How to join the retreat

We are delighted to collaborate with Mind Medicine Australia to offer a unique retreat for health practitioners training in  psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Join us from July 22-26 for this transformative training retreat, which combines an immersive psychedelic experience with learning sessions. This retreat provides a robust educational and experiential foundation for those already training or working in the psychedelic space, enhancing their ability to guide others through similar journeys.

Expertly held by the team who pioneered psychedelic-assisted retreats in Europe, the program follows the comprehensive Alalaho framework. It includes a psilocybin ceremony, ample preparation and integration support, and various embodied and contemplative practices, ensuring a safe and holistic experience.

Facilitation Team: 

  • Jennifer Tessler: Alalaho founder, transpersonal psychotherapist, and long-term meditator, bringing years of expertise in guiding transformative experiences
  • Dr Lauren Macdonald: Experienced in clinical trials at Imperial College, currently training Australian health practitioners in psychedelic-assisted therapy
  • Jamie Richards: One of Alalaho’s most experienced Lead facilitators, who also oversees our screening and safety protocols, and has extensive experience guiding 1:1 psychedelic sessions
  • Sam Shutte: One of the most senior members of the Alalaho team, a psychotherapist extensively involved in clinical trials, including with other psychedelics such as iboga

 

Follow the steps below to secure your spot. 

Step 1. Schedule your intake call

Book a 30-40 minute intake call to secure your spot on your chosen date. This call is an opportunity to jointly explore whether participating in a group psychedelic ceremony is the right decision for you at this point in your life.

You will be asked to pay a non-refundable 300€ deposit, to be credited towards the overall cost of your retreat package. If for whatever reason you decide to withdraw your application, your deposit will not be refunded. If for health reasons your application cannot be accepted, we will however issue a partial refund – this being the total amount paid minus a 20€ processing fee.

⚠️ Contraindications:

  • Alalaho does not provide therapeutic or clinical support and can only safely hold space for participants in good mental and physical health.
  • Reasons for not being able to participate in our retreats include serious cardiovascular (e.g. recent stroke or heart attack) or neurological issues (e.g. epilepsy or brain trauma), use of antidepressant (e.g. SSRI/TCA), mood stabilising (e.g. lithium) or antipsychotic (e.g. Abilify) medications or significant mental health difficulties (e.g. psychosis, bipolar disorder, personality disorder).

These conditions and medications pose additional risks, do not combine well with psilocybin-containing truffles and may produce potentially dangerous situations that are beyond the scope of what can be safely managed in a group retreat setting.

If in doubt, please get in touch with jennifer@alalaho.org before paying your deposit. 

 

 

Step 2. Submit an application

In your Calendly confirmation email, you’ll find a link to our application form. It is vital to submit this form prior to your intake call.

The information you provide is crucial for us to effectively prepare for our discussion and ensure your safety and wellbeing throughout your journey with us.

 

 

Step 3. Complete your reservation with balance payment

Upon approval of your application, we will provide you with a payment link to settle the balance and complete your reservation. Please note that payment plans are available to accommodate your needs.

In the event that your application is not accepted for any reason related to health, safety, or suitability, we will issue a full refund of your deposit, minus a 20€ processing fee.

Private rooms are available for 75€ – 150€ extra per night (limited availability). 

 

 

Step 4. Embark on your preparation journey

The magic starts here! In the weeks leading up to the retreat, we will equip you with an array of preparatory materials. This will include videos to watch, a selection of recommended readings, helpful preparation suggestions, and a two-week program of daily inquiries and exercises designed to enhance your retreat experience.

We will also send you the dates for your group preparation and integration calls. These sessions are a vital opportunity to connect with your fellow participants and lead facilitator, fostering a sense of connectedness and shared purpose as you embark on this transformative journey together.

 

Book retreat

 

For guidance or assistance at any point, please feel free to contact Jennifer at jennifer@alalaho.org. We’re here to support you every step of the way.

Truly nothing short of a transformational experience. What was so impressive was how well the retreat was curated. From the initial application call, I could tell how genuine, kind and supportive the facilitators were. During the retreat, the complementary practices and exercises were equally as meaningful as the psychedelic journey itself! The venue was a very magical location, well kept and clean/tidy. A pleasant surprise was how great the food was as well! All in all an exceptional 5 days in the Netherlands, and I would not hesitate to recommend to friends and I would attend again in the future!! Aaron, October 2023

The retreat was beautiful, nourishing and inspiring. I felt safe, looked after and cared for by the team through the week. Every aspect of the retreat, from the pre-retreat preparation journaling and zoom call through to the psychedelic experience and integration work was so thoughtfully and skilfully planned. The venue, the facilitators and the care for every detail meant that I had the most supportive, meaningful and magical first experience with psychedelics. Maddy, February 2023

Alalaho’s retreat was of the most transformative, deep, insightful and healing experiences of my life and overall one of the best experiences of my life. The keys to the experience were the facilitators, who made us all feel safe and open, the group, full of amazing individuals keen to open up and show a vulnerability that takes a great deal of strength to display, and the venue itself, that was inspiring and just perfect for the experience we were living. Sonia, October 2023

The most wonderful (serious) introduction to the world of psychedelics that I could hope for. And the beginning of an exciting journey. Marjolaine, November 2022

The retreat was a wonderful and life changing experience. The two full days of integration were invaluable. I guess my expectation before the retreat was that the ceremony would be pretty much everything and the integration days would be just a nice extra, but it turned out to be the other way around.

I felt safe and supported at all times. The care and love that the facilitators put into their work was amazing.

The connection that I made with the group was unbelievable. I’m usually quite introverted and tend to struggle in social situations, but I felt a connection with the group since the very first day, and sharing this experience with them made all the difference. Ben, June 2023