Is this course right for me?

Target Audience: Anyone looking for protected time and space to work on academic writing.

Academic writing can be a challenging process, particularly when juggling the demands of work and distractions of daily life. This Retreat is designed to promote sustainable academic writing habits by: 

• combining the recognised health and wellbeing benefits of yoga and meditation with structured writing activities; 

• connecting fellow participants to benefit from shared experience, and  

• providing space and time in a positive and tranquil environment.  

What is the format of the Retreat? 

The Retreat will run with a group of up to 16 staff on campus over the course of one day (9.30 am - 4.00 pm). 

Morning

09:30 - 09:45: Opening Circle, Introductions 

09:45 - 10:15: Yoga/ Meditation 

10.25 - 11.20: Group Writing Activity

11.20 - 11.30: Stretching/ Comfort Break

11.30 - 12.25: Buddy Writing Activity

12.30 - 13.10: Healthy Lunch

Afternoon

13.15 - 14.10: Individual Writing Activity

14.10 - 14.20: Stretching/ Comfort Break

14.20 - 15.15: Individual Writing Activity

15.25 - 15.50: Yoga/ Meditation

15.50 - 16.00: Closing Circle & Feedback 

What are the requirements for participation? 

• Participants must be willing to commit to both the morning and afternoon sessions

• For health and safety reasons, eligibility to participate will be subject to receipt of a signed and dated Waiver Form in advance of the pilot Retreat.  

• No prior experience of yoga practice is required by participants. 

Participants will be expected to come to the event sessions in comfortable clothing that will allow them to move freely. It is also recommended that everyone brings some water or other drink of choice as well as snacks to keep energised throughout the day. 

Who is delivering the pilot Retreat? 

The Retreat is being delivered by the co-founders of Connection Retreats, Susan Klein and Tara Klein. They are a mother and daughter team who have combined their extensive experience in academic writing and yoga, respectively, to develop the concept of the Healthy Academic Writing Retreat. 

Tara Klein, an Edinburgh-based yoga teacher and Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist with a range of training qualifications, teaches Hatha Vinyasa and Yin public group yoga classes, privates, and workshops. She also organises and hosts yoga retreats in Scotland as part of Connection Retreats with her mother, Susan. Tara firmly believes that yoga is for everybody and that the practice can always be adapted to meet the individual where they are at. For Tara, yoga is not about “performing” aesthetically pleasing poses, but rather practicing with awareness, curiosity, and kindness.  

Susan Klein’s experience as an academic researcher spans 27 years. During her academic career, she has supervised more than 50 undergraduate and postgraduate students, mentored 17 early career researchers, and provided training in research methods and design at the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University (RGU), Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the National University of Science & Technology (NUST, Pakistan). Susan’s extensive experience as an academic researcher coupled with her professional training in counselling skills and mental health has informed the development of a healthy, sustainable approach to addressing potential challenges associated with academic writing.

Accesibility

We are committed to ensuring our events and courses are accessible to all staff: 

• Full access information for the venue is available via AccessAble.  

• Hybrid provision is not available. 

• There will be audience participation. 

• You are asked to attend the whole session. 

• There will be several breaks throughout the session. 

• The session is relaxed – this means you can stretch, move around, stim etc.  

• Digital copies of resources will be emailed to participants in advance of delivery upon request. 

• Contact spiral@strath.ac.uk to request printed materials in different formats. 

• Please contact osdu-equity@strath.ac.uk to discuss any further access requirements. 

Cancellation Policy 

When applying for a course, you should note that there will be a £50* charge to your Department / School if you do not attend your place on the course. There will be no charge as long as you cancel your booked place before the event or notify our staff at osdu@strath.ac.uk that you can no longer attend.

A Department / School is welcome to send someone else in your place if they wish without incurring a charge, providing that person has the necessary prerequisites for the course. In the case of courses split over more than one day, you are expected to attend ALL parts of the course.

*This is the standard charge for cancellation or non-attendance of a course of 1-day duration or less. For some courses, there may be a higher cancellation charge and if this is the case you will be advised of this at the time of booking. 

Prerequisites