By Sarah Halfpenny
After one pivotal conversation with her life coach aunt about her healing journey, Dena Kaplan raced home and experienced what she calls “a huge creative download.” By day’s end, the actress known to millions worldwide for her portrayal of Abigail Armstrong in the internationally beloved series Dance Academy, had designed The Self Retreat – intimate wellness weekends that are now transforming women’s lives across the Mornington Peninsula.
The peninsula setting wasn’t accidental. “When we fell pregnant with our daughter Maya, we realised we wanted to be closer to my parents who live in Red Hill. We found a beautiful place that had a lot of nature surrounding it, which was important to us after living in cities like Sydney, LA and New York most of our adult lives,” Dena explains.
For someone who has performed as a dancer and a DJ everywhere from Coachella to Broadway stages, the peninsula offers something she couldn’t find elsewhere. “The energy here is different to the city; it’s a slower pace and the nature is so grounding. The stars at night are visible and it has a certain magic to it,” she says.
Dena’s path to wellness work was born from necessity. “After going through my own journey of healing from serious trauma and mental illness, I realised that I wanted to make sense of my suffering. The best way I knew how was to help others and be of service; it’s led me to running my retreats and studying psychotherapy and counselling. I believe people with lived experience have a lot to offer.”
The transformation required immense vulnerability. “It’s actually been very empowering; to be the one to hold space as opposed to the one in crisis all the time feels very special and not something I take for granted. I am very open about my struggles. I know this helps other people feel less alone and makes the whole thing less taboo.”
The concept of The Self Retreat crystallised quickly. “I knew who I wanted on my faculty and exactly how I wanted the weekend to feel and be, and now we are six retreats later and it’s doing incredibly well. Watching the transformations of these women is nothing short of miraculous!”
The programme is certainly comprehensive. “Over the weekend we do breathwork training, hot/cold therapy, somatic dance, yoga, Pilates, goal setting and vision board workshops, nature walks, sound healings, massage, psychic readings and so much more. Guests can also expect the best food they will ever eat. Our catering is a huge part of the retreat with nourishing food that is truly inspiring. And lots of journaling too. It’s a mix of grounded, no-nonsense help with a sprinkle of spirituality,” Dena says.
I had the privilege of working with a lot of people on my own healing journey
Dena curated her retreat faculty with the precision of someone who has tested numerous approaches. “I had the privilege of working with a lot of people on my own healing journey. I spent thousands of dollars and tried every modality and remedy and treatment you can think of, so I know what works and what doesn’t, and I knew which healers and facilitators I wanted to work with. For example, we fly our breathwork facilitator Nicole in as she is based in Queensland, but there is no one better than her in Australia and I wanted my guests to have the experience I had by curating the best of the best; from the food to the movement to the meditation. It’s all very intentional and thoughtfully put together.”
Becoming a mother has added another dimension to her work. “It’s been the most incredible journey; it’s humbling and the self-sacrifice is huge, but I’ve never loved any role as much as I love being Maya’s mother. It’s given me a sense of gratitude and perspective for what’s actually important in life.”
The juggling act between motherhood, retreats, studying psychotherapy, and hosting the Life Academy podcast with her former Dance Academy co-star Alicia Banit requires careful orchestration. The podcast, which features the pair as “on screen frenemies turned real-life besties,” allows her to extend conversations about wellness beyond her retreats.
Her dance background informs her approach to helping women reconnect with their bodies. “I have such a deep connection to my body from all the years of professional dancing; I know how important physical activity and somatic practices are when it comes to healing. I also have a sense of confidence being a dancer so I really like to help women get back in touch with their bodies and empower them to feel sexy, connected and free again.”
When not facilitating transformations, Dena enjoys the peninsula like a seasoned local. “We love Shoreham beach and the walks around Shoreham. We love Fontalina for a delicious Italian meal and we love taking our daughter to The Big Goose. We also love Pond Bathhouse for relaxation time.”
The area’s distinctive qualities make it ideal for her work. “Nature is a big element of the retreats, so it really gives people a sense of being away or on holiday. We have local people come, but we also have clients fly in from Sydney and they get to experience what I think is the most beautiful part of the world.”
With the backdrop of the peninsula stars shining brighter than any stage lights, Dena is helping women discover that the bravest and greatest performance they can give is being authentically themselves.
Go to Instagram to find out more about Dena and The Self Retreat.
IG: @denaamy and @the_self_retreat