FAQs

Welcome to the Experiential Training Institute’s Frequently Asked Questions.

Here you’ll find clear answers about our psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands and our accredited psychedelic-assisted therapy training programmes.

We cover everything from who can attend, how to prepare, and what’s included, to our safety protocols, integration support, and professional development opportunities for practitioners.

Whether you’re considering joining us for a personal growth retreat or enrolling in our practitioner training, this page is designed to help you understand what to expect and how to get started.

If you have a question that goes unanswered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch - our team would be happy to chat with you.

About ETI

  • The Experiential Training Institute (ETI) offers accredited, high-quality training programmes and retreats in psychedelic-assisted therapy, based in the Netherlands. We combine academic theory, experiential learning, and integration practices to support practitioners, therapists, and individuals seeking safe, ethical, and effective psychedelic work.

  • After experiencing the power and potential of psychedelics ourselves for several years we (Jeanine and Hans) founded the Experiential Training Institute in 2022, as an experiential education company dedicated to training mental health providers in psychedelic processes.

    Understanding the science, history, philosophy, psychology, and psychiatry as well as the sacred wisdom linked with psychedelic work, has taken years. We both understand first-hand the non-ordinary state of consciousness and its opportunities as well as the unique challenges that come with altered states.

    We first met when we worked together for Field Trip Health in Amsterdam, where we teamed up as Medical Director (Hans) and Head Therapist (Jeanine). At Field Trip, hundreds of clients were safely guided during their magic truffle sessions, with a proven track record for leading safe and legal psychedelic sessions for many individuals from all over the world. Our work in the psychedelic field deepened and strengthened as we shared a collective inspiration and purposefulness of doing profound transformative work together.

  • The Experiential Training Institute offers two main types of programs:

    • Psilocybin Retreats – Small group retreats, private journeys, and couples journeys, designed to support deep insight, healing, and personal growth in a safe, legal setting in the Netherlands.

    • Practitioner Training – Comprehensive, experiential training for those seeking to facilitate safe and effective psychedelic care, including the Core Programme, Advanced Programme, and our Experiential Retreat module.

Psychedelic Retreats

  • Our retreats are immersive, small-group, private or couples-focused experiences designed for personal growth, healing, and professional development. They combine guided psychedelic sessions, preparation, and integration support, all facilitated by experienced practitioners in a safe, legal setting.

  • Our retreats are open to individuals seeking personal or professional development who meet our screening criteria. This includes practitioners wishing to deepen their own experiential understanding, as well as those exploring psychedelics for healing or self-discovery.

    First, you need to complete our mandatory Health Screening Questionnaire. If your Health Screening Questionnaire is approved, we will arrange an online screening session. After the screening (truffle intake form) if there are any doubts, we will (with your consent) discuss the personal medical and psychiatric history that you share with us. If we determine that consuming truffles may lead you to experience unwanted drug interactions and other unintended complications, you will not be able to participate in the truffle programs.

  • We host our retreats in the Netherlands, in peaceful, nature-rich locations ideal for reflection, safety, and connection.

    We organize retreats at different locations. Both locations are quiet, comfortable, and well-suited for inner journeys.

    One of our retreat locations will be in a quaint location in an old city, Culemborg, situated in the center of the Netherlands and is only one hour drive from Amsterdam. This is a comfortable and secluded place to practice and engage with an altered state of mind.

    The other retreat location is located in Amsterdam, right in the center of a historic part of the city. At this serene location, we have created a haven away from the buzz of the city.

  • Each retreat includes group preparation calls, a facilitated psychedelic session, therapeutic support, group integration calls, accommodation, and meals. Additional one-to-one integration with a trusted therapist from our network is available if desired.

  • Yes. Our retreats comply with Dutch law, using legal psychedelic substances such as psilocybin truffles, under the guidance of trained facilitators.

  • We use truffles in our programs as psilocybin-containing mushrooms are not legally regulated in the Netherlands. As such, truffles may have a different appearance, yet they share the same active ingredient (psilocybin) with the so-called “magic mushrooms''.

