375 Panterkill Road PO Box 70 Phoenicia, NY 12464 United States
June 20 - 23, 2024
About this Retreat
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.
Seema Desai, MD (she/her/hers) is a board certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with a clinical interest in the intersection of spirituality and psychiatry. She integrates principles of mindfulness into her work with patients and teaches on topics of mindfulness and mental health. For the past 10 years she has served as assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine and at the NYU World Trade Center Health Program treating first responders who suffer from mental health conditions related to events of 9/11. Seema has experience in leading mindfulness-based skills groups for stress reduction and wellness. She co-edited a book published by the American Psychiatric Association titled "Becoming Mindful: Integrating Mindfulness into your Psychiatric Practice" She has been a study therapist in research examining the effects of psilocybin on depression and existential anxiety related to end-stage cancer diagnosis. She is currently a study therapist in a MAPS trial examining the effects of MDMA assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. Seema offers psychopharmacology treatment and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy in her private practice.
Rohini is a Boulder based Board Certified Family Physician. She has served in hospice and palliative care for over a decade, currently as Associate Medical Director at Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care in NC. She completed a fellowship in Integrative Psychiatry through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, and serves at the Integrative Psychiatry Centers, as well as leading Physician support for the Experiential aspect of the IPI Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Training. She is a hybrid of science, art and sacred, and is always ready to play
In her words “I am called "the patient whisperer" by colleagues. I am a physician who brings insight, intelligence and love to patient care, and humor and innovative thinking to my teams. I am a leader who is deeply present and curious, searching for underlying patterns and concerns to resolve conflict.”
Lisa Wang is a board-certified adult psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in New York City. She takes an integrative approach to treatment that incorporates psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and other complementary treatment modalities including ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. She facilitates both individual and group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Her clinical interests include spirituality, healing from trauma, and and gender issues.
She is trained as a psilocybin-assisted psychotherapist through Compass Pathways and has been a lead therapist on studies of psilocybin for treatment resistant depression and body dysmorphic disorder at New York State Psychiatric Institute. She is a site physician for the MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD. She is also an assistant trainer with Fluence. She is also the NJ medical director for Journey Clinical.
She has been a practicing Tibetan Buddhist for the past 15 years and has experience teaching mindfulness in classroom settings and in her therapy office. She aspires to bring her experience from the cushion as a meditator to all aspects of her work.
Saundra is an Adjunct Clinical Affiliate, School of Nursing, at The University of Texas at Austin, and a psychotherapist in private practice. Her research explores the connection between wellness-enhancing practices and improvements in disease and wellness markers, as well as its anti-inflammatory effects. Dr. Jain is a co-creator of the WILD 5 Wellness Program and co-author of a well-received workbook written for those interested in improving their mental wellness, WILD 5 - A Proven Path to Wellness. WILD 5 is an evidence-based wellness intervention that combines five elements of wellness (exercise, mindfulness, sleep, social connectedness, nutrition and positive psychology “practices) into an easy-to-follow program.
Dr. Jain is co-creator of the Psychedelics and Wellness Survey (PAWS) exploring the intersection between psychedelics and wellness. She serves as a member of the Psych Congress Steering Committee providing direction regarding educational gaps/needs for mental health practitioners, and Sana Symposium providing psychedelics education for mental health and addiction professionals.
In her words: “Client care, education, and research light me up. Engaging in group work paves the way for meaningful connections with others and fosters a deeper connection with our authentic selves, forming the bedrock of genuine healing. Embracing a life centered around wellness practices and being part of a supportive community is my path.”
David Gumpel is an Integral Master Coach and a qualified teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through UMASS medical school. David is the co-founder of Access Mindfulness and a study coordinator for the MAPS sponsored MDMA-Assisted Therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder study in NYC. As a coach, David teaches mindfulness to clients in private practice and to groups in corporate settings. At Fluence, David provides Mentoring and teaches MBSR courses for Certificate Program Participants. Find him online at
ebcpathways.com.
Details of this retreat
Application
Fee: $2850 plus housing and medical intake
Join us at beautiful Menla in the Catskills!
Welcome to Cultivating Joy ~ A Ketamine Assisted Mindfulness Retreat for professionals looking to cultivate and deepen their practice with groups through experiential education.
This is a safe, structured retreat led by a staff of licensed and highly experienced therapists and physicians in the beautiful Catskill Mountains at MENLA Retreat and Spa.
~Meet at the intersection of science and spirituality~
Participation in this retreat begins with an application to attend
This four-day retreat is designed for licensed professionals. The program design focuses on supporting the personal wellbeing of clinicians, particularly those dealing with burnout, experiencing Zoom fatigue, depression. feeling isolated, and having limited time for self-care practices. Through reflective evening discussions this retreat will support the embodiment of holding space in groups and retreats. An effective method of learning group facilitation is to participate in a group as a member and then reflect on the experience from a practitioner's perspective.
