This post was authored by Sam Woolfe, an Odyssey writer covering mental health, psychedelics, and philosophy.

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A wealth of studies from several reputable institutions have indicated that psilocybin – the main active compound in ‘magic mushrooms’ – can help alleviate various mental health issues. This includes conditions that are referred to as ‘treatment-resistant’, meaning that traditional treatments haven’t adequately helped people. Psilocybin therapy for depression and psilocybin therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder are two promising treatments that have emerged. For many people with depression and OCD, antidepressants and various forms of talk therapy have not provided the relief they’re looking for.

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Crucially, clinical trials have involved the administration of psilocybin in a controlled environment with psychological support at hand. Many people will, understandably, feel most comfortable taking a psychedelic in this context. A psilocybin retreat can be a legal and accessible way for people to experience psychedelics with this kind of safety and support present.

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At Odyssey, we currently offer legal psilocybin retreats in Oregon, and will be expanding our services to Colorado in the coming years. This decision reflects the legal landscape of psilocybin in the state, and our goal of providing safe and ethically guided psychedelic sessions to those who can benefit from them. 

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In this article, we outline the many and varied aspects of a Colorado psilocybin retreat. This will provide a clear sense of what to expect and the ability to make an informed decision about whether this option suits your needs and preferences.

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What to Expect at a Colorado Psilocybin Retreat

A psilocybin retreat involves consuming dried psilocybin mushrooms in the presence of one or more facilitators. Typically, this takes place in a group setting. Dosages can vary based on previous experience, personal sensitivity, and preference. Nevertheless, most participants consume a moderate to strong dose, with the expectation of a deep, internal, and insightful experience.

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The experience lasts for 6–8 hours, during which you will listen to pre-selected music. There will be facilitators present during your experience, who will make sure you’re comfortable and provide psychological support if you need it.

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The appeal of a Colorado psilocybin retreat is that you have the opportunity to have your experience in the beautiful natural surroundings that the state has to offer. For many psilocybin retreat participants, a natural setting helps to encourage a positive and therapeutic experience. Indeed, this is why psychedelic researchers are interested in how to better incorporate nature into psychedelic treatments.

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The Legality of a Colorado Psilocybin Retreat

In November 2022, Colorado voters approved Proposition 122, or the Natural Medicine Health Act. This decriminalized the cultivation, possession, and consumption of psilocybin mushrooms for adults aged 21 and over. The new legislation does not legalize the retail sale of psilocybin mushrooms. So there won’t be any such dispensaries (for the time being).

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However, Proposition 122 does allow for the eventual opening of legal “healing centers”. This will allow residents of Colorado to pay for supervised psilocybin experiences at licensed facilities. So you would take the mushrooms on site and be supervised by a licensed professional. Draft rules governing these healing centers have been published. But they are yet to be finalized. By December 31, 2024, Colorado will start accepting applications for healing centers and cultivators. These centers can provide a one-on-one guided psilocybin experience, much like the ones that Odyssey offers.

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Psilocybin retreats – featuring groups, rather than just a facilitator and one participant – can still run without interference from the law. This is because, as we have seen, Proposition 122 decriminalizes the cultivation, possession, and use of psilocybin.

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Safety and Ethical Considerations of Psilocybin Retreats in Colorado

The draft rules of Colorado’s Natural Medicine Health Act feature a number of safety and ethical considerations. These relate to factors that ensure clients using a healing center can have a safe psilocybin experience while also mitigating the risk of ethical violations. Odyssey aims to follow these principles in the future running of psilocybin retreats in Colorado.

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Facilitators

The draft rules set out the requirements to become either a “Facilitator” or a “Clinical Facilitator”. To become either, someone needs a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and to have completed:

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• 150 hours of education on psychedelic medicine services
• 40 hours of supervised practice
• 50 hours of consultation with a supervisor

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Someone can obtain a Facilitator license after they have completed an approved training program. The Clinical Facilitator license is attainable when someone has a Facilitator license and holds a secondary license that allows them to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. Alternative educational pathways exist for those with significant prior experience facilitating psychedelic sessions and education on psychedelic medicines. Nevertheless, the only part of training that cannot be waived is the 25-hour course titled ‘Ethics and Colorado Natural Medicine’.

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Centers/Locations

Local governments will not be given powers to block the opening of new healing centers – as they can with cannabis dispensaries. However, there are certain restrictions in place that aim to ensure that any center runs safely. For instance, healing centers can’t be placed within 1,000 feet of schools. Local governments can add other restrictions that they deem beneficial.

