Hotel Bandolero now offers art retreats hosted by Diana Postma. Diana, a highly experienced art / family & relationships therapist, offers art therapy retreats to reconnect with your inner-self; previous painting experience is not necessary.

What is art therapy?:- Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who want to recover from traumatic losses, reduce stress levels, seek relief from overwhelming emotions or challenges in life or who seek personal & spiritual development. Art therapy provides the opportunity to listen to your inner voices and express what you may think and feel in a spontaneous way. The art product of these exercises is like a mirror which gives more insight and knowledge into your own processes.

This very creative process can open your heart where you are able to find your answers. By learning and growing, you become more open and able to transform your blocked emotions to something new; this is insight, wisdom and your own healing power. Diana believes that the first step towards a happier and healthier future is learning to ask for help. Diana will use different artistic tools, such as painting, singing, drawing, vocal expression, drama, movement and dancing to encourage free communication. Artistic skills are not a prior requirement for art therapy.

Diana, a trained professional art therapist, speaks Dutch, English, German and Spanish and resides in near-by Ronda. Art therapists are trained in both art and therapy; they are knowledgeable about human development, psychological theories, spiritual development, education, multicultural / artistic traditions and the healing potential of art. Diana works with people of all ages: individuals, couples, families, groups and children. She is also a painter and has had her work on exhibition in Spain and abroad.

Yoga is also forms a part of this retreat. For more information about Diana, please see her website : Diana's Website

Paint Your Inner Landscape
In this art therapy retreat, you will experience that making art can be a powerful bridge and catalyst in communication and understanding of one another. As we work in small groups, we can use this powerful bridge as the form of exploring yourself, your interactions and relationships, as this process is indirect and less threatening. We will work through the experience in a creative way by "Painting Your Inner Landscape", where your reactions, unconscious dynamics and emotions can be expressed and released! Yoga is also offered as a secondary process in the retreat aiming to help one relax.

Paint from the Heart
Going on a personal creative retreat is a wonderful way of giving yourself the precious gift of time to reconnect with you deepest ¨self¨ making time where you can remember who you are and why you are here..., away from the distractions and responsibilities of daily life.

Many of us don’t actually make time to include creativity as part of our normal day-to-day lives. We tell ourselves it’s not important and allow other things to get in the way. Perhaps we cannot seem to justify making creativity a priority in our lives. Many of us get messages from the time we are small that our individual creative expression, which is another way of saying ‘Who’ we really are, is somehow not good enough. We lose touch with our natural creative gifts and thus lose touch with that core energy that enables us to feel nourished, grounded, fully alive and connected to ourselves, earth, the universe and others. It is at this point that we become blocked or stuck in our creative expression.

This retreat provides the opportunity to change, stop complaining and undertake action…. do it !!!!

Creative Relationships
As your therapist, Diana would like to share with you that she believes relationships are meaningful because they are opportunities to expand our hearts and become more deeply loving. As a mother, she believes that we cannot give to our children what we can’t give ourselves.

This retreat for couples is very special. It will be a week of joy, reflecting, exploring, growing and learning. This week will provide a great creative opportunity to explore all the possibilities and potentials that your relationship has. Through making art, one can experiment with new ideas, new ways of expression and new ways of seeing yourself. If you are really open to this process, then you can become aware that in every moment, we have the choice to love; we have the choice to be in our light.

For more details and structure of each programme, please see Diana's Website.

2009 PROGRAMME DATES

23 - 30 May - Paint your Inner Landscape - fully booked (completed)
30 May - 06 June - Creative Relationships - fully booked (completed)
04 - 11 July - Paint from the Heart - fully booked (completed)
11 - 18 July - Paint your Inner Landscape - fully booked (completed)
18 - 25 July - Creative Relationships - fully booked (completed)
12 - 19 Sept - Paint from the Heart - fully booked
26 Sept - 03 Oct - Paint your Inner Landscape

ABOUT THE YOGA:- Susan is our professional Hatha-Yoga teacher. She will start the day with you with some simple exercises which will help you get into the inner harmony of yourself, that of your partner and your surroundings. Depending on the theme of the retreat you are participating in, we will use exercises such as respiratory technique, asanas & meditation, which will enable you to open yourself up and to get in contact with you inner intuition.

WHAT TO BRING:- Diana provides watercolours, paper and acrylics. Retreat participants should bring their own brushes in all kind of sizes, pastels, charcoal and oils; bring oil paints only if you would like to work with them. You can bring canvas, board, and easel as well! It is recommended that you bring comfortable clothes and shoes with you; depending on the time of year, evenings can be cool so warm clothes are also advised. Diana also invites you to bring music or instruments with you and something symbolic which you can burn (such as a letter, postcard, photograph, book, diary).

And lastly, one should bring an open heart, mind and… love.

Pricing and what is included:
Each programme lasts for seven nights. The package price includes your professional fee for Diana and seven nights full board at Hotel Bandolero. Full board includes breakfast, lunch and dinner of three courses; aside from beverages provided at breakfast, other beverages are not included. There is a supplemental charge for those wishing to to have a single room (factored into the price already).

Paint Your Inner Landscape & Paint from the Heart
Double Occupancy (per person): 745€
Single Occupancy: 829€

Creative Relationships
Double Occupancy (2 persons): 1,350€