Inside a Mother’s Life-Changing Wellness Journey

Can a carefully designed retreat disrupt lifelong habits – and reset our minds?

BodyHoliday transcends the beautiful surroundings – every person there is committed to changing lives for the better. It invites one to pause, a rare opportunity in this frenetic world, to reflect and to reimagine ways to live. Many guests arrive seeking respite, but often leave with something deeper: clarity, purpose and a renewed sense of self, says Andrew Barnard, CEO of BodyHoliday, while taking in his surroundings. “This is not a typical retreat,” he adds, “we’ve spent two generations building a blueprint for living well.”

The retreat is built around the motto; Give us your body for a week, and we’ll give you back your mind he says, identifying that guests seek BodyHoliday to address the toll that modern living takes on our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing.

Transformation begins before guests arrive – not in the spa or gym, but in meaningful conversation about their wellness needs. A personal consultation with a wellness advisor becomes the first step in a highly-tailored journey, one that considers body, mind and spirit. Whether guests are recovering from burnout, healing from hardship, or simply seeking balance, the approach takes a refreshingly human perspective. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan, and so every visit to BodyHoliday is unique, according to Barnard.

There are daily treatments included for all guests and meal plans are tailored to each of their preferences. One guest might greet the day with sunrise yoga perched near a cliff edge, the rhythmic hush of waves below setting the pace. Another might find freedom in a beachside cardio session, the pulse of the sea matching their own. Others retreat into quietude through Ayurvedic massage or find stillness in guided meditation beneath a canopy of birdsong. These are not just treatments or activities; they are moments of reconnection – acts of self-kindness woven into daily life, says Barnard.

“This is not a typical retreat. We have spent two generations building a blueprint for living well.” – Andrew Barnard, CEO, BodyHoliday

Lucie Avery knows this well. A loyal guest for over three decades, she first visited BodyHoliday at 21 and has returned through every season of her life. “I felt so at home here, and every time I return, I discover something new to carry home with me,” she says. “BodyHoliday resets me physically, but more importantly, it is a place for emotional and spiritual healing.”

That sense of deep personal renewal is echoed by many others who visit year after year. Alongside experts – from physiotherapists to nutritionists, osteopaths to therapists – guests are supported in designing realistic, sustainable paths to wellbeing. “It’s a very communal feeling, and the minute you step in there it feels as though it is replenishing you in a way that’s almost like a metaphor for life,” says Avery.

For some, that means uncoupling from the intensity of daily life. For others, it is a quiet rebuilding after illness, or the courage to navigate life’s turning points. Throughout, there is a gentle but profound reminder: you are not alone. The lasting feeling of recovery is what draws people back time and again. “Returning to the BodyHoliday and the island of St Lucia has allowed me to introduce something very special to [my daughter] Lola,” says Avery.

Here, nature is more than a backdrop – it’s a source, a partner in healing. The resort takes inspiration from local botanicals, creating experiences from its surroundings which carry the scent and spirit of the island. “From the plants, oils and natural abundance of these islands comes our partner product line, Living West Indies,” says Ratoya Adjodha, who heads-up BodyHoliday’s farm-to-table experience, called I-Tal. “It is a wellness-inspired aromatherapeutic Ayurvedic product that has been designed to support our guests through their journey of wellness.”

Even mealtimes are an exercise in intention. From bespoke nutritional plans to indulgent fine dining, food here honours both vitality and pleasure. There are no rigid rules – only the space to rediscover what nourishment means to each individual.

“The real magic comes when you get home, and it stays with you, almost like every time you come back, you’re resetting yourself for the next year and beyond.” – Lucie Avery

The experience is designed to create a sense of sanctuary where community and solitude can coexist. Guests are free to engage or retreat, to share a sunset toast or sit silently with their thoughts. Every detail supports a simple yet radical idea: wellbeing should feel like coming home to yourself.

Lola Avery, the daughter of Lucie, is grateful to have experienced what it is her mother has been drawn back to time and time again. “I never really understood that a place could be so life-changing,” she says. “Seeing it through her eyes has been magical, and it being just us two together has meant we can really delve into our emotions and just focus on us, away from all the distractions of our everyday life.”

Back in Saint Lucia, as trade winds whisper through palm leaves, Lucie Avery reflects; “The reason I keep coming back here is because I have never found anything else like it. The real magic comes when you get home, and it stays with you, almost like every time you come back, you’re resetting yourself for the next year and beyond. It never leaves.”

BodyHoliday is not an escape – it is a return: to your breath, your body, your path. It reminds us that true wellbeing isn’t about perfection, but presence – and that, perhaps, is the most luxurious gift of all.

Discover more from BodyHoliday

Armin Asceric
20 June 2025

This content was produced for BodyHoliday by BBC StoryWorks as part of the In Pursuit of Wellness series presented by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI).