarity home with them.

Amy brings more than three decades of expertise in nontoxic living, clean eating, and holistic health to everything she creates. As a certified organic farmer, green living educator, host of the Green Living Now podcast, and a confirmed TEDx speaker, she has spent her career helping women understand the connection between their environment, their bodies, and how they feel.

Her retreats are not programs to get through. They are spaces she holds with care, intention, and deep respect for what each woman is carrying when she arrives.

Andrea is a seasoned therapist with over 35 years of experience helping people navigate stress, life transitions, anxiety, trauma, and complex relationships. Her work has always centered on one core truth: no two nervous systems — and no two healing journeys — are the same.

With a background in family and child studies and a master's degree in counseling, Andrea is trained in biofeedback, neurofeedback, EMDR, and hypnosis, and draws from a wide range of modalities to meet each person where they are. She listens closely to what the body, mind, and nervous system are asking for — rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Over the years she has facilitated women's workshops, support circles, and wellness programs — creating spaces where women can slow down, feel safe, and reconnect with themselves beneath the noise of daily life. Her intention in co-leading this retreat is straightforward: to offer a grounded, supportive environment where your nervous system can settle, your mind can quiet, and your body can remember what it feels like to be at ease.

A note on how we met: Andrea didn't come to this work as a co-leader.

She came as a participant.

"I have been a therapist for 26 years and this past summer I knew I needed to walk my talk. It is the perfect retreat in so many ways — starting with the setting of the beautiful mountains of Vermont, to the wonderful food. We spent time meditating, taking hikes, swimming in the river, doing yoga, focusing on learning more about myself. I have to include the amazing equine therapy program. In two hours, I walked away with what would take a year in therapy. It is truly a valuable experience I recommend to everyone."

— Andrea, therapist and retreat co-leader

What is included in the Vermont Women's Retreat?

Five nights lodging, 14 organic meals, organic farm experience, medicinal herbal walk, equine therapy, sound bath, biofeedback session, gentle yoga, guided silent walk, nervous system regulation practices, green living guidance, and a private post-retreat integration session with Amy.

Who leads the retreat?

The retreat is co-led by Amy Hartshorn, certified organic farmer and 34-year nontoxic living educator, and Andrea Chiappa, a licensed therapist with over 35 years of experience in biofeedback, neurofeedback, EMDR, and women's wellness.

Where is the retreat held?

The retreat takes place in Vermont's Mad River Valley, near Hartshorn Organic Farm in Waitsfield, Vermont, running August 23–28.