Stories of Guests from MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreat
By MycoMeditations
This interview series brings you inside the experiences of people who joined us at our psychedelic retreat to heal with psilocybin therapy.
We asked Kenny—a male in his 30’s from the USA—six questions to better understand his life before attending MycoMeditations, key insights from the retreat, how life has been since returning home, and more.
. . . . .
Can you share a particular low point or difficult period that exemplifies what your life was like before the retreat?
Over the last decade, life has hit me with its hardest punches. I have experienced multiple deaths and the closure of personal relationships, losing my family identity and core support system all in a short period of time. All this compiled trauma and stress became unbearable and felt suffocating. I was unhappy and exhausted all the time. I would leave work and not want to see or speak to anyone. I also realized many of my friendships were unsupportive and quite superficial. I felt alone and ultimately lost in life.
How did the people in your life respond when you told them you’ve decided to go on this journey?
To be honest, when I knew 100 percent that I was going to commit to this journey, I didn’t tell anyone. I felt that this was my journey for self-healing, and I was not going to let anyone convince me or talk me out of it due to their lack of understanding of the mushrooms or their preconceived assumptions. Now returning home and getting integrated back into my life. I felt I made a wise decision to keep my journey with myself.
How did your experiences during the retreat connect you with feelings or memories that were previously inaccessible or difficult to handle?
When I first came to the retreat, I had my prepared list of all the traumas and issues that I wanted to resolve while I was there. However, the magical mushrooms showed me something else during my time. It showed me what I needed to see. I was able to tap into suppressed emotions and thoughts that I had buried over the years that I needed to address and tackle head-on. It was challenging, but I’m glad that I trusted the staff and the overall process.
What advice or insight from a facilitator stuck with you?
I received a lot of guidance and advice that helped me navigate some difficult emotions and past traumas. One key piece of advice that was told to me and that will follow me forever is, “Let it go, it no longer serves you anymore” and “Be kind to yourself”. Such simple advice, but the impact those words have on me has changed tremendously. I used to be a person who used anger and fear as a tool to control my decisions in life. I feel I no longer need it and it had its place in my life and now it’s time to let it go and move forward in life.
What’s the most significant change you’ve noticed in yourself since the retreat?
I feel at peace with where I’m at in life at this moment. Before the retreat I felt like I was wasting my life, watching myself from a third-person view. The retreat has been so fulfilling in so many ways as now I have tools to help me cope with trauma and has given me a new perspective on life.
In one sentence, what can you say about this experience to somebody considering psychedelic/psilocybin therapy?
I will quote Nike’s iconic expression: “Just Do It”. This retreat has been life-changing for me and the other members who participated with me. The mushrooms will show you what you need instead of what you want. Please come open-minded and ready to challenge yourself and lastly enjoy the ride. What you might experience might not make sense to you at first, but over time your brain will process it and you will get the clarity and breakthrough that you need. My only regret is that I didn’t do this journey sooner.
. . . . .
If Kenny’s story inspires you to embark on your own healing experience with psilocybin therapy at MycoMeditations, we invite you to apply for one of our retreats!
What We Have Learned About Treating Depression with Psilocybin
MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model shows comparable positive outcomes for the treatment of depression as found within clinical research.
MycoMeditations survey data shows better outcomes than biopharmaceutical company Compass Pathways in their Phase 2 studies of their proprietary psilocybin analog one month after psilocybin session(s) in Major Depressive Disorder.
Clinically significant improvements in depression maintained one year following retreat.
Support for multiple, short-term psilocybin doses; potential for unique psilocybin-assisted treatment protocols.
Data supports the need for tailored dosing on numerous physical and mental factors rather than standardized dosing based on bodyweight.
Psilocybin in group therapeutic retreat settings may be a viable treatment for depression when supported with individual therapy.
MycoMeditations is proud to share these results in order to further demonstrate the validity and safety of psychedelic-assisted therapy in naturalistic contexts and retreat settings. The MycoMeditations retreat model demonstrably provides comparable levels of positive, lasting outcomes when compared to clinical settings for psychedelic-assisted therapy and clinical trials.
One month after retreat, MycoMeditations clients (n = 96) experienced 59.74% reduction in depression symptoms (15.55 at baseline to 6.26 one month post-retreat). In the research summary for Compass Pathways’ Phase 2 psilocybin analog study, participants (n = 79) experienced 37.62% reduction in symptoms three weeks after treatment, where least-squares mean changes from baseline to week three were −12.0 on the MADRS (31.9 to 19.9).
Retreat outcomes remained clinically significant one year after the retreat experience, indicating sustained effectiveness in the MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model to treat depression. Few psilocybin clinical trials examine outcomes this far from treatment, which advocates for the long-term efficacy of psilocybin in general.
The survey outcomes highlight the benefit of three psilocybin sessions within one week when supported by trained psychedelic-assisted therapists during sessions and integration. The matching efficacy of multiple, short-term psilocybin sessions when compared to single treatments with prolonged periods between sessions as shown in clinical research indicates the safety, viability, and flexibility for varying courses of psilocybin-related treatments. This advocates for custom treatment options depending on unique patient needs.
MycoMeditations dosing protocols take into account numerous factors when determining the ideal psilocybin dose for a client. The optimal dose for each person varies significantly, and the MycoMeditations protocol realizes the need for a tailored approach to dosing in order to maximize benefits.
This data also emphasizes the utility of group psychedelic-assisted therapy, as MycoMeditations retreats are group experiences with up to 12 people assisted by therapists, with a typical facilitator-to-client ratio of at least 1:1.5, team to guests.
Population: Real-World Clients
MycoMeditations clients involved in this survey, while seeking therapeutic outcomes for depression, frequently suffer from comorbid conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, OCD, substance use disorder, other forms of addiction, and other mental illnesses.
This population is a more accurate representation of real-world sufferers in need of therapeutic intervention than is otherwise found in the participant cohorts of clinical trials, in which such comorbidities are often screened out.
Preparation, Dosing, and Integration Protocols
The optional surveys were completed by clients enrolling in the seven-day psilocybin-assisted retreat program at MycoMeditations, where they received preparation for their psilocybin sessions, three dosing sessions spaced on alternating days, and group integration on the days between each dosing session. After the retreats had concluded, clients were also encouraged to participate in two group integration sessions via Zoom.
Clients were administered dried Psilocybe cubensis, which is cultivated on-site and encapsulated into 0.5g capsules. MycoMeditations’ dosing regimen is standardized around the use of encapsulated psilocybin mushrooms with an escalating dosing protocol over the course of the three (3) sessions. The dose for Session 1 is virtually identical for all clients, however, the MycoMeditations protocol takes many physical and mental factors into account when determining the ideal dose for Session 2 and Session 3, as a tailored dosing method was found to be most beneficial.
The average dose in dried, encapsulated grams of psilocybin mushrooms from Session 1 has an average SD of 3.62 ± 1.05. Session 2 has an average SD of 6.71 ± 1.54 and Session 3 has an average SD of 8.59 ± 3.04. The total dose over the duration of the retreat has an average SD of 18.92 ± 4.79.
Results for the Treatment of Depression at MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreats
The depression dataset was examined using the PHQ-9 rating scale. A PHQ-9 minimum score of 10 (considered moderate levels of depression) was selected as inclusion criteria for a baseline response to be included in the dataset. The baseline results included 198 participants.
The baseline dataset, verified by a third-party source, determined that people suffering from moderate to extreme levels of depression (average PHQ-9 score of 15.55) experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms at the below time points following the retreat, with average PHQ-9 scores along with percentage changes in symptoms relative to baseline and sample size (n) shown below:
The data presented here do not account for a number of post-retreat lifestyle factors, including therapeutic support and approach to self-care undertaken by clients once back at home. Some clients did not complete or have not reached all follow-up assessment time points. MycoMeditations is continually exploring ways to support the ongoing therapeutic treatment of its clients and always recommends full follow-up and integration procedures as well as continual, conventional mental health support and care in order to ensure the best long-term psychological outcomes.
Survey Set-Up Details
These longitudinal surveys assess the long-term outcomes of guests who attend psilocybin-assisted retreats offered by MycoMeditations in Jamaica.
MycoMeditations’ longitudinal surveys are not and do not attempt to constitute either an academic study or a registered clinical trial in their procedure, structure, or review process. However, insights drawn from this data convey a need for additional research into the mental health therapeutic benefits of psilocybin and points toward efficacy of treatment models outside of standard clinical and laboratory contexts. All data shared by MycoMeditations was analyzed and verified by a third-party academic partner.
This report shares the retreat outcomes in guests who joined us to overcome PTSD that contributed to our longitudinal surveys over the course of a year following their retreat.
MycoMeditations’ psilocybin-assisted retreat model led to clinically significant outcomes in the treatment of PTSD according to client surveys. These results also suggested long-term efficacy, with significant positive results remaining one year after the retreat experience.
All data represented here was collected between July 2021 and March 2024 with the consent of MycoMeditations clients.
What We Have Learned About Treating PTSD with Psilocybin
MycoMeditations results are comparable to the MAPS PBC Phase 3 trial outcomes. MAPS PBC data, utilizing the CAPS-5 scale, showed the baseline score of 44.0 fell to 19.6 (-55.5%) after 18 weeks. At three months post-retreat, MycoMeditations data, utilizing the PCL-5, showed a 52.7% reduction in symptoms between baseline (43.0) and three months post retreat (20.4). This is largely sustained at six months post-retreat with 48.8% reduction in symptoms, and one year post-retreat with 46.1%.
