Terms and Conditions
Before agreeing to the terms and conditions, it is essential to read the ‘Understanding Trauma-Informed Care for Tantra Retreats’ and ‘Ethical Tantra Practices‘ sections below. These sections provide critical information on our approach and values, ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of our practices and commitments. Your agreement to the terms and conditions implies acceptance and understanding of these fundamental principles.
Ethical Tantra Practices
Safety, Consent, and Respect
Our commitment to ethics ensures a safe and respectful environment for all participants. We emphasise informed consent and trauma-aware practices, providing clear guidelines to create a space where everyone feels secure and respected. Discover more about our ethical approach and how it supports your transformative journey.
Code of Ethics and Standards
Introduction and Importance
This Code of Ethics and Standards serves as a set of guidelines for dealing with circumstances that may arise, as well as for the operation of all events promoted on this website. Its main aim is to educate professionals, participants, and the general public about the ethical standards observed by professionals at events, while promoting the care and protection of all those who participate in events.
Anyone working or performing at any of the events (paid or unpaid) is subject to this code (and is required to comply with it in the circumstances described below where it is enforceable and not merely advisory).
Event Professionals (OA)
Event Professionals (OA) is a term used in this Code to refer to:
- Intermediaries
- Assistants
- Organisers
- Participants in training programs for practitioners
- Translators
- Cooks and assistants in the preparation of meals at events
- Venue owners
The Code consists of two parts: (1) Principles and (2) Standards of Ethics
The principles of this code are aspirational goals that serve as a guide for OA behaviour. They are also a statement of how the OA should lead the participants and the group. Although the policies are not enforceable, OA should use them as a guide when making ethical decisions.
The ethical standards of this code are prescriptive and establish enforceable rules of conduct for OA when working on all events promoted on this website. Most of these have been developed broadly to apply to OA in a variety of roles and professions.
In addition to other ethical guidelines relevant to OA, these concepts and ethical standards are intended to support and reinforce the ethical principles and practices of the disciplines represented in the OA group.
The terms “reasonably”, “appropriately” and “potentially” are included if they would:
- Enable the professional judgement of the OA.
- Eliminate unfairness or inequity.
- Ensure applicability across a wide range of activities carried out by the OA.
- Protect against a set of rigid rules that could quickly become obsolete.
The term “reasonable” as used in this Code of Ethics refers to the prevailing professional judgement of professionals performing similar activities under similar circumstances.
Principles
As the principles in this code are aspirational rather than binding or enforceable, they should not be used as a basis for imposing sanctions. They are presented as declarations of OA’s objectives to promote a high degree of ethical and professional behaviour at all events promoted on this website.
OA staff are aware of the need to:
- Adhere to professional standards of conduct.
- Strive to respect established communication channels within the OA team.
- Accept responsibility for their actions within the scope of their professional duties.
- Understand that event environments can lead to high levels of stress during dance, games, and exercises, which can affect participants’ resourcefulness in maintaining role boundaries and communication channels. OA strives to adapt their behaviour and interactions to support the creation of a safe learning and practice environment.
- Be aware of individual and cultural diversity, including age, gender, gender expression, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and socio-economic issues, striving for a non-discriminatory approach.
- Strive for knowledge of regional cultures, historical contexts, and ethical standards as OA’s offer training in different countries and regions. Exemplify culturally competent behaviour in interactions with participants, other professionals, organisations, and each other. Adapt teaching methods to account for cultural differences, using a variety of culturally competent models that may need to be modified as needed.
- Avoid abusing or deceiving individuals before, during, or after ending professional relationships by recognizing real and perceived power differentials between themselves and others.
- Promote transparent communication and help keep the group focused on the main objectives of the event while working under time or other constraints.
- Value continuing education and personal growth, making every effort to stay informed and use resources from the fields of tantra, sexuality, spirituality, trauma-informed access, science, art, and administration to inform their role.
Standards
When acting as an OA or in any other capacity for activities and events promoted on this website, OA are subject to the enforceable obligations set forth in the ethical standards contained in this Code.
- Ensure that all events and training programs for which they are responsible contain an accurate description of the program content, training objectives, tasks, and requirements to be met for proper entry into and completion of the program. All relevant parties must have easy access to this information.
