Our Story.

Two disciplines, one practice.

Create Retreats is Gillian and Andreas, a husband-and-wife team who, between them, hold everything the practice is built on. Gillian is an expert in Pilates, mindfulness, and rehabilitation, with four decades of experience behind her. Andreas, born and raised in Athens, is an accomplished breathwork practitioner and therapist with a deep passion for and knowledge of Crete, its people, and its culture.

Together they’ve created the perfect balance of movement, breath, and culture to bring health and wellbeing into your everyday lives.

Over Four Decades of experience.

1995

Gillian discovers the Pilates method, studies with the most renowned practitioners, and turns a gymnast’s discipline into teaching. The practice begins.

1997

Gillian, Andreas, and their young family leave Crete and settle in England. Andreas begins his studies to become an accomplished alternative therapies practitioner.

2000

Pilates North East is born, specialising in postural analysis, spinal health, and rehabilitation, helping hundreds of people return to health and committing to a regular practice.

2013

Create Retreats begins, combining Pilates and mindful movement, cultural and culinary experiences on the wonderful island of Crete.

Today

One brand, four pillars: Pilates, breathwork, wellness days and retreats, both across the UK and in Crete, bringing wellbeing and renewing a youthful sense of energy for all our clients.

Gillian Bennison-Souri

Movement · Pilates · Rehabilitation

From a very young age, I started gymnastics, competing for the North East.  As the years went by I was lucky to continue with my passion, teaching classical gymnastics, acrobatics and later on aerobics and general fitness in the UK and later on in my own studio in Crete, Greece.

On my return to England, I went back into studying, attained a teaching qualification and started to lecture for Gateshead College. I went on to be appointed Team Manager of Health and Fitness in the community, managing a team of seven teachers. At the same time, I was running gym clubs with my dear friend Jackie in primary schools, feeding new talent to the national team.

I discovered the Pilates method, which led me to study with Michael King, a well-respected Pilates trainer worldwide, and then with the Stott Pilates method. I continued my studies with Cherry Baker in spinal health and pelvic floor management. Fusion Pilates New York, Neuropilates with Sheila Done (Parkinson and MS), the wonderful world of fascia (connective tissue) with Tom Myres, and with APPI (Australian Physiotherapist Pilates Institute) Pathology and rehabilitation.

As I am always seeking to improve my knowledge, now I am studying “Biomechanics method for Corrective Exercise” with Justin Price.

For 25 years I ran Pilates North East Mind and Body Studio. We specialised in postural analysis, spinal health and rehabilitation, helping hundreds of people return to health and commit to a regular practice.

For 12 years I was invited to teach Pilates at the oldest Ashtanga Yoga centre in the West, Yoga Plus, teaching Pilates to very advanced yoga practitioners.

13 years ago I started my own retreats in Crete (Elounda), my second home, combining Pilates and mindful movement, cultural and culinary experiences on this wonderful island, full of history and the best hospitality one can experience.

Meeting the needs of the individual is very important to me, and quality is always at the forefront of my mind. I am passionate about my subject and it will be a pleasure to share it with you here in Crete or in the UK.

Warm wishes,

Gillian x

Andreas Souris

Breathwork · Therapies · Hospitality

Andreas was born and raised in Athens, but his heart was always further south. Childhood summers in Crete with his grandparents made the island part of him.

He studied hotel management and moved to Crete to build his hospitality business. In 1997, he moved with his English wife and their two children to settle in England. There, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a therapist-practitioner. He qualified in ‘The Bowen Technique’ and NST (NeuroStructural Integration Technique), craniosacral therapy, reflexology, therapeutic massage, NLP, and life coaching, and today he leads breathwork with the school of Oxygen Advantage: a practice of presence that settles the nervous system and clears the mind.

On retreat, he is the quiet hand behind everything. Not a tour operator but a host, opening the door to the real Crete, its food, its paths, its local life.

Gillian Bennison Souri of Create Retreats

Gillian Bennison-Souri

Movement · Pilates · Rehabilitation

From a very young age, I started gymnastics, competing for the North East.  As the years went by I was lucky to continue with my passion, teaching classical gymnastics, acrobatics and later on aerobics and general fitness in the UK and later on in my own studio in Crete, Greece.

On my return to England, I went back into studying, attained a teaching qualification and started to lecture for Gateshead College. I went on to be appointed Team Manager of Health and Fitness in the community, managing a team of seven teachers. At the same time, I was running gym clubs with my dear friend Jackie in primary schools, feeding new talent to the national team.

I discovered the Pilates method, which led me to study with Michael King, a well-respected Pilates trainer worldwide, and then with the Stott Pilates method. I continued my studies with Cherry Baker in spinal health and pelvic floor management. Fusion Pilates New York, Neuropilates with Sheila Done (Parkinson and MS), the wonderful world of fascia (connective tissue) with Tom Myres, and with APPI (Australian Physiotherapist Pilates Institute) Pathology and rehabilitation.

As I am always seeking to improve my knowledge, now I am studying “Biomechanics method for Corrective Exercise” with Justin Price.

For 25 years I ran Pilates North East Mind and Body Studio. We specialised in postural analysis, spinal health and rehabilitation, helping hundreds of people return to health and commit to a regular practice.

For 12 years I was invited to teach Pilates at the oldest Ashtanga Yoga centre in the West, Yoga Plus, teaching Pilates to very advanced yoga practitioners.

13 years ago I started my own retreats in Crete (Elounda), my second home, combining Pilates and mindful movement, cultural and culinary experiences on this wonderful island, full of history and the best hospitality one can experience.

Meeting the needs of the individual is very important to me, and quality is always at the forefront of my mind. I am passionate about my subject, and it will be a pleasure to share it with you here in Crete or in the UK.

Warm wishes,

Gillian x

Andreas Souris

Breathwork · Therapies · Hospitality

Andreas was born and raised in Athens, but his heart was always further south. Childhood summers in Crete with his grandparents made the island part of him.

He studied hotel management and moved to Crete to build his hospitality business. In 1997, he moved with his English wife and their two children to settle in England. There, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a therapist-practitioner. He qualified in ‘The Bowen Technique’ and NST (NeuroStructural Integration Technique), craniosacral therapy, reflexology, therapeutic massage, NLP, and life coaching, and today he leads breathwork with the school of Oxygen Advantage: a practice of presence that settles the nervous system and clears the mind.

On retreat, he is the quiet hand behind everything. Not a tour operator but a host, opening the door to the real Crete, its food, its paths, its local life.

Andreas Souri - Breathwork Practitioner at Create Retreats
Gillian & Andreas
Gillian Bennison-Souri - Create Retreats Pilates Retreat
Gillian in BioAroma
Gillian teaching Pilates
Gillian and Andreas in Crete
Gillian and her friend in Crete
Gillian Bennison-Souri - Create Retreats Pilates Retreat
Gillian & Sofia
Andreas Souri - Breathwork Practitioner at Create Retreats
Gill making adjustments
Gill Bennison-Souri and her husband Andreas Souris of Create Retreats
A boat trip with Create retreats in Crete
Gill and Andreas - Owners of Create Retreats

For Nell.

My dear friend, my soul sister, and the woman we asked to be godmother to our son, a role she accepted with all the love that was so naturally hers.

Nell believed in my dream before our retreats had truly begun. She was the quiet hand beside me, working quietly and always from the heart, helping me turn a vision into something real.

Although she is no longer here, her presence is woven into the roots of Create Retreats. As we begin this new chapter, it feels only right that Nell is here too, remembered with love, gratitude, and a very special place in my heart.

Some people never really leave us. They simply become part of everything we carry forward.

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