🌴 Make serious income and enjoy luxurious destinations by hosting retreats.

by | Jul 1, 2024 | DIY Legal Templates

Let me tell you about my amazing client Felicia Keller Boyle, a licensed therapist.

Felicia was rocking it with her private therapy practice, but she had another love (like I do!) – traveling! ✈️

(Speaking of traveling, in June, we spent a week at the lake in Maine visiting my mom and then flew to Frankfurt, Germany for 8 days to see my grandson and also attended a Body Code conference. I’m all about combining work and play! Check out my Insta here for the pics!)

Felicia also dreamed of taking long breaks to explore the world and still make enough money to support her adventures.

That’s when she had a brilliant idea… Hosting a luxury retreat in Thailand! 🏖️Ooooh!

But she was biting her nails as she wondered…

❓What if someone hurts themselves during the retreat?

❓What if I serve delicious Thai food and someone has an allergy to cashews and they have a negative reaction?

❓What if someone cancels – do I have to give them their money back if I’ve already paid the hotel a deposit to hold their place?

She wanted the retreat to feel happy and productive and she didn’t want to stress around how to cover her legal buns.

She came to me and asked what she should be thinking about. Here’s what I told her…

If you’re planning a retreat, here are 3 things to remember:

1. Use a contract with the event location.

Get everything in writing with the hotel, resort or venue so you can be sure you’re on the same page.

Spell out how many rooms you’re booking, how catering works, how to accommodate for dietary needs, what happens if you have to cancel, and who is liable for what parts of the event – and much more.

2. Use a contract for retreat excursions.

Taking everyone to ride an elephant in Thailand?🐘

You’ll want a contract with the transportation company driving everyone to the elephant sanctuary AND an agreement with the sanctuary to cover your trunk (and tail!) while people feed, bathe and ride an elephant for the day.

3. Use a contract with your retreat participants.

Be sure you’re clear about liability, media, travel, accommodations, meals, activities and all.the.things so your attendees know all the details up front.

Clarity in your contract = a headache-free trip for you!

Need a contract for your own retreat participants? Use my DIY Overnight Retreat Agreement here.

It’s an all-inclusive document that takes the fear out of having an adult version of a slumber party in a faraway place! 💤

host a happy and productive retreat by creating clear expectations

It lets you relax, knowing you have everything spelled out – so you can’t be blamed if someone forgets their passport, or twists their ankle at the Thai market, or flips out while climbing onto an elephant.🐘

Felicia used my DIY Overnight Retreat Agreement to legally protect herself while leading her first international retreat.

And get this: not only did she replace an entire month’s income, but she got to spend time in a place she’d always wanted to go… Thailand! 👏

Felicia now teaches therapists and heart-centered providers on the ins and outs of leading their own profitable multi-day retreats.

And she has an amazing podcast called The Bad Therapist® Show (a name I helped her trademark!)

Tune in HERE to hear Felicia and me chat in today’s podcast episode about what else you need to know when hosting retreats… especially if you’re a licensed practitioner like a therapist!

The Bad Therapist Show

Here’s to hosting retreats in fun places – and to covering your buns at the same time!