Living Medicine Institute

02/26/2026

Good afternoon!

I'm excited to invite you to an upcoming immersive training retreat in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, April 23–26, at the beautiful Sanctuary of the Pines retreat center in Flat Rock, North Carolina. All lodging and meals are included, allowing you to step away from daily responsibilities and fully settle into the experience.

We work with both practitioners who are new to KAP and looking for an experiential introduction, as well as experienced clinicians and medical professionals who want to deepen their practice or gain direct experience with IV and intranasal routes of administration.

This uniquely experiential training retreat weaves together high-quality teaching with two supported ketamine experiences, somatically focused resiliency frameworks, group process, and nature-connection practices. The hands-on focus includes careful attention to set and setting, preparation, and integration, with the intention that your personal experiences with the medicine inform and strengthen your clinical work.

Prior to arrival, you’ll receive access to our introductory video series so you can come prepared and ready to drop more fully into the experiential components of the retreat. We are also one of the few training programs offering the opportunity to experience both an individual IV sessions and intranasal administration in a supported group setting and we are excited to offer this to you.

Participants consistently rate the experience 5/5, and our intent is for the retreat to be professionally relevant and personally transformative.

We would love to see you there!

Warmly,
Dr. Sandy Newes

Join us for a uniquely experiential ketamine- assisted psychotherapy training outside of Asheville, NC.

02/20/2026

Wondering how you can grow your ketamine practice?

🔹1. Register for our upcoming April introductory retreat, April 23-26, 2026. It’s a powerful, hands-on way to grow both personally and professionally, and is perfect for clinicians ready to step confidently into psychedelic-assisted therapy.

🔹2. Join our mentoring group for applied, case-based support for real clinical work to enhance your confidence and competence in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

🔹3. Join the next Level One clinical intensive and build skills you will immediately use with a structured, supportive 16 week training experience. You’ll learn an approach to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy that’s practical and human, with clear guidance for what to do before, during, and after medicine sessions.

🔹4. Listen to Living Medicine, a podcast to stay connected, informed, and inspired. Stay close to the evolving field with Sandy Newes as she brings you thoughtful conversations with clinicians, researchers, and leaders in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

Training, Mentorship, and Resources for Clinicians Joining the Revolution in Legal Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy. Taught by exclusive experienced KAP providers.

02/20/2026

02/19/2026

New episode of Living Medicine is live!

As psychedelics become more integrated into mainstream therapy, the challenges of preserving tradition while ensuring safety and effectiveness remain at the forefront of this evolving field. How can professionals bridge this gap?

Physician turned psychedelic therapy practitioner Dana Lerman, MD, suggests blending indigenous wisdom with modern therapeutic practices. She emphasizes the importance of proper preparation and informed consent for psychedelic experiences, ensuring that participants understand both the potential benefits and risks. Safety, trust, and a deep respect for the medicine are key components of a transformative psychedelic journey. By honoring these traditions and fostering a sense of community, practitioners can create healing environments that respect the individuals and the medicines.

In this episode of Living Medicine, Dr. Sandy Newes sits down with Dana Lerman, MD, to talk about the integration of indigenous practices into psychedelic therapy. Dr. Lerman shares her thoughts on the importance of preparation in psychedelic work, the role of indigenous wisdom in modern therapy, and the need for a strong community during psychedelic experiences.

Dana Lerman, MD, is the Founder of Skylight Psychedelics, a company that trains therapists in psychedelic‑assisted therapy and provides medically supervised ...

02/18/2026

Curious how you can elevate your practice?

Our Introductory Spring Training Retreat is fast approaching. This retreat is specifically for clinicians or medical professionals who want to grow their practice and explore how Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy works in a safe, legal, and effective way.

Our retreat groups are intentionally small, and we incorporate nature connection, group process, and teach from a trauma and resilience framework to support your work.

When: April 23-26, 2026
Where: Near Asheville, North Carolina

A few spots are still open, and registration is now open on our website!

02/17/2026

There are still a few spots available for our upcoming introductory training retreat on April 23-26. Spread the word!

Join us for a uniquely experiential ketamine- assisted psychotherapy training outside of Asheville, NC.

02/12/2026

Cancer care is not just about fighting the disease — it's about addressing the profound emotional and existential challenges patients face. How can healthcare providers support patients' mental and emotional needs while navigating these difficult journeys?

