Between hybrid work schedules, mandatory return-to-work orders, and disenchanted Gen Z staffers, corporate culture is in a bit of an upheaval as of late. Which means, now more than ever, companies need to prioritize employees' mental health—not just as a perk, but as a real benefit—if they want to retain staff and attract new members.
These unprecedented times also call for some out-of-the-box corporate wellness concepts. Enter psychedelic retreats.
This unconventional approach—swapping golf for guided magic mushroom journeys—aims to deepen connections among team members and foster a more creative and well-rounded workforce.
Zapolin typically starts his retreats with hapé, a ceremonial tobacco, followed by a “mushroom” hike the next morning (the type of mushroom depends on the location) and then a group ketamine treatment with the help of a doctor.Photo: Courtesy of Zappy Zapolin
“He noticed that everybody was much more empathetic to each other. They weren't backstabbing. They weren't competitive. They were really bonded in a new, unique way,” said Zapolin, a former Wall Street guy who is now a “psychedelic concierge” with celebrity clients such as Michelle Rodriguez, Lamar Odom, and the Real Housewives of Bravo, as well as venture capitalists, ad agencies, and marketing groups.
“There are so few things that you can do that have the impact that this can have so quickly,” he said about a psychedelic retreat.
Zapolin combines the corporate retreat concept with meditation mixed with ketamine to allow groups to develop a deeper connection with team members in a short period of time.
Ketamine is an FDA-approved drug and can be given on a prescription basis, unlike psilocybin (aka magic mushrooms), which is illegal in most states. New Mexico just became the third state in the U.S. to decriminalize psilocybin when the Medical Psilocybin Act was signed into law last week. Oregon and Colorado are the other two states.
Psychedelics, such as ayahuasca, psilocybin, and MDMA (ecstasy), are believed to dramatically accelerate the process of personal transformation that could take years to achieve in standard talk therapy. Mushrooms, for example, have been shown to treat depression, anxiety, and PTSD. (The global psychedelic drug market size was valued at $3.07 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $8.33 billion by 2032.)
C-suite executives book these retreats in the hopes of getting unstuck and gaining greater clarity, empathy, introspection, decisiveness, and creativity, ultimately with the goal of being better leaders and colleagues.
According to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, the effects of psilocybin can cause a person to have more flexible thinking and shift how they react to different emotions, especially negative ones.
“A corporate retreat is much different than a conventional therapeutic psychedelic retreat,” said Justin Townsend, chief executive officer of MycoMeditations, a Jamaica-based psilocybin retreat. “In a corporate setting, clients have tangible, career-related obstacles that they are seeking to work on. These obstacles, of course, have roots in their personal psychology, so there are two levels of work needed versus when a person tries psychedelic therapy for depression, for example. The depression may very likely impact their work, but their work is not their primary motivation for joining.”
The Journeymen Collective's retreat center is 8,000 square feet with luxury accommodations.Photo: Courtesy of The Journeymen Collective
“I think more and more people are realizing that this plant medicine, when used correctly, can truly benefit mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. It’s an investment in personal/professional development, self-discovery, and the health of the guest, as well as those around them,” Grover said.
"Our guests are usually in a good place in life but know there’s more available to them or more about themselves they need to find out," Logan said.Photo: Courtesy of The Journeymen Collective
“Clinical research continues to validate the safety and effectiveness of psilocybin, and there are more anecdotal stories surfacing within society. It is becoming much more common for people to discuss the impacts of psychedelic experiences for personal or professional reasons with their friends, family, or colleagues, which is creating more cultural trust for psychedelics,” Townsend added.
In addition to solo retreats, the Collective offers a joint experience for business partners and co-founders and a group retreat for three to four people. Pricing is about $15,000 per person for the five-day in-person retreat, which includes four weeks of preparation calls and four months of integration calls after the journey.
“We believe in keeping the group smaller than other facilities in the industry because the work is so intensive, and we want to be able to focus on each of our guests,” Logan said. In addition to the medicinal ceremonies, guests go on hikes and enjoy a saltwater pool, hot tub, and plunge pool on site.
Zapolin typically starts his retreats with hapé, a ceremonial tobacco, followed by a “mushroom” hike the next morning (the type of mushroom depends on the location) and then a group ketamine treatment with the help of a doctor.
The key to all these retreats is what is known as integration. This is when the facilitators offer guidance throughout—so there are no “bad trips”—and help attendees apply what they learned during the experience to their work lives.
Zapolin coordinates with groups when it comes to selecting the retreat's location.Photo: Courtesy of Zappy Zapolin
Applicants share their medical history with retreat organizers as well.
“If you do this proactively, your company is going to be resonating at a frequency above any other company,” Zapolin said. “And you're going to probably dominate or do that much better in whatever space you're in.”
Of course, keep in mind that psychedelic experiences can bring personal issues to the surface, which can be awkward and maybe a confidentiality issue when it happens in front of colleagues or subordinates.
Lisa Snyder, director of marketing and digital operations at Portland, Ore.-based InnerTrek, said that retreat participants need to be open to being vulnerable and comfortable with their fellow attendees. “Because there are power dynamics involved in businesses, I think it's really important that everybody understands this and is on some level playing field in some way.”
InnerTrek offers psychedelic facilitator training and psilocybin service offerings such as one-on-one journeys and group experiences. They will match a group with the right facilitator within their network, some of whom are also licensed therapists. The space is also available to rent by groups who already have their own trained and licensed facilitators.
Because of the intimate nature of the experience, Snyder suggests groups consider trying a low dose or a microdose. “I think that that is very accessible for almost any company to do because [with] a microdose, you're not even supposed to feel it, but there's a change in energy, and it can create more camaraderie, spirit, and openness with a company.”
The Journeymen Collective specializes in the use of psilocybin for therapeutic purposes.Photo: Courtesy of The Journeymen Collective
“It's not forced. If you're going to Outward Bound or some meditation thing, some people don't resonate with it. Some people don't get it. It doesn't hit them like it might hit others,” he said. “But this, with the right setting and the right guide, every single person has this experience that they need to have that's transformational.”