- Provide certificates to demonstrate that their facilitation falls within their area of expertise.
- Accurately and impartially provide background information. Each course should be delivered according to the objectives of the event. This standard does not prevent facilitators from changing event requirements or materials if they deem it pedagogically necessary or desirable, provided that they notify participants of any changes in a manner that allows them to meet the event participation requirements.
- Keep all personal data shared by participants during the events confidential. This means that:
- OA may not ask participants during events to disclose private information, either verbally or in writing, about their history of abuse or neglect, sexual history, psychological treatment, and relationships with peers, spouses, parents, or significant others.
- Only with the Participant’s consent and in cases where doing so furthers the personal or educational goals of the Event, OA may publish private materials provided by Participants during the Events.
- Participants’ personal communications that are kept during the events are private unless the participant allows them to be discussed or this Code requires their disclosure otherwise. The OA team may discuss the participants during the events if they consider it pedagogically necessary or desirable.
- Report abuse or other concerns of harm to the extent OA is required and/or legally authorised to do so under applicable laws, regulations, or licences. The confidentiality standards will be explained to participants in writing as part of the orientation materials for the event and to assistants as part of the orientation process.
- Seek prior consent from assistants or participants before disclosing any personal information. If an assistant or participant chooses not to participate in the demonstration, OA staff will respect their autonomy and will not discriminate or retaliate against them. They will inform assistants or participants of their right to stop the demonstration at any time and will respect their decision.
- Do not promote events on these websites as “trauma healing”. OA are not qualified with the specialised training and accreditation required to “treat trauma”. They are trained in trauma-informed access and trauma-informed consent.
- Inform participants that these events do not constitute therapy and are inappropriate for persons with a specific mental illness. Encourage participants to seek the advice of a physician and/or qualified mental health professional if unsure of their eligibility.
- Refer qualified individuals to handle specific situations that may arise, such as recommending someone to consult a physician and/or mental health professional if significant trauma occurs during an event.
- Do not provide medical advice. Advise participants to see a specialist if they have any worrying medical conditions.
- Ensure participants always have the option to participate in the event or not. Ultimatums, pressure from others, or coercion are inadmissible. Participants always have the option to opt-out, change the practice, or leave the event (they are asked to speak with the facilitators before leaving, but do not have to justify their choice). No one should be forced or pressured to share, interact, or work with someone they do not want to.
- Provide participants with experiences related to the themes of the event if it is beneficial for them.
- Refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs (unless prescribed by a doctor) while performing their duties.
- Not defame their OA team or their reputation in the industry.
- Recognize their mentors and creators of fundamental concepts and methods applied in event theory and practice where appropriate.
- Not act in an aggressive or harassing manner. This conduct is characterised as the abuse of one or more persons by one (1) or more perpetrators. The harasser’s conduct should be objectively assessed from the perspective of a “reasonable person” to determine whether the harassment is sufficiently severe or pervasive to create a hostile environment.
Examples of behaviour that may be considered offensive or harassing:
- Using threats, humiliation, or other forms of intimidation.
- Providing preferential treatment.
- Non-verbal bullying or threatening gestures.
- Verbal abuse, such as gossiping, mocking, or belittling someone or their family; using cruel, abusive, or degrading language; insulting and derogatory terms.
- Excluding someone from activities and exercises, either physically or socially.
- Using physical force such as pushing, shoving, kicking, or threatening violence.
Examples of abuse, harassment, and bullying:
- Gossiping and spreading false or malicious information about someone.
- Unwanted physical interaction, physical assault, or threat of physical assault on a person or their property (defacing or tagging property).
- Any kind of public humiliation.
- Personal insults or use of derogatory nicknames.
- Unjustifiably raising one’s voice against a person in a public or private environment.
- Repeated singling out of one person or group of persons.
- Vulgar or threatening suggestions.
- Taking credit for someone else’s ideas.
Multi-Role Relationships (Non-Sexual)
(This section deals with multi-role relationships that are not sexual, while the next section deals with multi-role relationships that are sexual).
In this part of the Code, the term “multiple relationships” refers to a situation where an OA is in a professional role with a participant in the same capacity and at the same time:
- Simultaneously in another role with this participant.
