About this Retreat
Cecile is a dedicated psychedelic activist with over a 10 years of involment in the field of psychedelic therapy and research.
Extensive personal exploration with mushrooms and Ayahuasca gradually taught her to leave the realm of the mind and enter that of the heart, to go from seeking transcendance to embodying loving presence, and to live a life of service and community. Plant medicine has helped Cecile to come to terms with a rare genetic condition she was born with, to recover from depression and anxiety and to cultivate a passion for life and for fulfilling relationships with others. It is from this embodied place of self-healing that she holds space for others.
Cecile holds a Bsc in Neuroscence from King’s College London and a Masters in Public Health from Charite Medical University in Berlin, and is currently starting a Phd Project researching the integration of plant medicine into an indigenous mental health clinic in Mexico. Her experience spans 10 years of psychedelic activism, practice and research, collaborating with established institutions, indigenous practicionners and at the community level.
From receiving her foundational training in psilocybin therapy in the Netherlands with Truffles Therapy in 2019, to 5 years of research work with the Takiwasi center, an ayahuasca addiction treatment clinic in Peru, and to an ongoing mentorship relationship with the Nierika Intercultural Medicine center in Mexico and to volunteering in psychedelic emergency care in festivals with Kosmicare, Cecile has a thirst for knowledge and is perpetually learning to improve her practice and support the causes she believes in. She has also published research on Ayahuasca and Amazonian medicine and teaches about psychedelic therapy in Charité University on the Alcohol and Substance Use disorder programme.
She coordinates the group and private retreat programmes in Coração Medicina with her experience spanning caring for people in hundreds of mushroom journeys over the last four years.
Cecile has sat in many dozens of ceremonies, went on self led vision quests and maintains a regular meditation practice. She strives to embody the qualities and values that the medicines has brought to her life: responsability, reciprocity, compassion and harmony with the natural world.
A firm believer in giving access to heartfelt, professional and affordable psychedelic experiences to those who may benefit from them, she founded Coração Medicina with a vision of service, love, and connection.
Details of this retreat
For those who wish to have an experience with psilocybin mushrooms in a context that allows for more privacy and flexibility, we offer 1 on 1 sessions year-round in Portugal.
Come and relax in the pristine nature of the Serra da Estrela mountains, with gorgeous mountains views, rock pools and clear rivers to swim in, old stone farmhouses and peaceful sunsets.
The natural environment and friendly retreat center owners will help you wind down and tune in for your inner journey with the mushrooms.
Private sessions allow you to have undivided care and attention from your guide. Newcomers to psychedelic journeying, those who have a more serious history of mental health challenges, or individuals who may feel they are likely to get distracted in a group setting may benefit from the sense of individual focus that these sessions bring.
During the preparation and integration day, you will have the chance to review your intentions, expectations, hopes and fears with your guide, and will receive personalised guidance on how to set yourself in a mindframe most conducive to the healing you came to seek.
With a 5 days retreat, you have the possibility to experience 2 private mushroom ceremonies, while having plenty of time to wind down, tune in and absorb the peaceful surroundings.
Having two ceremonies can be especially useful when working on specific themes or for beginners in psychedelic journeying. It also give you more time to receive guidance and support from your facilitator.
The private setting also allows for a more person-centered approach to the ceremonial work: one-on-one work allows verbal interaction, prompting, reflection and note taking. Personal rituals, moments of somatic of vocal release, or times of connection with nature can also be weaved into the ceremony, and the preparation and integration support is completely personalised.
Finally, attending a private retreat with a partner, close friend of family member can be an opportunity for to share a deeply meaningful moments of connection and healing with the people we love.
Typically, the work during a private session unfolds over three days:
Day 1: Arrival and orientation, nature walk, preparation and intention setting
Day 2: Mindfulness practice, preparation and guided ceremony
Day 3: Ceremony debrief & integration, nature walk
Day 4: Second ceremony
Day 5: Integration, wrap up and goodbyes.
If you would like to have more information regarding private retreats, or if you wish to have a retreat specially organised for you or for a group, we would be happy to hear from you ! You can also contact us by email at coracaomedicina@protonmail.com, or have a look at our website for further information and testimonials from previous participants:
http://coracao-medicina.com/ (15% off when you book through our website)
Please get in touch with us before making a booking drectly through retreat guru, since we need to check our availability.