Reconnect with your brave and bold side
Want to make changes but feel unsure about where to begin?
Maybe you’re craving something different but are unwilling to rock your current boat for fear of capsizing in a sea of uncertainty. Our explore courses will help you move forward.
Making change takes courage. It is not easy. But it is absolutely possible. And once you’re on your way, you’ll be so glad you started.
When we connect with our creativity, we have an infinite resource that can help with everything from navigating decisions to averting overwhelm. It’s the perfect antidote to life’s stresses and challenges.
We will be with you every step of the way, keeping you company and cheering you on. What’s more – we will make it fun!
Don’t settle for feeling invisible. It’s time to take up space.
This retreat has allowed me to tap back into thoughts, feelings and aspirations that I shut down years ago. I have some new tools, new interests and new ideas to take with me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
- lucy d- web designer - 2024 -
Treasure Seekers
Retreat day for people who are seeking direction.
Have you lost sight of what lights you up? Perhaps one chapter has closed and you’re not sure what comes next? Tired of feeling like you’re coasting? This day is designed to help you find clarity.
We will combine coaching, creativity and nature connection to help you find your way.
You could leave with a renewed sense of possibility and a clear vision of your next steps.
You definitely do not need to think of yourself as being creative (although of course, creative people are very welcome). The activities we do are designed to be open to everyone. There will never be any forced sharing or putting on the spot.
The day will include
A gentle arrival and grounding
A themed exploration around finding direction
Creative writing activities to spark insight
Nature connection activities to help shift feeling stuck
Optional sharing in a small, held group
A calm, emotionally safe space throughout
Supportive journal prompts to take away
What is expected of me?
All you need to do is show up!
Do I have to talk?
No. You can share as much or as little as you feel. There is never any pressure here.
Is this therapy?
No. It’s coaching, peer learning and shared wisdom.
Supportive, real, grounded, but not therapy. We are very much working in the present moment.
How big is the group?
We’re keeping this one small so everyone has plenty of space and time.
Can I bring my own food and drink?
Absolutely! The cafe has a really lovely menu and is very reasonably priced but there is no expectation on you to buy. You are very welcome to bring your own food and drink. There aren’t any shops very close by.
How easy is it to park?
We’re an easy walk from Newton Abbot train station. There is on-road parking next to the park – some unmetred, some metred.
Unfolding Words
These monthly writing session (one per month, April–September), blend creative exercises with reflective journal prompts. The overarching themes are getting to know yourself more deeply, practising self-compassion and navigating change with clarity and ease.
Riding the waves of Springs energy and into Summer’s sense of possibilities, you’ll explore what’s stirring within, what wants to grow, and what’s ready to be let go. This is a spacious, supportive practice – a place to slow down, listen inward, and discover what’s unfolding in you.
You definitely do not need to think of yourself as being a writer (although of course, writers are very welcome). There will never be any forced sharing or putting on the spot.
Each 90‑minute session would include:
A gentle arrival and grounding
A themed exploration around self‑understanding or change
Creative writing activities to spark insight
Supportive journal prompts to take away
Optional sharing in a small, held group
A calm, emotionally safe space throughout
All the above PLUS an invitation to our online space and a selection of carefully curated activities to keep you writing in-between sessions.
What is expected of me?
All you need to do is show up! With pen and paper (or something else to write on and with)
Do I have to talk?
No. You can listen quietly, join a breakout, or contribute only when it feels right.
Is this therapy?
No. It’s coaching, peer learning and shared wisdom.
Supportive, real, grounded, but not therapy.
What if I miss a session?
It’s completely fine.
You’ll still get access to any notes, resources and prompts in the Online Space (if appropriate!).
How big is the group?
Usually 8–15 people, but could be up to 30! Small enough to feel safe, big enough to feel supported. The groups will be split up into smaller spaces for discussion if necessary.
How does the online space work?
The Online Space is both resource hub and forum. Participants will have access to useful information and any resources mentioned during sessions.
Can I join in later in the programme?
Yes, you can join later in the programme, but we do have a cut off point for each season, drop us a line and ask.
Unfolding Words
- Final Tuesday of the Month
- 7 - 8:30 pm
- £90 for the series
new dates coming soon
Oi! What about me?!
It's time to take up space.
Do you say ‘yes’ to things you don’t really want to do? Hear yourself saying “I’ll do that!” (and then thinking two seconds later “why on earth did I say that?!)
You are not alone.
Many of us were raised to believe that putting ourselves first is selfish. That being ‘good’ means looking after other people. But when this becomes a way of life, we can lose sight of what actually makes us happy – so when we do have free time, we don’t actually know what to do with it.
