Meet some of our team members

Justin Townsend
CEO & Head Facilitator

Justin Townsend
CEO & Head Facilitator
With experience as an advisor to start-ups, most recently in the healthcare space, Justin brings a blend of business acumen, leadership skills and a nose for futuristic health models to the MycoMeditations team.
Throughout his career Justin 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.
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.

Mike Ljubsa
Business Director & Facilitator

Mike Ljubsa
Business Director & Facilitator
When completing his Bachelor of Commerce degree in University, Mike suffered from depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Conventional treatments he tried didn’t help, which was when he discovered psilocybin mushrooms and began to explore his mind in a quest for healing.
After his first experiences, psychedelics became his primary interest. He realized these compounds were completely misunderstood by society and offered something far greater than he ever imagined.
Looking to take his exploration further, Mike went to MycoMeditations in its early days and over the course of a week in Jamaica, undertaking three of the biggest psilocybin experiences of his life, everything changed for him. This transformative week allowed him to leave with a completely different perspective on life. The experience completely reframed his understanding of personal issues, the human mind, and reality. He has pursued psychedelic exploration ever since.
Mike immediately dropped his career plans to join MycoMeditations and provided initial funding. He oversees business-related projects and often works at the retreat as a facilitator.

Abbie Townsend
Director of Operations

Abbie Townsend
Director of Operations
With over a decade of management experience in the hotel and hospitality industry and an impressive background in photography and design, Abbie brings a wide variety of skills to the MycoMeditations team.
Abbie brings her unparalleled organizational skills to on-site logistics and operations in Jamaica and is always available to past, current, and future guests who need assistance. She coordinates all our vendors, transport team, massage therapists, and villa staff, maintaining a high level of service and quality for all our guests.
In addition to her hospitality experience, Abbie is an award-winning photographer and is responsible for all the beautiful imagery included on the MycoMeditations website and social media platforms. After completing a degree in Photography and Design from the Hallmark Institute in Massachusetts, Abbie ran a New York based studio from a British photography company, where she was awarded International Photographer of the Year in 2019. Prior to this, she was the first American woman to ever be awarded an Associateship with the British Institute of Professional Photographers.
With her combined love of hospitality and design, Abbie has been a fundamental part of elevating the guest experience at MycoMeditations to a new standard.

Lisa Cressotti
Finance & Human Resources Director

Lisa Cressotti
Finance & Human Resources Director
Lisa began her 30+ year career with Ernst & Young, where she developed an interest in solving the unique issues faced by privately-held businesses and their owners. Throughout her career, she has served this niche as a Consultant, Credit Analyst, Finance Director and Chief Financial Officer. Her experience has provided her with the ability to analyze businesses from a variety of perspectives, which supports the decision making of the Executive Team on which she serves.
At the peak of her career, Lisa faced her most significant challenge when she developed a debilitating case of fibromyalgia. Traditional medicine provided little relief. This inspired her to research alternative healing methods, and led to her decision to attend a retreat at MycoMeditations in 2019. Her fibromyalgia has been in remission ever since. This is where her passion for the healing powers of psilocybin converged with her passion for business, and she has since dedicated her career to the MycoMeditations community.

Gwen Ingram-Jones
Retreat Leader & Therapist, LMFT

Gwen Ingram-Jones
Retreat Leader & Therapist, LMFT
In addition to working in the psychedelic-assisted therapy field, Gwen is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She specializes in working with clients with eating disorders, which often means treating depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Gwen has been working in the mental health field since 2007 and holds a designation as a Child Mental Health Specialist. She has worked in a variety of settings ranging from weekly outpatient care to involuntary psychiatric hospitals. Additionally, she has obtained certifications from MAPS’ MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training Program and for Substance Use treatment.
Gwen’s own relationship with psychedelics has led to continued personal growth and increased insight. She attributes her ability to move through life’s challenges and goals and tend to relationships that better align with her values to this work.
While working with others in this field, she may use skills from Motivational Interviewing, DBT, IFS and Lifespan Integration. Our guests are drawn to Gwen’s calm, supportive energy, and her genuine care for others is a daily presence on retreat.

