EXPANSION

At Synthesis, safety is our number one priority. Although the psychedelic retreat experience can be beneficial for many, for some it’s not appropriate to consume truffles containing psilocybin. These include people who have medical contraindications relating to their physical and mental health. Our health screening process aims to mitigate the risk for participants, and we have a dedicated team that assesses each health screening using informed guidelines.  

The following are considered contraindications that would deem someone ineligible to participate in the program. These include, but are not limited to:

• Suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide
• Schizophrenia
• Psychosis (including mania)
• A personality disorder, including borderline personality disorder
• Psychiatric hospitalization
• Any dissociative disorder, including dissociative identity disorder
• Self-harm or self-destructive behavior. Examples include: cutting, bruising, burning or similar self-inflicted wounding, self sabotage, excessive drug and/or alcohol use for multiple days with little to no sleep, regular high-risk sexual behavior, etc.)

Our Facilitation Team includes a Lead Facilitator as well as a minimum of seven (7) Co-Lead Facilitators and a minimum of three (3) Retreat Assistants, all of whom have been carefully trained and supervised by our Lead Facilitators to support you during your journey. Our retreats have approximately one (1) support staff for every two (2) participants.

Synthesis uses a tea made from truffles, an earlier stage of mushroom development that still contain psilocybin and has psychedelic effects if ingested.

Deciding on dosage is a collaborative and consent-based process. You will discuss dosage in a one-to-one facilitation session on-site at your retreat. Generally speaking, the first dose is 15g of truffles containing psilocybin. The second dose can be up to a maximum of 40g of truffles containing psilocybin.

Current COVID requirements are outlined below, but are subject to change based on real-time needs:

• Prior to travel, all participants must complete the Pre-Visit COVID-19 Screening no sooner than three (3) days prior to departure. If you answer yes to any of the screening questions, you are required to contact support@synthesisretreat.com for additional instructions.
• A negative NAAT (PCR) test result based on a sample collected in the Netherlands no more than 24 hours prior to the start of your retreat.
  • Recommendations for where you can obtain a NAAT (PCR) test upon arrival in the Netherlands can be provided upon request. 
• Arrival at the venue during the assigned check-in window. Early arrivals to the venue are not permitted.
• Upon arrival at the venue, a COVID screening and temperature check is required.

Our retreats take place at two locations in Amsterdam:

Venwoude: a beautiful venue situated on an estate in the woods between Amsterdam and Utrecht. It is known for its excellent organic food, simple but high-quality accommodations, well-kept gardens, and general atmosphere of loving care and spiritual depth. Learn more here.

The Lighthouse: located in a former church built in 1928 on a former dune in the middle of the green heart of Zandvoort. Authentic details return in a surprising way thanks to natural materials being used in combination with original church materials. As a whole, this creates a welcoming atmosphere in which you can feel right at home. You will find the natural differences in level in the church reflected in the nature around Zandvoort. Add all of this together and you quickly realize Het Lichthuis is a special and inspiring place. Learn more here.

Venwoude: The accommodations are located in three (3) separate buildings throughout the grounds and include a mix of single and double rooms. The buildings vary in age, but all accommodations are simple and clean.

Room assignments are made at the discretion of a retreat team member, and we cannot guarantee participants single rooms. We will do our best to accommodate family members who wish to stay in double-occupancy rooms whenever possible.

There are bathrooms on every floor of the buildings. All bathrooms are mixed-sex, gender-neutral spaces. There are no single-sex bathrooms or showers. Individual shower stalls are private. There is also a sauna and outdoor shower.

Het Lichthuis ("The Lighthouse): The lighthouse is composed of six apartments, set up for shared occupancy of two to four people. Each apartment has a unique character, but all have their own living room, a kitchenette, a modern bathroom as well as access to a beautiful garden at the back. The venue also features a sauna, a relaxation area, and a large kitchen/dining area where our chefs will be preparing fresh, healthy, and delicious meals throughout your stay.

Single participants will be allocated rooms with single beds, separated by gender. If you’re a woman attending alone, you will be sharing an apartment with individual twin beds, with another woman. Couples attending together will share a double room.

The food at our venues is vegetarian, organic, seasonal, and local. Coffee, teas, fresh fruit, and nut snacks are available between meals. The kitchen will cater for any individual dietary requirements and/or lifestyle preferences. We will collect dietary information from participants prior to your retreat.

Participants are responsible for arranging transportation to and from the venue. Synthesis recommends the Staxi taxi service which can be reserved and booked in advance. Additional transportation recommendations can be provided upon request.

Yes. After your Health Screening Questionnaire is approved, you will be prompted to sign the service agreement and select your tuition payment preference. 

You can pay your tuition of $6,497 in full. Or, you can make two payments of $3,298.50 ($6,497 + $100 finance fee for a total of $6,597).

If you select the payment plan, you will be charged $3,298.50 at the time of registration and the balance of $3,298.50 30 days from the registration date. The same payment method used for the first payment will be used for the second. 

Financial Scholarships are currently not available. If you are in need of a scholarship to participate in the program, please do not complete a Health Screening Questionnaire and instead click here to be added to our scholarship interest list.

We are currently in the process of securing funding and building a fair and equitable process for reviewing and approving scholarship applications for Expansion.

Attendance at the online Preparation and Integration sessions is mandatory and integral to your program experience. Although occasional exceptions can be made due to extraordinary or critical circumstances, we encourage you to be sure you can attend each of these sessions in advance of registering for the program.