- Related to someone who is closely related to this participant (e.g. they are a friend of a relative of someone who is participating in an event with this OA).
- Undertakes during the professional relationship with the participant to establish a new professional or business connection in the future with a person who is closely related to him during the professional relationship (e.g. OA may agree to take dance lessons with the participant’s sister, who is currently registered for the event).
- OA should not engage in any non-sexual multiple relationships where there is potential for abuse or potential harm to the participant.
- OA must refrain from multiple relationships that may reasonably be expected to:
- Reduce or impair their objectivity, competence, or judgement.
- Prevent the effective execution of the event or training.
- Put participants or other OA at risk of abuse or harm.
- OA must refrain from forming new personal non-sexual friendships or business contacts with former participants for at least 3 months after the event, including social media. Even after three months, OA’s should not engage in any multiple non-sexual relationships if there is a possibility of abuse or potential harm to the former participant.
- Sometimes the OA at the event has a pre-existing personal relationship with the attendee (friend, relative, partner, lover, etc.). All such relationships must be notified by the OA to the team prior to the start of the event. As it may occasionally be necessary to discuss participants with the OA team, the OA must adhere to event confidentiality standards and not share any information obtained in the course of their professional role with anyone outside the OA team. OA should stop offering its services at the event if it is unable to maintain this level of confidentiality.
- When multiple roles are present in non-sexual relationships, it is the OA’s responsibility to establish clear, sensitive, and appropriate role boundaries to support the event environment and ensure the participant is safe, aware, empowered, and resourced.
- If the OA discovers that a potentially harmful multiple non-sexual relationship has arisen due to unforeseen circumstances, it should take reasonable steps to resolve it, with due regard for the best interests of the participant concerned and in accordance with this Code.
Multi-Role Relationships (Sexual)
Personal sexual relationships between OA and ex-participants can be more complicated than friendly relationships.
However, the intensity and likelihood that engagement may cause harm may decrease over time. A former participant’s ability to exercise autonomy in deciding whether to engage in sexual relationships may be compromised if involvement is permanently prohibited. The issue of former participants’ sexual involvement requires analysis to determine whether such involvement may be ethically permissible.
Analysing personal sexual relationships after the event requires examining at least two perspectives—those of the values of tantric communities and those of our knowledge and experience regarding the dynamics and effects of such relationships. From an ethical point of view, a conflict arises between beneficence and nonmaleficence and respect for the autonomy, rights, and dignity of the participants. The conflict arises because the OA must respect the participants’ right to self-determination, but at the same time, it needs to support them and not harm them.
The Code addresses this conflict when it comes to OA’s personal sexual relationships with current participants. Recognizing that there is a greater risk of autonomy and harm between OA and participants during events, the code, therefore, prohibits personal sexual relationships.
However, in post-event personal sexual relationships, the risk of harm becomes less certain over time and the likelihood that the participant’s autonomy may be compromised increases.
Here we can see an important connection between the ethical and empirical aspects.
- Can ex-participants really make an autonomous sexual choice with an ex-OA? The answer depends on several variables, such as the time that has passed since the event ended, the type, extent, and duration of the event, the participant’s history, psychological makeup, and current mental state.
- For example, the extent to which a former participant’s autonomy may be compromised in a personal sexual relationship with a former OA would be different if it were a four-hour non-experience presentation or a three-day dance event compared to a seven-day body-disarming tantric event that addresses considerably deeper personal, relationship, and sexual problems, along with supporting participants in developing skills for better coping with emotional and physical stress.
- Another example is the comparison of the seven-day tantric arming of the body and the seven-day tantric energy orgasm of the whole body. Although both events take place for the same amount of time, the tantric full-body energy orgasm focuses less on personal, relationship, and sexual issues, and more on how to create higher vibrational levels of pleasure and orgasm throughout the body.
- By maintaining the boundary of no sexual relations during the event or for 6 months after its conclusion, while placing the onus on the OA to demonstrate that the involvement is not exploitative, the Code favors harmlessness while leaving space for the participant to exercise their autonomy. The existence of criteria for determining whether harm is possible ensures the integration of the values of the tantric community while emphasising the importance of avoiding harm in these relationships. It maintains a focus on how to assess the potential likelihood of exploitation.
