Welcome Letter

We are excited you've registered and are looking forward to meeting you soon!

Here’s some information to get you started:

1. We will send another email before we gather on zoom to introduce your cohort members to each other. Keep an eye out for that closer to April.
2. Two weeks before we gather, we will be requesting each of your preferences for your individual ketamine experience.  You can choose either intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM). During your medical intake visit, you can ask for information on the differences to help you decide, and we will answer any questions when we meet by zoom.
3. Tuition includes shared rooms on site, as well as all meals and coffee/tea service throughout the day. Most dietary needs can be accommodated, including vegetarian, dairy- and gluten-free options.  Let us know if you have questions about meals or have dietary restrictions. If you have a sweet tooth or like to snack between meals, you can also supplement with your own. Chocolate donations are always appreciated:).  If you prefer a single room, please pre-pay for that option well ahead of time as these are limited.
4. We will start check-in at 2:00 pm on the 27th and begin promptly at 4:00.  Please plan to arrive with enough time to check in and get settled.  Our days will be split roughly into morning sessions, afternoon sessions and some evening sessions.  Meals and free time will be in the spaces between.  Please plan to be outside for portions of the program and bring appropriate clothing and footwear.  The weather at that time is year is highly variable, so plan accordingly and check the weather when packing.  We will end by 2:00 p.m. on departure day. 
5. Travel logistics-  For those of you flying, you can fly into AVL airport or GSP (Greenville).  If you fly into AVL, please let us know at the mandatory zoom call if you would like to be connected to others to plan ride shares with Uber or Lyft.  There is no need for a rental car during the retreat, unless you want one for arrival and departure.  The drive from the airport to the retreat location is 45 minutes.
6. There is wifi on site and there will be time to connect to the “outside world.” However, if possible, we encourage you to leave work and work-related correspondence behind, so that you can fully focus on your personal experience.  Your phone will be turned off during the experiential portions of the programming involving altered states. Please make sure anyone who needs to know is aware you will likely not be reachable until the following day on those days, to allow yourself to be off your phone through the evening if needed. If any loved ones may need to reach you for an emergency, you can give them the staff's cell numbers, listed above.
7. For the group experiences, we will be sitting and, at times, lying on the floor. If you plan to drive, please bring cushions or a yoga or camping mat- or whatever you need to be comfortable sitting or lying down on the floor for parts of the day. Extras are appreciated! If you are flying (or forget😊), we will have extras available, and there will be some back jack floor chairs.  Bring a blanket or coat to put over yourself. Pillows are good to have, but these should be available for everyone in the lodging rooms if you don’t want to bring your own. You will be wearing eyeshades at times, provided by us. Please bring a water bottle and layered clothing, as you may find the temperature of the room a bit cold or warm at times during the day. We also suggest you wear comfortable clothing like sweats, leggings, etc., particularly for the medicine sessions.  Also, if you are uncomfortable sitting on the floor, consider bringing a low camp/folding chair. There are full sized chairs available, but it’s preferable to stay within the group’s seated circle for parts of the gathering. Basically, you will be setting up what we call your “nest” in your part of the room, so bring what will help you feel personally comfortable. A full packing list is below.
8. Medical Monitoring: There will be an Emergency Medicine trained physician on site during all ketamine experientials. For your retreat, Dr. Meidad Goldman will be attending, assisted by Dr. Ann Lentini. Your medical history will be reviewed ahead of time, and vital signs taken on site, as indicated. If you would like to discuss any medical concerns with Meidad prior to retreat, you can do that during your 20-minute video consultation through his practice, Concierge Medicine and Psychiatry, in Asheville. We will contact you to schedule. You will be receiving a separate email with an invitation to the patient portal for the medical practice, so we can begin the required medical screening paperwork. Please complete that as soon as possible, so we can contact you with any individual medical needs. You will be sent a medical screening form, and your medication lists will be reviewed. Unless you hear from us otherwise, all of your routine medications and supplements can be taken as usual throughout the retreat, so bring these with you as you normally would.  The same goes for caffeine, and we suggest you do not drink more or less than is typical for you to avoid any caffeine- related agitation or withdrawal headaches. We are often asked about sleep medications. Almost all sleep aids are fine to take after ketamine, and you’re welcome to pull us aside and confirm if you have questions about taking something. Please do return the medical and registration forms in a timely manner. If you have a medical condition or medication that needs further discussion, our medical staff will contact you individually.
9. We suggest that you bring some small items that are meaningful to you from home.These will be placed on a cloth on the floor in our gathering space and ideally will relate to whatever intention you have for the experience. Or... they may be just things you find beautiful. You will not be asked to discuss them, so this part is totally personal to you!