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Community, Group Process, and Co-Creation: How to Build a Successful Retreat

June 14, 2024
Featuring: Alice Dommert & Kara Tremain, ACC

In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Kyle interviews two Vital graduates: Alice Dommert: certified breathwork facilitator and co-founder of retreat company, The Infinite Center; and Kara Tremain, ACC: somatic practitioner and growth and development coach.

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In this episode of Vital Psychedelic Conversations, Kyle interviews two Vital graduates: Alice Dommert: certified breathwork facilitator and co-founder of retreat company, The Infinite Center; and Kara Tremain, ACC: somatic practitioner and growth and development coach.

A huge part of Vital is the experiential aspect of attending a retreat. Students report that being part of a group process, feeling the power of the proper set and setting, taking a journey as both a sitter and experiencer, and separating from the world and connecting with each other has been one of the best parts of the program – even life-changing. With Dommert behind 13 Vital retreats to date, she and Kyle dive into what they’ve learned in how to run a successful retreat.

They discuss:

  • Facilitator humility and how important it is for everyone to be on the same page
  • How much additional activities can add to the experience (tea ceremonies, CrossFit, chanting, fireside chats)
  • The importance of allowing enough time and space for everything, from personal time with facilitators to possible issues
  • Co-creation and openness: What can facilitators and people coming to the retreat build together? How do we create the most meaningful time together?

If you’re interested in Vital, applications are now open with an Early Bird discount! And if you want to attend a Vital retreat, we have a few spots left in two: a transpersonal breathwork retreat in Pennsylvania, July 9-14, and a cannabis + breathwork retreat in Agoura Hills, CA in October. Head to the Infinite Center’s website for details.

Links

Vital Psychedelic Training

Theinfinitecenter.org

Karatremain.com

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker

The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment And the Developing Social Brain, by Louis Cozolino

July 9 – 14: Transpersonal Breathwork Retreat at River Mountain Retreat Center, PA

October 20 – 25: Psychedelic Cannabis + Transpersonal Breathwork Retreat at Holistic TherapeutiX Center, CA

Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that Psychedelics Today will receive a percentage of the sale.

Alice Dommert

In this Episode

Alice Dommert

Alice Dommert, the visionary behind Prasada, a corporate wellness company established in 2009, brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to the table. Her diverse background in architecture, exhibit design, storytelling, human resources, positive psychology, yoga, mindfulness, and breathwork forms the foundation of Prasada’s wellness and leadership training programs, designed to enable sustainable and growth-oriented organizations. Alice, a certified breathwork facilitator, has focused on breathwork within a 7 Elements Wholebeing framework. She has in-depth study and experience with pranayama breathwork, rebirthing breathwork, and Transpersonal Breathwork. In 2023, Alice received a Certificate of Completion in the Vital: Psychedelic Therapies and Integration program with Psychedelics Today. Since 2018, Prasada, under Alice’s leadership, has fostered a unique framework for retreats, emphasizing breathwork and group process. Alice, in partnership with Psychedelics Today, has designed and facilitated over 20 retreats in Costa Rica, Portugal, Jamaica, and Pennsylvania. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in supporting the Vital program with a unique and transformative retreat experience. In 2023, Alice co-founded The Infinite Center to expand retreat and the 7 Element Wholebeing framework offerings to serve the growing need of individuals seeking community and connection to foster self-discovery.

Socials: Instagram

Kara Tremain, ACC 3

Kara Tremain, ACC

Kara Tremain is a somatic practitioner and growth & development coach. She is trained in somatic experiencing, craniosacral therapy, and other healing modalities that address the nervous system and the body’s role in trauma and accumulated stress. She is a graduate of Vital, and provides psychedelic preparation and integration coaching with an emphasis on somatics.

Socials: Instagram