MycoMeditations survey reveals one of the first samples of long-term data revealing efficacy for psilocybin-assisted therapy in assisting with PTSD.
Clinically significant improvements in PTSD maintained one year following retreat.
Data supports the need for tailored dosing on numerous physical and mental factors rather than standardized dosing based on bodyweight.
Psilocybin in group therapeutic retreat settings may be a viable treatment for PTSD when supported with individual therapy.
MycoMeditations guest outcome data for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with psilocybin shows similar results to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) clinical research trails utilizing MDMA to treat PTSD when comparing results three months after the therapeutic sessions.
While there is significant data showing MDMA’s effectiveness in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, clinical trials examining the effects of psilocybin on PTSD are limited in number. MycoMeditations surveys reveal first-of-its-kind outcomes in the fight against PTSD with psilocybin.
Retreat outcomes remained clinically significant one year after the retreat experience, indicating effectiveness in the MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model in treating PTSD. Few psilocybin clinical trials examine outcomes this far from treatment, which advocates for the long-term efficacy of psilocybin in general.
MycoMeditations dosing protocols take into account numerous factors when determining the ideal psilocybin dose for a client. The optimal dose for each person varies significantly, and the MycoMeditations protocol realizes the need for a tailored approach to dosing in order to maximize benefits.
This data also emphasizes the utility of group psychedelic-assisted therapy, as MycoMeditations retreats are group experiences with up to 12 people assisted by therapists, with a typical facilitator-to-client ratio of at least 1:1.5, team to guests.
Population: Real-World Clients
MycoMeditations clients involved in this survey, while seeking therapeutic outcomes for PTSD, do frequently suffer from comorbid conditions such as various forms of depression, anxiety, and/or alcohol use disorder (AUD) or other forms of addiction, among others.
This population is a more accurate representation of real-world sufferers in need of therapeutic intervention than is otherwise found in the participant cohorts of clinical trials, in which such comorbidities are often screened out.
Preparation, Dosing, and Integration Protocols
The survey, which was optional to participate in, was completed by clients enrolling in the seven-day psilocybin-assisted retreat program at MycoMeditations, where they received preparation for their psilocybin sessions, three dosing sessions spaced on alternating days, and group integration on the days between each dosing session. After the retreats had concluded, clients were also encouraged to participate in two group integration sessions via Zoom.
Clients were administered dried Psilocybe cubensis, which is cultivated on-site and encapsulated into 0.5g capsules. MycoMeditations’ dosing regimen is highly standardized for utilizing whole psilocybin mushrooms with an escalating dosing protocol over the course of the three (3) sessions. The dose for Session 1 is virtually identical for all clients, however, the MycoMeditations protocol takes many physical and mental factors into account when determining the ideal dose for Session 2 and Session 3, as a tailored dosing method was found to be most beneficial.
The average dose in dried, encapsulated grams of psilocybin mushrooms from Session 1 has an average SD of 3.63 ± 1.11. Session 2 has an average SD of 6.51 ± 1.55 and Session 3 has an average SD of 8.13 ± 3.25. The total dose over the duration of the retreat has an average SD of 18.27 ± 4.76.
Results for the Treatment of PTSD at MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreats
The PTSD dataset was examined using the PCL-5 rating scale. A PCL-5 minimum score of 31 (considered moderate levels of PTSD) was selected as inclusion criteria for a baseline response to be included in the dataset. The baseline results included 129 participants.
The baseline dataset, verified by a third-party source, determined that people suffering from moderate to extreme levels of depression (average PCL-5 score of 43.66) experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms at the below time points following the retreat, with average PCL-5 scores along with percentage changes in symptoms relative to baseline and sample size (n) shown below:
The data presented here do not account for a number of post-retreat lifestyle factors, including therapeutic support and approach to self-care undertaken by clients once back at home. Some clients did not complete or have not reached all follow-up assessment time points. MycoMeditations is continually exploring ways to support the ongoing therapeutic treatment of its clients and always recommends full follow-up and integration procedures as well as continual, conventional mental health support and care in order to ensure the best long-term psychological outcomes.
Survey Set-Up Details
These longitudinal surveys assess the long-term outcomes of guests who attend psilocybin-assisted retreats offered by MycoMeditations in Jamaica.
MycoMeditations’ longitudinal surveys are not and do not attempt to constitute either an academic study or a registered clinical trial in their procedure, structure, or review process. However, insights drawn from this data convey a need for additional research into the mental health therapeutic benefits of psilocybin and points toward efficacy of treatment models outside of standard clinical and laboratory contexts. All data shared by MycoMeditations was analyzed and verified by a third-party academic partner.
This report shares the retreat outcomes in guests who joined us to overcome PTSD that contributed to our longitudinal surveys over the course of a year following their retreat.
MycoMeditations’ psilocybin-assisted retreat model led to clinically significant outcomes in the treatment of PTSD according to client surveys. These results also suggested long-term efficacy, with significant positive results remaining one year after the retreat experience.
All data represented here was collected between July 2021 and March 2024 with the consent of MycoMeditations clients.
What We Have Learned About Treating Generalized Anxiety with Psilocybin
MycoMeditations survey reveals one of the first samples of long-term data revealing efficacy for psilocybin-assisted therapy in assisting with generalized anxiety.
Clinically significant improvements in generalized anxiety maintained one year following retreat.
Support for multiple, short-term psilocybin doses; potential for unique psilocybin-assisted treatment protocols.
Data supports the need for tailored dosing on numerous physical and mental factors rather than standardized dosing based on bodyweight.
Psilocybin in group therapeutic retreat settings may be a viable treatment for generalized anxiety when supported with individual therapy.
Clinical trials examining the effects of psilocybin on generalized anxiety are limited in number. MycoMeditations surveys reveal first-of-its-kind outcomes in the fight against anxiety disorders with psilocybin.
Retreat outcomes remained clinically significant one year after the retreat experience, indicating effectiveness in the MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model in treating generalized anxiety. Few psilocybin clinical trials examine outcomes this far from treatment, which advocates for the long-term efficacy of psilocybin in general.
The survey outcomes highlight the benefit of three psilocybin sessions within one week when supported by trained psychedelic-assisted therapists during sessions and integration. The matching efficacy of multiple, short-term psilocybin sessions when compared to single treatments with prolonged periods between sessions as shown in clinical research indicates the safety, viability, and flexibility for varying courses of psilocybin-related treatments. This advocates for custom treatment options depending on unique patient needs.
MycoMeditations dosing protocols take into account numerous factors when determining the ideal psilocybin dose for a client. The optimal dose for each person varies significantly, and the MycoMeditations protocol realizes the need for a tailored approach to dosing in order to maximize benefits.
This data also emphasizes the utility of group psychedelic-assisted therapy, as MycoMeditations retreats are group experiences with up to 12 people assisted by therapists, with a typical facilitator-to-client ratio of at least 1:1.5, team to guests.
Population: Real-World Clients
MycoMeditations clients involved in this survey, while seeking therapeutic outcomes for generalized anxiety, frequently suffer from comorbid conditions such as other forms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, substance use disorder, other forms of addiction, and other mental illnesses.
This population is a more accurate representation of real-world sufferers in need of therapeutic intervention than is otherwise found in the participant cohorts of clinical trials, in which such comorbidities are often screened out.
Preparation, Dosing, and Integration Protocols
The optional surveys were completed by clients enrolling in the seven-day psilocybin-assisted retreat program at MycoMeditations, where they received preparation for their psilocybin sessions, three dosing sessions spaced on alternating days, and group integration on the days between each dosing session. After the retreats had concluded, clients were also encouraged to participate in two group integration sessions via Zoom.
Clients were administered dried Psilocybe cubensis, which is cultivated on-site and encapsulated into 0.5g capsules. MycoMeditations’ dosing regimen is standardized around the use of encapsulated psilocybin mushrooms with an escalating dosing protocol over the course of the three (3) sessions. The dose for Session 1 is virtually identical for all clients, however, the MycoMeditations protocol takes many physical and mental factors into account when determining the ideal dose for Session 2 and Session 3, as a tailored dosing method was found to be most beneficial.
The average dose in dried, encapsulated grams of psilocybin mushrooms from Session 1 has an average SD of 3.51 ± 0.96. Session 2 has an average SD of 6.46 ± 1.45 and Session 3 has an average SD of 8.47 ± 2.96. The total dose over the duration of the retreat has an average SD of 18.43 ± 4.43.
Results for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety at MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreats
The generalized anxiety dataset was examined using the GAD-7 rating scale. A GAD-7 minimum score of 10 (considered moderate levels of generalized anxiety) was selected as inclusion criteria for a baseline response to be included in the dataset. The baseline results included 177 participants.
The baseline dataset, verified by a third-party source, determined that people suffering from moderate to extreme levels of generalized anxiety (average GAD-7 score of 14.69) experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms at the below time points following the retreat, with average GAD-7 scores along with percentage changes in symptoms relative to baseline and sample size (n) shown below:
The data presented here do not account for a number of post-retreat lifestyle factors, including therapeutic support and approach to self-care undertaken by clients once back at home. Some clients did not complete or have not reached all follow-up assessment time points. MycoMeditations is continually exploring ways to support the ongoing therapeutic treatment of its clients and always recommends full follow-up and integration procedures as well as continual, conventional mental health support and care in order to ensure the best long-term psychological outcomes.
