5.0
Verified
return to the heart
I had another wonderful weekend retreat with Irina Devi at Menla - one of my favorite retreat places !
Breath As Medicine: Connecting to the Healer Within - A Holotropic Breathwork Workshop
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Top Rated
Breath As Medicine: Connecting to the Healer Within - A Holotropic Breathwork Workshop
4.8056 reviews
375 Panterkill Road PO Box 70 Phoenicia, NY 12464 United States
October 4 - 7, 2026
About this Retreat
Dr. Laurane McGlynn, PsyD is a clinical psychologist who integrates mind/body medicine, psychotherapy, mindfulness, meditation, Holotropic Breathwork, nature- based practices and functional medicine to support healing and transformation. She holds doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy and Masters degrees in Counseling Psychology and Child and Adolescent Therapy.
Dr, McGlynn has devoted the past 25 years to working as a clinical psychologist, helping and supporting others who have been managing psychological and medical issues. She specializes in working with individuals with trauma, chronic medical illnesses and cancer but her work spans the whole spectrum of human experience.
She has advanced training and certifications in mindfulness-based stress reduction, somatic resourcing, Vipassana meditation, Family Systems Therapy, Past-Life Regression and Health Psychology. In 2025, she completed training in Mind/Body medicine from Harvard Medical School. In addition, she is currently enrolled in a Masters program in Integrative Medicine.
Laurane has earned licensure as a psychologist in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. She is the Director of the A Healing Space - A Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness in Pennsylvania. She was certified as a Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator in 2015. Laurane received her Holotropic Breathwork training directly from Stan Grof, MD and the late Tav Sparks, former Director of Grof Transpersonal Training. Her work is heart-centered, compassionate, intuitive and empowering.
Dr. McGlynn offers Holotropic Breathwork workshops throughout the United States and Canada to private groups. organizations, educational institutions, spiritual and religious groups, medical schools, psychedelic-assisted therapy program. Publications: Opening Inward: A Collection of poetry from the Inner World of Holotropic Breathwork Paperback – May 3, 2018. Available through Amazon.com.
www.drlauranemcglynn.com
Stephenie Purnell, Founder of Spiritus8 ®, is a certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator, Trance Movement™ practitioner, and expert in the use of expanded states of consciousness for healing addiction. Sober since 2010, she credits her recovery to Holotropic Breathwork®, which succeeded where traditional approaches — including AA, therapy, and treatment — could not. For her, Holotropic Breathwork® served as a reorganizing psychospiritual principle, creating new neuropathways and dissolving maladaptive coping mechanisms.
One of only five certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitators in Texas and the only certified Trance Movement™ facilitator in the U.S., Stephenie brings over 15 years of experience and more than 800 hours of training in expanded states. She is known for her ability to create trauma-informed, safe, sacred containers where profound transformation can unfold.
Stephenie previously served as a development officer and national advocate for young people in recovery, including leadership roles at the University of Texas Center for Students in Recovery. While fundraising and leading teams for the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, she remained actively involved in supporting collegiate recovery programs both locally and at the national level. Her capacity to hold space — whether for students, donors, or the dying — reflects the heart of her calling: to witness, support, and honor the moments that shape us – the breaking, the becoming and the beauty in between. She now leads Holotropic Breathwork® and Trance Movement™ retreats across the U.S. and abroad. Passionate about integrating Buddhist understanding of addiction as a cycle of insatiable hunger and thirst, she bridges this lens with expanded-state healing modalities. Through lived experience, she believes that every addictive pattern is reversible through deep psychic change.
Details of this retreat
This workshop will explore how Holotropic Breathwork® can facilitate healing from trauma, addiction, mental health issues and our desire for transcendence and wholeness.
The New York Times described Holotropic Breathwork® as “heart opening” and a way to heal yourself and improve mood. For centuries, and across many cultures, non-ordinary states of consciousness have been used as a tool for transformation and healing.
The therapeutic benefits of Holotropic Breathwork® can include release and healing of trauma and grief, improving anxiety and depression, supporting recovery from addiction, higher insights of spiritual understanding, increased connection to self and others, and opening to compassion and love.
