Men's Retreat near Berlin June 2026
Balancing Priorities: Being both the Barefoot Warrior and the Embodied Lover
Thursday 11th June to Saturday 13th June 2026.
Three-day Men’s Retreat in the woods outside Berlin. Early Bird pricing until 11th May.
Barefoot Warrior
How to be strong yet vulnerable and in service of something greater than yourself.
Embodied Lover
Get out of your head, be more present while love-making and connect deeply with your partner.
Become better balanced
Learn how to be strong but open to your feelings, to speak your truth but listen from the heart.
Gallery from previous Retreats
Photography: Carlos Saba
"Engaging, provoking, inspiring. Recommend the workshop to any man at any age looking for deeper understanding and connection." P, 61, UK
An Unforgettable Experience
"Wonderful group dynamic helped me on my journey." KFM, 60, Hamburg
"I immediately felt at home. The beginning of a journey I should have started a long time ago." R, 50, Netherlands
I am offering a men’s retreat over three days in the beautiful Brandenburg countryside – just outside Berlin, Germany.
Surrounded by majestic woods and secluded lakes, enjoying the sights and sounds of untouched nature – the perfect environment for introspection and self-discovery.
- Arrival: mid-afternoon on Thursday 11th June 2026
- Departure: after lunch on Saturday 13th June 2026
One of the reasons everyone feels lost and unsure is that we have become more isolated.
In particular, we are cut off from the wisdom and support of other men – mostly because we find it difficult to open up and be truly vulnerable with each other.
In my three-day workshop, within a group of like-minded men, we will look at balancing two contradictory poles of masculinity: The Warrior and the Lover.
- How can you have the strength to stand up for yourself (and your family) yet at the same time be the empathetic and engaged lover (your partner longs for)?
- How can you both protect and nurture?
- Learn how to be both the Barefoot Warrior and the Embodied Lover.
From boyhood, men are taught to be strong, to be winners and to climb to the top.
Unfortunately, it can come at the cost of shutting us from our feelings – because showing them is seen as a sign of weakness which we fear others will pounce on. Yet at the same time, in the bedroom, we are told to be generous, sensitive, soft and attuned to our partners needs.
No wonder many men feel pulled in two directions. Get the balance wrong and the strive for success and being a big man can lead to neglecting our families, friends and communities and ultimately to divorce and aloneness.
Every day will start with a choice of a movement class or a session discussing your dreams followed by delicious Ayurvedic breakfast and a morning and an afternoon workshop or ritual with a break for lunch.
After some free time for personal reflection and supper, we will continue working round an open air fire. There will be exercises to open up your voice for communal singing and we will unpack a myth together.
Afterwards, there is the option of a late night swim in the lake, a sauna and a hot tub in which you can relax.
Early Bird pricing until 11th May. Reserve your place now >>
Andrew G. Marshall
I am a marital therapist based in Berlin with almost forty years helping couples and individuals make better relationships.
I am the author of twenty-plus self help books, translated into twenty languages including I Love You But I’m Not In Love With You and the host of the 2023 award-nominated podcast The Meaningful Life with Andrew G Marshall.
I decided to offer the retreat because many of my male clients long for better and deeper friendships with other men. There are skills I can only teach within a group environment, not in the intimacy of the one-to-one session. The group allows us to learn from each other – it is often easier to spot our own issues in other people. In addition, I have also benefited myself from the immersion of a retreat – away from everyday life – to recharge and go deeper.
More from previous Retreats
Photography: Carlos Saba
"My second retreat in this unique place. Beautifully designed and done. Mind and body refreshed." A, 61, UK
"Supportive environment to understand you are not alone and create new friendship." EC, 56, Italy
What are the benefits of the retreat?
Personal growth and self-discovery
- A supportive space within nature and within a group to reconnect with yourself
- A chance to challenge society’s expectations and gain a greater understanding of what it means to be a man
- Express vulnerability without feeling judged
- Break free from limiting beliefs
- Develop better awareness of the present moment
- Please see my article on Personal Growth in Men’s Retreats
"Deep, transformative and emotional." H. (44, Germany)
Improve your mental and emotional support
- Experience a like-minded and encouraging community
- Develop better and deeper relationships with other men
- Discover strategies for managing stress
- By learning to open up to others in the group, you will find it easier to do the same with the significant people in your life
- Achieve emotional authenticity and deeper self-confidence
"A year's worth of therapy in four days." K. (50, Sweden)
Benefit from a holistic approach
- Immersion in nature
- Vegetarian food and an alcohol-free space
- Digital detox
- Psychological work – the key male archetypes of King, Warrior, Lover, Magician
- Spiritual work – I will be using Jungian tools like Active Imagination to guide you on a vision quest
- Connect with eternal truths at the evening firepit– since the beginning of time, men have gathered round fires to tell stories and share wisdom
- Access your creativity through a guided practice to access physical movement and unleash your singing voice within the group
"An absolute must for inquiring minds - emotionally, mentally and spiritually" S. (42, UK)
Improve your relationships with women
- Balance your male (animus) and female (anima) energies within
- Not only will you find a more authentic, balanced male power but also draw on traditionally feminine qualities like compassion, empathy and seeing the bigger picture
- Open up to your real needs and learn how to communicate them effectively
- Instead of rescuing or fixing, start to truly listen
- Heal emotional wounds by learning to spot unhealthy patterns and approach your relationship with greater emotional awareness
"A journey to the inner self to shine a light in the shadows and clear some cobwebs from the past." H. (44, Germany)
Costs, Directions & Booking
"Feels like coming home to family." M, Germany, 42
Costs
Full pension, lodgings with en-suite bathroom and full active participation to all activities of the seminar (no passive or partial participation possible. Travel to the seminar location is not included.
