Sean 'Bear' Houlihan

Bear balances professionalism with genuine connection, as he bridges the gap between creativity and wellebing, donning the title 'Wellbeing Artisit'. His work is entirely based on stress management; the alchemy of directing tension with intention — creating clear boundaries for safety while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and self-trust.With over thirteen years of professional experience, Bear is a fully qualified personal trainer, yoga and meditation teacher, and massage therapist. His approach is precise yet intuitive, grounded in strong ethics and a deep respect for each individual’s wellbeing. Safety, trust, and long-term sustainability sit at the heart of everything he offers.He is also the creator of The Intention Approach — a practical behavioural framework designed to help people integrate wellbeing into everyday life, carrying clarity, calm, and self-trust far beyond the retreat space. His work is further informed by shadow work, Jungian psychology, shamanic traditions, parts work, and other integrative practices.Bear doesn’t simply host retreats or teach practices — he lives them. His ability to guide others into places that can feel difficult to reach comes from the way he lives day to day. Through cold exposure, stillness, movement, strength conditioning, reflection, and disciplined self-inquiry, he continues to explore the edges of comfort and presence. This lived experience allows him to support others through challenge, vulnerability, and meaningful change with steadiness and care.​Intentionality forms the foundation of his work. Over four consecutive years, Bear undertook a self-designed process known as 'The 4 Years of Intention' — a personal rite of passage and lived inquiry into how intention shapes behaviour, identity, and freedom.In 2021, he took a year-long vow of silence. In 2022, he lived an entire year wearing fancy-dress costumes as a study in identity and perception. 2023 was devoted to service and volunteering, exploring what it means to truly support community. In 2024, he spent a year barefoot, culminating in a 1000km shoeless pilgrimage from his home in Italy to England (with his dog, Thor). These experiences now quietly inform his work, presence, and understanding of human change.Beginning his career teaching movement classes in village halls in the New Forest on the south coast of the UK, Bear gradually expanded his practice through small-town studios and into an international setting. Today, his work spans private retreats and one-to-one sessions (both in person and online), therapeutic massage aboard super-yachts, yoga for diplomats, coaching CEOs, and supporting creatives — always with discretion, humility, and care. His understanding of wellbeing extends beyond conventional frameworks into more artistic, embodied, and intuitive approaches.During your stay, all of his skills, attention, and experience are available to you — guided by your own intentions. Ultimately, it is your reason for arriving that shapes the journey.