A founder and leadership reset in Berlin
Leadership teams carry the pace of the whole company, and they are usually the last to rest. A leadership reset gives founders and leaders a few protected hours to step out of decision mode, come down from constant pressure and talk honestly about how they lead.
Not a week-long retreat. A focused reset in Berlin that fits into a leadership day or offsite.
No yoga experience. No special clothes. No forced vulnerability. No wellbeing jargon.
What is different for leaders
Every ARUA experience adapts to the people in the room. With a leadership group, there is more space for reflection, communication and regulation:
- How we respond to pressure. Noticing what happens in the body and in decisions when the stakes are high.
- How we communicate under load. What the team experiences when leaders are stretched.
- Pace as a leadership decision. The norms leaders model, from late-night messages to how the time AI saves gets used. More on the AI dividend.
- Deep rest. Because a regulated leader makes better calls than an exhausted one.
Two formats for leadership teams
Movement, breathing and nervous-system regulation meet conversation, playful team interaction, reflection and sound. Led by both founders.
A deeper team experience combining wellbeing, connection, movement, reflection, shared breaks and deep relaxation.
Founding-client rate: ARUA is new, and we would rather say so. Our first five Berlin client teams get a founding rate in return for honest feedback. Every experience includes a preparation call and a feedback summary.
Larger groups and company eventsPrices shown are starting prices for the group sizes listed. Planning for more people, several teams or a company-wide event? We explore the right format and price together. Discuss an experience →
Not in Berlin? The 60- and 90-minute formats also run live online for teams across Europe. Online team wellbeing →
For founders, too
ARUA is also designed for accelerators, founder communities and coworking spaces. A 90-minute experience for a founder cohort gives people who rarely switch off a shared way to reset, and a reason to talk to each other beyond pitch decks and metrics.
Why it works
Breathing and stress physiology. Slow, structured breathing is one of the few direct levers we have on the stress response. Studies link it to lower physiological arousal, higher heart-rate variability and better mood, sometimes within minutes.
Shared experience and connection. Moving, breathing and laughing together in sync is associated with greater feelings of closeness and trust. Colleagues get to meet each other outside their roles, which is hard to do in a meeting.
Rest and attention. Attention is a limited resource. Deliberate breaks reliably reduce fatigue and restore energy, which is why we end with deep rest and something practical to repeat during the working week.
Zaccaro et al., 2018 ·
Balban et al., 2023 ·
Tarr, Launay & Dunbar, 2014 ·
Albulescu et al., 2022
ARUA experiences support wellbeing. They are not therapy or medical treatment.
Who leads it
ARUA was founded in Berlin by Violeta Vasileva and Ritika Arora. Ritika is a former backend engineer with around 15 years in technology who later trained in sound, movement, breathwork and nervous system practice. Violeta is a facilitator and educator with a background in human development, mindfulness, movement and resilience.
FAQ
How is this different from a leadership retreat?
It is shorter and happens in Berlin, so there is no travel; the 90-minute format can also run online. It fits into a leadership day or an existing offsite, and works as the reset part of a longer retreat.
Who is it for?
Founders, executive and leadership teams, team leads, and accelerator or founder cohorts.
Do leaders have to share personal things?
No. There is no forced vulnerability. Reflection is guided, and nobody has to share more than they want to.
How many people can join?
The 90-minute price covers up to 30 people. Larger groups and half days are priced by group size.
What does it cost?
From €850 for 90 minutes and from €2,200 for a half day, depending on group size. Our first five Berlin client teams receive a founding rate.