Pricing
- Single room with en-suite bathroom: Early Bird pricing (until 11th May 2026) is £430 (Full price £500)
- Twin room with en-suite bathroom: Early Bird £390 (Full price £460)
- Twin room with shared bathroom: Early Bird £350 (Full price £420)
We wish to support students who are training in psychotherapy, psychology, sociology and related disciplines to participate in the seminar at a reduced price in turn for helping with organisational tasks like setting up practice rooms, keep timings, etc.
- Assistant/Students: £250 – please apply with a letter of motivation.
Cancellation Policy
- If you cancel your registration by May 11th 2026, we offer a 50% refund.
- From May 12th 2026 all funds received are non-refundable.
What is included?
- Vegetarian ayurvedic-based catering, drinks, snacks. No alcohol or illegal substances allowed.
- Use of all facilities in the property (sauna, lake swimming and walks in the adjacent wood).
- Active seminar participation including writing/drawing materials, cushions, exercise mats, etc.
Please note: you will be asked to help with a few small chores to make the retreat run smoothly: clearing tables, washing our plates, building fires etc.
"A great opportunity to reflect on how to show up as a man in the modern world." PA, 37, Brazil
Directions
How to get there
- Where: Seminarhaus Neue Spitzmühle – Spitzmühlenweg 2, Strausberg, Germany 15344.
- From BER Airport Berlin Brandenburg it is a 90-minute train journey – with one change and a twelve-minute taxi ride.
- From Berlin, Strausberg is at the end of the S5 line and the Seminarhaus is a short taxi ride away.
- We will be organising shared lifts from Berlin to the retreat and shared taxis for people arriving on the same flights / trains.
By car
- Seminarhaus: Neue Spitzmühle am Bötzsee
- Address: Spitzmühlenweg 2, Strausberg, Germany 15344
Duration: 1:15 Hours (traffic permitting)
From Berlin by train (R or S-Bahn)
Start station: Westkreuz, Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Central Station) or Berlin Ostkreuz
- Take the S- Bahn S5 in direction: Strausberg Nord (Final Station) and exit at
Station: Hegermühle (nearest) or Strausberg Stadt (in the city in case you need to make last minute purchases, draw cash or a pharmacy) Duration: 1:10 hour. - Once you are on the S5 and know your exact arrival time, reserve a Taxi to collect you at the station of your choice (Hegermühle or Strausberg Stadt) by dialling +49 (0) 1622 365 564 or +49 (0) 334 133 050. Duration: 10min
Notice: You will need a BVG Ticket (Berlin Transport Society) that includes zones ABC (similar to the ticket you need from and to Schönefeld Airport)
From BER Airport Berlin Brandenburg
- Take any R -Train or S-Bahn in the direction of Berlin that goes via Ostkreuz. For Example: R23, R24 or R32; and S9.
- Change at Ostkreuz change to the S5 in direction: Strausberg Nord and exit at
Station: Hegermühle (nearest) or Strausberg Stadt (in the city in case you need to make last minute purchases, draw cash or a pharmacy). Duration: 1:10 Hour. - Once you are on the S5 and know your exact arrival time, reserve a Taxi to collect you at the station of your choice (Hegermühle or Strausberg Stadt) by dialling +49 (0) 1622 365 564 or +49 (0) 334 133 050. Duration: 10min.
Notice: You will need a BVG Ticket (Berlin Transport Society) that includes zones ABC (similar to the ticket you need from and to Schönefeld Airport)
"A journey to the inner self to shine a light in the shadows and clear some cobwebs from the past."
H. (44, Germany)
H. (44, Germany)
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Book your Place
If you would like to subscribe to the “Balancing Priorities” Men’s Retreat from Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th June 2026 at the Neue Spitzmühle – Spitzmühlenweg 2, 15344 Strausberg, then please complete the form below.
