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Practitioners Integration Retreat

Practitioners Integration Retreat

Over 15,000 students taught
Psychedelic Support has enrolled over 15,000 students in our free and paid courses! All proceeds from our paid courses have gone into funding more education and resources for the public around safe and ethical use of psychedelics in therapy and harm reduction.
Training Description

With the renaissance of psychedelic medicines, it’s important for practitioners to be familiar with how they work and, especially, how to support their client’s integration of their experience.

This 5-day retreat in majestic Big Sur, California, will provide experiential opportunities, integration practices, and practical information for practitioners seeking to deepen their connection and knowledge of psychedelic states. Practitioners will learn preparation for, holding space for, and integration of expanded states of awareness (ESA) while working with their own psycho-spiritual development. Experiential sessions include a low-dose oral or IM ketamine experience, breathwork, shamanic drum journey, art process, movement, ceremony, and group process work. Screening and intake for ketamine sessions are offered to participants through a medical provider.

Retreat attendees will have the option of an ongoing, year-long Growth Group where they engage in their personal unfoldment, commit to the group process, and learn skills to work with clients who request integration for expanded states of awareness. This may include ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) clients who work with a KAP-trained therapist for initial treatment and who need ongoing integration post-medicine sessions. While this training is not a training on psychedelic administration, it is a way to deepen skills-based training and can be taken before or after other didactic trainings.

Who is this retreat for?

This retreat is for both new and experienced clinicians, ketamine providers, psychedelic therapists, guides, healthcare professionals, integration coaches, and anyone supporting others after expanded states of awareness. Each retreat is limited to 12 participants. If you are not a practitioner, please check out this integration retreat open to all.

Training Curriculum
  • One low-dose subQ ketamine and one psychedelic dose IM ketamine session and integration
  • Experiential breathwork, shamanic drum journey, art process, movement, ceremony, and group process work 
  • Ceremony as set and setting, and for integration
  • Spiritual emergence vs psychotic breaks
  • Basics on the legal use of ketamine for mental health
  • Traditional psychotherapy vs integration
  • Respect for the client’s innate healing intelligence (inner healer)
  • Theories and methods that lend themselves well to integration
  • Using mythology vs “woundology” perceptual shift
  • Art for Access integration technique
  • 3 categories of a client’s psycho-spiritual center of gravity

Learning Objectives:

  • Distinguish 4 ways in which traditional psychotherapy and integration are different.
  • List 3 psychological theories/methods that lend themselves well to integration.
  • Apply the 8 steps of Jennifer’s Art for Access integration technique for integration.
  • List 3 bridge Integration practices.
  • List 3 ways art acts as a bridge to non-ordinary states of awareness.
  • Describe the relationship between Intention and Integration.
  • Apply 3 energy practices used in preparation.
  • Discern 3 unique characteristics of ketamine integration from other psychedelics.
  • List 4 considerations with group integration vs. 1:1.

About the Instructors:

Jennifer, a licensed therapist, and Micheal, PhD psychologist, are both full mesa-carriers and students of Andean and Amazonian Shamanism. Jennifer has had 25+ years of practicing psychotherapy, specializing in trauma and shifted her focus to Integration after receiving her Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy from California Institute of International Studies (2018). She began providing KAP services after her training in ketamine through the Ketamine Training Center (2019). Jennifer is a board-certified Art Therapist, is certified in Depth Hypnosis and a trained yoga teacher. After 19 years of practice as a Clinical Psychologist, Micheal combines the conventional perspectives of family systems, EMDR and IFS with modern psychedelic work. He has training in ketamine from Polaris, in integration from the first Clinician's Integration Retreat in 2019 and has participated in an ongoing Growth Group since, which is a self-led exploration of integration in a group format. Professional medical provider, Julie Vilardi, PMHNP, is trained in ketamine therapy, and will be present to administer the ketamine.

Location:

The retreats take place at Kayru Lodge – a beautiful, private yurt at a Big Sur residence (25 min from Carmel). It is highly encouraged to stay on the land for the full experience. Lodging options include a few paid private indoor options (additional cost), or camping on the land or sleeping bag space in the yurt (no cost). One healthy meal per day will be provided as well as coffee and tea. Participants will have access to an outdoor kitchen and outdoor bathroom with a hot shower. Hiking trails and Pacific Ocean views on site. Covid vaccinations/negative tests are recommended. Current safety precautions will be observed. 

Continuing Education (CE) option:

  • 40 hours of continuing education (CE) credits for an additional $79
  • Be sure to select the CE credit option when filling out the application.
  • Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance for your credits.
  • Psychedelic Support is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psychedelic Support maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • LCSWs, MFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance or to report a grievance, contact info@psychedelic.support   

Apply now to reserve your spot or to have your questions answered. Sign up here!