- The limit of no sexual relations during the event or 6 months after its end ensures that the participant can exercise a completely autonomous choice regarding the former OA. The Code was drafted to prevent a high percentage of potentially harmful personal sexual relationships.
- OA do not engage in sexual relations with participants during the event and for at least 6 months after its end.
There may be exceptions to the above:
- OA who engages in such activity 6 months after the end of the event must demonstrate that no exploitation has occurred, taking into account all the circumstances, including:
- The time that has passed since the end of the event.
- The type, duration, and intensity of the action.
- The participant’s personal history.
- The participant’s current mental state.
- The possibility of an adverse effect on the participant.
- No statements or actions by OA during the Event that suggest or encourage the possibility of a sexual or romantic relationship with the Participant after the Event.
An OA who notices or becomes aware of questionable behaviour by another OA with respect to these standards of conduct, or who disagrees with or complains about another OA for ethical or professional reasons, must raise the matter. If appropriate, recommend first openly and constructively discussing the issue with the other OA. If the problem cannot be resolved, the OA who discovers the misconduct will report it in accordance with the grievance procedures. However, the OA may not violate the Code or the Procedures in any way. Any false complaints that are made to harm another OA, rather than to protect the public, violate this Code.
Accountability Process
Introduction and Importance
With the awareness that there are women who have accused Andrew Barnes of sexual misconduct, and out of a desire to see action centered on healing, accountability, and transparency rather than secrecy, punishment, sweeping this under the rug, ignoring it, and/or hoping it would “sort itself out,” Andrew is undertaking an accountability process
You can find more information here
Andrew Barnes Retreats: Trauma Statement
Many people ask if the retreats are for healing their complex trauma. This statement serves to provide an overview of what’s needed for healing complex trauma and what is realistically within the retreats’ scope of support.
The type of healing required for resolving complex trauma is extensive and is outside the scope, purpose and timeframe of these personal and spiritual development retreats. Qualified trauma therapists require highly specialised education and skills to offer support to people seeking complex trauma healing. Also, it needs to be undertaken within an environment specifically designed for this purpose.
Trauma-informed care definition: Being informed and sensitive about people who have experienced trauma and able to adapt modalities and services to ensure the participant isn’t re-traumatised.
All facilitators and assistants at the retreats, however, are trained in trauma-informed care and consent, meaning they know how to:
- Identify what trauma is neurologically
Recognise the signs and symptoms of trauma
Identify when a participant is experiencing a traumatic response
Support participants to create safety and to self-care appropriately - Support participants to expand their agency and choice
- Instruct participants in how to request support when necessary
- Actively avoid re-traumatisation
- Understand intersectionality and identity development
- Ensure participants know they can set the pace, say stop or no and take breaks as required during the retreats
- Understand the impact of how trauma can affect decision-making, boundary formulation and consent
Note: For anyone wanting to learn more, detailed education about trauma and being a trauma-informed practitioner is covered in Andrew’s online courses named Polyvagal Theory for Practitioners and Trauma-informed Care and Consent.
All the retreats are fundamentally participant-centred, which can support an extensive range of experiences. This is because participants maintain agency and choice, and the facilitators and assistants maintain clear communication and receive feedback from participants during the retreats. This combination provides an environment for participants to create safety, agency and choice for themselves.
Worldwide, awareness of the term trauma has been steadily increasing over the last decade. The definition has widened to such a degree that at times it can create miscommunications not just among the general public, but also among healthcare practitioners. The type of trauma referred to here is when there has been a neurological adaption as a survival response to an overwhelming event/s that has shifted the person’s worldview.
All the retreats may be supportive for individuals who have had a broad range of experiences, some of which at times, people may call trauma. The role of trauma-informed facilitators and assistants isn’t to specifically treat participants’ complex traumas but to appropriately provide and adapt their modalities and services while ensuring they don’t re-traumatise participants.
All the retreats are facilitated somatically, with an emphasis on experiences, bodywork, practices, dance, movement, meditation and participants exploring and embodying their erotic sense of self in a safe, respectful and healthy way. A central methodology used in sections of the retreats is to explore through giving and receiving the techniques and practices with other participants (this is an option). Somatic participant-centred retreats involving giving and receiving with other participants as part of the core experience and methodology isn’t an effective environment in which to resolve personal trauma.