Steven Benjamin
Therapist & Facilitator, LCSW

Steven Benjamin
Therapist & Facilitator, LCSW
Steven completed his graduate training in clinical social work in 1984. Since that time, he has worn many hats including developing his own private practice, supervising a team of six therapists in an agency setting, providing mental health consultation in a college setting, and raising five children who are now launched and chasing their own dreams.
Steven has learned through the years that psychotherapy becomes unnecessarily limited when the process is maintained at an intellectual level only. True change happens when there is a felt sense of something being experienced physically. Steven‘s capacity to slow things down and bring awareness to energetic shifts is the heart and soul of his work. He quickly realized that his style of allowing a space for real healing and not just internal management, was a resonant fit for integrating psychedelic experience.
In keeping with this focus, Steven has trained in and utilized a number of different therapy modalities including EMDR, hypnotherapy, and Somatic Experiencing. He is also a Level III Internal Family Systems practitioner which represents his deepest dive into somatic based therapy approaches.
Steven’s personal relationship to the mushroom carries both a reverence and a lightheartedness. His own exploration with plant medicine has fostered a deep appreciation for the wonder we discover in ourselves and the gift of our connection to our fellow travelers in our ever-changing world.

Simon Yugler
Therapist & Facilitator, MA, LPC-A

Simon Yugler
Therapist & Facilitator, MA, LPC-A
With a masters in depth counseling psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, Simon is a psychedelic psychotherapist from Portland, OR. Weaving together Jungian psychology, Internal Family Systems therapy, and mythology, Simon also draws on his diverse experiences learning from indigenous cultures around the world, including the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition of the Peruvian Amazon, the Native American Church, Australian Aboriginal peoples, and traditional African religions.
His master’s thesis focused on the potential for psychedelic medicines as a pathway for initiation and growth for men. With a background in anthropology and experiential education, he has led immersive journeys for young adults across 10 countries.
Simon is a writer for Psychedelics Today, and has spoken at the 2020 & 2021 Psilocybin Summit, and the 2021 Los Angeles Medicinal Psychedelics Society Symposium. Having worked with psychedelics for over half his life, Simon is passionate about helping his clients navigate the liminal wilds of the soul.

Nickesha Strachan
Nurse & Facilitator, LPN

Nickesha Strachan
Nurse & Facilitator, LPN
Graduating from Hospicare Nursing Academy in Mandeville, Jamaica, Nickesha holds a Certificate in Practical Nursing. Nickesha has five-year experience as an Ambulance Emergency Nurse, has worked in nursing homes, clinics, daycares, and functions as the onsite nurse at football, cricket and other sporting events at the Breds Treasure Beach Sports Park.
She is also the leader of the Treasure Beach Community Response Team, (CDRT) and is always among the first on hand for hurricane and storm emergencies. Her warm personality, calming presence and personal experiences of healing with psilocybin help her fit her role as our nurse on site perfectly, and she now also helps on retreat as a facilitator.

Jonas Rosen
Facilitator, LMSW

Jonas Rosen
Facilitator, LMSW
Jonas is a licensed social worker who specializes in mindfulness-based therapies.
Ever since his first psilocybin experience, Jonas has been deeply passionate about the intersection of psychedelics and mental health. Over the past decade, psilocybin has helped him overcome anxiety, realize a profound sense of interconnection, and discover new life meaning and purpose.
Jonas has worked as a facilitator at MycoMeditations for over two years. Having repeatedly witnessed psychedelic healing in-action, Jonas is continually inspired by the power of psilocybin to help us self-actualize and grow to our fullest potential.
In 2020, Jonas founded a company named Inner Vision to provide education and compassionate support around the psychedelic experience. He is also creator of the YouTube channel, “Cosmic Consciousness with Jonas,” where he shares educational content around psychedelics, consciousness, and the mysteries of life.

