"I've Met New Friends For Life." | Queer Retreats

Jaron Soh shares what he took away from attending an LGBTQ+ wellness experience by Queer Retreats.

Jaron is a Singaporean entrepreneur, creative, and designer with a deep passion for improving LGBTQIA+ mental health and wellbeing. He is the co-founder of Voda, a groundbreaking mental wellness app designed specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community, with input from leading LGBTQIA+ psychotherapists. Jaron is dedicated to creating positive culture change, building inclusive communities, and empowering individuals to take charge of their own mental health and wellbeing.

Considering how much Jaron does to support the mental wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community, we were especially thrilled to have him join us for a Queer Retreats event and hear what he took away from the experience!

I came to the retreat because I've been craving community a lot recently, especially with the demands of work and the state of LGBTQIA+ rights around the world. I just really wanted a space to recharge and reflect. - Jaron Soh

When we enter new spaces and we meet new people, a lot of us are quite apprehensive. We're afraid there could be unkindness, that people could be cliquish. But of course, my experience here has been entirely the opposite. Everyone here has been so kind. I've learned so many new things from the workshops, but also from each other... I've met many new friends for life. - Jaron Soh

Jaron shared how he believes that when we focus energy on caring for ourselves, the benefits are carried beyond us as individuals and into our communities. We're less likely to project our traumas, troubles and stresses onto others, instead strengthening our capacity for compassion.

There aren't a lot of safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ people. Even in spaces where there are a lot of us, we can tend to be quite reactive, because of whatever things we're carrying. The retreat has been a beautiful space to come back to learning new skills to self-regulate... Communal care is so important. We can find so much joy in helping each other through suffering, or being there for someone when they just need their voice to be heard or their story to be told. - Jaron Soh

Jaron joined our "Reclaiming Joy" retreat, which invites participants to reconnect with their essential nature, reclaiming their joy, well-being, and personal power as a means to navigate challenging circumstances. Through inner awareness, reflection, and practical tools, we guide participants on how to cultivate resilience and safeguard their mental health as Queer people, while fostering strength to face life's difficulties with renewed clarity and peace.

If you’re a queer professional or leader feeling the weight of burnout, isolation, or the need to reconnect to your purpose—our wellness experiences are built with you in mind. Find your retreat.

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While you're here...

Did you know we consult with Businesses, ERGs and Change-Leaders providing bespoke corporate solutions? Through consultancy we design shared learning experiences, produce DEI insights and craft bespoke content that support individuals with strengthening their roles as change-agents within their communities and organisations. Find out more here.

We also organise FREE community events throughout the year! We offer a variety of ways to get involved - both online and in person. This is a great way to network and learn more about others' experiences, through in-depth discussion on an array of topics. You can find out what events we have coming up here. New ones are added all the time, so make sure you sign up to our newsletter so you can stay up to date!