Atman Psychedelic Retreat
& VITAL Training
An Educational & Experiential Psilocybin Training in Jamaica
September 28-October 3, 2023
September 28-October 3, 2023
Atman Psychedelic Retreat
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Jamaica is one of the few countries in the world where psilocybin mushrooms are legal, which is why we've chosen it to host our retreats.
Experience psilocybin for yourself, and practice holding space for another journeyer on this practitioner training retreat.
The benefits of psilocybin have been studied at universities like Johns Hopkins, NYU, and Imperial College London.
The Atman Retreat venue is a beautiful and historic 18th-century property situated on the shores of the Montego Bay Lagoon, a large saltwater inlet of the Caribbean Sea.
We’ll pick you up at the airport and it’s a short drive to the villa. You’ll have time to unpack your bags, settle in, and get a feel for the space. Have a snack, enjoy the ocean view, and start meeting others in your group.
Through a combination of novel, fun and intuitive activities, you’ll get to know the facilitators and other members of your group. You’ll be briefed on what to expect from the retreat, and have check-in time with a facilitator throughout.
You'll partner up and half the group will journey on the second day, with the other half holding space. The music, physical space and atmosphere are curated to deepen and enhance the psychedelic experience. You’ll also have access to outdoor nature and the beach after the experience.
The following morning, we'll do group integration activities after breakfast. Then we'll take a visit to our local mushroom suppliers, where you'll learn about the different stages of mushroom cultivation. You’ll also have time to yourself to read, write, or just enjoy the tropical weather.
You'll partner up and the other half of the group will journey on the fourth day, with the others holding space. The music, physical space and atmosphere are curated to deepen and enhance the psychedelic experience. You’ll also have access to outdoor nature and the beach after the experience.
The following day is spent resting, processing, and integrating. Here you’ll be guided through exercises to explore and apply the insights you’ve gained. We might do yoga or meditation as a group, and you’ll have time to yourself to read, write, or just enjoy the tropical weather.
On the last day, we’ll take you back to the airport for your flight home. You’ll be provided with a farewell package of integration materials, and you’re invited to stay in touch with your group members online. There will be group integration calls scheduled in the following weeks, and Kairos Integration is available for further 1:1 integration support.
Lead Facilitator, Kairos Integration
Carla Kieffer is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) trained, certified Psychedelic Practitioner and Psychedelic Educator that provides preparation, facilitation, integration, microdosing support, and experiential Psychedelic Guide training services.
She is a member of the Association of Entheogenic Practitioners and utilizes those guidelines in her approach and trainings.
Carla is the founder of Kairos Integration, a company committed to providing safer, supportive, and transformative harm reduction and IFS informed preparation, facilitation, and integration services to those that choose to explore non-ordinary states.
She has witnessed and supported the changes that psychedelic assisted healing and transformation can bring. It is her honor to support people in discovering that the power of healing and transformation lies within them; and that they, themselves, are the medicine.
She creates containers to support those who are curious about, planning on, or have previously explored non-ordinary states of consciousness; allowing for a safe space to explore options, clarify intentions, learn tools for self-care and navigation, and process the experience.
Carla provides psychedelic preparation and integration support, facilitate journeys in containers where the work is allowed, support clients during and after ketamine infusions, consults with groups that promote psychedelic advocacy and education, consults with retreat centers, advises companies, and is Community Liaison for a software platform supporting psychedelic research.
She believes in accessibility and supports many populations, including Veterans and First Responders with PTSI; first time journeyers, entrepreneurs; creatives; and those new to non ordinary states of consciousness; as well as those that choose traditional modalities to create change in their lives.
She believes in leveraging the powers of entheogens to support individuals stepping into their power in order to live an integral, purpose driven, and joyful life; thereby aligning with their highest vision of who they really are. She is honored to support those that choose this path; and believes that when people are healing themselves, they are healing the world.
Learn more about Carla here.
Founder, Atman Retreat
Over the past dozen years through personal experience, anecdotal evidence, and a growing body of scientific research, it’s become clear to me that psychedelics are uniquely powerful tools for creating profound, positive change in people’s lives.
Psychedelics have long played an important role in my own life. I had my first psilocybin experience at 16, and it deeply shifted my sense of self worth as a young person. Further psychedelic experiences through my later teens and early twenties helped me solve personal problems, improve relationships, and provided me with insights into the world and the nature of my own mind I otherwise never would have had.