Survey Set-Up Details
These longitudinal surveys assess the long-term outcomes of guests who attend psilocybin-assisted retreats offered by MycoMeditations in Jamaica.
MycoMeditations’ longitudinal surveys are not and do not attempt to constitute either an academic study or a registered clinical trial in their procedure, structure, or review process. However, insights drawn from this data convey a need for additional research into the mental health therapeutic benefits of psilocybin and points toward efficacy of treatment models outside of standard clinical and laboratory contexts. All data shared by MycoMeditations was analyzed and verified by a third-party academic partner.
This report shares the retreat outcomes in guests who joined us to overcome PTSD that contributed to our longitudinal surveys over the course of a year following their retreat.
MycoMeditations’ psilocybin-assisted retreat model led to clinically significant outcomes in the treatment of PTSD according to client surveys. These results also suggested long-term efficacy, with significant positive results remaining one year after the retreat experience.
All data represented here was collected between July 2021 and March 2024 with the consent of MycoMeditations clients.
Review our Guest Outcomes for Other Conditions
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Social Anxiety
Psilocybin Retreat Outcomes for Generalized Anxiety
What We Have Learned About Treating Social Anxiety with Psilocybin
MycoMeditations survey reveals one of the first samples of long-term data revealing efficacy for psilocybin-assisted therapy in assisting with social anxiety.
Clinically significant improvements in social anxiety maintained one year following retreat.
Support for multiple, short-term psilocybin doses; potential for unique psilocybin-assisted treatment protocols.
Data supports the need for tailored dosing on numerous physical and mental factors rather than standardized dosing based on bodyweight.
Psilocybin in group therapeutic retreat settings may be a viable treatment for social anxiety when supported with individual therapy.
Clinical trials examining the effects of psilocybin on social anxiety are limited in number. MycoMeditations surveys reveal first-of-its-kind outcomes in the fight against anxiety disorders with psilocybin.
Retreat outcomes remained clinically significant one year after the retreat experience, indicating effectiveness in the MycoMeditations psilocybin-assisted retreat model for treating social anxiety. Few psilocybin clinical trials examine outcomes this far from treatment, which advocates for the long-term efficacy of psilocybin in general.
The survey outcomes highlight the benefit of three psilocybin sessions within one week when supported by trained psychedelic-assisted therapists during sessions and integration. The matching efficacy of multiple, short-term psilocybin sessions when compared to single treatments with prolonged periods between sessions as shown in clinical research indicates the safety, viability, and flexibility for varying courses of psilocybin-related treatments. This advocates for custom treatment options depending on unique patient needs.
MycoMeditations dosing protocols take into account numerous factors when determining the ideal psilocybin dose for a client. The optimal dose for each person varies significantly, and the MycoMeditations protocol realizes the need for a tailored approach to dosing in order to maximize benefits.
This data also emphasizes the utility of group psychedelic-assisted therapy, as MycoMeditations retreats are group experiences with up to 12 people assisted by therapists, with a typical facilitator-to-client ratio of at least 1:1.5, team to guests.
Population: Real-World Clients
MycoMeditations clients involved in this survey, while seeking therapeutic outcomes for generalized anxiety, frequently suffer from comorbid conditions such as other forms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, substance use disorder, other forms of addiction, and other mental illnesses.
This population is a more accurate representation of real-world sufferers in need of therapeutic intervention than is otherwise found in the participant cohorts of clinical trials, in which such comorbidities are often screened out.
Preparation, Dosing, and Integration Protocols
The optional surveys were completed by clients enrolling in the seven-day psilocybin-assisted retreat program at MycoMeditations, where they received preparation for their psilocybin sessions, three dosing sessions spaced on alternating days, and group integration on the days between each dosing session. After the retreats had concluded, clients were also encouraged to participate in two group integration sessions via Zoom.
Clients were administered dried Psilocybe cubensis, which is cultivated on-site and encapsulated into 0.5g capsules. MycoMeditations’ dosing regimen is standardized around the use of encapsulated psilocybin mushrooms with an escalating dosing protocol over the course of the three (3) sessions. The dose for Session 1 is virtually identical for all clients, however, the MycoMeditations protocol takes many physical and mental factors into account when determining the ideal dose for Session 2 and Session 3, as a tailored dosing method was found to be most beneficial.
The average dose in dried, encapsulated grams of psilocybin mushrooms from Session 1 has an average SD of 3.58 ± 0.83. Session 2 has an average SD of 6.29 ± 1.59 and Session 3 has an average SD of 8.16 ± 3.32. The total dose over the duration of the retreat has an average SD of 18.03 ± 5.09.
Results for the Treatment of Social Anxiety at MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreats
The social anxiety dataset was examined using the SM-SAD-10-Adult rating scale. A SAD-10 minimum score of 19 (considered moderate levels of social anxiety) was selected as inclusion criteria for a baseline response to be included in the dataset. The baseline results included 71 participants.
The baseline dataset, verified by a third-party source, determined that people suffering from moderate to extreme levels of generalized anxiety (average SAD-10 score of 24.83) experienced clinically significant reductions in symptoms at the below timepoints following the retreat, with average SAD-10 scores along with percentage changes in symptoms relative to baseline and sample size (n) shown below:
The data presented here do not account for a number of post-retreat lifestyle factors, including therapeutic support and approach to self-care undertaken by clients once back at home. Some clients did not complete or have not reached all follow-up assessment time points. MycoMeditations is continually exploring ways to support the ongoing therapeutic treatment of its clients and always recommends full follow-up and integration procedures as well as continual, conventional mental health support and care in order to ensure the best long-term psychological outcomes.
Survey Set-Up Details
These longitudinal surveys assess the long-term outcomes of guests who attend psilocybin-assisted retreats offered by MycoMeditations in Jamaica.
MycoMeditations’ longitudinal surveys are not and do not attempt to constitute either an academic study or a registered clinical trial in their procedure, structure, or review process. However, insights drawn from this data convey a need for additional research into the mental health therapeutic benefits of psilocybin and points toward efficacy of treatment models outside of standard clinical and laboratory contexts. All data shared by MycoMeditations was analyzed and verified by a third-party academic partner.
This report shares the retreat outcomes in guests who joined us to overcome PTSD that contributed to our longitudinal surveys over the course of a year following their retreat.
MycoMeditations’ psilocybin-assisted retreat model led to clinically significant outcomes in the treatment of PTSD according to client surveys. These results also suggested long-term efficacy, with significant positive results remaining one year after the retreat experience.
All data represented here was collected between July 2021 and March 2024 with the consent of MycoMeditations clients.
Psilocybin Therapy for End-of-Life Anxiety and Depression
By MycoMeditations
You’ve probably already heard about the healing potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health, but modern research into compounds like psilocybin and MDMA doesn’t just focus on depression, anxiety or PTSD. Some of the most profound results for psychedelic medicines come from addressing the spiritual wellbeing of those suffering from end-of-life distress.
At MycoMeditations, we employ many of the insights gleaned in the last 20 years of medical research to provide compassionate, therapeutic psilocybin retreats for those suffering from end-of-life anxiety and distress. These retreats are not just intended for sufferers themselves, but for spouses, friends, and family members too. Together, loved ones can offer support during the most emotionally and spiritually trying ordeal a person can experience, as well as process their own feelings about the impending loss of someone important to them through psilocybin-assisted therapy.
What is End-of-Life Distress?
Death is frightening. Fear of death is perfectly natural. Whether or not you hold spiritual or religious beliefs about the soul or an afterlife, it is normal to feel significant unease and anxiety at even the thought of death and dying. Most of us do our best in daily life not to contemplate our own mortality.
A terminal diagnosis makes this impossible. Cancer patients or sufferers from other terminal conditions who are told their lives will end and that their time is now limited report intense feelings of terror, dread, grief, and overwhelming anxiety, not just for themselves, but their families, friends, and loved ones. The reality of their impending death becomes all-encompassing, compounding the tragedy of a terminal diagnosis by robbing individuals and families of their quality of life, bringing on intense bouts of anxiety and depression during the time they have left together. These overwhelming emotions are referred to collectively as end-of-life-distress.
Origins of Modern Psychedelic Research & Laws
Much of the modern psychedelic research and legal action around psilocybin for end-of-life distress stems from the work of Dr. Roland Griffiths at the Johns HopkinsCenter for Psychedelics and Consciousness Research. Prompted by the positive results of a 2006 investigation into the effects of psilocybin-induced in healthy subjects, Griffiths and his team continued and intensified their investigations into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy from spiritual experiences, to mental health issues such as addiction, depression, and end-of-life distress for cancer patients.
Treatment for end-of-life distress has played a significant role in the current psychedelic renaissance outside of academia. In early 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, the Canadian government made history by granting compassionate access to psilocybin for four patients who were suffering from terminal illnesses. While still strictly controlled and limited, access has since been expanded to several hundred patients, including non-terminal patients, being treated with both psilocybin and MDMA under Health Canada’s Special Access Program where approvals are granted access to psychedelic substances and permitted to undergo psilocybin or MDMA-assisted therapy by the government ministry on a case-by-case basis.
Prominent lawsuits in both the US and Canada have sought to force the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Government of Canada, respectively, into allowing increased access to psilocybin for terminal patients.
Dr. Sunil Aggarwal of Seattle has spent the past four years attempting to force the DEA to allow terminal cancer patients access to psilocybin mushrooms under provisions of the 2016 RIght-to-Try Act. After a lengthy process, the suit is currently set to be argued this summer.
