Jayne Gumpel, LCSW (she/her/hers) is a psychotherapist, trainer, and teacher with 30 years of experience working with couples, individuals, and groups in New York City and Woodstock, NY. Jayne is a professional clinical trainer in Psychedelic Integration Psychotherapy, is a member of the Woodstock Therapy Center’s Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) team, and has completed MDMA-assisted psychotherapy training through the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Jayne describes meditation as a core life practice, is a teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and she includes mindfulness practice as a foundation of her work with clients. She is additionally trained in Imago Relationship Therapy and Gestalt Psychotherapy. Jayne is a co-founder of accessmindfulness.org, a 501c3, along with her son David. Her passion is supporting clients on their journey towards inner wisdom and healing from trauma to have more rich and satisfying lives and relationships.
David Gumpel, Co-founder of Relationship Resources, is an Integral Master Coach and a qualified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through UMASS medical school. He completed his MA in Psychology at The New School for Social Research. David is the co-founder of Access Mindfulness and was a study coordinator for the MAPS sponsored MDMA-Assisted Therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder study in NYC. As Director of Operations at Fluence, David provides guidance to Fluence trainers, leads experiential trainings and ensures the successful implementation of Fluence’s many offerings. As a coach, David teaches mindfulness to clients in private practice and to groups in corporate settings.
Irina is a board certified Internal Medicine physician and LGBTQ+ health and HIV specialist whose integrative medicine practice, Contemplative Medicine, focuses at the intersection of physical illness, emotional trauma, and spirituality. Irina has supplemented her rigorous medical education with training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy with Drs. Phil Wolfson and Bessel van der Kolk, Internal Family Systems Therapy (Level 1), Core Energetics (a somatic psychotherapy modality), and over a decade of Vipassana meditation practice.
Irina grew up in the former Soviet Union in a family deeply burdened with mental illness, violence, and post-Holocaust trauma. Her own healing journey via somatic trauma therapy, Vipassana meditation, and psychedelic-assisted therapy in the US and the Peruvian Amazon opened her eyes to the complex nature of health and illness - complexity reaching far beyond her Western medical education. Irina has come to regard most illness as the body’s attempt to communicate, in an increasingly insistent voice, deep-seated imbalances within. Her clinical approach is one of deep listening and root-level healing of the body, mind, spirit, and ancestry. Irina speaks multiple languages and is passionate about bringing multi-dimensional, tailored healing to individuals, groups, and communities, with a primary focus on populations deeply impacted by systemic violence, poverty, and ancestral trauma.
Irina is an avid hiker, mushroom forager, and adventurer who splits her time between the Hudson Valley and Brooklyn.
Details of this retreat
A Ketamine-Assisted Retreat for Couples
This retreat offers a safe, structured environment where couples can deeply celebrate the nuances of their relationship, including aspects of joy and intimacy. Participants will learn to understand each other’s needs and navigate challenges collaboratively. The retreat emphasizes cultivating an intimate bond through what we refer to as noble communication—clear and compassionate exchanges that lay the foundation for healthy relationships. By developing these communication skills, couples can enhance their connection, leading to greater joy and a deeper sense of unity.
Ketamine is utilized here as a tool to explore profound existential realms, facilitating open and loving communication. Joy, seen as a core aspect of our being, when unblocked, enhances not only our intimacy but also our overall health and happiness. Ketamine-assisted sessions are designed to open mental, emotional, and physical channels, allowing participants to connect with these aspects in a clear, insightful, and accepting way. The retreat also integrates mindfulness and meditation, crucial for regulating emotions and thoughts and fostering the ability to face each moment with balance and grace.
The program is designed to deepen personal and interpersonal connections within a group setting. Structured, meaningful conversations and guided practices help explore relationship and intimacy in this nurturing environment. No prior experience with psychedelic medicines or ketamine is required, and all participants begin with a screening call to ensure the retreat is a suitable fit. The combination of ketamine with mindfulness and meditation offers a profound journey into a more conscious and purposeful life. These practices aim to reconnect participants with themselves, enhancing safety, resilience, and vitality in their lives. With an innate capacity for presence, compassion, and recognition of joy's healing power, the retreat emphasizes safety and preparedness for all participants to engage meaningfully with the group and the experiences offered.
Please note: This retreat is by application only and is not a short-term residential treatment and is unsuitable for anyone experiencing an acute mental health crisis or those with severe, persistent psychiatric conditions. This retreat is not meant as mediation for those considering a breakup or divorce.
Schedule:
Thursday, April 23
Optional early arrival to schedule spa treatment
4 - 6 pm Check-in starts
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7- 9 pm Evening Program
Friday, April 24
7:15 - 8 am Meditation and Yoga (optional)
8 - 9:30 am Check-in & Opening program *no breakfast
9:30 -10 am Meeting the medicine
10 am - 12:30 pm Ketamine Session
12:30 - 1 pm Lunch
1 - 3 pm BREAK (book a massage or spa treatment!)
3:30 - 5:30 PM Afternoon program
6 - 7 pm Dinner.