You are invited to join us to experience the remarkable healing potential and therapeutic benefits of Holotropic Breathwork®, a powerful breathwork practice that allows for self-exploration and healing. With eyes closed and lying on a mat, you will use your own breath and the music in the room to enter an expanded state of consciousness. This state activates the natural inner healing potential of the breather, or “inner healer”, which guides the experience.
In this immersive double breathwork workshop, you will experience:
Four Holotropic Breathwork® sessions (two as a breather and two as a sitter)
Sound healing Session
Nature-based Practices
Sharing Circles
Mandala Drawing
An Introductory Talk on the Theory and Practice of Holotropic Breathwork
Expressive Movement Experience
Integrative Writing Practice
This workshop is open to new breathers, experienced breathers, those in the Grof Transpersonal Training community, Grof Legacy Training community, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies or anyone interested in Holotropic Breathwork.
This workshop is approved by Grof Transpersonal Training for completion of the double breathwork requirements for the online training modules. It is also approved by Grof Legacy Training to meet the breathwork requirements for their training program.
*Contraindications: pregnancy, serious heart conditions, epilepsy, glaucoma, retinal detachment, history of severe mental or emotional disorders, acute infectious disease, and recent injury or surgery. For more information or to register please email drmcglynn6@gmail.com.
Schedule:
Sunday, October 4
3 Check-in
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 - 8 pm Opening Circle
8 - 10 pm Talk: Introduction to Holotropic Breathwork
Monday, October 5
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Holotropic Breathwork #1 – Please arrive by 9 am to set up if you are breathing
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm Self-Care Time
2:30 - 5:30 pm Holotropic Breathwork #2 - Please arrive by 2:15 pm to set up
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:15 - 8:30 pm Sharing Circle
8:45 - 9:15 pm Sound Healing Session
Tuesday, October 6
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 - 12:15 pm Holotropic Breathwork #3 - Please arrive by 9 am to set up
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm Self-Care Time
2:30 - 5:30 pm Holotropic Breathwork #4 - Please arrive by 2:15 pm to set up
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:15 - 8:15 pm Sharing Circle
8:30 - 9:30 pm Dance Celebration or Fire Ceremony
Wednesday, October 7
8 - 9 am Breakfast/Room Check-Out
9:15 - 10:15 am Integrative Writing/Nature-Based Practice
10:30 - 11 am Talk on Integration
11 am - 12:00 pm Closing Circle
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
2 pm Departure
*Please note this schedule is subject to change at any time.
The New York Times described Holotropic Breathwork® as “heart opening” and a way to heal yourself and improve mood. For centuries, and across many cultures, non-ordinary states of consciousness have been used as a tool for transformation and healing.
The therapeutic benefits of Holotropic Breathwork® can include release and healing of trauma and grief, improving anxiety and depression, supporting recovery from addiction, higher insights of spiritual understanding, increased connection to self and others, and opening to compassion and love.
You are invited to join us to experience the remarkable healing potential and therapeutic benefits of Holotropic Breathwork®, a powerful breathwork practice that allows for self-exploration and healing. With eyes closed and lying on a mat, you will use your own breath and the music in the room to enter an expanded state of consciousness. This state activates the natural inner healing potential of the breather, or “inner healer”, which guides the experience.
In this immersive double breathwork workshop, you will experience:
Four Holotropic Breathwork® sessions (two as a breather and two as a sitter)
Sound healing Session
Nature-based Practices
Sharing Circles
Mandala Drawing
An Introductory Talk on the Theory and Practice of Holotropic Breathwork
Expressive Movement Experience
Integrative Writing Practice
This workshop is open to new breathers, experienced breathers, those in the Grof Transpersonal Training community, Grof Legacy Training community, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies or anyone interested in Holotropic Breathwork.
This workshop is approved by Grof Transpersonal Training for completion of the double breathwork requirements for the online training modules. It is also approved by Grof Legacy Training to meet the breathwork requirements for their training program.
*Contraindications: pregnancy, serious heart conditions, epilepsy, glaucoma, retinal detachment, history of severe mental or emotional disorders, acute infectious disease, and recent injury or surgery. For more information or to register please email drmcglynn6@gmail.com.