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Administration sessions can also take place outside of a designated healing center, but only if another non-participant individual is present during it or the client authorizes for the session to be recorded by video. If an administration session does occur outside a healing center, the facilitator has to retain custody of all unused psilocybin products and return them to the center post-session.

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The state is still finalizing the rules for who is allowed to grow psilocybin mushrooms and sell them to healing centers. The state has created a Natural Medicine Advisory Board – made up of psychedelic researchers, health experts, law enforcement personnel, and others – to help finalize these policies. Board members also decide how to ensure that access to these drugs is “affordable, equitable, ethical, and culturally responsible”.

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Safety Protocols

Facilitator training programs prioritize the physical and psychological safety of anyone seeking a supervised psilocybin experience in Colorado. These programs must offer 150 hours of education on the following topics:

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• Facilitator Best Practices (5 hours)
• Ethics and Colorado Natural Medicine Rules and Regulations (25 hours)
• Relational Boundaries and Introduction to Physical Touch (10 hours)
• Physical and Mental Health and State (25 hours)
• Drug Effects, Contraindications, and Interactions (5 hours)
• Introduction to Trauma Informed Care (10 hours)
• Introduction to Suicide Risk (5 hours)
• Indigenous, Social, and Cultural Considerations (10 hours)
• Screening (5 hours)
• Preparation (10 hours)
• Administration (10 hours)
• Integration (10 hours)
• Group Facilitation (10 hours)
• Facilitator Development and Self-Care (10 hours)

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Psilocybin retreats can run safely and ethically when prospective facilitators are vetted. This means assessing their training, qualifications, and experience with psychedelics and facilitation. 

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The Benefits of Psilocybin Retreats

There is no shortage of anecdotal reports of people who have found significant healing and personal change through a psilocybin retreat. However, these benefits are also research-backed. Psychedelic researchers have found that a psilocybin retreat experience can offer people:

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• Increased empathy
• Enhanced creativity
• Improvements in subjective well-being
• Reductions in depression and anxiety
• Enhanced connection to oneself and others
• Increases in emotional stability
• Personal insight

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More research is needed to establish how stable these benefits are over time, as well as the potential risks of psychedelic experiences and how to deal with post-trip distress. Nonetheless, the available research indicates that in a controlled context – featuring psychological support, preparation, and integration – psilocybin experiences can be highly therapeutic and transformative.

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Odyssey offers a 4-day group retreat, which is designed to maximize the benefits of psilocybin. The experience itself will be mostly an inward one; however, sharing the experience with others can help process insights and enhance feelings of connectedness to others. We also offer 1-on-1 sessions, in case you would prefer a more private and personalized experience. Both types of retreat feature spacious, comfortable accommodations surrounded by the stunning natural scenery of Bend, Oregon.

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Previous attendees at the group retreats have reported benefits including insightful experiences, emotional healing, personal transformation, and greater connectedness to one’s surroundings.

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The Future of Psilocybin Retreats in Colorado

The passing of Proposition 122 is an important step towards making guided psilocybin experiences more widely (and safely) available in Colorado. Currently, some people interested in healing through psilocybin are seeking out underground ceremonies. While these can be therapeutic and life-changing for people, they come with extra risks (given that they’re operating in secret and by word of mouth). The underground nature of these ceremonies also makes it easier for bad actors to proliferate – self-proclaimed guides or shamans who may lack adequate training and ethical integrity, and who may neglect the well-being of participants.

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Jared Polis – the Governor of Colorado who signed the Natural Medicine Health Act into law – said he was “excited” about the state’s move to legalize psychedelics. On HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher back in November 2022, he told Maher that while he’s never used psilocybin himself, he believes that “there is a lot of promise that some of the mushroom-based therapies, natural medicines, show for post-traumatic stress disorder, for depression. We want to make that available.”

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Policy changes reflect the changing attitudes of the public towards psychedelics and, in particular, psilocybin mushrooms. Two recent studies both found that the use of magic mushrooms has been growing in popularity in the US. The acceptance of these mushrooms in mainstream culture will help drive the demand for legal psilocybin retreats. And this change in public opinion will likely continue to liberalize existing legislation surrounding psychedelics.

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Odyssey’s response to these policy changes has been to offer retreats that take best practices regarding psychedelics into account. This means ensuring retreat participants feel safe and comfortable, with the guidance and support of warm, empathetic facilitators always available. If you feel called to have a facilitated psilocybin experience, book a consultation to see what experience best suits you.