Cultivating Joy | An AEDP and IHRP Informed Ketamine-assisted Retreat for Professionals

A retreat for professionals looking to explore healing the heart of addictions using Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) and Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (IHRP).

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

Fee: $2850 + medical intake $400 & housing with meals [range from $250/$400 per night]

This four-day retreat is designed for licensed professionals. The program design focuses on supporting the personal challenges of clinicians, particularly those dealing with burnout, experiencing Zoom fatigue, depression, anxiety, and having limited time for self-care practices.

Addictions, and cravings and compulsions in general, impact us all – as healers, as clients and as humans trying to escape pain. Mindfulness, Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (IHRP) and Accelerated Dynamic Experiential Psychotherapy (AEDP) help us slow down together, reach beneath the impulse, and go back to times where the avoidance of emotion had to happen so we could survive. Then, we can find or rediscover new ways into self-care, connection and flourishing. Ketamine can beautifully facilitate this process, reducing defenses and anxiety so we can feel into the stillness and love, so we might find new ways out of addictive behaviors.

Esteemed teachers and leaders Mark Green, MD, Andrew Tatarsky, PhD, and Jayne Gumpel LCSW will be lead faculty at this retreat and bring AEDP, Mindfulness and IHRP into focus as practice modalities working with ketamine and psychedelics in general. Pre and post retreat zoom classes will complement the learning and build on practice skills and theory drawing from Diana Fosha’s extraordinary work (AEDP).

Dr. Green is a certified therapist and supervisor in AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Therapy), and an expert in substance use disorders and  KAP.

Dr. Tatarsky’s important seminal work is Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy. IHRP, is a treatment for the broad spectrum of problematic substance use and other addictive and high-risk behaviors.

Seema Desai MD and Irina Linetskaya MD are returning core faculty and facilitators and medical providers for this retreat. David Gumpel M.A. is the retreat manager and mindfulness teacher.

Cultivating JOY  is emerging as a model for group work. The highly valued and evidence based work from AEDP, IHRP and Mindfulness are integrated into this retreat model.

This retreat is experiential with a focus on personal development and learning. The professional components will be offered pre and post via zoom classes.

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 

(MBSR) Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction 8 week class. Mindfulness education through experiential and didactic learning. (Optional)

Professional Development Zoom Sessions through our optional cultivating joy community zoom rooms (Supplemental)

Post Retreat Integration and learning. 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 for the retreat.

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. 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.

Schedule

Thursday, December 5

• 3 – 4 pm Arrival & Room Check-in
• 4 – 6 pm Medical Check-in
• 6 pm Dinner
• 7 – 9 pm Evening Program

Friday, December 6

• 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
• 1:30 – 3:30 pm 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, December 7

• 7:15  Meditation and Yoga (optional).
• 8:30 am Morning Program *No Breakfast.
• 10 am 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 PM Afternoon Program
• 6 pm Dinner
• 7 pm Evening Workshop
• 9 pm Night Activity

Sunday, December 8

• 7:15 am Meditation and Yoga (optional).
• 8 am Check-out of Rooms
• 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, please reach out to Menla’s front desk for availability.)

* Please note that the schedule is subject to change.