Schedule:
Sunday, October 4
3 Check-in
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 - 8 pm Opening Circle
8 - 10 pm Talk: Introduction to Holotropic Breathwork
Monday, October 5
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Holotropic Breathwork #1 – Please arrive by 9 am to set up if you are breathing
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm Self-Care Time
2:30 - 5:30 pm Holotropic Breathwork #2 - Please arrive by 2:15 pm to set up
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:15 - 8:30 pm Sharing Circle
8:45 - 9:15 pm Sound Healing Session
Tuesday, October 6
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 - 12:15 pm Holotropic Breathwork #3 - Please arrive by 9 am to set up
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 2:15 pm Self-Care Time
2:30 - 5:30 pm Holotropic Breathwork #4 - Please arrive by 2:15 pm to set up
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:15 - 8:15 pm Sharing Circle
8:30 - 9:30 pm Dance Celebration or Fire Ceremony
Wednesday, October 7
8 - 9 am Breakfast/Room Check-Out
9:15 - 10:15 am Integrative Writing/Nature-Based Practice
10:30 - 11 am Talk on Integration
11 am - 12:00 pm Closing Circle
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
2 pm Departure
*Please note 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 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
Standard Single - Shared Bath
Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom
Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant
Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath
Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom
Up to 10 guests share two large bathrooms. Each bathroom has two shower stalls and two toilets.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Customer Reviews
Verified
5.0
Verified
Impeccable kitchen...beautiful surroundings
The lovely girl who cleaned my room, Amy, literally MADE my entire trip. She was so kind.
The scenery is magnificent, the landscape supreme, the food was AMAZING, cleanliness was top notch.
Everybody at Menla was extremely helpful and nice, with the exception of one person who shall remain nameless.
The scenery is magnificent, the landscape supreme, the food was AMAZING, cleanliness was top notch.
Everybody at Menla was extremely helpful and nice, with the exception of one person who shall remain nameless.
4.0
Verified
This is a special place
I attended Menla for a Therapist Ketamine retreat. There were approximately 35 attendees and 8-10 faculty. The buildings and the grounds are stunning and do what they set out to do..... force you to relax! The conference center offered so much space and ability for smaller groups to break out. I was fortunate enough to stay in a deluxe room which had stunning and peaceful decor and a very comfortable bed.
The Menla staff was welcoming and helpful.
I was disappointed with the meals. I live in the SF Bay area and am fortunate to have access to very high quality and thoughtful vegetarian food. I found the meals to be Okay but not delicious. I should mention that our group didn't have breakfast. I did appreciate the creative beverage offerings and constant access to fresh fruit - the apples were yummy!
The Menla staff was welcoming and helpful.
I was disappointed with the meals. I live in the SF Bay area and am fortunate to have access to very high quality and thoughtful vegetarian food. I found the meals to be Okay but not delicious. I should mention that our group didn't have breakfast. I did appreciate the creative beverage offerings and constant access to fresh fruit - the apples were yummy!
3.0
Verified
Nice place, kind staff, pricey, food was not good, not enough
The cabin was comfortable, and the shared areas were nice. The food, however, was extremely limited—mostly beans and vegetables, essentially a $2 meal with no meat or chicken. After one hour of being served, most of the food was gone and not replenished, so arriving around 1 p.m. meant finding almost nothing left. Beans can also trigger gas and discomfort, and the Indian dishes were too spicy, causing bloating. For the price of the stay, the meals felt inadequate.
Staff should wait until meetings are finished before moving items or making accommodations. The trail signs were also confusing and unclear; improving them would make a big difference.
Staff should wait until meetings are finished before moving items or making accommodations. The trail signs were also confusing and unclear; improving them would make a big difference.
5.0
Verified
Breathing in the Heart of Nature
I've visited the center twice, in June 2025 and June 2026, and both times I found it restful, peaceful, and a place to feel at one with nature, with many opportunities to swim, walk, and hike without leaving the center. It's a great place for meditation, reflection, care, and nourishing food. I had a spa session with Nitty, a Reiki practitioner with over 30 years of experience, and it was better than expected. While there, I saw many animals and birds, and a woman using the Cornell University bird app was able to identify 37 species in one sitting on the patio of the main building. The staff is very friendly, and the spa center with a swimming pool is the most luxuriously built of all the buildings. The biggest luxury I've found in Menla is silence.