The Conversation Around Death: Palliative Care & Death Doulas
Psilocybin research is only one facet of how our societal conversation around death is changing. While still a taboo subject, death and dying are now more open to discussion. Most of the more institutionally-ingrained taboos that dictate the “right” or “wrong” ways to deal with death and beliefs in life after death are gradually fading away, leaving us with questions about how to process our emotions.
Counseling and psychotherapy can focus specifically on death, terminal diagnoses, and family coping, all of which reflect a broader cultural movement towards embracing and understanding the end-of-life process with greater openness and compassion. A key component in this change is the rise of death doulas, who offer non-medical support and guidance to individuals and their families as they navigate the final stages of life.
Death doulas share one important commonality with psychedelic retreats for end-of-life distress in that they emphasize emotional, spiritual, and practical care. They work to demystify death, encouraging open conversations about mortality and aiding in the fulfillment of the dying person’s wishes. Again, much like psychedelic retreats for end-of-life distress, this shift represents a move away from the often sterile and impersonal experience of death in hospitals to a more personalized and dignified process that honors the individual’s life and preferences.
How Psilocybin Helps the Terminally Ill With Spiritual Distress
Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer. This isn’t just a statement, it is both the title and conclusion of a 2016 paper by Griffiths and fellow psychedelic researcher Matthew Johnson, among others.
The researchers stated that, “Cancer patients often develop chronic, clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. Previous studies suggest that psilocybin may decrease depression and anxiety in cancer patients. The effects of psilocybin were studied in 51 cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety.”
The conclusion was that, “High-dose psilocybin produced large decreases in clinician- and self-rated measures of depressed mood and anxiety, along with increases in quality of life, life meaning, and optimism, and decreases in death anxiety. At 6-month follow-up, these changes were sustained, with about 80% of participants continuing to show clinically significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety. Participants attributed improvements in attitudes about life/self, mood, relationships, and spirituality to the high-dose experience, with >80% endorsing moderately or greater increased well-being/life satisfaction. Community observer ratings showed corresponding changes. Mystical-type psilocybin experience on session day mediated the effect of psilocybin dose on therapeutic outcomes.”
More Media Coverage & How to Change Your Mind
Author and journalist Michael Pollan interviewed Griffiths, along with psilocybin clinical trial patients suffering from terminal diagnoses in his 2018 book, How to Change Your Mind, considered by many to be a catalyst in the cultural shift toward embracing psychedelic therapies.
“One of the things the psilocybin research is doing is helping open that conversation — to make people more comfortable talking about it, to get patients to actually deal with it,” said Pollan regarding his reporting on psilocybin for end-of-life-distress in an interview with Time. “Oncologists don’t do a very good job of that, and we have very little for the treatment of the psychology of people who are dying. So a drug that takes you into these spiritual realms where you can begin to think it through seems to me an enormous gift.”
Psychedelic Retreats for End of Life Distress
MycoMeditations offers therapeutic psilocybin retreats for those suffering from end-of-life anxiety, along with their loved ones, to help process psychological distress during the most emotionally and spiritually challenging experience a person can endure.
What Our Guests Say
“Grace was diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer in January of 2017,” says Richard, a widower and past MycoMeditations guest. “In 2021, we identified MycoMeditations as a promising venue to experience high intensity psychedelics in a safe, professional, and well supported environment. The two of us attended a retreat in late October/early November of 2021. Grace’s endurance was waning, and we felt this was likely the last time she would be able to undertake such a long journey.”
“Immediately on arrival Grace felt confident in the team and their approach. She did not speak a lot about her experiences in her journeys, indicating that they were profound, but hard to articulate. This was consistent with her introspective, reflective approach to life. However, she repeatedly expressed how valuable the retreat had been. I, on the other hand, had three profound spiritual/mystical experiences. The first two of an ecstatic nature, and the third dark, confronting the depth of loss and despair that I had to date avoided while focusing on supporting Grace. On our return, we continued to identify insights derived from our journeys. Grace felt that somehow she knew what to expect. Of course, that state of certainty fluctuated over her remaining time.”
Grace passed away surrounded by her husband, a close friend, and her home care team, in early 2023.
“Early one morning she smiled, held hands with Beth, kissed me, and closed her eyes.” Richard tells us. “The palliative care nurse indicated she was likely not going to awaken, and she passed very peacefully within a few hours. Beth and I both had a sense of peace and having been present for a profound sacred moment, and had a sense of relief.”
While I clearly miss her, I both felt her presence and felt very content and blessed with having been a part of what was the best example of a “good death” that I have ever imagined. For a few months I wondered if I was in denial, and that I might be blindsided by grief. But I felt very ready to move forward, taking the step of retiring in June and registering for a second MycoMeditations retreat in September of 2023. I wanted to either reveal any hidden issues that I might need to address, or confirm that I was ready to move on with my life. The psilocybin therapy retreat both supported Grace in being fully ready, welcoming her death when it came, but made it possible for me to be fully present, open, and focused throughout the process.
Since the loss of his wife, Richard has continued to communicate with the team from MycoMeditations as he integrates these experiences and processes his emotions. We’re honored to be of service.
Discover Transformative End-of-Life Distress Retreats at MycoMeditations
A terminal diagnosis does not have to be the end of all hope. While there is no right or wrong way to feel about or process one’s impending death, a sense of peace and a personal insight is possible.
MycoMeditations therapists are trained to manage all ranges of emotion when guiding guests through challenging experiences. By holding a grounded, calm presence, our team can best assist you in navigating these profoundly powerful sessions.
We also know that individuals, particularly those suffering from deep, spiritual and existential distress, must integrate psychedelic experiences within a framework of understanding that resonates with their own personal beliefs about self, spirituality, and religion. Our facilitators are well grounded in major religions, mythology, philosophical schools of thought, and metaphysics in order to meet guests at their level, in whatever way this presents.
Contact us if you feel a MycoMeditations retreat may be helpful for you or your loved ones. Our compassionate, experienced intake team is happy to answer any of your questions.
Below you can take a look at all media that involves MycoMeditations to help you stay up-to-date with all the stories and news that follows our psilocybin-assisted retreat program. This post will be continually updated, so if you would like to learn more about our retreats through media coverage and news surrounding MycoMeditations, bookmark this page!
AFAR Magazine
At a Magic Mushroom Retreat, a Comedian Reluctantly Embraces Her “Healing Journey”
For Negin Farsad, traveling to Jamaica for a psilocybin retreat started as a gig. After a week of tripping, she found it was about much more than getting high.
VICE correspondent Charlet Duboc joined us on retreat as part of this episode’s coverage of the emerging field of psychedelic therapy. Coverage of MycoMeditations begins at 35:22 of the video.
Below you can listen to podcasts that have interviewed Justin Townsend, the CEO of MycoMeditations. This post will be continually updated with all new appearances, so if you would like to learn more about our retreats by listening to podcasts with Justin, bookmark this page!
Soft White Underbelly with Matt Laita
Episode Description:
Soft White Underbelly (5.5+ Million Subscribers) interview and portrait of Justin Townsend, the CEO of MycoMeditations, a psilocybin mushroom retreat in Jamaica.
In this latest episode, we delve into a transformative journey with our guest, Justin Townsend. Our discussion orbits around the enlightening power of present-focused attention and the rich, often untapped fullness of our experiences. We explore the transformative impact of psychedelics, not as an end but as a means to rediscover forgotten pathways within ourselves. Justin, CEO of MycoMeditations, shares his unique blend of corporate and psychedelic experiences, offering a nuanced perspective on the intersection of modern therapy and ancient wisdom.
This episode is a testament to the courage of confronting our inner darkness and the resilience found in self-acceptance and authenticity. We discuss the delicate balance between scientific rigor and the shamanic approach in psychedelic therapy, emphasizing the importance of living an integrative, authentic life. Our conversation is a deep dive into the nuances of psychedelic experiences, their therapeutic potentials, and the journey towards self-realization. This episode is a must-listen for anyone intrigued by the intersection of modern science and ancient wisdom, and for those seeking a deeper understanding of their own psyche. Join us in this enlightening discussion where the unspoken theme is the transformative power of self-awareness and the journey towards a unified self.
The science increasingly points to a very positive link between (responsibly and professionally administered) psilocybin – or ‘magic mushrooms’ – and mental health.
After reading American-Iranian comedian, writer, and actor Negin Farsad’s experience on a Jamaican psychedelic retreat, written for AFAR, I talked to both Negin, and CEO/Head-facilitator of Mycomeditations, Justin Townsend about psychedelics, mental health, and creativity.
This is a warm, deep, intriguing insight into the world of fungi and the human experience, which touches upon Jungian depth psychology, the default mode network, and the things that hold us back from our optimal creativity.
Are you curious about psychedelic retreats? Join us for an insider’s perspective with Justin Townsend, CEO of MycoMeditations, the oldest and largest psilocybin mushroom therapeutic retreat center in Jamaica. We discuss the process of safety screening, and the potential of using psychedelics to overcome trauma, ease depression, and reconnect with our authentic selves.
Justin shares his personal journey, from tech startups, to the European psychedelic underground, to learning and teaching breathwork and meditation, and then joining MycoMeditations in Jamaica. Having facilitated thousands of healing journeys, he shares how these retreats can provide unique insights into our individual and collective human condition. We probe the metaphysics of consciousness and healing and examine how psychedelics can influence belief and faith, which can alter our physiology and bring greater understanding and meaning to our lives.