Towards the end of my undergraduate degree at McGill University, I discovered psychedelic research, in particular the MAPS MDMA trials and psilocybin studies at Johns Hopkins. The prospect of a level-headed, evidence-based return of psychedelics to our culture was incredibly exciting. What good luck, I thought, to be alive right at the time of the “psychedelic renaissance”.
After university I spent three years travelling, living abroad, and working remotely. During this time I’d write about personal development, spirituality, and psychedelics on my blog, Freedom and Fulfilment, which has now reached almost a million people worldwide. My interest in psychedelics grew over this time, along with the belief that increasing access to high quality psychedelic experiences could be deeply impactful in a positive way.
In mid-2018, I started putting together the pieces of what would become Atman Retreat. I’m fortunate enough to have had support from some very smart, competent people, and to have found an exceptional group of facilitators along the way. We’re honored to offer the opportunity for people to explore the full potential of psychedelics in a safe, legal way.
Today I’m based in Toronto, Canada. I’m also a regular meditator, and have been practicing for over 9 years. Other interests include applied ethics, personality psychology, transpersonal psychology, yoga, and nonduality.
Thanks for visiting, and we hope to see you soon on a retreat!
Doctor on call
Justin is the covering physician (doctor on call) for Atman Retreat, available throughout our psilocybin sessions. He practices general medicine as a medical officer at St. James Public Health Services and Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Justin received his MB,BS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica.
Medical Advisor
Alex advises on safety practices and provides input on the participant intake process for Atman Retreat. His main professional interests are addiction medicine and longterm patient relationships, and he is excited about developments in both clinical and non-clinical applications of psychedelics. Alex received his MD from the NYU School of Medicine, and holds a BSc from McGill University.
CEO + Founder, Prasada
With Prasada, Alice and her team create 360 degrees of workplace wholebeing. Drawing on her background in architecture, exhibit design, storytelling, human resources, positive psychology, yoga, and mindfulness, she brings ease and beauty to the workplace, often finding simple, elegant approaches to challenges. She works closely with HR professionals and executive teams to plan and design programs that support corporate cultures where people can thrive.
Clients are unanimous in their praise of Alice’s commitment to helping them solve problems. Her corporate professionalism and ability to truly connect with people provide a comfortable environment for exploring and building wholebeing practices. Her biggest passion is designing ways for groups to gather for exceptional experiences to connect, collaborate, and thrive.
Alice received a Certificate of Completion with Psychedelics Today’s Vital: Psychedelics Therapies and Integration Program in April 2023.
Psychedelics Today Co-Founder and VP of Education and Training
Kyle’s interest in exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness began when he was 16-years-old when he suffered a traumatic snowboarding accident. Waking up after having a near-death experience changed Kyle’s life. Since then, Kyle has earned his B.A. in Transpersonal Psychology, where he studied the healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness by exploring shamanism, plant medicine, Holotropic Breathwork, and the roots/benefits of psychedelic psychotherapy. Kyle has co-taught two college-level courses. One of the courses Kyle created as a capstone project, “Stanislav Grof’s Psychology of Extraordinary Experiences,” and the other one which he co-created, “The History of Psychedelics.”
Kyle completed his M.S. in clinical mental health counseling with an emphasis in somatic psychology. Kyle’s clinical background in mental health consists of working with at-risk teenagers in crisis and with individuals experiencing an early episode of psychosis. Kyle also facilitates Transpersonal Breathwork workshops.
Psychedelics Today Coordinator of Education and Training
Johanna is the Coordinator of Education and Training for Vital at Psychedelics Today and is also pursuing a part-time Ph.D. at the University of Exeter in Philosophy. She wrote her Master’s dissertation on Jung's Red Book during an internship at Fundacion Vocacion Humana, a Jungian center in Buenos Aires. She has taught a course on the interlink between Depth Psychology and the psychedelic experience, offered by ‘Psychedelics Today’ forum. Her interests include Transpersonal Psychology, Ecopsychology, Holotropic Breathwork, Process philosophy, and Western Esotericism. She has served as a board member of Dreamshadow Breathwork Inc for a number of years.
Complete and submit the application form. Once the form is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your responses.
We'll send you an email from hello@atmanretreat.com with a link to submit a deposit, titled "Submit your deposit for the How to attend the Atman Psychedelic Retreat & VITAL Training!" If you don't see it, please check your spam folder.
Once the deposit is submitted, you'll receive an email with a link to schedule an intake call with Carla, one of our facilitators.
After the intake call, you'll receive another email with a link to pay your remaining balance.
Once the remaining balance is paid, you'll receive a preparation package with resources, travel guidelines, a retreat schedule, and more. Then you can book your flights, and we'll see you in Jamaica!