  • The active ingredients in psychedelic truffles have a direct effect on the neurotransmitters in your brain. Their effect can lead to increased emotional processes, a reactivation of suppressed memories and feelings and mentally more flexible movement between different perspectives about yourself and life in general.

    Under supervision, truffles can enable you to temporarily break free from routine thought patterns by exposing yourself to all that you would rather not see. Years of suppressed emotions can come to the surface. Distorted beliefs that keep you trapped in old patterns of conditioning are reframed. Truffles can bring these processes up and make them transparent. This can be confronting, intense, and deregulating, but can also be necessary to find your human compass again. As soon as you rediscover your vitality, passion, love, sense of direction, and meaning, it will have a huge positive effect on your life.

  • As with other psychedelics, it is almost impossible to describe the subjective effects because reactions to such molecules can vary greatly from person to person. You can experience a feeling of going into the cavities of your mind, where themes, memories, emotions, and behavioral patterns are uprooted and presented to consciousness in strange new ways that can change your view of yourself and of life in general. The experience can be described as mystical, strange, intense, insightful, and deeply healing.

  • When truffles are used in a safe environment, they are very safe. Before you participate, you will have gone through a screening process to ensure there are no contra-indications. Our dose is between 1 to 1,5 packs (between 22gr to 33gr) of a specific strain to maintain safety and consistent results. This contains around 20-35 mg Psilocybin.

  • We make decisions on each application on a case-by-case basis. We take care in reviewing the psychological and physical health, medications, etc. to assess whether an applicant can be approved to join the program. Some mental or physical health conditions or the medications that are used to treat these conditions may interact in potentially risky ways with truffles containing psilocybin. Please provide a detailed description of any diagnoses, so we can take appropriate measures and keep you safe.

  • We cannot accept people who have suffered/are currently suffering from epileptic attacks, psychosis, severe depression, suicidal thought patterns, personality disorder (borderline), bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia. This is for your safety and ours (including other participants), so we strongly recommend you follow these indications. If you are unsure about what you are experiencing/have experienced, write extensively about it in your application form so we have a higher chance to safely and correctly evaluate your participation. To make sure you are suitable for the program, we do both psychiatric and psychological screening during our consultation process.

  • It is often the difficult journeys that lead to important breakthroughs and long-term benefits. Difficult experiences can provide great opportunities to see a new perspective. Experienced professionals help to reduce anxiety during the experience. They serve as trusted guides and interpreters. Creating a safe and comfortable environment helps to maximize the effect of treatment. We help you to establish an open, relaxed mindset.

  • In the days and weeks before your experience with ETI we will provide guided preparation exercises. Some of our recommendations can be found below:

    You will receive a dietary guide with helpful recommendations on how to nourish your body and mind for the journey ahead

    No alcohol, or drugs a week before the dosing session, and try to taper down the caffeine intake as well

    Prepare yourself well by refraining from work the week before the dosing

    Do activities that you like such as going to a sauna, cycling, reading a book, dancing, or creativeness

    Avoid activities that trigger a lot of stress in you

    Try to go to bed on time

    Exercise

    Spend more time in nature

    Connect with supportive friends and family

    Take time to rest and recharge

  • The small group program and the program for mental health professionals consist of a maximum of 8 people to ensure an intimate and secure experience.

  • Our facilitator-to-participant ratio is 1 facilitator to 2 participants.

  • You will be given an integration workbook, to deepen your insights and to remember your experience. You will also have a follow-up groupsession with Hans and Jeanine. If needed, we have a trusted network of knowledgeable and experienced psychologists for integration therapy

  • Integration is the process of making sense of and applying insights from your psychedelic experience. At ETI, we offer group and one-to-one integration sessions, helping participants translate their experiences into meaningful, lasting change.

  • The ETI staff consists of a psychiatrist and a psychologist, assisted by other trained facilitators. All of us are trained in first aid and we will have the necessary first aid equipment present on-site. We have a safety protocol in place for any emergencies beyond our scope in which extra support can be called onsite. If you have any allergies, we recommend bringing an Epi-pen for extra safety.