As we conclude our conversation, we reflect on Carl Jung’s concept of Individuation and Integration, and the transformative stories of guests at MycoMeditations. We discuss life and work in Jamaica, and highlight the importance of surrender and authenticity. We invite you to immerse yourself in this captivating world of psychedelic therapy – a world that promises to challenge, inspire, and transform.
The journey of bringing psilocybin therapy to the masses continues.
And the complexities of doing so as a retreat business, without being contorted away from your ethos by the economic force of the modern corporate world, while also maintaining the capacity to provide safe, positive, and effectively healing experiences for your guests, is the topic of this episode of the podcast.
Specifically, we feature an interview with Justin Townsend from MycoMediations retreat centre in Jamaica to talk about the complexities described above, as well as the nuances of his team’s therapeutic framework for group psilocybin therapy in natural contexts.
Justin Townsend is the CEO and Head Facilitator at the psilocybin therapy retreat centre MycoMeditations.
Throughout his career he has worked as a business leader across a range of industries, helping innovative companies identify opportunities, communicate their vision and deliver profitable products. But he has also been on a personal quest to explore alternative healing therapies to combat his own anxiety and depression.
Over the past 20 years Justin has delved into both transpersonal and Jungian depth psychology, explored psychedelic modes of healing and developed meditation and breath work techniques, which he taught in Germany.
After attending a private retreat with MycoMeditations in 2017, he saw the opportunity to combine his unique business skills with his interest in alternative healing methods. Justin joined the MycoMeditations team soon afterwards, becoming partner and CEO in 2019.
He is on the show for this episode to explore two specific topic themes:
The business side of running a successful psilocybin retreat centre in the economic context of the modern corporate world without losing your ethics in the process
The therapeutic framework and philosophy that MycoMeditations holds for their retreats and their guests.
In effect, these are the two sides of the conversation. Where the first half is all business, and the latter half focused in the therapeutic end of things (with a brief return business ethics at the very end).
Some of the things we cover on the first side of the conversation: Justin’s journey from the corporate world to running an psychedelic psilocybin therapy retreat centre; psychopathology and integrity in the corporate world and how good people end up doing bad things; the nuances around running a financially successful psychedelic retreat centre without ethical sacrifices; what it means to be building what they call “gold-standard for group-facilitated psilocybin therapeutics in natural settings”; data propriety; and supporting peer-reviewed research.
In the other half of the conversation we explore: why MycoMeditations holds an entity “non-shamanic” framework for their psilocybin work; how to support someone who has a beyond Western framework experience from a non-shamanic framework; helping to prevent post-psychedelic hypomania from evolving into psychosis; differentiating between psychosis and a “normal psychotomimetic response”; non-pharmacological interventions for psychosis and psychotomimetic responses; as well as The Golden Shadow and the dangers of golden-shadow projection in both psychedelic therapy and spiritual communities.
There are only a few places in the world which offer legal access to high impact psilocybin retreats. MycoMeditations, stewarded by today’s guest Justin Townsend, is leading the way in sustainable, ethical psychedelic healing that takes into account the unique environment and needs of Jamaica and its people.
On the show, we discuss Jungian-depth psychology and other therapeutic modalities used at MycoMeditations. We talk about the value of a comprehensive, holistic team of caregivers for cathartic experiences. We review the efficacy of psilocybin as compared to ketamine therapy and ayahuasca ceremonies. Finally, we discuss the landscape of psychedelic healing in Jamaica and the importance of ethical entheogenic businesses.
MycoMeditations is a retreat that combines the powerful healing of multiple, high-dose psilocybin experiences, a safe and caring group environment created by a knowledgeable support staff, and serene locations to catalyze life-changing transformations.
As a business leader and startup advisor in a range of industries including the health care space, Justin Townsend has also been on a personal quest to explore alternative healing therapies to combat his own anxiety and depression. Over the past 20 years, Justin has delved into both transpersonal and Jungian psychology, explored psychedelic modes of healing and developed meditation and breath work techniques, which he taught in Germany. Justin joined the MycoMeditations team in 2017, becoming partner and CEO in 2019. As a retreat facilitator, Justin draws inspiration from the profound healing he is privileged to witness and believes that psychedelics offer an exciting path forward for mental health.
A business leader and startup advisor in several industries including the healthcare space, Justin’s 20 years of experience exploring psychedelic therapies for wellbeing -and current work as a facilitator- inform his quest for providing truly thoughtful experiences for people wishing to undergo psychedelic modalities of healing.
In this episode of The Mushroom Show, we test 4 different types of mushroom jerky (so you don’t have to) and figure out which mushroom makes the best one. The answer might surprise you. We also cover everything you need to know about the growing trend of “psilocybin retreats”, what they’re like, how people are benefitting from them, and what’s the reason behind the increased popularity in recent years. Finally, we interview Justin Townsend, the head facilitator and CEO of MycoMeditations, a long standing psilocybin retreat in Jamaica.
Justin is the CEO and Head Facilitator at MycoMeditations. Based in Jamaica, MycoMeditations is one of the few legal psilocybin retreats in the world. Over the past 20 years, Justin has delved into both transpersonal and Jungian depth psychology, explored psychedelic modes of healing, and developed meditation and breathwork techniques, which he taught in Germany.
I was introduced to Justin just as I was formulating the concept around Funga. I view him as a mentor because he has given me fantastic guidance and advice and is also one of the most knowledgable people I have come across surrounding psychedelics. This episode discusses topics such as the difference between ayahuasca and psilocybin, psychedelic synchronicities, and his imposter syndrome. I apologize for the slight background noise, as we needed to record this podcast remotely. Please don’t let that stop you from listening! There is so much to learn from Justin; he is one of the most knowledgeable people I have come across surrounding psychedelics.
Justin Townsend is the CEO of MycoMeditations, a world class psilocybin mushroom retreat center in Treasure Beach, Jamaica.
We learn about the dynamics of the legal magic mushroom industry in Jamaica, the practicalities inherent to running a premium operation in the mushroom retreat space, the flow of a week at a mushroom retreat with MycoMeditations, and the net positive benefits of having such an operation present on the island of Jamaica.
Justin Townsend is the CEO for Jamaica-based MycoMeditations, a pioneer and leader in wellness tourism that has been helping thousands of people through its legal psilocybin-assisted retreats. Through his expertise and leadership, Justin has helped shape the psychedelics renaissance. As psychedelics continue to play a larger role in mental health, more and more people are seeking effective therapies that address the root of their depression, anxiety, PTSD or other conditions. Many of these individuals are pursuing treatment through the trust of psilocybin-assisted retreats. Justin has worked in many aspects of the psychedelic industry, including as a retreat facilitator where he has personally led retreat-goers through psilocybin-assisted therapy. His firsthand knowledge and in-depth field experience has positioned him as an industry thought leader. Be it an expert or novice, Justin shares his wisdom with his colleagues, guests and media in thoughtful and visionary ways. He leads with education and makes surveys a part of the success story at MycoMeditations.
In this episode we discuss the benefits of psilocybin retreats for mental and physical health, the impact of psilocybin on the brain, and contemplate the nature of mystical experiences.
Today I’m talking with Justin Townsend, CEO and Head Facilitator for MycoMeditations. His company operates legally in Jamaica doing psilocybin-assisted retreats. Participants attend for seven days, work with licensed therapists throughout, and trip three times.
You’ve probably heard about some of the potential therapeutic applications of psilocybin, and changes in states like Oregon, which legalized the medicine for therapeutic use. I’ve heard predictions that as psychedelic therapy spreads, there will soon be a huge need for tens of thousands of therapists trained in this modality.
I picked Justin’s brain about what people who are interested in working in this emerging industry should know. We also delved into why psilocybin is therapeutic in the first place, and the results his team has seen with attendees.
Experiencing psychedelic therapy for healing and exploration is a balancing act between feeling safe, challenging ourselves and, of course, the costs involved.
Jamaica and Oregon are two of the very few places where you can receive legal psilocybin therapy across the whole world right now. For many, Oregon comes with the comfort and familiarity of home, while a tropical destination like Jamaica offers adventure and the time to shift away from the regular patterns of life.
You may be like many Americans, Canadians, Europeans, and others from countries beyond wondering which of these legal avenues for psilocybin therapy is best for you. Both have benefits, but which one is worth the trip?
How to Choose Between Psilocybin Therapy in Oregon vs. Jamaica
Psilocybin is a powerful medicine. The time, energy, money, courage, and commitment required to work with it is no joke. Investing in your well-being deserves serious contemplation.
The world of psychedelics is new and exciting. Some will brave the Amazon to drink ayahuasca with a shaman or take truffles in the streets of Amsterdam. Others will risk mushrooms in countries like Mexico and Costa Rica where psilocybin retreats exist in a legal gray zone. Navigating the hype requires making smart decisions about your safety and comfort to experience a meaningful and healing experience.
Oregon and Jamaica are the most popular legal options. However, what counts as “legal” differs between the two. If you hold a current medical license, security clearance, or professional certification that is regulated under U.S. federal law, consulting legal opinion before proceeding with treatment in Oregon is a good idea. The legal risk may be lower when you travel to a country where the treatment is fully legal, like Jamaica.
The U.S. Department of State occasionally releases travel advisories against countries like Jamaica due to concerns over crime, however, the country overall is a safe place with a positive regard towards tourism. Retreat locations are far from the crime in urban centers, which is the root cause of the advisories. There is minimal time spent in the larger cities beyond a quick airport pick up.