According to psychedelic oncologist Dr. Jason Konner, psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, can offer profound emotional relief to cancer patients by helping them address existential distress — something often overlooked in traditional oncology care. He emphasizes the importance of self-care for healthcare providers, suggesting that personal experiences with psychedelics can help combat burnout and improve the quality of care. By focusing on emotional and spiritual healing, doctors can support their patients through difficult diagnoses.

In this episode of Living Medicine, Dr. Sandy Newes sits down with Jason Konner, MD, Co-founder of Psychedelic Oncology, to discuss the intersection of oncology and psychedelics. Dr. Konner explains how psychedelics help cancer patients confront existential fears, the need for psychedelic literacy among healthcare providers, and how providers can avoid burnout through personal healing practices.

Checkout the full episode now!

02/12/2026

Cancer care is not just about fighting the disease — it's about addressing the profound emotional and existential challenges patients face. How can healthcare providers support patients' mental and emotional needs while navigating these difficult journeys?

According to psychedelic oncologist Dr. Jason Konner, psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, can offer profound emotional relief to cancer patients by helping them address existential distress — something often overlooked in traditional oncology care. He emphasizes the importance of self-care for healthcare providers, suggesting that personal experiences with psychedelics can help combat burnout and improve the quality of care. By focusing on emotional and spiritual healing, doctors can support their patients through difficult diagnoses.

In this episode of Living Medicine, Dr. Sandy Newes sits down with Jason Konner, MD, Co-founder of Psychedelic Oncology, to discuss the intersection of oncology and psychedelics. Dr. Konner explains how psychedelics help cancer patients confront existential fears, the need for psychedelic literacy among healthcare providers, and how providers can avoid burnout through personal healing practices.

Jason Konner, MD, is the Co‑founder of Psychedelic Oncology, an initiative exploring the intersection of psychedelic‑assisted healing and cancer care. As a m...

02/11/2026

The first video in our introduction to ketamine-assisted psychotherapy series is free! Retreat participants will receive the full video series before you arrive, so that your focus during the training retreat can be dedicated to immersion in the experiential aspect and “dropping in” as a participant.

▶️: https://tinyurl.com/freekapvideo

In all of our trainings we weave together these essential elements to help you develop your expertise:

1. Practical Clinical Didactics: Our trainings place a strong emphasis on applied skills - equipping you with the necessary tools to better practice ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.

2. Direct Experiences: We believe it is essential that providers be familiar with medicine experiences, and our trainings focus on guided and direct encounters with the medicine. You will have multiple ketamine sessions that will enrich your understanding and practice of KAP.

3. Expert Facilitators: Our training programs are led by some of the most experienced providers, ensuring you receive top-notch guidance and mentoring from seasoned professionals.

4. Integration of evidence based practices with the non-ordinary states: Our training team is well trained in traditional approaches to mental health, while also holding a deep appreciation and respect for the mystical elements of the psychedelic states.

At the Living Medicine Institute, our intent is that your personal experiences with the medicine experientially reinforce the learning to directly support your future work with clients. Past participants have described this training retreat as professionally relevant and personally impactful.

Our uniquely experiential retreat combines quality instruction, two supported ketamine experiences (group and individual), somatically focused trauma and resilience frameworks, mindfulness, and nature connection activities to support you safely and powerfully as a participant.

🔹Learn More: https://tinyurl.com/3j2r2v5r

02/09/2026

In the evolving field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, new treatments and models of care are challenging traditional approaches to mental health. How can an intensive, multidisciplinary method provide lasting breakthroughs for people struggling with depression, trauma, and anxiety?

Mental health researcher Rutger Engels and clinical psychologist Shiva Thorsell advocate for a combination of evidence-based methods and innovative practices like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. They maintain that individualized, modular treatment programs allow them to tailor care for each client. Rutger and Shiva also emphasize intensive approaches, structured group therapy, and lifestyle interventions like running as key tools for deep and lasting change. These research-driven, yet compassionate treatment models can open new pathways to recovery.

In this episode of Living Medicine, Sandy Newes sits down with Rutger Engels and Shiva Thorsell, Co-founders of Senz, to talk about building a multidisciplinary clinic that integrates psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. They discuss the importance of individualized modular treatments, how intensive programs foster deeper healing, and how to integrate ketamine-assisted psychotherapy responsibly.

Rutger Engels is the Co-founder and Director of Senz, a treatment center for anxiety and depression in the Netherlands. He is also a Professor of Development...

02/09/2026

02/06/2026

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Free training videos, recording teaching sessions and Q&A's, actual patient and client interviews about psychedelic therapy, career mentoring panels, and more! We are a leading training center for clinical professionals interested in using Ketamine for Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.