  • Unfortunately, participants can't arrive a day late or leave a day early. The retreat is constructed in a way to creates a safe container for all participants and in which all parts are important for the individual as well as group experience. We also recommend taking some time off after the retreat, a day or more, to allow for a smooth transition back into daily life.

  • Our Amsterdam 3-day retreats for small groups: € 2450,- (excluding accommodation and 21% VAT)

    Our Culemborg 3-day retreats for small group: 2950,- (including accommodation and excluding 21% VAT)

    Our 3-day exclusive retreat for individuals: € 2900,- (excluding accommodation and 21% VAT)

    Couples program: price upon request

    *Please note that these prices are open to change.

  • Our truffle retreat and training program are not medical and therefore not recognised as a treatment. The costs of our programs are not reimbursed by insurance companies.

  • After booking your retreat you have 14 days to withdraw from the program. The costs of the screening (250 euros) will be settled. The balance of the participation fee is due before the first group session, and our cancellation policy applies. After 14 days, if you cancel your retreat before the start of the services, the following cancellation policy applies:

    Free cancellation up to 2 months

    50% fee with cancellation less than 2 months

    75% fee with cancellation less than 1 month

    100% fee with cancellation less than 2 weeks

  • After getting in touch, you begin with a screening process by completing a Health Screening Questionnaire where we ask you important questions related to your medical history. This information is reviewed by our team. If your Health Screening Questionnaire is approved, you’ll be invited to an online intake session with one of our psychologists and with one of the co-founders. After that, we can ensure it’s safe for you to participate in the program and you will receive an invitation to book your retreat.

    In the case of open registration (business to consumer (B2C)), a cooling-off period of 14 days applies after booking your retreat.

  • All retreats include the following:

    1 online psychological intake session to determine your eligibility

    Healthy meals starting from lunch on your first day and ending with lunch on your last day

    1 online preparatory group session

    1 in-person preparatory group session

    3-day retreat for small groups: one psychedelic ceremony

    4-day program for mental health professionals: one psychedelic ceremony as participant and one as co-facilitator

    1 in-person integration group session

    1 online post-integration group session

    Integration workbook

    Experiential training including emergency protocol training, and preparation, facilitation, and integration practices individually and with groups

    If you have booked your 3-day retreat in Amsterdam, you can choose your preferred accommodation. We can recommend the following hotels in the area:

    NH Hotel Museum quarter

    Conservatorium hotel

    The College Hotel

    Pestana

    Sir Albert

    Okura

    The Muse

    B&B The Weavery

    Notting Hill

    NH Hotel and Sir Albert are closest to the retreat location.

  • ETI keeps all personal information confidential. All health data is stored with restricted access to protect the privacy of all individuals who complete the Health Screening Questionnaire.

  • The Terms & Conditions are part of your participation agreement to be signed by you whenever you are eligible to join one of our programs. This will be sent to you separately.

  • Yes. We have a trusted network of therapists and practitioners who understand the ETI method and have personal and professional experience with psychedelics.

Practitioner Training

  • Our Practitioner Training are accredited programs for therapists, coaches, and facilitators who want to work professionally with psychedelic-assisted therapy. It blends live online lectures, experiential retreats, supervision, and integration support.

  • We welcome mental health professionals, therapists, coaches, medical practitioners, and others with relevant backgrounds in care, facilitation, or personal development. Entry requirements vary by programme.

  • Yes. Our Practitioner Training is accredited by FGzPT, NVP, and NVvP, ensuring professional recognition and continuing education credits.

  • We are honored to be the first accredited training institute in the Netherlands, that can provide you with 21 Permanent Education points if you are a member of NvP, NIP, or FgzPT.

  • We focus on bridging theory with practice. Our approach includes experiential modules where trainees take on both participant and facilitator roles, gaining hands-on experience in retreat settings. We also offer internship opportunities at ETI retreats.

  • Yes. All training programmes include experiential retreats, giving trainees the opportunity to experience psychedelic-assisted therapy from both perspectives.