Private Therapy Retreat in Spain
Private Therapy Retreat · Spain

Private Therapy Retreat in Spain

A private, psychotherapist-led therapeutic intensive in Andalusia, centred on direct work with Simon Hitchcock and arranged around the person rather than a wider participant group.

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Seven-Day Private Intensive · Private Weekend · Accommodation, meals & agreed Málaga airport transfers included

Private therapeutic work

When the work needs to be built around you.

A private therapy retreat is not simply therapy moved somewhere quieter. At The Ridge, private therapeutic work is built around one person, or potentially one couple in the seven-day format, with no wider participant group to accommodate.

The principal private route is the seven-day Private Ridge Intensive: seven days centred on direct therapeutic work with Simon Hitchcock, with the pace, structure and any specialist involvement shaped around what becomes visible in the work.

For people who cannot realistically step away for a full week, there is also a Private Weekend Intensive. That format runs from Friday to Monday, with concentrated one-to-one work with Simon on Saturday and Sunday.

Across both private formats, participants stay in nearby rural accommodation approximately one kilometre from The Ridge. Accommodation, meals and agreed Málaga airport transfers are included.

A private conversation

You can begin here.

If something you've read feels familiar, you can write to Simon directly. A few words are enough to begin. You don't need to explain everything in a form.

Prefer to speak? Book a Private 20-Minute Consultation with Simon

A brief message is fine. Please avoid sharing sensitive details unless necessary.

Or, if you'd prefer to message directly Message Simon on WhatsApp
Seven-Day Private Intensive

Seven days with the work built around one person.

The seven-day Private Ridge Intensive is the fullest private format at The Ridge. There is no wider participant group and no public timetable to preserve. Simon Hitchcock can follow what is actually happening rather than dividing attention across a cohort.

For an individual intensive, the core therapeutic work is one-to-one with Simon. The seven-day format may also be appropriate for one couple, where the work can include both individual and joint therapeutic work. Where the relationship itself is the reason for seeking intensive work, there is more detail on The Ridge’s couples therapy retreat in Spain.

Breathwork, equine, wilderness and behavioural work remain available, but they are not automatic inclusions simply because they exist at The Ridge. They are brought into the programme where Simon believes they will genuinely serve the person or pair.

This route is particularly relevant where privacy matters, where the situation is too specific to build around a group, where timing is important, or where someone wants a programme designed around one therapeutic process from beginning to end.

Explore the Seven-Day Private Intensive
A shorter private route

When seven days is not realistic.

A full private week is not possible for everyone. Work, family, public responsibilities or the practical difficulty of disappearing for seven days can make the longer format unrealistic.

The Private Weekend Intensive exists for that situation. Arrive Friday, work privately with Simon on Saturday and Sunday, and leave Monday.

It is not positioned as a lighter, cheaper or simplified version of the seven-day intensive. It is a different amount of time for a different practical situation. If Simon believes what you are bringing needs more space than two therapeutic days can responsibly hold, he will say so.

The Weekend Intensive is always one-to-one. Specialist elements can be added where useful, rather than being automatically built into the format.

Seven-Day Private Intensive

Seven days. One person or potentially one couple. No wider participant group. The greatest amount of private therapeutic time with Simon, with specialist elements added where they genuinely serve the work. Arranged privately.

Private Weekend Intensive

Friday to Monday. One person. Private therapeutic work with Simon on Saturday and Sunday. Designed for people who need concentrated private work but cannot realistically commit to seven days. Arranged privately.

The practical details

What private therapeutic work at The Ridge involves.

Format : Seven-Day Private: one person or potentially one couple. Weekend Private: one person. No wider participant group.
Duration : Seven-Day Private: seven days. Weekend Private: Friday to Monday, with therapeutic work on Saturday and Sunday.
Clinical lead : Simon Hitchcock leads the therapeutic work personally.
Specialist support : Breathwork, equine, wilderness and behavioural practitioners can be involved where they genuinely serve the work.
Location : Therapeutic work takes place at The Ridge in the mountains of Andalusia near Málaga.
Accommodation : Nearby rural accommodation approximately one kilometre from The Ridge is included across both private formats.
Included : Accommodation, all meals, agreed Málaga airport transfers and the agreed therapeutic programme.
Timing : Both private formats are arranged directly around suitability and Simon’s availability.
Investment : Private pricing is discussed directly with Simon once the appropriate format and structure are understood.
Start privately

The first step is a private conversation, not a booking.

Every private intensive begins with Simon understanding what has brought you here, what has already been tried and what you believe needs to change.

You do not need to decide between seven days and the weekend before making contact. The purpose of the first conversation is to understand the situation, establish whether The Ridge is appropriate and decide which amount of time can responsibly hold the work.

If neither private route is the right fit, Simon will say so. The format should follow the work, not the other way around.

Discuss a Private Intensive
Further information

Common questions.

What is a private therapy retreat?
: At The Ridge, a private therapy retreat is an intensive period of psychotherapist-led therapeutic work without a wider participant group. The principal private format runs for seven days and is arranged for one person or potentially one couple. A shorter one-to-one Private Weekend Intensive is also available.
How long does a private therapy retreat at The Ridge last?
: The Seven-Day Private Ridge Intensive runs for seven days. The Private Weekend Intensive runs from Friday to Monday, with private therapeutic work with Simon on Saturday and Sunday.
Is the private intensive one-to-one?
: The Seven-Day Private Intensive is arranged for one person or potentially one couple. The Private Weekend Intensive is always one-to-one. Simon leads the core therapeutic work personally in both formats.
How is the private intensive different from the scheduled Five-Day Ridge Intensive?
: The scheduled Five-Day Ridge Intensive works with a maximum of six participants and includes group integration and the wider specialist team as part of the programme. The private formats have no wider participant group and are built more specifically around one person or, in the seven-day format, potentially one couple.
Are breathwork, equine and wilderness work included in a private intensive?
: They are available but are not automatic elements of the private formats. Simon can bring breathwork, equine, wilderness or behavioural work into the programme where he believes they will genuinely serve the therapeutic process.
Where do I stay during a private therapy retreat?
: Participants stay in nearby rural accommodation approximately one kilometre from The Ridge. The therapeutic work takes place at The Ridge and across the surrounding landscape as required. Accommodation, meals and agreed Málaga airport transfers are included across the private formats.
What does a private intensive cost?
: Private pricing is not published. Simon discusses the investment directly once he understands the circumstances, the appropriate format and what the work is likely to require.
How quickly can a private intensive be arranged?
: Both private formats are arranged directly around suitability and Simon's availability. Timing is discussed during the initial conversation rather than tied to public programme dates.
Is a Private Intensive suitable for someone in crisis?
: No. The Ridge is not an emergency or crisis service and is not suitable for acute psychiatric crisis or active addiction. Emergency, inpatient or medically supervised support should be accessed first where required.
A private route

Some work needs to happen privately.

Privacy changes more than the number of people in the room. It changes how specifically the work can follow one person, how the time can be structured and how quickly Simon can respond to what becomes important.

You do not need to decide before making contact whether seven days or the Private Weekend is the right amount of time. The first step is simply to speak privately with Simon about what is happening, what you are hoping to change and whether either private format is appropriate.

From the Start page, you can book a private 20-minute consultation with Simon or, if you would rather write first, send a short private enquiry. Neither commits you to attending.

Discuss a Private Intensive Take the Assessment