Caterina Bragagnolo
Art Therapist & Facilitator, ATR-BC, LCPC, CCTS-II

Caterina Bragagnolo
Art Therapist & Facilitator, ATR-BC, LCPC, CCTS-II
Caterina is a Board Certified, Art Therapist and Trauma Specialist working primarily in private practice since 2013. Throughout her experiences providing individual and group therapy within multiple populations, Caterina noticed the benefits of incorporating Art Therapy practice into the integration of adverse experiences. This allowed her to cultivate a passion for blending neuroscience, somatic experiencing, attachment theory and creative practices to support others as they process and unpack cues from the subconscious. By using non-verbal forms of self- expression to explore, gain insight and make meaning of the metaphor and symbolism within psychedelic experiences, participants are able to gain additional understanding of themselves. Her passion is focused on empowering individuals through engagement in the creative process in order to gain understanding of the self and their experience, while providing support in the process of uncovering one’s innate healing intelligence.
Currently, Caterina is an integration provider within the Psychedelic.Support network and Contributing Artist for Women on Psychedelics. She continues to focus on increasing access to Psychedelic Art Therapy Integration while working towards EMDR Certification. She is also a professional member of the European Federation of Art therapy and the Jungian Art Therapist Association.

Shanika Sancroft
Operations Manager

Shanika Sancroft
Operations Manager
Shanika, a Treasure Beach local, is a trained social worker and a former employee of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in Jamaica. Shanika worked closely with the most vulnerable Jamaican populations, where she provided assessments, counseling and helped families cope with the challenges of living in a developing country.
Shanika also served as the Administrative Assistant at the Treasure Beach Destination Management Organization (DMO) a non-profit organization aiming to support the Treasure Beach community through the development of a sustainable and unique brand of ‘Community Tourism”. Through her training and passion for communal and personal wellness, Shanika is a cornerstone in our local outreach efforts in Treasure Beach and all of Jamaica.

Beccy Newman
Operations Manager

Beccy Newman
Operations Manager
Born and raised in the U.K., Beccy first joined MycoMeditations in 2019 as a facilitator. She was blown away to see the medicine in action and the positive effect it has on the lives of our guests.
After 2 years, she returned to work on our operations team. Beccy has many years of experience in hospitality and event planning and uses both her excellent logistics skills and naturally compassionate personality to give our guests the most comfortable and relaxing stay possible.
In addition to her work on the island with MycoMeditations, Beccy helps run a local charity called Likkle Swimmers, which teaches swimming lessons to members of our community of all ages free of charge.

Emilia Sabatowska
Therapist & Facilitator, LMHC

Emilia Sabatowska
Therapist & Facilitator, LMHC
Emilia is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in psychedelic integration and trauma-focused therapy. She uses mindfulness meditation and body-based approaches, to help clients access their healing potential. She has completed training in clinical hypnotherapy, ketamine assisted psychotherapy and various forms of meditation.
Emilia’s own experiences with psychedelics have fueled her commitment to supporting individuals who are exploring them for healing and personal growth. The transformation observed, both personally and in others, has been a big motivation for Emilia to do this work.
As an integration specialist, Emilia supports guests in processing any emotions and insights from the psilocybin sessions, to help facilitate lasting changes.
When not in Jamaica, Emilia manages a counseling practice focused on psychedelic education and support. She also enjoys travel and dance, as ways of nurturing her own personal growth.

Heba El Zoheery
Facilitator, M.Ed.

