Truffle Weekend - Compassionate Self

Compassionate Self runs weekend psilocybin truffle retreats at De Tinusboom retreat centre in Almkerk, in the Netherlands, where the truffles are legal. The weekends are led by Sarah Dekker and Nic Burnand, certified Nonviolent Communication trainers and Internal Family Systems practitioners, whose company is based in Kalmthout, Belgium.

Approach

Each weekend runs from Friday at 6pm to Sunday at 1pm. It builds towards one truffle ceremony with music and incense, held in a ceremony room in winter and a tipi in the garden in summer, and adds two breathwork sessions, a parts-mapping exercise from IFS and sharing circles. The ceremony day combines some fasting with a feast. Sarah first sat with ayahuasca in 2018 and Nic first joined a plant medicine ceremony in 2011, and both bring IFS parts work into preparation and integration.

Who it is for

The weekends are for small groups seeking self-discovery and healing, and each applicant goes through suitability screening covering medical history, current medication and psychological wellbeing. Outside the weekends the pair offer individual psychedelic sessions, IFS and therapeutic coaching, dyad meditation retreats and support for psychedelic guides.

Practical details

Pricing is on a sliding scale from €895 to €1,495, covering two nights in a shared room with its own shower, vegetarian meals and the online sessions. Groups take at most nine people. Dates are listed for 2 to 4 and 16 to 18 October 2026, and for summer 2027.

Care and safety

Before the weekend each participant has a 30-minute online intake and a 90-minute one-to-one preparation session, which includes choosing a dose. Afterwards come an online group integration call and a further 90-minute individual session. Sarah is trained in first aid and always present, a medical kit is on site, and both guides belong to the Guild of Guides, which involves peer supervision.