{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Retreats & Offsites Unpacked","title":"How to Organize a Yoga Retreat","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1296,"description":"When COVID shut down her brick-and-mortar yoga studio, Bethany Forest was forced to rethink everything. What began as a crisis became the catalyst for a retreat business rooted in healing, nature, and deep human connection.\nIn this episode, Dan Berger talks with Bethany—founder of Heal Yoga—about the leap from studio classes to immersive retreats, the hard lessons learned from her first retreat, and how thoughtful design, systems, and pricing make long-term sustainability possible.\nBethany shares how yoga retreats go far beyond poses on a mat, why discomfort can be a powerful teacher, and how intentional outdoor experiences help people regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their bodies, and form lasting bonds.\nEpisode ThemesPivoting from a brick-and-mortar studio to retreats after COVIDWhy retreats create deeper transformation than weekly classesDesigning yoga retreats that balance movement, reflection, and adventureLearning pricing, margins, and systems the hard wayCreating psychological safety for first-time retreat guestsUsing nature and outdoor challenge to foster growthBuilding connection and belonging among strangersWhat makes people return to retreats again and againChapters\n00:00 – Welcome and introduction\n01:33 – COVID, studio closure, and the pivot to retreats\n03:36 – Why retreats felt more aligned than a yoga studio\n04:40 – Lessons learned from the first retreat\n06:42 – Building systems and pricing retreats sustainably\n08:46 – What a yoga retreat really looks like\n10:40 – Healing, the nervous system, and connection\n12:46 – Structuring retreat days and setting expectations\n16:02 – Adventure days and the role of discomfort\n17:51 – Retreat size, frequency, and growth\n18:27 – Marketing retreats and filling spots\n20:31 – Final reflections on facilitation and belonging\nAbout the Guest – Bethany Forest\nBethany Forest is the founder of Heal Yoga and a retreat facilitator who designs immersive experiences focused on healing, resilience, and connection....","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/bOBTiJs7vh0BXESSAuKMgrIiALFaXvXWvSKoFPBd1Co/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS85ZDE1/NmMxYmI2MTM4YzRk/ZWI5ZmE3ZTc4MmYx/OGUwMy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}