Heba El Zoheery
Facilitator, M.Ed.
Heba holds a Masters Degree of Education in School Counseling and a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Family Science. In addition to earning her two degrees, Heba has trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, focusing on trauma, depression and anxiety, and working with adolescents.
Heba has been with MycoMeditations since April 2021 and has continuously witnessed fundamental shifts in guests’ ways of being and thinking patterns. Through her time working with medicinal mushrooms, Heba recognizes the tremendous role that psilocybin continues to play in our evolution and feels honored to work with this medicine.
Outside of her time at MycoMeditations, Heba offers counseling services in Kingston, Jamaica. Heba also enjoys riding her bike, growing food, playing with her dogs, and listening to roots music.

Chris Nesbeth
Facilitator, MSc

Chris Nesbeth
Facilitator, MSc

Dan Such
Facilitator

Dan Such
Facilitator
Dan is one of the team’s more experienced facilitators. After starting out as a forager of culinary mushrooms in Ohio, he followed his intuition and began exploring psilocybin for his own healing, having struggled in the past with anxiety, addiction and existential angst. When Dan visited MycoMeditations as a guest in May 2018 it soon became apparent to the team that he possessed an exceptional ability to navigate the mushroom space. A relationship was soon established and Dan has been committed to assisting people on their psilocybin journeys ever since. Witnessing over a hundred people benefit from their retreats has reinforced his belief that psilocybin is a key tool for the planet’s wellbeing.
Dan is a gentle, grounding presence on retreats. He also brings his yoga experience to bear, helping individuals and groups keen to practice yoga in-between their psilocybin sessions and drawing from this knowledge during the facilitation process itself.

Shelly Uh
Facilitator, MSc

Shelly Uh
Facilitator, MSc
Shelly is a Master’s of Clinical Psychology candidate and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Sociology from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. She left her home country, Belize, in 2016 to pursue further education and training with the goal of going back home to help develop the mental health system. As a result, she continuously seeks out opportunities to learn and train in contemporary healing modalities.
Shelly joined the MycoMeditations team in 2022 as a facilitator, and her calm and compassionate nature has been an invaluable addition to the team ever since. While working with psilocybin mushrooms has allowed her to witness considerable transformations in guests’ long-held patterns of thinking and being. Shelly is honored to be working with psychedelic mushrooms and aims to work with other plant medicines in the near future.
Shelly also works as a therapist in Kingston, Jamaica and treats clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, suicidal behaviors, and childhood trauma. Shelly works from a collaborative, strengths-based approach and brings in her humor and authenticity in the therapy process.
Shelly enjoys practicing yoga, running, cooking Spanish food, and exploring the island.

Debbie Sostman
Facilitator

Debbie Sostman
Facilitator
Debbie is a holistically trained, and somatic-trauma informed psychedelic facilitator.
Through her clinical experience at Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center, Debbie holds a deep scientific foundation in the field of psychedelic medicine. Working as a professional trip-sitter and integration coach at Psychedelic Passage has led her to facilitating countless experiences across the United States. As the first legal psychedelic facilitation network in the nation, Debbie has been on the budding edge of cultivating highly intentional and personalized healing experiences with psychedelic medicine and trauma therapy. Her work facilitating high-dose psilocybin experiences at MycoMeditations has additionally provided her with an unparalleled experience with plant medicine, as well as a deep gratitude for the power of group therapy.
Trained in various modalities such as somatic trauma therapy, internal family systems, ashtanga yoga and mindfulness meditation, Debbie has gained a multi-disciplinary understanding of trauma, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and collective patterns within the human experience.
Outside of her work with plant medicine, Debbie is both a student and teacher of ashtanga yoga, an avid kundalini and breathwork practitioner, rock climber, hoop dancer, singer, and impassioned world traveler. She loves practicing the Spanish and Hebrew language, making jewelry, cooking plant-based meals, and most of all, laughing with her friends.