Before quickly assuming that either is better than the other, there are many variables to consider when choosing the right type of psilocybin experience.
Factors to Consider Between Oregon and Jamaica for Psilocybin Therapy
Legality – What level of legal risk are you able to take? Are you comfortable accessing psilocybin where it’s legal under state law but illegal under national law, or would you rather travel to Jamaica where it’s legal nationally?
Location – How far are you willing to travel? What makes you feel safe and comfortable? What makes for a fulfilling adventure?
Dose – How much psilocybin might you need based on your background and the mental health condition you are seeking to treat? Can you access an adequate dose?
Facilitation – Who is facilitating and what qualifies them to do so? Are the facilitators more from a clinical, mental health background, or a shamanic, Indigenous background?
Cost – How many sessions of psilocybin therapy and how much psilocybin are you receiving? What else is included in the experience?
Reputation – How long has this provider been offering psilocybin therapy? What are their outcomes and how do people review the experience with them?
Group size – How many people are participating and how much support is there? How much privacy or group work will there be?
Preparation and Integration – How does the provider assist with preparation before and after psilocybin therapy? How deep is the work they will offer?
Assessing the above factors in your options for psilocybin-assisted therapy, whether at a retreat, clinic, or privately will allow you to make the most informed decision about what feels like the best fit for you.
Many of these factors can be deceptive because qualities not immediately obvious can make all the difference in your experience.
For example, two retreat centers may have a similar number of therapeutic support staff, but one may have a particular therapist with a background in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic Therapy, or Transpersonal Psychology. There may also be a facilitator who you truly connect with who has faced similar struggles as you, shares your cultural background, or comes from a similar profession.
These details can make all the difference in psilocybin therapy progressing towards personal transformation. That particular therapist working from a certain therapeutic framework that resonates with you might strike the right cord amid a deep journey, opening doors that were previously closed. A facilitator you see yourself in and connect deeply to may spark profound realization. These nuanced factors can make all the difference when seeking healing, meaning, and a new, positive approach to life through psychedelic medicine.
Learn as much as you can about the providers you are considering to make the best choice. Study a retreat’s itinerary or a practitioner’s credentials deeply and establish familiarity with available options. Reading reviews can be a way to see a bit of yourself in somebody who had an experience with a certain provider and how it went for them, so read as many as you can.
Choosing an experience is not only an intellectual decision—tapping into intuition and checking in with how you feel in your heart matters too.
Psilocybin Dose for Depression or Anxiety: How Much Will You Need?
Psilocybin isn’t a quick fix. The vast majority of people will require multiple psilocybin sessions to get sustained benefits. One session can certainly be a catalyst for changing your life, but when done right, there is a compounding effect with each session of psychedelic therapy.
Maximizing your experience means finding your optimal therapeutic dose, which is unique for everyone across different moments and will vary depending on the context in which you are working with psilocybin.
For many, an initial session involves getting comfortable with what psychedelics are like. As one becomes more comfortable with psilocybin, it’s possible to use higher doses to go deeper. Over multiple sessions, comfort within a group and the facilitators grows and the individual learns to work with the medicine. With the resulting flow of emotions, new insights emerge and healthy patterns begin to take place.
Finding the right mushroom dose requires some experimentation. Everyone has a different response to psilocybin. Many folks need two or three grams of mushrooms for a threshold psychedelic experience. Others may want or need a stronger journey with between four and seven grams, or sometimes more.
Individuals who have recently been on—or are still on—antidepressants may require doses upwards of ten grams to enter a substantial enough altered state for therapeutic gains. Antidepressants numb one’s emotions, and also impact the receptor sites that psilocin (the active alkaloid in psilocybin) must bind with, causing disruptions to the usual process.
Psilocybin is most effective when it allows people to tap into important feelings, heighten neuroplasticity, and shift their belief systems. With the dosing range established, it can be dialed in to optimize the intensity and trajectory of the psychedelic experience. When treating long-term mental health conditions resistant to pharmaceutical interventions, multiple doses of mushrooms may be necessary, too.
What’s a “Heroic Dose” of Mushrooms? Is It Enough?
Oregon psilocybin laws have imposed regulations on what an acceptable dose of psilocybin is, which caps out at five grams of dried mushrooms, often called a “heroic dose” in some circles. In Jamaica, there are no limits on dose.
For many people, a single five-gram session will be impactful. It may even be overwhelming without adequate preparation or support. But for others with treatment-resistant depression and/or anxiety, multiple larger doses are often needed. These strong and often long-established neural patterns require a larger disruption to trigger change. Certain personality types, like folks who are highly analytical or less in touch with their emotions, will also typically require higher doses than others.
Learning how to navigate and surrender to high doses is also a skill to cultivate. Throughout multiple sessions and increasing doses, one can learn how to engage with and learn from mushrooms. By navigating multiple high-dose sessions, confidence and trust are built between you and the medicine. Single psilocybin sessions can certainly be impactful, but there is a depth that develops with multiple experiences arranged closer together.
Psilocybin has a dose-response relationship. All substances work in this manner, with a minimum effective dose required for effects like opening a window of neuroplasticity—the growth of new neurons and changing of circuitry in the brain—which research links with improvements in mental health.
Another important factor with dose is tolerance. The body rapidly develops a tolerance to psilocybin, making the compound less effective when sessions are close together. Low to moderate doses for sessions in close succession may not be enough for some people to overcome the tolerance factor.
Mushroom retreats in Jamaica such as MycoMeditations regularly surpass the five-gram dose limit set in the state of Oregon. Taking tolerance into consideration and steadily increasing doses over three sessions, experienced therapists and facilitators in Jamaica have the flexibility to optimize each guest’s dose and maximize therapeutic outcomes.
Psychedelic Therapy in Jamaica or Oregon? No Substitute for Experience
Choosing the right facilitation is the difference between a beautiful, healing psilocybin experience and an uncomfortable or even dangerous one.
Skilled facilitators will make you feel comfortable before, during and after psychedelic experiences. By having their own psychedelic experiences and spending a great deal of time with people in altered states, they can empathize with your process. Many facilitators are drawn to their work because of their own transformational experiences and a desire for others to have the same opportunity.
Seasoned facilitators carefully design Set and Setting for the most therapeutic experience possible. Set and Setting heavily influence psychedelics. ‘Set’ is your mindset and ‘Setting’ is the environment where the journey takes place. Facilitators you want at your side will earn your trust and curate a safe environment that supports the process of working with psilocybin mushrooms, or any other psychedelic.
Skilled facilitators aren’t just folks who have taken a lot of mushrooms, though. Psychedelic use has a long history of mentorship, such as shamans teaching their apprentices.
Today, quality training programs keep the spirit alive with those who have years of experience guiding new facilitators—familiarizing them with navigating altered states, observing apprentices, giving feedback, and collaborating with colleagues for an ideal client experience. Many programs and books provide in-depth historical and technical knowledge of psychedelics and while this is of value, the most important piece of the puzzle is experience.
Translating personal psychedelic experience into skilled facilitation requires study, practice, and self-discipline. Modern facilitators are often psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, counselors and social workers. Others are coaches or people who have completed psychedelic training programs. There is currently no standard for training globally and facilitators and psychedelic retreat centers are often recommended based on reputation and time spent in their field.
In Oregon, facilitators are granted psilocybin licenses through the Oregon Health Authority. Newly minted state regulations require 120 of training and forty hours of practical experience guiding psilocybin experiences and integration. Facilitators do not have to be therapists to be approved to work with psilocybin legally and are not allowed to call their work psychedelic therapy. The program is new, with about 600 people receiving psilocybin in Oregon in 2023.
In Jamaica, there are no set regulations for facilitators, although the Jamaican Psilocybin Industry Working Group, which includes leadership from local retreats, is working to standardize best practices. Instead, retreat centers are left to establish their standards, psychedelic retreat models and training programs.
Cost Benefit Analysis of Oregon Psilocybin Treatment Centers
The most obvious factor to examine is cost—but what might not be obvious is how to get one’s money’s worth. Do you travel abroad for an all-inclusive and evaluate the best options? See a therapist in Oregon? Or work with somebody underground in other States? Most will cost thousands of dollars, so it’s not an investment to take lightly.
One-on-One Psilocybin Therapy Clinics in Oregon
In Oregon, a single psilocybin session at a new clinic with a trained and licensed facilitator can cost up to $3400. Costs depend on the practitioner’s experience, training, location, overhead, licensing fees, and the price of grown or synthetic psilocybin.
At a minimum, a package should include a preparation session, six or more hours for the psilocybin experience and an integration session. This price may seem expensive, but holding space for a psilocybin trip is no casual affair for a single person and requires expertise, especially when dealing with mental illnesses related to trauma. These psychedelic treatments can be akin to surgery. Psilocybin therapy is a delicate process to be handled carefully by experts along with adequate time across preparation, the session(s), and integration.
One session can have a big impact, but it’s worth noting studies with psilocybin and depression involve multiple sessions and many hours of therapy. A single session with preparation and integration is a great start, but to explore deeper, compounding healing effects of psilocybin, multiple sessions along with additional therapy, or access to countries such as Jamaica may be required, which comes at extra cost.
