In this episode, Jennifer Tessler, Jennifer Tessler, Psychotherapist & Founder of Alalaho, joins Paul F. Austin to discuss contemplative approaches to psychedelic healing.
Find episode links, summary, and transcript here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-242-jennifer-tessler/
Jennifer shares her journey of self-discovery through travel, meditation, and psychedelics. She discusses the integration of Dzogchen and psychedelics, and the benefits of psychedelics in supporting spiritual practices. Jennifer also talks about the founding of Alalaho Retreats and their focus on providing comprehensive retreat experiences for individuals interested in exploring psychedelics and deepening their spiritual practice. Jennifer explains the core practices in the experience retreat, which include meditation, somatic practices, journaling exercises, nature connection exercises, authentic relating, and ecstatic dance. She also emphasizes the importance of long-term integration and incorporating contemplative elements in the retreats.
Additionally, Jennifer shares her vision for offering retreats specifically for clinicians and healthcare practitioners to learn how to deliver psychedelic-assisted therapies. She highlights the need for psychedelic facilitators to have personal experience and expertise in navigating the inner realms. Finally, Jennifer emphasizes the integrity and safety of Alalaho as a container for transformative experiences.
Jennifer Tessler embarked on an in-depth exploration of reality and the inner workings of the human mind(heart) following a transformative backpacking journey to Asia in her late teens. There, she was introduced to the profound teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and discovered the sacred use of psychedelic medicines for the first time. Over the next 15 years, she devoted herself to the practice of meditation and the study of psychological healing and spiritual growth, spending close to a thousand days in meditation retreat under the close guidance of her Tibetan Buddhist teacher (a renowned Dzogchen master in the Vajrayana school). Her journey also led her to become an integrative transpersonal psychotherapist, blending Eastern wisdom with Western therapeutic approaches.
In 2017, Jennifer began facilitating psilocybin-assisted retreats and co-directing the UK Psychedelic Society's Experience Retreats program, Europe's first legal psilocybin-assisted retreat program. This initiative eventually culminated in the founding of Alalaho, a pioneering organization celebrated for its integrity and heart-centered approach. Jennifer's efforts are dedicated to nurturing the unfolding of the infinite vitality, wisdom, and potential that lies at the core of our being — just like the blossoming of a lotus.
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