Armand LeComte
Facilitator

Armand LeComte
Facilitator
Armand is a mental health peer support specialist based in Portland, Oregon. He is passionate about helping others step into a more full, conscious, inspired life.
Armand is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran. Having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has seen how trauma and life circumstances drastically affect mental health. Having served in an infantry unit that suffered heavily from suicide, Armand experienced the shortcomings of the standard approach to mental health care. His own healing journey radically accelerated after his first encounter with psychedelics.
In addition to his work at MycoMeditations, Armand also works as a psychedelic integration coach for Heroic Hearts Project and is an ambassador of Veterans of War, both of which are non-profits dedicated to helping veterans heal through group plant medicine sessions.
He believes that the quality of our relationships plays a major role in the quality of our lives. It’s his mission to practice and teach healthy ways of communicating with and relating to ourselves and each other, thus fostering deeper, more loving, and more authentic relationships.

Tara Armour
Facilitator, MSc

Tara Armour
Facilitator, MSc
Tara is an Associate Psychologist and Psychosocial Advisor based in Kingston, Jamaica. After receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology in the U.S. and a Master’s of Science in Forensic Mental Health in the U.K., Tara decided to return to the Caribbean to pursue a Master’s of Science in Clinical Psychology at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. Her competence comes from her lived experience as much as her education, as it has always been important for her therapeutic practice to be holistic and culturally sensitive. Drawing from the modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Trauma-informed Therapy and other theoretical principles, Tara refines her treatment to the needs of each individual. She recognizes that every person has unique life experiences and stressors at the root of their distress, which also provide the opportunity for deeper insight, strength and resilience.
When not working with MycoMeditations, Tara practices individual therapy out of a private practice in Kingston. She has also provided Psycho-Social advising to not-for-profit organizations both regionally and internationally, and is passionate about sharing her insight in a variety of contexts. Tara also enjoys spending down time with her pets, practicing yoga, and traveling the world to explore new cultures and cuisine.

Marchell Burton
Nurse, BScN

Marchell Burton
Nurse, BScN
One of the newest team members, Marchell is registered nurse and a St. Elizabeth local. Marchell has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of the West Indies, Mona, where she recently graduated with First Class Honors.
Prior to joining MycoMeditations, Marchell worked with Optimacare Medical Company in Kingston, where she provided care in both general medical, and minor surgical procedures.
Throughout the course of her studies, her clinical rotations at the Bellevue Hospital and the University Hospital of the West Indies granted her the opportunity to work with and observe patients being treated for mental health issues, where contemporary psychiatric
services are provided.
Marchell has made a seamless transition here at MycoMeditations with both our guests and team. Her calm presence, pleasant persona, and down-to-earth nature make her the perfect addition to our team.

Dr. Janique Baldwin-Miller
Psychiatrist

Dr. Janique Baldwin-Miller
Psychiatrist
Dr. Baldwin-Miller is a graduate of the University of the West Indies. She earned the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB,BS) Degree and Doctor of Medicine in Psychiatry in 2011 and 2019 respectively. She has been employed by the Ministry of Health in Jamaica since 2011, which has led her to practice medicine in the primary and secondary care settings all across the island. Her special interests are in emergency psychiatry and psychiatry in the primary care setting.

Sidi Genus
Head of Cultivation

Sidi Genus
Head of Cultivation
Sidi is the Lead Cultivator for our sister company, Magnificent Mushrooms, and has been growing psilocybin mushrooms for over 5 years. Born and raised in Treasure Beach, Sidi was awarded an athletic scholarship to attend High School in the United States. From there, she went on to study nursing and criminology, and received her degree from Spring Hill College in Alabama.
Starting with MycoMeditations as a facilitator, Sidi realized her true passion and transitioned to cultivation full time in 2019. She has continued to broaden her knowledge and skillset by growing many types of mushrooms, including both psychedelic and gourmet strains.
Her training as a nurse gave her the skills to manage a spawn laboratory, taking on tasks such as sterile tissue culturing, spawn production and species cataloguing and identification.
Sidi’s passion for Mycology runs deep, and it shows in the quality of the mushrooms used on our retreats. She shows extreme pride in her work and is passionate about the healing the mushrooms bring to so many people.