Guided psilocybin retreats in Boulder, Colorado

The retreat is a small group program built around one guided psilocybin session at a licensed healing center. Around that session sit two group therapy sessions: one to prepare, one to integrate. Participants stay together for two nights in a premium Airbnb, with facilitators onsite for the whole retreat and meals prepared by an in-house chef.

Maureen describes the groups as "intentionally limited in size", with space capped to keep attention individual. Colorado's rules also set limits of their own. In a group session at the doses used for a full guided session, there can be no more than four participants per facilitator.

The program also includes somatic and experiential exercises, inner child and corrective emotional work, creative expression practices and structured group process. Participants have the option to contribute to psychedelic medicine research.

This is not a party, a festival or a solo trip. It is a structured, regulated experience with professionals present from beginning to end.

Day one: arrival and preparation. You arrive, settle into the house, meet the group and the facilitators, and take part in a group preparation therapy session. Preparation covers what the experience can be like, how to work with difficult moments, your intentions, and the practical plan for the next day. Colorado's rules require informed consent before any session, covering risks, the range of possible effects, and the fact that you may stop services at any time. For group sessions the rules also require at least one preparation session held individually with each participant, so expect some one-to-one time as well.

Day two: the guided session. You travel with the group to a licensed healing center, with transport provided. The guided psilocybin session lasts roughly five to eight hours. Under Colorado rules, a session at a full dose must last at least five hours and continue until there are no obvious adverse effects. During the session, facilitators monitor vital signs, hydration and psychological well-being, and you stay in the session space until it is complete. You return to the house afterward. A signed transportation plan for after the session is a legal requirement.

Day three: integration. The group meets for an integration therapy session. Integration is where people talk through what came up and consider what, if anything, they want to carry into daily life. Colorado's rules require the facilitator to review the session with each participant, check how they responded, and recommend follow-up care or referrals where appropriate. The first integration session cannot be billed separately.

Maureen Lennon-Schafer, LCSW, leads the retreat. She holds degrees in psychology and social work and is licensed to practice in New Jersey and Colorado. She describes herself as a Licensed Natural Medicine Facilitator of Psilocybin in Colorado, and she completed Fluence's Natural Medicine Facilitation of Psilocybin Certificate program. Fluence is on Colorado's list of approved facilitator training programs. Her practice, Presence of Mind Therapy, has offices in New Jersey and works with clients in New Jersey and Colorado.

Maureen describes her approach as blending clinical, energetic and spiritual ways of working, "with great honor and respect for the cultural context from which psychedelic work originated."

Read more on Maureen's profile.

It may suit you if you are 21 or older, in reasonably stable health, curious about psilocybin in a regulated and supported setting, and willing to take part in preparation, a group setting and integration. It suits people who want structure and professional support around the experience, not just access to the substance.

It is not for you if you are under 21, or if screening finds a risk that cannot be managed responsibly. Researchers and Colorado's rules both approach certain conditions and medications with real caution. They include a personal or family history of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, lithium or antipsychotic medication, cardiovascular disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure, seizure disorders, and pregnancy or breastfeeding. Some of these mean a firm no. Others mean a conversation with your own doctor first. Our safety page explains this in more detail.

It is also not the right choice if you are counting on a particular outcome. Nobody can promise one. Research on psilocybin is ongoing, and experiences vary widely from person to person.

Everyone is screened before they are accepted. Colorado requires facilitators to use a safety screening tool that reflects generally accepted standards of practice, to review your medical history, and to talk through your reasons for wanting to take part.

If screening identifies a risk factor, the rules say services can only go ahead after one of three things: a referral from a licensed medical or behavioral health provider, medical clearance from your own provider, or a consultation and risk review with a provider licensed to treat that condition. That provider can be licensed in your home state. A facilitator can also decline to provide services for any health or safety reason.

You will be asked to confirm that the health history you give is complete and accurate. Please take that seriously. Screening only works if it is honest.

• Colorado voters passed Proposition 122, the Natural Medicine Health Act, in 2022. Governor Polis signed SB23-290, which set up the regulatory framework, in May 2023.
• Adults 21 and older can receive psilocybin services from a licensed facilitator, usually at a licensed healing center. The state defines a "participant" as someone 21 or older. The definition does not include a residency requirement.
• Two agencies share oversight. The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) licenses facilitators. The Department of Revenue's Natural Medicine Division licenses healing centers, cultivators, manufacturers and testing labs.
• Psilocybin used in the program must come from a licensed business. It cannot be bought to take home.
• Psilocybin remains a Schedule I substance under federal law. Colorado's program does not change that, and it does not make psilocybin legal anywhere else.

Our Colorado psilocybin guide goes into more depth.

Maureen lists the retreat at $4,499 for a private room or $3,499 for a shared room. She accepts credit card and Zelle, and payment plan options are available.

Included, per her listing:

• Group preparation therapy session
• A five to eight hour guided psilocybin session at a licensed healing center
• Group integration therapy session
• Individual therapeutic attention throughout, and community support
• Two nights at a premium Airbnb, private or shared sleeping
• Facilitators onsite for the entire retreat
• Transport to and from the healing center
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by an in-house chef
• Somatic, experiential and creative practices, and structured group process

Travel to Colorado is something to plan for separately. Ask Maureen's team what is and is not included for your dates.

Upcoming dates: October 23-25, November 6-8, November 13-15 and December 4-6, 2026; January 8-10, January 21-24, February 19-21 and February 26-28, 2027.

1. Read the safety page and think honestly about your health history and current medications.
2. Contact Presence of Mind Therapy to register interest and start screening. Use the registration form on Maureen's events and retreats page or call (908) 347-3794.
3. If screening raises a question, speak with your own doctor or therapist before going further.
4. Book travel only after you have been accepted.

Halcyon does not provide medical services and does not diagnose or treat any condition. Clinical services are provided by licensed professionals through our partner, Presence of Mind Therapy.