Anyone wanting to participate in any of these retreats should first seek appropriate support for any complex trauma they may have experienced. It’s recommended only then to register for the retreats once they can self-care appropriately and create enough safety and agency for themselves, even when exposed to events that may have in the past triggered them into overwhelm.
The facilitators are, however, experienced in supporting people experiencing emotional trauma and overwhelm, and the participant-centred retreats emphasise embodiment and exploring how to self-care appropriately, as well as how to create safety and increase agency and choice. Rest assured; participants will be held in a supported environment should anything arise unexpectedly.
Tantric Body De-armouring Practitioner Training and Trauma Statement
This Tantric Body De-Armouring (TBD) practitioner training does not teach practitioners how to work with and heal people’s trauma. Many people also ask if the retreats are for healing their own complex trauma. This statement serves to provide an overview of what’s needed for healing complex trauma and what is realistically within the retreats’ scope of support.
The type of healing required for resolving complex trauma is extensive and is outside the scope, purpose and timeframe of these personal and spiritual development retreats. Qualified trauma therapists require highly specialised education and skills to offer support to people seeking complex trauma healing. Also, it needs to be undertaken within an environment specifically designed for this purpose. If you are wanting to learn how to heal peoples complex trauma, it’s recommended that you seek out a qualified training organisation that specifically teaches courses in how to do this.
Trauma-informed care definition: Being informed and sensitive about people who have experienced trauma and able to adapt modalities and services to ensure the participant isn’t re-traumatised.
The TBD practitioner training is, however, trauma-informed, meaning that practitioners will learn:
- What trauma is neurologically
- How to identify when a participant is experiencing a traumatic response
- How to support participants to create safety and to self-care appropriately
- How to support participants to expand their agency and choice
- When to refer to a participant to a qualified medical practitioner
- Actively avoid re-traumatisation
- Understanding intersectionality and identity development
- Ensure participants know they can set the pace, say stop or no and take breaks as required during the retreats
- Understand the impact of how trauma can affect decision-making, boundary formulation and consent
Note: Detailed education about trauma and being a trauma-informed practitioner is covered in the TBD practitioner online courses named Polyvagal Theory for Practitioners and Trauma-informed Care and Consent.
As the TBD practitioner training is fundamentally participant-centred, it can support an extensive range of experiences. This is because the trainee practitioner maintains agency and choice, and the facilitators and assistants maintains clear communication and receives feedback during retreats. This combination provides an environment for the trainee practitioner to create safety, agency and choice for themselves.
Worldwide, awareness of the term trauma has been steadily increasing over the last decade. The definition has widened to such a degree that at times it can create miscommunications not just among the general public, but also among healthcare practitioners. The type of trauma referred to here is when there has been a neurological adaption as a survival response to an overwhelming event/s that has shifted the person’s worldview.
The TBD practitioner training may be supportive for trainee practitioners who have had a broad range of experiences, some of which at times, people may call trauma. The role of a trauma-informed TBD practitioner training facilitators and assistants isn’t to specifically treat trainee practitoners complex traumas but to appropriately provide and adapt their modalities and services while ensuring they don’t re-traumatise trainees.
This TBD practitioner training isn’t designed for trainee practitioners to use for resolving their own unresolved trauma. It’s facilitated somatically, with an emphasis on experiences, bodywork, practices, dance, movement, meditation, TBD and trainees exploring and embodying their erotic sense of self in a safe, respectful and healthy way. A central methodology used for trainee practitioners is to learn through giving and receiving the techniques and practices from other trainees, assistants and facilitators. A somatic participant-centered practitioner course involving giving and receiving TBD and other exercises as part of the core learning and methodology isn’t an effective environment in which to resolve personal trauma.
Anyone wanting to participate in the TBD practitioner training should first seek appropriate support for any complex trauma they may have experienced. It’s recommended only then to register for the training once they can self-care appropriately and create enough safety and agency for themselves, even when exposed to events that may have in the past triggered them into overwhelm.
