Fertility, Stress, and Why It’s Not About Resting
Welcome to the final part of this series on the nervous system and fertility. In part 1, we looked at the internal geography of stress for expats in the Netherlands….
A Soft Start: The Fertility Retreat (France)
Step out of the medical rollercoaster and return to your body and soul.
Listening to what is already here, before the child arrives.
What do I already know inside?
What is my deepest wish to mother, even before a child is born?
The path to parenthood is often ruled by schedules, ticking clocks, hope and strain. For three days, that falls away. No clinic agendas. No daily noise.
We slow down. We listen to what the body carries. We make room for what moves underneath. A place to soften and breathe. And, if they choose to join, to find your partner again.
🌸 Spring Retreat 🇫🇷 Clisson, Nantes (France)
When: Friday 9 April – Sunday 11 April 2027
Vibe: Renewal and rest in the awakening French countryside
Language: English (International / Expat-friendly)
Group size: Maximum 8 rooms for ultimate privacy and intimacy
A place to ‘be’, not to ‘perform’
This retreat exists purely to slow down alone or together, recover from the medical rollercoaster, and turn inward. There is no medical agenda this weekend, no pressure, and no ‘musts’. It is a space where you can drop down and make room for what is truly alive within you.
Everything is taken care of, down to the last detail. You arrive. We hold the rest.
Your stay includes:
- 3 days and 2 nights in a peaceful place in the middle of nature
- A private room with its own bathroom, for you alone or for you as a couple
- All-inclusive organic catering: breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepared by the chef with fertility and the nervous system in mind. Unlimited herbal tea, water and healthy snacks.
- The full programme: three hypnofertility sessions, somatic bodywork and creative workshops, led by Marise Bout
- All materials, including art supplies and the materials for the nature ritual
- Aftercare: an integration guide with somatic tools and audio exercises for home
| Early Bird | Regular | |
|---|---|---|
| Solo Retreat (private room for 1) | €1,395 incl. VAT | €1,550 incl. VAT |
| Couples Retreat (private room for 2) | €2,150 incl. VAT | €2,350 incl. VAT |
Early Bird until 31st Jan 2027.
Arrival and departure
We begin on Friday 9 April at 15 hrs and close on Sunday 11 April at 16 hrs. If you travel far, you are welcome to arrive the night before. Nearby stays are at your own cost.
Not included: travel to Clisson (near Nantes) and childcare.
The Programme
Day 1 – Arrival: Slowing down
What has the body carried without speaking?
We open in silence, with gentle bodywork. We land in the present moment and step out of ‘active’ mode. Through somatic exercises, calm is invited into the nervous system. We close the day with the first hypnofertility session.
Day 2 – Deepening: Space for the undercurrent
What truly wants to be seen?
A day for creative expression, nature and a deeper meeting. On a silent walk, we slow to the rhythm of the earth. A forest ritual gives shape to what words cannot hold. There is room for your softness today. Is your partner with you? Then they hold the space, so you can drop all the way in. A second hypnofertility session lets what you found settle.
Day 3 – Landing: Taking it home
What do we carry home with us?
The last day is for integration. In the third and closing session, we weave the days together. You practise bringing the somatic tools, and the connection you found, into daily life. And into any medical road ahead. We close the circle.
Reimbursement via Health Insurance
I am registered as a recognised BATC Paramedical Naturopathic Therapist. So the therapeutic part of this retreat for the woman (valued at €375) may qualify for partial reimbursement from supplementary Dutch health insurance, if you have it.
Afterwards you receive a specified invoice with the required performance codes. The costs for accommodation and catering are not reimbursed.
Check with your insurer in advance. Ask about your daily allowance for complementary consultations based on hypnotherapy.
Join the Waitlist for Priority Access →1:1 Support, Shaped To Your Fertility Journey
Sometimes you need support in one specific phase. Around an IVF/ICSI puncture. Or with a question about your cycle that keeps coming back.
You are welcome at my practice in Utrecht for 1:1 support, physical or therapeutic. Or join the A Soft Start preconception programme, for you and your partner.
The retreat, the partner programme and the sessions in the practice complement each other. They also stand apart. This weekend is for rest, softness and connection. Nothing to fix. Nothing to perform.
In personal support, I bring together the Eastern view of TCM and Ayurveda with grounded knowledge of Western physiology. The methods I use, including fertility massage, foot reflexology and moxa, follow what you need in that moment.
What do you need in your current phase?
Book an intro call →About me
When the journey to conception is not a given, or your cycle brings discomfort, there is comfort in looking beyond the symptoms to the whole self.
As an integrative women’s health specialist, I guide women through the sacred seasons of their reproductive lives. I am a recognised BATC therapist with over a decade of experience, and a specialist in fertility reflexology. For more than four years I have also been a childbirth educator, with private and group classes for expectant couples. I blend complementary care with evidence-informed methods, weaving them into calm, soulful journeys.
For my retreats, softly crafted for women and couples holding a wish for a child, I deliberately step away from clinical agendas and strict timelines. Instead, I invite you to gently turn your gaze inward.
Drawing deeply from my own path and practice in meditation, dance, body-centred work and creative expression, I hold a space where, together or alone, you can pause, catch your breath and attune to the quiet wisdom whispering within.
Meet meHighlighted Blogs
Why Your Fertility Isn’t a Machine (And How Stress Hijacks Your Hormones)
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Why Chronic Stress Affects Your Cycle and Fertility (And What You Can Do About It)
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Looking for a fertility retreat in the Netherlands?
Do you long to completely step away from the daily rush and find peace close to home? From February 5 to February 7, 2027, I am organizing the cozy winter edition of the fertility retreat in the Veluwe, Netherlands. This weekend is entirely in Dutch and is carefully designed for individuals, couples, and expats who want to slow down, recharge, and reconnect surrounded by peaceful winter forests.
Check the details of the A Soft Start Winter Retreat in The Netherlands →Questions and Cancellation
Can I come while I am in IVF or in care with a midwife?
Yes. Natural Waves works alongside regular medical care. It supports body and mind next to the hospital route. The retreat is a place to let go of the medical strain for a while.
What if I become pregnant, or my medical route shifts?
We hope with all our heart that your journey takes a good turn. A small retreat means early deposits for the venue and the private chef that cannot be refunded. So our terms are gentle, and clear.
A positive pregnancy test:
Let me know as soon as you can. This is possible at any time, also in the last 14 days before the start. You can rebook at no cost to a future retreat, to the A Soft Start 1:1 practice route, or to individual sessions at my practice in Utrecht. That includes pregnancy support and hypnobirthing. Your investment is not lost, and you receive the care that fits your new phase.
An IVF/ICSI puncture that suddenly moves:
Let me know as soon as you can, at the latest 14 days before the start. The same rebooking applies.
More questions?
Book an intro call. We look together at what fits your situation.