7 -9 pm Evening Workshop
9 - 10 pm Bonfire (weather permitting)
Saturday, April 25
7:15 -8:30 am Meditation and Yoga (optional).
8:30 - 10 am Morning Program - *no breakfast.
10 am - 12:30 pm Ketamine Session
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch.
1:30 - 3:30 pm BREAK (book a massage or spa treatment!).
3:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon program
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7 - 9 pm Evening workshop
9 - 10 pm Night activity
Sunday, April 26
7:15 -8 am Meditation and Yoga (optional).
8 - 9 am *Check out of rooms before program starts
9 - 11 am Ketamine Session (optional)
11 am - 12:30 pm Group Process
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
2 pm Group Activity
3 pm End of program
*Please note that this schedule is subject to change at any time.
Getting Here
Menla, 375 Panterkill Road PO Box 70 Phoenicia, NY 12464 United States
Accommodation
Deluxe King
Deluxe King Room with King Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This Space is not ADA compliant.
Deluxe King Rooms are Available only in Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Queen
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Double (Shared Room)
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Size Beds and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Private Bathrooms are Located in the Lhasa Inn
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Customer Reviews
4.75 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
An amazing experience, as always!
Menla impresses me year after year. The feeling is like none other. Spiritual, safe, calm, even when the outer world is chaos. The staff are not just friendly, but make Menla feel at home and the event seamless, no matter the weather or obstacles that seem to pop up. My members had an incredible experience. We will continue to come back year after year to host the retreat in this magical place!
5.0
Verified
An Awesome Retreat Experience for mind and body
I went into IGNITING 2026: Light the Fire of Joy through Compassion at the Menla Institute thinking it would be “nice.” It ended up being so much more than I expected - one of those retreats that leaves you feeling genuinely lighter, more grounded, and strangely energized in the best way.
Food: Truly ah-mazing. Since it was vegan and gluten-free, I was expecting it to be… fine. Instead, everything was full of flavor, thoughtfully prepared, and satisfying. And the desserts at dinner? Honestly, a highlight on their own.
Dr. Bob Thurman: The star of the show. Every one of us LOVED his talks. He’s wildly knowledgeable, sharp, and somehow manages to make profound teachings feel totally alive and accessible. Also: he is hilarious. We were completely locked in listening to him - equal parts learning and laughing.
Yoga (Michele Loew): I loved Michele’s classes. She guided the whole group through a beautiful sequence - warm-up, deep stretching, and meditation - in a way that felt supportive and skillful. Her Yoga Nidra was especially powerful, and having Arjun join for the sound bath made it even more immersive.
Krishna Das: Forever the best. He’s the reason we showed up - and he delivered that heart-opening magic he always does. What I didn’t expect was how much I’d also love Michele and Dr. Thurman. This retreat wasn’t just “Krishna Das + extras” - it felt like a complete, beautifully balanced experience.
Marina Abramović: What a soul. Hearing her story - where she came from, what she endured, and how she continues to transform - was deeply moving. She carries a kind of strength and honesty that makes you reflect on your own life in a meaningful way.
Gratitude: Special thanks to Piotr for the tech setup. He was fantastic - calm, capable, and it made everything run smoothly.
Overall, this retreat felt like a real New Year reset - a blend of dharma, movement, music, and reflection that actually lands in your body and your life. I left with more joy, more clarity, and a very full heart.
5.0
Verified
Delighted and Ignited!
Everything was wonderful. The lodging, (Eva's cabin), the amazing food, and especially, everyone who works there, soul food on every level. Michelle's yoga and yoga nidra were unexpected highlights for me. She is emobodied wisdom. Can't imagine this retreat without her. I loved yoga with John Campbell of course--it would be wonderful to have both!!! Like she could do morning and he could have afternoon offering? The yoga nidra and soundscape were very powerful and transformational. Of course, Bob Thurman is a delight and central. The kirtan was so nourishing and pure pleasure. I am just awed by the experience that was created. Divine abundance. The part that couldn't be "controlled" of course by Menla, is the other retreaters--and my fellow passengers were so wise, funny, earnest, kind, considerate, adult--exactly who would be drawn to such an event, at that time, as I had hoped. Did I mention how amazing Michelle is :-)?
5.0
Verified
Menla is a warm supportive space for personal growth and transformation
Everyone at Menla is devoted to provided a supportive space for personal growth. I am deeply grateful. And, the food is delicious.
5.0
Verified
Healty Place with nice peoples and magical nature. Rejouvinate and
Rejuvenating and restorative.Well equipped. Excellent food. Competent staff.
Select your options
Available Dates
April 23 - 26, 2026
Select a Room
Deluxe King
$1,352.00
Deluxe King Room with King Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This Space is not ADA compliant.
Deluxe King Rooms are Available only in Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Queen
$1,145.00
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Deluxe Double (Shared Room)
$902.00
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Size Beds and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Private Bathrooms are Located in the Lhasa Inn
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Cameron's Staff Pick
Verified
Meditation
Spirituality
Yoga
Plant Medicine
