Why this safety checklist
Look past the marketing copy to the substance of a retreat center.
Not all retreat centers are equal. The right retreat will welcome your questions and give detailed, honest answers. If not, trust your instincts and look elsewhere. Your healing journey deserves a container of genuine safety and skilled support.
- 01Ask every center the same questions.
- 02Listen for detail and honesty.
- 03Trust your instincts if the answers feel vague.
Physical safety & medical protocols
- Antidepressants and stimulants
- Heart conditions
- History of psychosis or bipolar
- Any prescription you may need to pause
Never stop a prescription on your own. A serious center will tell you to speak with the doctor who prescribed it.
- Click meMedical screening
Listen for
- A medical questionnaire, reviewed by a doctor who advises you what to do going forward
- The screening covers all important contraindications (listed below)
- Emergency protocols
Listen for
- A named plan and route to the nearest hospital
- How far away their nearest hospital is
- Medical complications
Listen for
- A specific, honest example, not a hypothetical
- How the team responded in the moment
- What they changed afterward
We've never had any difficulties.
Be cautious. It suggests either limited experience or a lack of transparency.
Facilitation & group dynamics
Your primary support system. Facilitators guide your experience before and after ceremonies. They typically combine Western backgrounds with extensive ayahuasca experience.
Experience under pressure
Group guidelines
Personal support
The team behind them
The same people from day one to the closing circle.
New people arrive while others are mid-process.
Ceremonial setting & leadership
Understanding how this sacred space is held, and by whom, is crucial.
Lineage & medicine giver
The ceremony team
When the night gets hard
Integration & post-retreat support
The real work often begins after your retreat ends.
- Integration resources
- Post-retreat guidelines
- Follow-up sessions
And are they included, or an additional cost?
Do your own research and follow your gut
Reviews
Check multiple platforms: Google, Retreat Guru, Reddit.
Focus on 2–4 star reviews. They tend to be the most balanced and honest.
Look for patterns in the feedback.
Communication
Did the center thoroughly answer your questions during initial contact?
Their responsiveness often shows how they’ll handle concerns during your stay.
Capacity
What group size do you feel comfortable with?
What’s the participant-to-facilitator ratio?
How do group sizes affect safety and individual attention?
- “We've never had any difficulties.”
- Feeling rushed, dismissed, or talked out of asking
- Vague answers that sound polished but say nothing
- Slow or thin replies to serious questions