One thousand dollars for a single session is often an entry-level price point for underground work. Underground guides or tripsitters might be found at lower costs, but a realistic budget for a trained, licensed psychedelic therapist is around $1500-$3000+. Hotels, transportation, food and time off work all need to be budgeted for as well, along with potential self-care practices often included in retreats. Even when traveling from neighboring states like Washington or California, let alone from states such as New York or Florida, the costs can add up.
Accessibility is also currently an issue, with waiting lists upwards of thousands of people at some psilocybin clinics in Oregon.
Psilocybin Retreats in Oregon
Licensed psilocybin retreat centers in Oregon are few and far between at the time of writing. The psychedelic industry stateside is still finding its legs, but retreats are a great escape from everyday life. At a retreat, healing has space and time to emerge, as opposed to being forced back into the bustle of daily life when a clinical session ends. Not to mention skipping awkward hassles like taking an Uber to a hotel after being in psilocybin therapy all day.
Oregon psilocybin retreat costs may broken down into three separate categories:
Venue – The location of the psilocybin session starts at $500.
Facilitation – Whoever guides the experience can cost anywhere from $500 to over $2500.
Psilocybin – Depending on whether grown or bought synthetically, expect to pay $70 to $600+.
On the lower end, one can have a single psilocybin experience with a few others for $1000. These amount to a “day trip” with light preparation and integration with facilitators. These types of sessions should only be for wellness purposes, as this often is not an adequate amount of support for trauma work.
Multi-day, immersive Oregon mushroom retreats in 2024 range from $3500 to $5500 for three to five-day experiences with one or two psilocybin experiences at lodges in Oregon’s ancient forests and misty mountains. While costs for retreats are higher overall, the value of each dollar includes more than psychedelic therapy. Licensed guides and legal psilocybin are included, along with meals and additional activities like yoga, meditation, massage, and structured integration time. At the time of writing these centers are so new that public reviews of the retreats surveyed don’t exist.
Psilocybin Retreats in Jamaica
All-inclusive psilocybin retreats in Jamaica have been running for nearly a decade and fine-tuning their services and protocols. Due to the fact that many people are unaware of the legal status of psilocybin mushrooms in Jamaica, the retreats also often don’t typically have long waitlists.
Complemented by warm locals, crystal waters, vibrant flora, and integration in the sunshine, travel takes us outside of our usual routines, people and habits. Psilocybin mushrooms aside, travel has always helped put distance between us and our familiar lives to support our health and wellbeing in numerous ways.
Upon arrival, accommodation, food, activities, transportation, support staff, trained facilitators, specialized facilities and psilocybin mushrooms produced by master growers are all provided.
Take MycoMeditations, where pricing starts at $5950 for an 8-day retreat that includes:
Three guided psilocybin therapy sessions
World-class facilitation from trained and highly experienced therapists
Zero limits on dosing to optimize outcomes
20+ hours of group therapy (preparation & integration)
Experience, having guided over 2000 guests on successful journeys
Utilization of the most effective therapeutic frameworks
Dedicated hospitality teams
Intimate group sizes
Tropical retreat settings
Massage, meditation, and yoga
Authentic Jamaican cuisine
In-depth post-retreat integration
MycoMeditations also works mostly with therapists who already have psychedelic certifications. Facilitators undergo on-site training, mentorship and observation. Only once completing six retreats, totalling 18 psilocybin experiences, upwards of 100 hours of facilitation, and over 100 hours of group integration, are staff qualified as facilitators. After training and working together for so long, the team works together seamlessly to provide the best care for each guest.
How to Choose Between Oregon vs Jamaica for Psilocybin Therapy
Both Oregon and Jamaica have their merits.
Oregon is familiar and close to home for North Americans, but still finding its legs. Expensive licensing for centers and facilitators have kept costs high, limiting the services that practitioners can feasibly offer. Limits on five-gram doses by the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act will prevent some people from breaking through long-held patterns and accessing the emotional content leading to the insight and growth they deserve.
Psilocybin facilitators in Oregon undergo state-approved training programs and hold official credentials, but are not necessarily therapists. Oregon is breaking important ground but is still in the early days of an experiment.
Traveling to Jamaica is a bigger journey that can be more expensive upfront. There is no licensing system in Jamaica, making a comprehensive review of retreat options essential.
The country has no limits on dosage and psilocybin is fully legal, meaning the protocols implemented are proven by real-world results—not committees and policy, but by what works.
The freedom of Jamaica has allowed MycoMeditations’ decade of experience to establish its own gold standard for psilocybin-assisted therapy, built from a continual refinement of methods, procedures, and delivering the outcomes their guests seek.
Psilocybin in Oregon or Jamaica: Which is Best for You?
Not all psychedelic substances are the same. Choosing between the potential benefits of substances like ayahuasca or psilocybin mushrooms is more than a matter of chemistry as each is used in different contexts.
The use of ayahuasca and magic mushrooms goes back thousands of years. Although, modern use cases for psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca are being integrated into a society hungry for solutions to dismal mental health conditions and what some call a “crisis of meaning.”
Ayahuasca and magic mushroom retreats may use elements established by indigenous peoples to work with these unique compounds. However, the exploding interest in psychedelics from advances in scientific understanding and a modern therapeutic emphasis are changing the use of these medicines in contemporary societies.
In this article, we explore the difference between psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca. From ancient use to modern evolution, chemical compounds, physical and mental effects, and what to expect at a retreat.
Ayahuasca vs. Mushrooms: How to Choose a Psychedelic Retreat
Before booking a retreat, it is important to examine the type of environment you want to have your psychedelic experience in, as well as your needs and intentions. With the huge variety of backgrounds and approaches from providers across numerous countries offering psychedelic retreats, it is important to select a retreat that most closely resonates with you and your goals.
Different retreats will have unique frameworks for relating to the medicine experiences and providing integration. Based on this framework, the staff will support you in a way that aligns with their process and the retreat will attract people that resonate with this approach to the medicine.
Are you looking for a therapeutic retreat with elements of psychotherapy that you might be most familiar with?
Are you wanting to experience psychedelic medicine authentically through another culture with the help of a shaman?
Are you trying to explore consciousness and spirituality through more of a wellness lens? Or are you hoping to heal trauma and overcome mental illness?
It’s important to ask these questions, as they will help guide you to a retreat provider that is best able to offer the support that will fit with your goals.
A popular term in psychedelic circles, “setting an intention,” means asking “Why do I want to do this?” Some people may be seeking healing. Others, personal development. For another, it may be spiritual exploration. There are countless reasons to seek out a psychedelic experience, each highly individual.
An intention is typically a simple and personally meaningful statement to assist people in navigating and making meaning from psychedelic experiences. Intentions could be statements like “I will stay curious,” requests like “Help me find ease,” or questions like “Why am I here?”
Understanding why you will spend time, money, and a great deal of energy on what many claim to rank as one of the most significant experiences of their lives is essential. Intentions matter because they will guide you to the right retreat centers, therapists, facilitators, and groups of people you will share the experience with.
Once you know your motivations, the next step is to find the right retreat. Here are some questions to consider before signing up for a retreat:
Why am I doing this?
What am I hoping to accomplish?
Where will I be the most comfortable?
Who do I want to be around?
What modalities will the facilitators be using?
What kind of support do I want?
What is the ratio of guests to facilitators?
What substances are best for me?
Which protocols are in place?
How does integration with this group work?
With an understanding of why you want to join a psychedelic retreat, it is easier to choose between ayahuasca and mushrooms. Specifically, there are some differences between:
Active components of each substance
The context they are taken in
What the psychedelic experience is like
What are Psilocybin Mushrooms?
Psilocybin mushrooms are naturally occurring fungi growing worldwide and have rich historical use. Mushrooms appear in the rock art found at ancient sites. References to mushroom use appear on most of the world’s continents. We know the Aztec and Mayan people of Central America used mushrooms, calling them the “flesh of the gods.”
When Spanish colonists suppressed the use of mushrooms, the practice continued in secret, until 1955 when a Mazatec curandera Maria Sabina shared mushrooms with an American banker, R. Gordon Wasson. These “magic mushrooms” soon became a cultural sensation leading to the discovery of new psilocybin species and their introduction into the Western world through scientific research and the 1960s counterculture movement.
After decades of prohibition starting in the early 1970s, psilocybin mushrooms have returned to the spotlight of clinical research and at psilocybin therapy retreats. Now, scientists and therapists have found newfound curiosity for the psychological impacts and psychedelic effects of the psychoactive compound “psilocybin.”
What is Psilocybin?
Psilocybin is one of many active compounds found in psychedelic mushrooms and appears to only occur in fungi. The most common is psilocybe cubensis, but we know of approximately 180 species within the category of “magic mushrooms”.
Scientists are still learning how psychedelics work. So far, we know when psilocybin is consumed, it is converted into the active compound, psilocin, which interacts with receptors in our nervous system. Different receptor sites are associated with different functions in the body. Psilocybin interacts with many receptors, but special attention focuses on the 5HT2A receptor. The 5HT2A receptor appears to be the key receptor with which all classic psychedelics interact with, creating consciousness-altering effects.
What is Ayahuasca?
No one can confidently say how long ayahuasca has been in use. The origins of ayahuasca consumption are in the Amazon rainforest of South America. Tribes practicing ayahuasca traditions with minimal interference from the outside world have kept the relationship between ayahuasca and “vegetalismo”, or learning from plants and spirits, strong. These traditions, now commonly called “shamanism,” are a big part of ayahuasca ceremonies.