The facilitators are, however, experienced in supporting people experiencing emotional trauma and overwhelm, and the participant-centred training emphasises embodiment and exploring how to self-care appropriately, as well as how to create safety and increase agency. Rest assured; trainees will be held in a supported environment should anything arise unexpectedly.
Personal Data Protection (GDPR)
by phone on +420 724 247 001 or by e-mail: info@andrewbarnes.eu.
Your personal details, such as your e-mail, full name, phone number and town are all required to fulfil contractual obligations, e.g. to send you detailed information on seminars you have signed up for, arranging carshare, etc.
We need your personal details (invoicing details) to comply with all legal requirements for issuing and keeping records of all invoices and bills.
Your e-mail address and full name are required if you wish to receive our newsletter emails about Andrew’s programmes in the Czech Republic and you have subscribed to them via the subscription form on this website.
If you participated in or booked any of our events we collect information you provided to us when registering, usually your full name, email address, town and phone number. The data we keep about you is kept to a minimum. If you are our customer we have a legitimate interest do so as we have a reason to believe you are interested in our news, for up to 5 years after your last registration.
If you are not our customer we are sending you our newsletter emails based on your consent, for up to 5 years from receiving your consent. In both cases, you can revoke your consent by using the Unsubscribe link you can find in every newsletter e-mail you receive from us.
Only if we have your consent will we send you inspirational newsletters from third parties, for up to 5 years of receiving your consent. You can revoke your consent by using the Unsubscribe link you can find in every newsletter e-mail you receive from us.
We take photos and videos during some of our seminars. Some of these photos are used in our marketing materials, particularly our website. The videos are available to the online participants of our seminars. We will never disclose the names of the participants in these materials. Should you wish not to appear on the photographs, please let us know. We will keep your personal data during the period of limitation unless the statutory limitation period is longer or we have stated otherwise in specific cases.
We do disclose or transfer your data or personal information to other companies, data processors to perform any necessary functions on our behalf (such as Smartemailing, Fakturoid, Facebook, Google, Body Adventure). It is possible we may choose to utilise other applications and data processors in future to simplify and improve data processing. We commit to you that in such cases, we will apply the same stringent criteria we abide by ourselves.
You can contact us to request details concerning the information we hold about you, why we have that information. We will respond within 30 days.
If you feel that we should no longer be using your data or that we are illegally using your data, you can request that we erase the data we hold. When we receive your request, we will confirm whether the data has been deleted or tell you the reason why it cannot be deleted. You can also limit the extent of personal data we keep or the purpose for processing it. For example, you can unsubscribe from our newsletter and thus limit data processing when it comes to sending commercial updates.
You have the right to request that we transfer your data to another controller. We will require 15 days to process your request.
You have the right to request that we stop processing your data. We will contact you to tell you if we are able to comply or if we have legitimate grounds to continue. If data is no longer processed, we may continue to hold your data to comply with your other rights. We will respond within 30 days.
Anther right you have is the right to be forgotten. We do not want to forget about you, however, should you wish us to do so you can exercise this right. In such cases, we will delete all your personal data from our system and the systems of all our sub-contractors and back-up systems. Under certain circumstances, we are bound by legal obligations to retain your data, for example we need to keep invoice records for a period of time set by law. In these cases, we will delete all your personal data that we are not legally bound to retain. We will inform you by email when the data has been deleted.
If you feel we are not processing your data in compliance with the law, you have the right to complain at the Authority for Personal Data Protection. If you hold suspicion your data is not being processed correctly, we would very much appreciate it if you could contact us in the first instance and give us the opportunity to look into it and rectify any wrongdoing.
Newsletters with inspirations or with information about our programme are only sent to you in two cases. You are either our customer and it is in your legitimate interest to receive them or you are not our customer, however, you have given us your consent to do so. In both cases, you unsubscribe from our newsletters by clicking on the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of each newsletter email.
We would like to assure you that our co-workers that process your personal data are all bound to keep your personal data confidential and they are not allowed to disclose any information about the safety measures in place to protect your personal data. Your personal data will not be disclosed to any third parties without your consent.This privacy policy will be effective from 25th May, 2018 and they replace our previous Privacy Policy.
