On an Impromptu Wellness Retreat in Athens, Redefining My Postpartum Identity

“Do you get to travel often in your job?” is a question that typically comes my way when I tell people where I work. Granted, I’m not jet-setting around the world every week, but yes, I do get to travel. I have two little children, so I like to keep my time away from them to a minimum—a night in Paris here, a quick trip to Venice there. These trips are typically to review hotels, so I have to be laser-focused on gaining as much information as I can—the nicest rooms to book, the drink to order, the type of traveler that goes there. I know how to spend my time efficiently, which photos I need to take, and which details are worth jotting down.“I’d like you to set an intention for your visit.”One of the sea-perched pools at Cape Sounio Lauren BurvillIt’s a line that sends a jolt through me. After a tiring trudge through the crowded arrivals at Athens airport, I’m at Cape Sounio, a hotel within ancient archaeological grounds and overlooking the Temple of Poseidon. After a quick check-in, I’m whisked off in a golf cart to the hotel spa, where I meet Vicky Vlachonis, a wellness expert, osteopath, and author of The Body Doesn’t Lie.I realize that stating the obvious—my intention is to review this hotel—would be too blunt. In my panic, I blurt “to reset.” It’s a word that I’ve felt bubbling up in me for a while now. I’m six months into a new role after maternity leave. I stopped breastfeeding three months ago. Life has been at such a rapid pace this year that both feel so far behind me. In my laser focus and never-ending list of life admin, I haven’t had time to address my weird toenail, let alone stop and reflect on the physical and emotional rollercoaster of being 18 months postpartum. Any time, however minuscule, when I should be meditating or journaling or checking in on myself (and that weird toenail), is spent collapsed in a heap with Bravo shows blaring in the background.Cape Sounio's outdoor wellness area stays shaded by the treeline. Lauren BurvillAs a result, my shoulders are sore, my jaw is tight, my hormones are unpredictable, and my mental load is overflowing. A reset, while unplanned, is exactly what I need. Vlachonis sets about prescribing a series of treatments she has created for Cape Sounio. That afternoon, we sit outside on a deck overlooking the Aegean, her deep, syrupy voice guiding me through a meditation in which I’m asked to picture a scene from my childhood. I have a vivid memory of building what I used to call “fairy castles” on the beach in Australia, where I grew up. I realize I’m so focused on my son's childhood that I can’t remember the last time I thought about my own. I start to cry as a form of release rather than sadness. I’m asked to write my intentions in a little book before bed that night—which I actually do—and wake up in the morning having had my best sleep in the last two years.Back at the spa, I’m greeted with a shot of olive oil, followed by a detoxifying olive oil scrub and an intense two-hour massage that includes an abdominal massage and a painful but incredibly satisfying jaw release. I take a break and practically float down to the poolside restaurant for a lunch of sea bream and wild greens, before heading back to the spa for a hands-on osteopathic treatment followed by craniosacral therapy. My therapist, Panos, mentions the tension in my shoulder. I explain that that’s the arm I carry my hefty toddler in. “Shoulder pain on the right-hand side can also mean trapped anger or shouldering overwhelming burdens,” says Panos. We can have two truths, I think to myself.Vlachonis takes a hands-on approach to guiding guests through their wellness journeys. Lauren BurvillThat night, in what can only be described as a cosmic occurrence, my lifelong best friend from Australia happens to be in Athens for one night on her way to the Greek islands. Realizing only the week before, we managed to arrange to meet for dinner at The Dolli’s rooftop restaurant, where we kept pinching ourselves in disbelief at being serendipitously reunited while overlooking the Acropolis. We make jokes that are 15-years-old and easily slip back into our shared language that was created long before marriages and babies. If the treatments I had had earlier that day helped my body, this was a treatment for my soul.I woke in the morning and skipped straight to the sea, blowing caution to my blowout and diving hair-first in. Afterwards, I meet Vlachonis for what she calls a morning “somatic practice.” Led by former ballerina Elena Vakali, it combines gentle movements—similar to yoga or ballet—with breathwork. Afterwards, Vlachonis takes us through the five Tibetan rites (yoga-like exercises), ending with another visualization meditation.It all feels gentle and simple at the time, but the after effect in terms of energy and calmness is powerful. I can’t remember the last time I felt so clear in my postpartum journey, so calm and yet energized. Somehow, even my toenail is looking better. The reset intention felt truly realized. I’m sad to say goodbye and return to the chaos of Athens airport. I watch Bravo shows on the flight home.This article was originally published in Condé Nast Traveller UK.