Heart Expansion Retreat (MDMA) in Vancouver

Michael Oliver is a community builder and psychedelic facilitator based in Vancouver BC. Since graduating with a degree in Cognitive Systems from UBC, Michael has focussed his work in advancing psychedelics. In 2020, he co-founded [The Flying Sage](https://theflyingsage.ca/), a psychedelic community and apparel brand on a mission to democratize transcendence. Michael also served as the Volunteer Coordinator and Executive Assistant for [MAPS Canada](https://mapscanada.org/) for 3 years. Michael has experimented with psychedelics for several years has had the honor and privilege of working with multiple different medicines in ceremonial, therapeutic and recreational contexts. Since a young age, Michael has seen the transformative power of psychedelic substances as a tool for personal growth and has witnessed firsthand how these amazing medicines can allow us to heal, transform and connect. Through his own practice as a facilitator of these sacred medicines, Michael seeks to offer transformative experiences to leaders, entrepreneurs and change makers who are seeking to self-actualize and step into their own transformative leadership journey.

Gabrielle Bachand is a dedicated advocate for unlocking the transformative potential of psychedelics, offering guidance in both microdosing and macrodosing practices. With her wealth of experience, Gabrielle has guided countless individuals towards making informed choices about microdosing psychedelics through her work at Zoomers, a pioneering psilocybin dispensary in Canada. She is a devotional carrier of her plant ally, Tabacco. With a profound personal connection to serving hapé medicine and communing with plant wisdom, she honors and draws wisdom from the sacred traditions embedded in these practices. Additionally, she facilitates medicine ceremonies involving psilocybin, mdma, and 5-MEO with Legacy Journeys. Gabrielle's facilitation approach is firmly rooted in the principles of autonomy, informed consent, and safety. She is expanding her dedication to Somatic Embodiment and currently advancing her skills through a Breathwork Level 2 program. Committed to continuous growth, she seeks to broaden her expertise in Conscious Connected Breathwork, deepening her understanding of the mind-body connection and its significance in the psychedelic experience. Beyond her commitment to psychedelics, Gabrielle indulges her artistic side through collaboration with Looking Glass Designs, passionately creating art. She also explores her talents as a model, embracing creative expression in various forms. Gabrielle Bachand is dedicated to empowering individuals on their personal journeys, providing profound insights and compassionate guidance to facilitate transformative experiences reminding one of their own inner healer.

Mehran is a trauma-informed MDMA-assisted psychotherapist based in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples now known as the city of Vancouver. He is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), and Certified Practitioner of Compassionate Inquiry (developed by Gabor Maté). He is a graduate of the Integral Counseling Psychology and Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research programs at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He is also trained in Somatic Experiencing and Holotropic Breathwork, and in his work with clients, invites a holistic and somatic (body-centered) approach, while looking through a biopsychosocial-spiritual lens.