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Forest, Fire & BuddyA 3-Day Retreat · held in English.
Only 2 of 6 spots left
Forest, Fire & BuddyA 3-Day Retreat · held in English.
Three days in nature, three hours from the city.
No tasks, no deadlines, nothing to decide.
Movement, play, real conversations, shared meals, evenings by the fire, and practices that bring you back from your head into your body.
Not a course. Not a workshop. Not a networking event.
A weekend designed to help you slow down, reconnect, and feel more alive.
Built on ten years of TISTO's work, this is a carefully crafted sequence of exercises that has led to some of the most meaningful transformations we've ever witnessed.
Stay in a Beautiful Mountain Villa surrounded by nature, with a hot tub on site, barbecue grill, and a dedicated practice space. Our private chef takes care of every meal, so you can simply be present.
Just arrive. We'll take care of the rest.
• Catskill, NY
• Beautiful Mountain Villa
• 5 chef-prepared meals
• 7+ hours of guided practice
• Professional photos included
• Held in English
• Group of up to 17 participants
Rated 9.8/10 by participants at our July retreat.
The Situation
There's passive rest — beach, Netflix, sleep in. It works. And then there's the kind of rest that actually resets something deeper: the habit of watching yourself, the tension you stopped noticing, the distance from your own body that's become the default.
When the situation changes, we often hesitate, overthink, or freeze.
You might recognize yourself here:
• You live mostly in your head: analyzing, editing, watching yourself from the outside.
• Feelings stay inside: you have them, you just do not show them.
• Functional but flat: everything works, nothing feels alive.
• Performing even when nobody asked.
• Hard to be present, even on vacation.
• Beach-and-Netflix rest does not reset you. Your body pauses, your head keeps running.
The Practices
The switching off happens through: the practice, the people, the nature, and the distance. All four are essential. None of them work as well without the others.
What you take home:
• More time in your body, less automatic self-monitoring.
• A quieter mind that does not narrate every second.
• Real contact with people, no small talk required.
• Permission to be unfinished, uncertain, in process.
• Energy that comes from play and people, not caffeine.
• A few more seconds between stimulus and reaction. A slightly wider window.
What to expect
The retreat unfolds over four practice sessions
Landing
First contact with the group and with your body. Exercises that switch off city mode through action, not explanation. Why: so Saturday does not start in your head.
Creativity & Improvisation
The longest session, the core of TISTO's method. Imagination, spontaneity, physical freedom, improvisation in pairs and groups. On the lawn when weather allows. Why: to experience that being seen mid-process is safe.
Silence, Contact and Presence
A silent afternoon first: two to three hours with no talking, by the water, in the sauna, in a hammock. Then deep listening, close contact, presence with another person. These are the exercises people keep thinking about weeks later. Why: real contact starts with quiet.
Play & Closing Circle
The loosest session and often the strongest. After two days the defenses are down and play becomes real. The closing circle collects the weekend: what shifted, what you noticed, what you take back to the city.
What you’ll experience
Fire and conversations
Vinyl, tea, and silence
Practices on the lawn and indoors
One long dinner
Close Contact & Attention Practices
RetreatSchedule
Friday, August 7 · Arrive & Land
1:00 PM leave the city, carpools are sorted after you book
4:00 PM arrival, check-in, time to look around, first swim if you feel like it
6:30 PM Welcome dinner
8:00–9:00 PM Opening Session
9:00 PM Bonfire
Saturday, August 8 · The Main Day
8:00 AM coffee outside, optional morning swim in the pond
9:00 AM breakfast
10:00 AM–12:30 PM Morning Session (2.5 hrs)
1:00 PM Lunch
2:00–4:30 PM silent hours: no talking, no plans
4:30–6:30 PM Afternoon Session (2 hrs)
7:30 PM grill: one long dinner at one table
9:00 PM vinyl, tea, fire
Sunday, August 9 · Integrate & Return
8:00 AM coffee, morning swim, breakfast
10:00–11:30 AM closing session and circle
12:00 PM checkout
Optional: a waterfall trail on the way home
Inside the room
Retreat team
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Igor Kliuchnyk
Actor. Theater director. Founder of TISTO Studio. 11+ years leading sessions across Ukraine, Europe, and the US.
Igor Kliuchnyk
Co-founder of TISTO · Actor · Theater Director
Co-founder of Beautiful Flowers Theatre and NAFTA Theatre. Co-founder and director of Parade Fest International Theater Festival. TEDx speaker on transformation through play.
15+ years working at the intersection of theater, education, and leadership. Founded TISTO School in Ukraine — 1,000+ graduates, 20+ programs, 21 corporate clients including EPAM, GlobalLogic, and SoftServe. Led teams of 200+ people using theater-based methods.
Since 2022 — co-founder of Rescue Now humanitarian foundation (450,000+ people assisted, partnerships with UNICEF, USAID, UN).
Mariia Skyba
Retreat manager
Mariia Skyba
Retreat Manager
Information& Details
Retreat: Forest, Fire & Buddy
Dates: August 21 to 23
Location: Catskill, NY.
Stay: Beautiful Mountain Villa
Food: private chef. 5 meals
Group: 12-17 people
Practice: 7 Hours of Play-Based TISTO Sessions
Experience Level: No experience needed
Language: English
A photographer joins us, everyone gets the photos
Prices
Early Bird: $649. Only 2 of 6 spots left
Regular: $699
Late Bird: $749
A $150 non-refundable deposit reserves your spot