We’ll do some brilliant activities to help you break the cycle of taking responsibility for everything and everyone else first. Learn to put yourself first without feeling guilty. Leave yourself energy for finding things that make your heart sing.
Wellbeing takes more than eating right, exercising well and optimising hormones. This day’s designed to help you work out what else you need.
The more you understand what it takes to make you happy, the easier it gets to choose how best to make use of your precious time.
We will explore:
- Managing boundaries
- Saying ‘no’ without the guilt and awkwardness
- Nature practices to ground and centre
- Mindfulness to bring peace
- Creativity for joy
You’ll get a toolkit of activities to take-away, making it easier to weave the practices shared on the day into your everyday life. It’ll be uplifting and thought-provoking. This day is for you if you are ready to start putting yourself centre-stage.
More dates coming soon
Limited spaces to ensure that it's easy for everyone to make themselves heard
11am - 5pm
Includes a delicious lunch and refreshments throughout the day
Early bird £75
Standard £100
In-person workshop
South Devon
Vision Board
Bring your dreams to light.
Step into the colourful world of Yellow Umbrella and spend a joyful, imaginative session crafting your very own vision board for the year ahead. This fun, hands‑on workshop is all about giving yourself space to dream, explore, and reconnect with what you truly want — no pressure, no perfection, just creativity and curiosity.
Whether you’re calling in new adventures, seeking clarity, or simply craving a burst of inspiration, this workshop offers a playful way to uncover your desires and set meaningful intentions.
✂️ What to Expect
- A relaxed, friendly atmosphere inside Newton Abbot’s beloved Yellow Umbrella gift shop
- Guided prompts to help you tune into your hopes, goals, and inner compass
- A treasure trove of magazines, images, words, colours, and textures to spark ideas
- Time to cut, collage, imagine, and create your own vision board to take home
- Gentle support to help you explore what matters most to you in the year ahead
No artistic experience needed — just bring your curiosity and a willingness to play.
🌟 Why Create a Vision Board?
Vision boards are a powerful (and surprisingly fun) way to:
- Clarify what you want more of in your life
- Connect with your values and intentions
- Boost motivation and focus
- Invite creativity, joy, and possibility into your planning
- Turn vague hopes into something you can see, feel, and get excited about
This workshop blends creativity with wellbeing, giving you a moment to pause, reflect, and imagine a year that feels truly yours.
🎨 Who Is This Workshop For?
Anyone who wants to:
- Start the year with intention
- Explore their dreams in a playful, pressure‑free way
- Connect with others in a warm, welcoming space
- Try something creative and uplifting
- Leave with a beautiful board full of insight and inspiration
Saturday 10th January 2026
Spaces are limited to keep the workshop intimate and supportive.
11am - 1pm
Standard £10
Includes teas, coffee and delicious biscuits!
The Studio at
Yellow Umbrella Gift Shop
A cosy, colourful haven filled with charm, creativity, and community spirit - the perfect setting for dreaming big.
Newton Abbot, TQ12 2JL
Widehearted Workshops - Art exploration
Is your creativity blocked? This will set you free
A workshop for people who are curious about making art … but who haven’t done much with it since school and are unsure how to restart. The retreat will give a feel for just how wonderful it can be when we allow our creativity room to breathe.
We’ll play with prompts and with different mediums, including acrylics, clay, and charcoal. And we’ll explore interesting ways of connecting with our inner and outer world.
Absolutely no previous art experience is required.
We’re not aiming to create polished pieces, just to see what makes us tick and sets us alight (when we’ve shushd the inner critic and given ourselves permission to play).
Ticket includes:
All equipment + materials
A toolkit of activities to take away
By the end of the day, you’ll have discovered more about colour, technique and which methods light you up.
Feel lighter, more connected with your playful, adventurous side. Feel bolder, happy to take creative risks. Experiment, gleefully.
More dates coming soon
Small group size so everyone has plenty of space to play
11am - 5pm
Includes a delicious lunch and refreshments throughout the day
Early bird £75
Standard £100
Payment plans available
South Devon
Widehearted Workshops - Collage | Journal | Grow
Join me at the delightful Yellow Umbrella Gift Shop in Newton Abott.
Together, we’ll create feel-good mini booklet packed with kindness, humour, and self-care messages made just for you, by you.
Using beautiful handmade paper, collage techniques and gentle prompts you’ll piece together and create a totally unique design.
These feel good foldables can be packed with stories, journaling, poems, doodles and even self-care messages. Just do what you feel on the night, unload and reflect or just enjoy the creativity, it’s up to you.
No artistic experience needed – just a willingness to play, reflect and connect.
You’ll come away feeling uplifted, with a mini magazine full of big-hearted truths you can pop in a drawer, on your fridge or in your pocket. Expect laughter, gentle prompts, a beautiful array of materials, and a space to breathe.
Come as you are. Leave with something wonderful that you can turn to time and time again.
Refreshments included.
- 6pm - 8pm
- October 2nd 2025
- £25
- Devon
These mini-collage journals are slightly addictive. Every one turns out different. They’re easy to make and incredibly satisfying.
One of the wonderful things about collage is we never know what’s going to leap out at us. The results are sometimes surprising. And that’s part of the fun!
No judgements. We’re here to play and simply see what emerges.
Any questions, please do get in touch.
Treasure Seekers
Looking for a day out with a difference? This will make your heart sing!
So many of us walk around with our heads full of thoughts, barely noticing the world around us. Once we start paying attention, there is a lot of joy to be had!
If you’ve been feeling disconnected from yourself and the world around, this is the one for you. Perhaps you’ve been through a difficult period or have got stuck in a rut. That can feel so rubbish. This day will give you a lift.
We will guide you through a series of tasks, designed to springboard your creativity and help you feel more connected to yourself and the world around you. Expect belly laughs and lots of ‘ah-ha’ moments.
What to expect
- mixed media art project (for beginners)
- soulful poetry
- meditation
- treasure seeking
- nature connection
You’ll leave feeling uplifted and inspired, with bags more energy – setting yourself up for a more joyful life!
- Half-day or day retreat
- Early bird from £25
“In 2024, Sam and I set out to design a day that brought together the best elements of some of the many courses we’ve been on over the years. Something that included moments of connection, reflection, of joy and of silliness – a safe space to explore. And, of course, cake.
The original Brighton Treasure Seekers day was a big hit and we’re trying some new places for 2025.
Get inspired – look at yourself and wherever you live through fresh eyes and come away feeling more joyful, more alive.”
More sessions coming later in 2025. Want one near you? Join the waitlist and tell us what you want!
Loved the warmth and joy of everyone, and creativity with no pressure
nicky, manager | national charity, 2024
Write to the heart with Sam
This one-day writing workshop is for anyone who harbours a curiosity about their writing potential whilst wondering how it can be used to gain direction and perspective.
You will use a range of creative writing exercises to help you connect with your heart’s desires.
It will give writers at any level of experience greater confidence in and clarity about their writing.
You will learn about yourself as a writer and a person.
By the end of the session, you will have
- Explored what is most important to you
- Used a range of writing skills to find different ways of expressing this
- Begun to develop a unique writing style and identified what writing medium best suits your needs / desire for expression
- Had the opportunity to share extracts of writing and learning/reflection
- Received feedback (if desired)
You will come away feeling clearer about who you are and what you want from your life. You will have an action plan for future development and be inspired to continue exploring the potential for writing your way to a more fulfilling existence.
Please note, this is a 2-part online workshop
-
Day retreat (in person)
2 x 3 hour sessions (online) - Early bird from £60
I started writing for catharsis and to process my feelings and experiences. I ended up performing my poetry, writing plays and have recently started my first novel.
Wherever you are on that continuum, this course will support you to explore your writing voice in a supportive environment.
Do contact me if you’d like to discuss."
Love the sound of this? Join the waitlist and we’ll let you know as soon as the next session dates are released.
"Sam created just the right mix of challenge and support to enable participants to step safely out of their comfort zones”
Take Up Space with Melissa
This course offers the foundation for lasting change.
Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you’re playing small? Want more from life but always seem to end up talking yourself out of bright ideas. Making changes feels tricky. They don’t call it a comfort zone for nothing! However, life is short. We have a choice – play safe or seek adventure. We can help make it feel easier.
Each week, we will look at a different theme and explore how creative practices can support us to live more freely.
We will cover:
- Using the NHS 5 ways to wellbeing as a foundation for brighter living
- Resistance
- Procrastination
- Overwhelm
- Embracing change
- Taking up space
By the end of course, you will
- Have new tools to improve your self-awareness
- Explore your relationship with barriers to change
- Have clear strategies for managing personal challenges
- Develop an action plan for connecting with your bold, brave self and living a brighter life.
You’ll develop new ways of responding to familiar feelings and build the foundation of a creative toolkit that you’ll be able to turn to time and time again.
As a bonus, you’ll also get a 30-minute 1:1 follow-up call. Space for you to talk about your experience of the course and discuss any questions you have about how to turn theory into practice.
We will take it gently. There will be no putting-on-the-spot, just encouragement and mutual support from a bunch of lovely people. You’ll leave feeling creative, inspired and ready to take up space
- Six week course
- Early bird from £250
Are you ready to Take Up Space? Join the waitlist and we’ll let you know when the next session dates are released.