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care for Tantra Retreats
Definition of Trauma-Informed Care for Tantra Retreat Facilitators and Assistants:
A holistic approach that encompasses understanding and being sensitive to the widespread impact of trauma. It involves recognising signs and symptoms of trauma in participants, integrating this knowledge into practices, adapting modalities and services, and using informed consent. The goal is to avoid overwhelming or re-traumatising participants while promoting environments conducive to personal, sexual, and spiritual growth.
The Nuances of Trauma
Worldwide, the term “trauma” has gained increasing awareness over the past decades. Its definition has expanded, occasionally leading to misunderstandings among both the general public and healthcare professionals.
The trauma discussed here refers to neurological adaptations, such as those causing increased feelings of fear and anxiety. These adaptations stem from overwhelming events that can alter a person’s views on self-esteem, relationships, and sexuality, among other aspects.
The healing required for resolving complex trauma is extensive and lies outside the scope, purpose, and timeframe of these personal, Tantric sexuality, and spiritual development retreats. Qualified trauma therapists possess the specialised education and skills needed to support those seeking to heal complex trauma. Moreover, healing should be pursued in an environment specifically designed for this purpose.
Principles Underpinning Andrew Barnes Tantra Retreats
- Commitment to informed consent: Ensuring that participants are well-informed about activities, practices, and any other elements of the retreat allows them to make decisions based on a full understanding. This upholds the retreat’s dedication to transparency, respect, and ethical considerations in all interactions and activities.
- Participant-centred: The retreats prioritise the individual experiences, needs, and capacities of the participant. This approach acknowledges that every participant comes with their own distinct history, personal encounters, challenges, and milestones that have shaped their beliefs, emotions, and behaviours. Therefore, the structure and offerings of the retreat are designed to respect and address the diverse backgrounds and specific needs of each individual, to try and ensure a more personalised and effective experience for all.
- Agency and Autonomy: Participants are given the freedom and autonomy to make choices for themselves during the retreat, rather than being passively guided or directed.
- Clear communication and feedback: The facilitators and assistants actively communicate with participants and consider their feedback to adapt and improve the retreat experience. They listen and respond to the participants’ needs.
- Safe and empowering environment: The combined effect of the above points is that all our tantra retreats aim to create a setting where participants feel safe to express themselves, have control over their experience (autonomy), and leave feeling strengthened or empowered.
Scope and Approach of Our Trauma-Informed Tantra Retreats
These retreats can be supportive for individuals with varied experiences, some of which might be labelled as trauma. The role of trauma-informed facilitators and assistants isn’t to treat participants’ complex traumas directly but to aptly offer and adapt our modalities and services, doing their utmost to not inadvertently cause harm.
The retreats are somatically oriented, focusing on experiential elements like bodywork, tantric practices, dance, movement, meditation, and exploration of one’s erotic identity in a secure, respectful setting. Some sections of the retreats involve participants practising techniques through mutual interaction (participation is optional). Such an environment is not conducive for resolving personal trauma.
Trauma-Informed Training for Facilitators and Assistants
All facilitators and assistants at the retreats are trained in trauma-informed care and consent, enabling them to do their utmost to:
Understand trauma and its effects on our minds and bodies.
Recognise how trauma can influence decision-making, boundary formulation, and consent.
Identify trauma’s signs and symptoms.
Detect and provide appropriate support for participants showing trauma reactions.
Assist participants to establish safety and encourage proper self-care.
Empower participants to expand their sense of agency and autonomy.
Guide participants on how to seek necessary support.
Actively avoid overwhelm or re-traumatisation by respecting participant autonomy.
Understand the importance of personal identity and respect for everyone’s unique capacities.
Ensure participants are aware of their rights to set the pace, decline activities, or take necessary pauses.
Important Message for Prospective Participants
Individuals with deep trauma that are wanting to attend any of our tantric retreats should first seek support for any complex trauma they might have experienced. It’s advised to register for retreats only when they can confidently manage their emotional responses, even in potentially triggering situations.
However, the facilitators and assistants will always do their utmost to assist those undergoing emotional distress, and the retreats prioritise embodiment, self-care, safety, and fostering autonomy and agency. Rest assured; participants will be supported in a nurturing and aware environment should any unexpected issues arise.