This promises to be a transformative, loving, safe and dynamic experience in a community with awesome humans and nature. If you are committed to the practice of sharing the fullness of your being, locating your best self, your enthusiasm & vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence~ this may be a weekend experience for you. Join this retreat if you have a deep desire to share yourself in this way, with yourself, with fellow retreat members, with your family, friends, and with the world.
Those interested in a comprehensive and deep dive into mindfulness and wellness work in small groups and residential retreats using ketamine (and future legal psychedelics), are encouraged to apply. This program includes an abundance of resources and aligns with our mission to ease suffering by creating space for joy in community with others. Working with psychedelics demands a high level of skill, humility and self awareness. MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction), creative writing, guided meditations and visualizations, Noble Communication, poetry, movement, wellness-enhancing practices, and storytelling are core components of this program. Rohini is excited to share ayurvedic practices; Saundra shares her WILD 5 program…..all of us will fill your plate with love, wisdom and practice knowledge. All participants in this program will receive an e-manual with timelines, resources, and other important material you may find useful to integrate group work into your practice post-retreat. The program, which extends beyond the June dates via zoom, will cover the nuts and bolts of both building a group practice and curating a safe and effective residential retreat experience.
Combining Ketamine with mindfulness and meditation practices can be a jump start to a more conscious and purposeful life. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a world renowned author, speaker, and mindfulness teacher, likes to say “there is more right with you, than wrong with you”. At our retreats we use guided practices to bring individuals home to their inner intelligence. Regardless of what is unfolding moment to moment, we each have the innate capacity and inner wisdom to choose to be present and to practice compassion and kindness with ourselves and with each other.
We take great care in the enrollment process. Safety is our top priority while making sure every individual that will attend has the capacity to be in a group setting and to experience Ketamine in a safe and constructive manner. This retreat is not a residential treatment setting and is not meant for people suffering from an acute mental health crises, and it is not for those with chronic and persistent psychiatric conditions.
Included in the tuition.
Group Zoom Preparation Meeting - 90 minutes
(MBSR) Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction 8 week class. Mindfulness education through experiential and didactic learning. Optional.
WILD 5 - A Proven Path to Wellness a 30-day evidenced-based wellness program developed by Saundra Jain and Rakesh Jain that integrates exercise, mindfulness, sleep, social connectedness, nutrition, and positive psychology practices. Self paced.
Post Retreat: Included in the tuition. We will meet three times as a cohort on zoom for continued integration and application of material. An on-going, no fee, peer group will be supported and encouraged.
Steps to join:
Step 1: Apply to the retreat.
Applicants will have a screening call to determine if this is the right retreat for you. You will be asked to fill out the application form before the interview. If the screening call determines that the retreat is appropriate, you will be invited to attend and provided a payment link to make a deposit. Instructions for reserving housing with Menla will also be shared.
Step 2: Complete the medical interview.
Applicants will be assigned to a medical doctor on staff for a medical interview. This is essential and may involve speaking with your psychotherapist or prescribing medical professional. Following this, you may be approved for the prescription of ketamine lozenges.
Step 3: Preparation with retreat staff.
You will be assigned to a staff member for a 60 minute group preparation session on Zoom. The preparation session is included in the tuition. This meeting is an important part of the process and introduces you to the retreat in detail. The staff member assigned for this session will be sitting with you during the dosings. It is possible that this session will result in a decision that the retreat is not a good fit.
Step 4: Complete retreat documentation.
You will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement that addresses our request to hold the names/identities of other participants as confidential. We also provide an informed consent document which we will ask you to read carefully and sign.
Retreat Schedule
Thursday, June 20
12 pm Check-in and Lunch
2 pm Program Starts
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7 - 9 pm Evening Program
Friday, June 21
7:15 am Meditation and Yoga (optional)
8 am Check-in & Opening Program *No Breakfast
9:30 am Meeting the Medicine
10 am Ketamine Session
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
BREAK (book a massage or spa treatment!).
3:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon program
6 - 7 pm Dinner.
7 pm Evening Workshop
9 pm Bonfire (weather permitting)
Saturday, June 22
7 am Meditation and Yoga (optional).
8:30 am Morning Program - *No Breakfast.
10 am Ketamine Session
12:30 pm Lunch
BREAK (book a massage or spa treatment!)
3:30 - 5:30 pm Afternoon Program
6 pm Dinner
7 pm Evening Workshop
9 pm Night activity
Sunday
7:15 am Meditation and Yoga (optional).
8 am Check out of Rooms
8 - 9 am Breakfast for Those Not Taking Medicine
9 am Ketamine Session (optional)
11 am Group Process
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
2 pm Small Group Integration Circles
3 pm End of Program (Optional Stay Sunday Night Based On Availability)
*Please note schedule is subject to change
Complete the application and schedule your screening call to determine if this is the right retreat for you.
Cost: $2850 per person (plus choice of housing), 50% deposit upon enrollment
50% balance due when registering
This fee does NOT include housing. Individual or shared (on request) accommodations availible.
Prices range from $250 to $380 a night including delicious vegetarian meals.
-After being accepted, housing to be paid directly to Menla with password provided.
Medical Intake: Fee to be paid to medical provider $400 (this includes the Rx)
Verified