Meet your Training Instructors:
Jennifer Allen, LMFT, ATR-BC
Jennifer has been practicing as a licensed therapist and art therapist for 30 years, specializing in trauma and grief. She is the author of Boneknowing and a workshop & group facilitator. In 2018 she received a certificate from CIIS (California Institute for Integral Studies) in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and Research and completed KAP training (Ketamine Training Center). Currently, she specializes in KAP (ketamine-assisted psychotherapy) and the integration of expanded states of consciousness. She is a full mesa carrier and student of Shamanism and is trained in Depth Hypnosis and yoga. She currently offers clinician’s integration retreats and a variety of groups.
Jennifer Allen, LMFT, ATR-BC
Therapist
Bone Knowing
Michael Beck, PhD
Michael Beck, PhD has been a practicing psychologist for 19 years, and worked in mental health his entire adult life. From early work in AIDS services to homeless and chronic mentally ill clientele to a more recent focus on multi-generational trauma, his has always been a practical and syncretic approach. Trained in a conventional counseling psychology doctoral program and has long worked in Medi-Cal-financed programs, he led rather a double life. Michael is a mesa carrier, and an active student of expanded states of consciousness. He is thrilled to now openly combine the conventional perspectives of family systems, EMDR and IFS, with modern psychedelic work, and the animistic cosmos of Andean and Amazonian shamanism.
Michael Beck, PhD
Psychologist
Private Practice
Testimonials
My journey began immediately as I arrived on the land. I felt the potent medicine of the land and the facilitators, Jennifer and Cristin...The rituals, ceremonies, breath-work, drumming and being in community created a very rich tapestry and life-changing experience. A beautiful experience in every possible way.
Tricia Parrish, Participant in the Clinician's Integration Retreat 2024
It’s taken me a while to find words to describe how Jennifer’s workshop changed my life. Partly because I have been integrating what I learned as she diligently taught us to do. Now several months out, I can see that the amount of energy and love she put into the experience has reverberated into my life in powerful ways. The level of healing I achieved there was worth years and years of traditional therapy. Yes it was the ketamine that helped show me my own innate healing intelligence, but that would not have been possible without Jennifer’s tireless work to create such a sound, safe, nurturing environment. I am so grateful and in admiration of the gifts she is offering to others through these workshops, and I can genuinely say my life is and will be exponentially better due to this experience.
Terrah Graves, LCSW, Participant in the Clinician's Integration Retreat 2024
This 5-day experiential retreat surpassed my highest expectations. The curriculum was rich and rigorous, informed by multiple sources of knowledge. The “Art for Access”” techniques have added depth and creativity to my work with clients and have become part of my psychedelic integration toolkit. The experiential aspects of the training, including work with drum journey, ketamine, art and the Medicine Wheel deepened my understanding of the power of psychedelic therapy and the importance of ongoing integration practices. I highly recommend this retreat!
Merideth Bowen Shamszad, MFT, Participant in the Clinician's Integration Retreat 2024
Exquisite. The level of preparation, attention, and sincere care given by Jennifer, Cristin and Michael is difficult to express in words. From the moment you step onto this precious, mighty land to when it is time to leave and step into your transformed self, you will be held and witnessed in a way never before. Throughout this gentle but powerful process, you will learn to trust your inner Self and tap into your own skills to build up tolerance for new growth for continued evolution. You will leave with new faith in yourself, and in your clients that they will break through the chrysalis!
Paloma, Participant in the Clinician's Integration Retreat 2024
This retreat lives at the true heart of the psychedelic journey. Jennifer and the whole team are living tenders of non-ordinary experiences that expertly guide the small group to go deep and explore widely. They experientially and transformatively teach the ritual, ceremonial, and shamanic art of psychedelic practices and integration in a safe, reflective, evidence-informed and beautiful way. Highest recommendation for any other MDs or clinicians to step into their own personal experience and to really know the richness of psychedelic healing processes.
Justin Laube, MD, Participant in the Clinician's Integration Retreat 2024
Extra Info

2025 Retreat Date Options:

  • May 1, 2025 to May 5, 2025
  • July 24, 2025 to July 28, 2025
  • September 4, 2025 to September 8, 2025

Pricing Options:

  • The 5-day retreat is $1,890
  • Early bird discount of $100 if full payment is made by 3 months before the start date.
  • Payment and deposit instructions are provided after the application has been confirmed.
  • Complete payment is due 2 months prior to the retreat start date. 
  • Ketamine Medical Provider's charge is separate ($375 additional fee).
  • Earn 40 hours of continuing education (CE) credits ($79 additional fee, optional).

Cancellation Policy:

The $200 deposit is non-refundable. Participants need to cancel up to 2 weeks in advance to receive a 75% refund. If canceled after the 2-week-in-advance period, they can use the credit for future training or receive a 50% refund (minus the $200 deposit). 

2024 Dates:

  • June 20, 2024 to June 24, 2024 (sold out)
  • July 25, 2024 to July 29, 2024 (sold out)
  • September 12, 2024 to September 16, 2024 (sold out)