An Immersive Group Experience
in the Red Rock Desert
Southern Utah Therapy Intensive | April 24–27, 2026
If you’ve been holding too much for too long, this is a place to set it down.
At A Glance
Dates: April 24–27, 2026 (Thursday through Sunday)
Location: Southern Utah — exact location shared after registration for privacy and safety
Ages: 18+
Investment: $1,500 — includes all facilitation, programming, and meals
Outdoor experience level: Beginner-friendly hiking and basic tent camping. You don't need outdoor experience, but you do need to be ready for it. A detailed packing list is provided after registration.
Not included: Travel and personal camping gear
Space: LGBTQ+ and BIPOC affirming
Facilitators: Licensed clinicians from Hearten House
what this is
This is a 4-day immersive group therapy experience in the red rock desert of Southern Utah — clinically grounded, experientially designed, and held by licensed therapists from Hearten House. It will feel like a retreat in some ways. You'll be away from your regular life, outside in a beautiful place, eating good food, and sleeping under the desert sky. That part is real.
The difference is what holds it. This experience is designed and facilitated by licensed clinicians, with depth and care woven throughout. Which means something different becomes possible — not just distance from your regular life, but movement within it.
You will hike, you will tent camp, and you will do serious group therapy work. You will also sit around a fire in Southern Utah and remember what it feels like to just exist for a few days.
What You Can Expect
This experience is structured, but not rigid. It’s held with intention, pacing, and care.
Over four days, you'll move through a steady rhythm that includes guided group therapy at the core of the experience, experiential and embodied practices that support real integration, nervous system regulation tools you can take home, movement and creative processing, time outdoors that helps your system settle and your perspective widen, shared meals and unstructured space to rest or wander, and evening integration circles around the fire.
The hiking is beginner-friendly. The camping is basic tent camping. We will send you a detailed packing list after registration so you know exactly what to bring and what to expect before you arrive.
You won’t be pushed. You won’t be rushed. You will be supported.
Our Approach
Hearten House is known for trauma-informed, experiential care — and this immersive therapy experience reflects that fully.
Over four days, we may use action-based experiential therapy and psychodrama-informed methods, parts-oriented and internal systems-informed frameworks, somatic and mindfulness-based regulation tools, and expressive and creative integration practices.
Choice and consent are central to everything we do here. You will always have options. Participation is invitational, not forced. The work is yours to enter at the pace that feels right.
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Who This Is For
This experience is for adults who are feeling stuck, numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected. Who are carrying stress that isn't resolving through insight alone. Who want connection that feels real and grounded. Who are ready for a deeper therapeutic experience than a weekly session allows.
You don't have to be in crisis to come. You don't have to be an outdoorsy person. You don't have to be good at groups. You don't have to be okay.
You just have to be willing to show up honestly and be outside for a few days.
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Accessible, Affirming
Outdoor Accessibility
You do not need to be “outdoorsy” to attend.
This intensive is designed to be accessible to a wide range of outdoor comfort levels, and there is no expectation of extreme hiking or rugged adventure.
We’ll provide a clear packing list and detailed expectations ahead of time so you can feel prepared.
LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Affirming Space
You do not need to translate yourself here.
You are welcome exactly as you are.
Facilitators
This intensive is led by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians with decades of combined outdoor therapy experience. Our planned team:
Diksha Gunter, Advanced Practicum Master of Social Work Student Therapist
Amanda Walton, Graduate-level Master of Social Work intern
Each facilitator brings a trauma-informed, relational, and experiential approach to group work.
FAQ
What is this, exactly?
This is a 4-day immersive group therapy intensive in Southern Utah. It’s designed to support clarity, connection, and integration through experiential group work and trauma-informed care.
Is this a retreat?
It's similar in the sense that we're getting away from the everyday hustle, but different because this is group therapy facilitated by highly skilled licensed clinicians and graduate level practicum students.
Do I have to share personal details in front of the group?
Group therapy isn’t about oversharing. It’s about supported connection and meaningful internal movement. You’ll always have choices about how you participate.
I’m nervous about groups. Can I still come?
Of course! Many people feel anxious about group settings. We structure this experience with pacing, boundaries, and nervous-system safety in mind.
How outdoorsy do I need to be?
You don’t need to be outdoorsy. This experience is accessible to a wide range of outdoor comfort levels, with no expectation of extreme hiking or endurance activities.
What therapy methods do you use?
We use trauma-informed, experiential methods that may include action-based work, parts-oriented frameworks, somatic tools, and expressive integration practices.
Is this covered by insurance?
In most cases, therapy intensives like this are not billed through insurance.
If you need documentation for out-of-network reimbursement, reach out and we’ll let you know what we can provide.
Is this LGBTQ+ and BIPOC affirming?
Yes. This is an LGBTQ+ and BIPOC affirming space grounded in safety, dignity, and respect.
What if I have dietary needs or accessibility considerations?
Let us know. We’ll do our best to accommodate dietary needs and accessibility considerations whenever possible.
How do I sign up?
Click here to let us know you’d like to come and we’ll reach out. If you have questions first, we’re happy to help you make an informed choice.
Investment
$1,500 for the full four-day experience
This includes all group therapy sessions and facilitation, guided experiential programming and integration, meals during the experience, and pre-experience preparation and participant support.
Not included: travel to and from Southern Utah, and personal camping gear. A detailed packing list will be provided after registration.
If cost is a barrier, please reach out. We mean it. We don't want finances to be the reason someone avoids support. We'll talk through what's possible.
A few spots remain.
If you've been sitting on this, that's probably worth paying attention to.
April 24–27, 2026. Southern Utah. $1,500, meals included. LGBTQ+ and BIPOC affirming.