In today’s Western world, psychedelics are gaining recognition as powerful tools for personal growth and transformation. However, the true potential of these experiences lies not only in the substances themselves but in the context in which they are used, particularly when they take place in a community setting. At Conscious Growth, we believe that the group experience has the power to amplify and deepen the personal transformation that takes place during group psychedelic retreats and facilitate building community.
The Role of Community in Traditional Psychedelics Use
Psychedelics have been used for centuries across various cultures, especially within indigenous communities worldwide. Traditionally, these cultures used plant medicines within the context of the whole community, within rituals or spiritual frameworks grounded in shared intentions and mutual respect [1]. Through these group experiences, they cultivated unity, with each individual journey contributing to the experience of being an essential part of the group. In this way, psychedelics serve not only as paths for individual insight but as a means of strengthening bonds and building community.
Our group psychedelic retreats – where we use psilocybin found in magic truffles – draw inspiration from these traditions, blending them with modern psychological approaches. We recognise that humans are naturally social beings who grow, heal and prosper primarily in connection with others. When people share psychedelic experiences in a safe, intentional setting, something powerful happens: the journey transforms from a personal quest into a unifying experience, allowing participants to feel deeply connected to each other, themselves and the world around them.
Transcending Individualism and Rediscovering Community
In today’s society, individualism can often leave us feeling isolated and disconnected, despite our innate need for community. Our group retreats are designed to help participants shift from a narrow, ego-driven mindset that focuses on “my needs” or “my healing” to a broader perspective that sees them as part of a larger reality. In this safe, shared space, participants can see themselves within an interconnected network of relationships, realising they’re not alone in their struggles or in their desire for growth. This collective experience helps participants rediscover the deeper meaning of community, opening the door to a sense of belonging.
Through this shared journey, we aim to nurture a community of people who are open to altered states of consciousness and who want to integrate those experiences into everyday life. In doing so, we help create a deeper sense of connection to others and a rediscovery of what it truly means to be part of a community.
Building Safe Spaces for Real Connection
True community requires authentic connection, and that only happens in an environment that feels safe. It is this safe space that makes it possible for us to connect with others without being hijacked by fear: fear of being judged, of showing vulnerability, of truly opening up. Only when we feel free from these fears can we show up as our genuine selves and see others as they truly are.
This sense of safety is especially important in a group psychedelic retreat setting. Psychedelic experiences can lower psychological defences, creating a space for open-hearted communication and make it easier to connect with others [2]. But this openness can only flourish when individuals feel supported and safe. In our group retreat programs, we create this container of safety by fostering clear, genuine communication and respectful boundaries. While facilitating the experience, we also make sure that all interactions feel safe for everyone involved.
During the retreat, we are actively present to maintain this safe space, helping participants navigate their experiences in a way that feels protected and supported. This structure helps participants move beyond the barriers of fear and judgement, allowing meaningful connections to emerge.
Community as a Co-Creation
Our group retreat programs, including the planned group preparation and integration sessions, are designed to create a structure that facilitates this co-creation of community. Through mutual openness and support, participants can more deeply experience that they are not merely isolated individuals but part of a greater whole, as has also been highlighted in research [3].
Community can’t be manufactured or forced; it must be co-created by everyone involved. Each participant brings their own unique presence and contribution, shaping the collective experience. At our group psychedelic retreats, we view each participant’s journey as an integral element of the group dynamic, with their personal experiences, insights and challenges contributing to the sense of community. This is because even when an individual’s experience is deeply personal, it still helps generate the relational field that influences the entire group.
Our retreat programs are structured with this co-creation of community in mind. Through group preparation and integration sessions, we create a framework that supports community building and mutual support. In this environment, participants move beyond feeling that they are isolated individuals and instead experience themselves as part of something greater.