The worldview and traditional medicine of the Amazonian people is a complex world of relationships a shaman navigates to facilitate healing. The culture surrounding the ayahuasca experience remains somewhat mysterious to outsiders, but its reputation has inspired researchers to study the psychedelic brew.
Ayahuasca is a mixture of several different plants. The core of this mixture is the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and chacruna plant (Psychotria viridis). Combining these plants and drinking them makes the compound N-N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the main active alkaloid responsible for the ayahuasca experience, bioavailable inside the human body.
What is DMT?
DMT is a naturally occurring compound found throughout nature. It is produced in the human body and many plants. Usually, DMT inside the human body is broken down rapidly, making psychedelic effects short if smoked in its pure form or nonexistent if eaten. DMT is broken down by an enzyme in the body called monoamine oxidase.
People in the Amazon figured out that ingesting the ayahuasca vine prevents the breakdown of DMT because it contains other active compounds known as “monoamine oxidase inhibitors.” Researcher Dennis McKenna documented how the Banisteriopsis caapi vine “inhibits” the activity of MAO, allowing DMT to be consumed in an orally active form.
DMT’s molecular structure is very similar to psilocybin, and both interact with the body in comparable ways. Each compound binds to similar receptors but creates different reactions, along with interacting with different groups of receptors. Despite similarities between their physical and mental effects, there are some differences between the two substances.
Ayahuasca vs. Psychedelic Mushrooms: What’s the Difference?
While both medicines generally share positive outcomes when taken responsibly, the journey mushrooms or ayahuasca will take people on to arrive at their goal is different. As they say, it’s not the destination but the journey. The actual experience of each substance will depend on the dose, preparation, and “set and setting.”
Set and setting are linked to achieving desired results with psychedelics and are key differences in the psilocybin vs ayahuasca conversation. “Set” means the mindset one has going into a trip. Mindset includes:
Expectations
Personality
Emotional landscape
Knowledge and research
Framework of understanding
“Setting” refers to the environment an experience occurs within. Considerations here are:
Comfort
Safety
Legality
Other participants
Facilitators
Researchers, therapists, and group facilitators spend a great deal of time creating the ideal setting and mindset for psychedelic experiences, as they both feed into one another. The emphasis on these concepts is strong because data shows clear connections to optimal set and setting leading to improved outcomes.
The clearest distinction between psilocybin mushrooms and ayahuasca is not just their effects, but the context in which they are consumed within.
Effects of Mushrooms and Ayahuasca
Both psilocybin and ayahuasca are classical psychedelics. They are comparable because they induce altered states involving:
Physical reactions such as nausea, sweating, shaking, or yawning
The compounds also show groundbreaking potential in the laboratory as a much-needed mental health treatment. Psilocybin has even progressed to clinical trials and is dubbed a “breakthrough therapy” by the FDA, paving the way to widespread legal access.
On average, both experiences last for about 4-6 hours. Both substances may help people with a growing list of other tough-to-treat conditions, including:
Depression
Addiction
Anxiety
PTSD
OCD
Body Dysmorphia
End-of-Life Distress
Chronic Pain
TBI-Related Symptoms
Psilocybin and ayahuasca both require screening for mental and physical health concerns. Reputable retreats will have a detailed application process and firm knowledge of what is and isn’t safe. Asking questions of retreat organizers should be easy and the answers should be clear.
Ayahuasca – What to Expect
Ayahuasca is often held in a group ceremonial setting. A ceremony is typically led by traditional healers who have trained extensively in the jungle as part of an apprenticeship that includes learning directly from the plants and spirits. Shamans work with a unique set of tools been passed down through generations of curanderos in their lineage.
The shaman often speaks very little and instead sings icaros, which are healing songs said to be delivered by the spirits of the plants. Relationships with various plants, animals, and spirits may also be part of the healing work, and to navigate these, shamans will sing, pray and work with other healing plants, such as tobacco.
Ayahuasca traditions often focus on “cleansing”, and a powerful function of the ayahuasca brew is “la purga” or “the purge.” This comes in the form of strong physical effects like vomiting, diarrhea, crying, or shaking. From the Amazonian perspective, these responses are good and open one up to deeper work with ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca sessions can be both very challenging and beautiful. Ayahuasca can draw attention to aspects of one’s life, leading to profound life changes and spiritual growth. This experience creates insight and meaning into how someone has arrived where they are in life, often through what people describe as direct communication with the spirit of ayahuasca.
Preparation for Ayahuasca
A significant part of ayahuasca is preparation. Ayahuasqeros do extensive dietas, often in isolation in the jungle to learn their craft, involving abstinence from sex, media, and many foods. Participants in an ayahuasca retreat will be asked to undertake similar restrictions on food, sex, and perhaps other activities prior to consuming the psychoactive brew. A typical ayahuasca diet will restrict red meat, cheese, salt, sugar, and refined or fermented foods.
The ayahuasca diet is thought to increase one’s sensitivity to ayahuasca while removing distractions. The regime also includes mental preparation for what will likely be an intense experience. The diet also avoids potentially dangerous interactions with certain foods or medications. With ayahuasca in particular, certain medications (like antidepressants) must be avoided as they could cause harmful and potentially lethal interactions.
Psilocybin – What to Expect
Psilocybin makes people very sensitive to the environment and their inner experiences. Small moments can seem huge and meaningful, while emotions can surface in powerful ways. With trained professionals to help prepare, navigate, and integrate a psilocybin experience, it is possible to harvest a significant amount of meaning from a mushroom journey.
At this point in history, psilocybin is used in many different contexts. Indigenous practices and the history of psilocybin inform modern use, but the therapeutic use of psilocybin is generally very different from its traditional settings. Many practitioners still administer psilocybin mushrooms in ceremonial settings. However, the use of psilocybin in the modern world is increasingly evidence-based and supported by modern, therapeutic approaches.
Lessons learned from clinical trials with psychedelic-assisted therapy now inform the use of psilocybin mushrooms. Now many practitioners working with psilocybin have a mental health background. Similar to therapy, clients are guided through preparation and integration with an emphasis on the psilocybin experience. Practitioners are also trained in how to best support people during the session. While some have found personal growth through self-directed psilocybin journeying, we now know that the journey to healing from conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction means including preparation and integration support from professionals.
Preparation for Psilocybin Mushrooms
Psilocybin mushrooms require significant mental and emotional preparation but do not require a special diet or abstaining from sex. A high dose of psilocybin often generates intense challenges but may lead to profound cognitive insights, emotional breakthroughs, and mystical experiences. Taking time to prepare one’s mindset before a psychedelic experience helps manage expectations, anticipate challenges, and puts the mind a bit more at ease.
Preparation for psilocybin involves considering set and setting, establishing trust with facilitators and therapists, and establishing personal intentions. Most medications, like antidepressants, do not pose a serious risk but can diminish the effects of psilocybin. It’s recommended to discontinue medications with professional support before a retreat.
An ayahuasca diet might last for weeks, but before mushrooms usually a few hours of fasting is recommended beforehand. Because psilocybin mushrooms can cause nausea, attention to food intake is important. Vomiting is rare, and restrictions on sex or social interactions are not typically part of mushroom preparation.
Choosing Between Ayahuasca & Magic Mushroom Retreats
The safety of both magic mushrooms and ayahuasca has stood the test of time, particularly alongside skilled and professional facilitation. Selecting a psychedelic retreat means honestly considering your personal preferences for the set and setting best suited for you.
Ayahuasca can be accessed legally in South America. Vetting shamans is essential because in parts of the world with less economic opportunity, poorly intentioned impersonators do take advantage of uninformed travelers. However, traditional curanderos with good training and integrity help many people every year. Taking ayahuasca involves being open to interacting with an old and different culture. There may be language barriers, and understanding the worldview of people from the Amazon won’t happen during a short retreat.
The best ayahuasca retreats should be trauma-informed, but the quality of facilitation varies so be sure to find centers with well-trained support staff, ideally with a mental health background. A safe ceremonial setting will be led by an experienced shaman with an adequate amount of trustworthy support staff. It is important to ask how many people will be at an ayahuasca retreat, as large groups can lead to less individual support.
Ceremonies are often led with prayers, medicine songs, icaros, tobacco, offerings, and other traditional healing technologies. Proper preparation before ayahuasca and integration afterward is essential for a safe and comfortable experience, which requires doing your homework to find trustworthy retreats, shamans, and facilitators.
Psilocybin can be accessed legally in a few countries, such as Jamaica and the Netherlands. Current retreats may draw some influence from traditional use, but practitioners utilizing psilocybin typically work through a psychological or transpersonal lens. Using relatable concepts and language assists people from Western countries in preparation, integration, and ultimately understanding of their psilocybin experiences.
Psilocybin retreats should also be trauma-informed, and many still lack the necessities for the best care. The highest quality retreats employ facilitators with strong mental health backgrounds and keep retreat sizes optimal for the number of staff to provide the proper level of support.
The MycoMeditations experience provides numerous trained therapists to best care for guests seeking psychedelic-assisted therapy with a modern approach. People can receive psilocybin-assisted therapy in an intimate setting of no more than 12 guests with a high staff-to-guest ratio of about 1:1.5. Hours of preparation and integration is provided daily to ensure that guests get the most healing from their psilocybin experiences.
If you’d like to learn more about MycoMeditations, we invite you to read through the rest of our website and apply if you wish to join us on retreat.
Ayahuasca vs. Psilocybin Mushroom Retreats: The Ultimate Guide
