The Wellness Retreat That Brought Me Back to Myself

How The Hoffman Process Reset My Mind, Body, and Creative Spirit

Jul 11, 2025

I love wellness — the rituals, the routines, the intentionality. I’m here for making better choices. But if you’ve spent time in this world (or even just followed along), and you pop the bubble, you start to see it clearly: the “wellness industry” is often just a well-branded marketing machine.

Wellness should be about real health, access, and care. Instead, it’s turned into a curated aesthetic — often sold by people with immense privilege, profiting off things most people can’t even access. Red light masks and $20 smoothies aren’t the solution. What we really need are better systems and tools, not just prettier products.

I love the beautiful rituals I’m lucky enough to enjoy — I’m not pretending I don’t benefit from this world. But I also want you, as a reader of my content, to know: real wellness can look very different.

It’s the healthy meal you make that fits your budget.

It’s finding supplements you can actually take consistently.

It’s getting your blood work done and making those essential appointments.

It’s tapping into your inner knowing and connecting with others.

It’s going for a walk in nature — which will always do more for your nervous system than a $45 Pilates class.

Is this hitting home for you too?

Wellness isn’t a trend. Health is the ultimate goal — and everyone deserves access to it.

THE HOFFMAN PROCESS

With all that said — if you ever get the opportunity to attend the Hoffman Process, know that it’s the opposite of everything I just described. This isn’t about selling you a product or aesthetic. It’s about doing the real inner work — rewiring old patterns, reconnecting to your truth, and returning to love.

It’s not fluff. It’s not surface. It’s deep, and it’s healing. And yes — they even offer scholarships, because their mission is truly about helping people heal.

I recently completed the Hoffman Process in Petaluma, California — and it cracked me open in the best way.

It felt like a full reset for my entire system. Stepping away from the noise of everyday life (no phone, wifi, EMFs) and finally reconnecting with myself shifted something deep in my brain, my body, and the way I see the world.

I’ve returned feeling more tapped in than I’ve ever been. I can hear the bees, smell the flowers, and—most importantly—I can create again.

That might sound silly, but the truth is: we’ve become so plugged in that we don’t even realize what we’ve lost. Presence. Stillness. Connection.

And now? I can feel the ripple effect already beginning to unfold.

I left with a new sense of self, friendships with real depth and an internal knowing that I have the tools and self-love to show up in this world as the Lauren I was meant to be.

Things I recommend:

Take your Pre-Process Homework Seriously (the work starts here)!!
Go a day early and check in / ease yourself into the week
Bring comfy clothes, layers and your favorite journal/pens/highlighter (mine are linked in my edit)
Treat yourself at your 2 day hotel stay following the 7 day experience, choose somewhere with a lot of nature and a comfy bed, ditch the phone, journal like crazy and spend time with yourself (& maybe even your new friends)

laurenschwec