Deepening Connections Through Individual Growth
Psychedelics have a remarkable ability to foster open-hearted communication, enhancing empathy and lowering psychological barriers that often limit our ability to connect with others. At our group retreats, we make the most of this openness by creating spaces where participants can connect, share and reflect on their psychedelic journeys together. Through a mix of individual and group activities, each person is supported on their own path while connecting with others who are on their own journeys. This atmosphere of openness and mutual vulnerability creates a space where participants feel seen, heard and supported in ways that are not usually experienced in everyday life.
This shared openness and vulnerability creates a powerful bond among participants, who often form meaningful and lasting connections with one another. These connections are rooted in a shared experience and a deeper understanding, which many participants in the group retreats say was an essential part of their own personal transformation. The experience of community doesn’t just enhance each individual’s experience but also fosters a lasting sense of belonging and a renewed perspective on human connection. Many participants find that these newfound connections support them long after the retreat, helping them approach their inner lives and relationships with others more authentically.
Facing the Challenge of Group Dynamics
Connecting within a group can feel daunting. For some, it may bring up social anxieties, insecurities or past wounds. Our group retreats create a nurturing space where participants can face and work through these challenges at their own pace. We encourage people to engage with the group in a way that feels right for them, gradually building trust over time. This makes the group a supportive container for one’s experience rather than an additional pressure, helping participants engage in a way that feels right for them and opening the way to further growth [4].
Experiencing this safety within a group setting can lead to deep personal growth, as people move beyond long-held fears and insecurities, learning to connect with others in a more fulfilling and truthful way. Individual support from the facilitators is always available, so that participants can work through any personal barriers that may arise.
Integration: Extending Community Beyond the Retreat
The journey of transformation and connection that participants experience doesn’t end when the retreat does. Integration sessions are an essential part of our program, helping to bring the group retreat experience into everyday life. Through follow-up group integration sessions in addition to the individual integration session, participants have the opportunity to reconnect with the community they co-created, revisit their shared experiences and reflect on how the retreat experience continues to shape their lives. These sessions help participants anchor their experiences in everyday life, facilitating the transition from the retreat back to daily life.
These integration sessions reinforce the trust and connections formed during the retreat, transforming what might otherwise be a temporary group experience into a lasting community. By continuing to engage in this collective experience, participants develop a deepened sense of unity and belonging that can serve as an enduring source of personal growth. Many participants find that the connections they’ve made during the retreat provide a vital support network as they continue their personal development. In this way, the group retreat’s transformative impact extends well beyond the retreat itself, nurturing a journey of self-discovery and connection, something that has also emerged from research [5].
The Group Psychedelic Retreat: Nurturing Connection and Fostering Growth
A group psychedelic retreat offers more than just an opportunity for personal transformation. It’s a journey of communal growth, where people reconnect with the value of community and move beyond the isolation of self-focus. In the retreat programs we offer at Conscious Growth, we honour the innate human need for connection and so we’ve created a space where people can safely explore psychedelics within a group context, providing a shared, communal experience that allows for a longer-lasting experience of community.
In a world where individualism often prevails, our group retreats offer an alternative: a place for individuals to grow within a supportive community. For those seeking inner exploration and a deeper connection with others, our group psychedelic retreats provide a nurturing, safe environment where real connections can flourish. Here, community and personal growth go hand in hand, inviting participants to step into a shared journey of transformation.
- Dobkin de Rios, M. (1984). Visionary vine: Hallucinogenic healing in the Peruvian Amazon. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 30(3), 125-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/002076408403000301
- Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., McCann, U., & Jesse, R. (2008). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268-283. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-008-1360-7
- Kettner, H., Gandy, S., Haijen, E. C., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2021). From egoism to ecoism: Psychedelics increase nature relatedness in a state-mediated and context-dependent manner. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1), 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010412
- Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., et al. (2018). Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 32(7), 725-731. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881118754710
- Forstmann, M., & Sagioglou, C. (2017). Lifetime experiences with (classic) psychedelics predict pro-environmental behavior through an increase in nature relatedness. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31(8), 975-988. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881117714046
