Olivier Vaneeckhout
Personal guidance at a turning point in your life or work.
Choose what is truly yours again.
Through individual guidance and private retreats, Human Design sessions and group retreats.
Here in the Cathar region of Southern France, I offer you the space I needed so much myself when I felt that something had to change. Through personal attention, nature, silence and bodywork, you have time to slow down, rest and discover what your next step could truly be.
“Sometimes, moving forward means pausing for a moment. To feel what is still truly yours in the life you’ve built.”
Space to feel what is right for you
You may have built a lot in your life and still feel that the way you live or work no longer fits. Do you keep pushing through, feel uncertain about a decision, or notice that your own needs keep slipping into the background?
I bring 25 years of corporate experience and the profound change of direction I have lived through myself. From my home at Villa Sainte-Marie in the Cathar region, I offer space to pause and explore what you need through personal guidance, a shared journey or simply a peaceful stay.
Four ways to make space for yourself
Individual guidance
Step away from the demands of everyday life. Through conversations, walking, silence and bodywork, you have space to slow down and distinguish your own needs from the expectations of others. You have my full attention as we explore what is happening in your life and what your next step could be.
Human Design sessions
We begin with your personal questions and use Human Design and Gene Keys as tools for self-understanding. Together, we explore what gives you energy, the patterns you recognise and how you can apply these insights in your life and work. Several online guidance programmes are available.
Group retreats
In a small group, nature, adventure and personal exploration come together. Through shared experiences, conversations, silence and exercises, you discover fresh perspectives on yourself and the choices you face.
Stay at Villa Sainte-Marie
Sometimes, what you need most is rest and time for yourself. You are welcome to stay on the grounds, enjoy nature and spend your days at your own pace, without a fixed programme or any obligation to book guidance. Simply space to rest, walk, read a book, write and have nothing you need to do.
If you would like a personal conversation or guidance during your stay, we can explore what is possible together.
Does any of this feel familiar?
- You are tired of constantly pushing through and want to find your own rhythm again.
- You are at a turning point and realise that thinking alone is not helping you move forward.
- You are looking for someone who listens closely, shares honest observations and explores things with you.
- You want to reconnect with what you need and find a direction that feels right for you.
- You long for a peaceful place where you can take time for yourself, with nothing expected of you.
You do not need to have the answers yet or know which option feels right for you. Whether you are looking for guidance or simply somewhere to rest, you are welcome.
Group Retreats in 2027
My group retreats and journeys bring together adventure and personal exploration. For those who have spent years giving and carrying responsibility, are at a turning point or want to make time for themselves.
I guide each journey alongside another facilitator. We deliberately keep the groups small, allowing space for your personal experience, for silence and for what we share with one another.
Below you will find the journeys planned for 2027. Does one speak to you? Feel free to get in touch. We can discuss your questions and explore together whether the journey feels right for you.
8–10 JANUARY 2027
Gentle Giant Retreat – Belgium
A men’s retreat exploring strength, vulnerability and connection. Space to discover how you want to show up as a man in your life and relationships.
Guided by Gino Peremans and Olivier Vaneeckhout.
1–8 MARCH 2027
Bosnian Pyramids – Bosnia
A journey of discovery, visiting special places and making space for personal experience, stillness and connection.
Guided by Marion Demanet and Olivier Vaneeckhout.
17–24 MAY 2027
Retreat – Cathar Region, Southern France
A retreat in Southern France with space to slow down, experience nature and reflect on what may be ready to emerge in your life.
Guided by Marion Demanet and Olivier Vaneeckhout.
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2027
Rite of Passage – Athos
A pilgrimage for men on the Greek peninsula of Mount Athos. Walking, simplicity and reflection offer space to reconnect with yourself and explore the direction of your life.
Guided by Pieter Rysschaert and Olivier Vaneeckhout.
More information on this website: More information on demand.
MAY, JUNE OR OCTOBER 2027
Cathar Vision Trail – Cathar Region
A multi-day walking journey for men and women through the Cathar region. Nature, physical challenge, a personal Human Design analysis and shared experiences bring you closer to yourself along the way.
Guided by Steven Selleslags and Olivier Vaneeckhout.
More information on this website: More information
Which retreat speaks to you?
You do not need to know yet whether you want to join. You are welcome to ask questions about the retreat, the group or the guidance.
Send me an email or a message, or arrange a video call. I look forward to connecting with you!
Olivier Vaneeckhout
We begin with what is really happening now.
A decision you feel uncertain about. A pattern you keep getting stuck in. The feeling that you have carried so much for years and lost touch with yourself along the way.
I listen, ask questions and share honestly what I notice. We make space to explore what you truly need, and what you may be continuing to do simply out of habit or to meet other people’s expectations.
We also pay attention to what your body is telling you: where do you feel tension, where are your boundaries, and what truly gives you energy? At your own pace, we discover where things can begin to move again. I am here to give you space to reconnect with your own answers, rather than decide them for you.
I have stood at that turning point too.
After 25 years in the corporate world, nineteen of them at IKEA, I knew exactly how to carry responsibility and keep going. Somewhere along the way, I had forgotten how to feel what I needed myself.
When my body forced me to rethink my direction, I was looking above all for a way back to myself. Through nature, silence and bodywork, I learned to listen again to my boundaries, my energy and my own desires.
Today, I bring that experience with me when we walk together. You do not need to know yet where you want to go. We simply begin where you are now.
Read my story on the “About Olivier” page.
Olivier Vaneeckhout in Cathar Region. Olivier is your guide during personalized trails and retreats in the South of France.
Nothing you need to do.
You do not need to know yet what needs to change. Sometimes it begins with slowing down and giving yourself time to feel what you need.
“Villa Sainte Marie is a place of grounding and introspection. It’s the perfect spot to slow down, allowing for a deeper dive into one’s own themes and creativity. With hosts who are discreetly present, instinctively understanding what you need and available whenever necessary.”
“This is a great place to re-connect with yourself and have the best possible experience in the south of France together with nice people.”
Location
Villa Sainte Marie in Limoux
In the heart of the Cathar region, on a hillside overlooking the landscape of Limoux, you will find Villa Sainte-Marie. More than a place to stay, it is somewhere that invites you to slow down, both physically and mentally.
With 13,000 square metres of flowers, fruit trees and stillness, the grounds offer space to move from “having to do” to simply “being”. A place to leave behind the constant flow of outside expectations and reconnect with your own rhythm.
Whether you stay in the main house or the wooden guesthouse, you are surrounded by the power of nature and the history of a region known for its call to freedom and simplicity. Everything here, from the south-facing setting to the closeness of nature, is designed to help you step away from the pace of the modern world and make room to turn inward again.
You are also welcome simply to stay, without a fixed programme or any obligation to book guidance. To rest, walk, read a book and spend your days at your own pace. If you feel the need for a personal conversation or guidance during your stay, we can explore what is possible together.
Explore the accommodation options
Step away from the noise. Feel what is right for you now.
You do not need to have it all figured out. Let’s get to know each other first. Send me an email or a message. Together, we can explore what you need right now and whether my guidance, a Human Design session, a group journey or a peaceful stay at Villa Sainte-Marie feels right for you.
We can also arrange a no-obligation video call of 15 to 30 minutes to get to know each other.
Let’s have a conversation.