Intensive individual retreats are a chance to spend focused time working with some powerful evidence-based modalities, including ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), EMDR, and Internal Family Systems therapy (IFS).
This time can be truly life changing. If you feel that you are ready to push past blocks and do an important piece of work in your healing journey, an intensive retreat may be exactly what you are needing.
Intensive retreats involve 2-3 days of individual work in Bend, Oregon. In our time together, I will guide you in extended sessions in KAP, EMDR, Internal Family Systems therapy, and reiki. Additionally, we will spend time in nature together to integrate the work.
Retreats are a perfect option for folks that feel ready for a foundational change.
Day 1: KAP
On the first day of your retreat, you will have a ketamine dosing session. This will take place at your lodging so that you can be comfortable and have an easy transition to a place of rest as you come out of your experience. KAP opens the door to the work that we will do for the rest of the weekend. I will sit with you during your session, and help you transition out, but the rest of the day will be spent resting, nurturing yourself, and preparing for the days to come.
Learn more about KAP here, and scroll down to FAQs to learn about dosing and prescriptions.
Day 2: EMDR
Integration is key to making the most out of your experience with KAP. On the second day of your retreat, we will work intensively with EMDR to take advantage of the brain’s post-ketamine neuroplasticity. EMDR intensives last around 3-4 hours, but we can go for a shorter or longer time, depending on what feels the most appropriate for you.
EMDR intensives are highly effective because we are able to take the time to integrate EMDR with Internal Family Systems therapy, which can be key to overcoming obstacles and blocks. Learn more about the intensive format here. These sessions will take place at the Blissful Heart Wellness Center.
Optional Day 3: Integration in Nature
On day 3, we will continue with integration in nature. Central Oregon is one of the most spectacular natural settings in the world, and we will use this day to connect with our surroundings.
The format that this takes depends on what is calling to you, as well as the season. We can engage with water on one of our many rivers and lakes, connect with ancient and massive trees in the Central Cascades Wilderness, summit Smith Rock, or go east and play in the desert. In the winter, we can snowshoe up at Mount Bachelor or enjoy hot springs within driving distance. It all depends on what your soul is needing, and we can make a plan according to what you’re feeling. I will encourage you to tune into your intuition to make the decision.
Retreats are a chance to move past major blocks, which can be incredibly valuable, and also exhausting and challenging. Good candidates for a retreat will be ready to dive in, and should be prepared to be vulnerable and open.
Retreat participants should also have a strong set of coping strategies and be able to tolerate intense emotional experiences. For folks that I am not working with already in individual therapy, I will need to be in contact with your individual therapist to determine whether or not a retreat is advisable, collaborate for safety, and plan for further integration.
I partner with Journey Clinical to provide prescriptions and medical support for KAP. They will be your first go-to for prescribing, and I will direct you in how to go about that process. Journey Clinical will help to decide whether or not you are an appropriate candidate for KAP, and will determine dosing.
If you are determined to be a good candidate by the Journey Clinical team, and by myself and your current therapist (if you are not already working with me), we will move forward from there.
You will have already met with a medical provider prior to your retreat, and you will have received your prescription in the mail, which you will bring with you to our session.
If you are already my client, we will have met for preparation sessions in our work together. If you are not my individual therapy client, we will have a screening call to determine whether or not a retreat is appropriate, and I will be in touch with your current mental health provider to discuss preparation and integration. A current therapist is an essential requirement for retreat participants not located in Oregon or Colorado, which are the states in which I am licensed.
Food and lodging are not included with your retreat, but I will pack snacks and a picnic for us on Day 3. When you are planning your trip, we can work together to help you to find the right lodging that will be a good fit for our work, and I can give some recommendations.
This will depend on what you prefer. I will provide transportation to the natural setting in which we will work with integration on Day 3, which may be a ways outside of town, depending on what we decide together. You will need to arrange transportation to and from the airport, and around town, but there should be walkable options for food close to your lodging.
The closest airport is the Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM), which is located about a 30-minute drive from Bend. RDM is a small and easy airport, and offers direct flights from Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, Portland, LA, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.
Journey Clinical works with patients in CA, CT, CO, FL, GA, NY, NJ, MA, MD, MN, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WA, and WI. We are able to work together in a retreat setting, as long as you live in one of these states for prescribing.
If you live outside of Oregon or Colorado, it will be essential that you are working with a therapist that is licensed in your state as part of the integration and preparation process. For clients living in Oregon and Colorado, we have the ability to work together before and/or after your retreat in an individual therapy capacity.
Two day retreats are priced at $1500, and three day retreats are $2250. If that price feels like too much up-front, I work with Care Credit, which is a healthcare financing service. Through Care Credit, I can offer you a no interest payment plan over 6 months.
Retreats are offered throughout the year on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and are subject to availability. The best way to move forward is to schedule a consultation call, where we can determine a date that would line up best.