The DARK Side Of Ayahuasca Retreats (Watch This Before You Go)

In this week’s episode, I’m sitting down with Francesca Barone and Neils Nahm—transformational coaches and co-founders of Anam Cara Healing Retreats in Costa Rica—to talk about a topic few are willing to explore: the dark side of ayahuasca retreats.

While many speak about the magic, healing, and breakthroughs that can happen in ceremony, Francesca Neils and I open up about the hidden shadows that also emerge—emotional bypassing, spiritual ego, lack of integration, and the danger of commercialization in sacred medicine spaces.

With years of experience guiding people through deep somatic and spiritual work, they shed light on what truly makes a retreat safe, respectful, and transformational.

We dive into the importance of proper guidance, honoring indigenous lineages like the Shipibo Nation, and doing the integration work after the ceremony is over.

If you’ve ever felt called to plant medicine or are questioning the integrity of some spaces out there, this episode is for you.