Your Journey Towards Transformation
Join us in a private sanctuary over-looking the Pacific Ocean for a 5 day, 4 psilocybin retreat designed by and for first responders and their families. If you are a paramedic, firefighter, police officer, nurse, or emergency personnel, who has tried traditional therapy with minimal results, this is for you.
This one-of-a kind experience blends sacred plant medicine, somatic healing, and community in a space rooted in family, safety, trust, and care.
Together in community we will experience the power of safe connection and the heart, mind, and spirit benefits of psilocybin and cacao.
- Day 1: Opening Ceremony with Cacao
- Day 2: Integration and Beach Excursion
- Day 3: Sunrise Ceremony with Sound Healing
- Day 4: Microdose Workshop & Live Music Celebration Ceremony
- Day 5: Departure
An estimated 69% of EMS providers report not having enough recovery time between traumatic incidents, which means families also don't get adequate time to process and recover between their loved one's difficult experiences.
The Silent Crisis
Behind the scenes lies a silent epidemic of those on the front lines and the families that stand behind them.
Similar to military service members returning from combat, depression and PTSD are five times more common in first responders and suicide rates are on the rise.
A survey of more than 4,000 first responders, published by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services in 2015, found they are 10 times more likely than the general population to consider or attempt taking their own lives – 37% of respondents reported they had contemplated suicide.
With a lack of culturally competent mental health resources available to first responders and their families, it’s time to find a new approach to healing.
Book a 30-minute discovery call with our team.
"I recently attended a psilocybin retreat at Ananda and had an excellent experience. The schedule was thoughtfully organized, gradually introducing the process in a way that felt safe and reassuring. It was evident that the staff and leadership put significant effort into doing everything the right way."
~ Jonathan, February 2025 Guest
Psilocybin and Trauma Recovery
First responders face stress and trauma daily. That takes a toll over time. Nearly 60% experience burnout or other mental health challenges from constant exposure to crisis.
Repeated trauma can rewire the brain, leading to emotional numbness, over-alertness, and disconnection. But there is hope. Psilocybin and other classic psychedelics have been shown to calm the brain’s fear center (the amygdala), support emotional processing, and help form new, healthier neural pathways.
In professions where emotions are often suppressed, trauma can get stuck in the body. Psilocybin invites deep emotional release and inner clarity, gently uncovering the imprints that block our natural resilience, vitality, and wholeness.
A single dose of psilocybin mushrooms was associated with a noticeable reduction in burnout symptoms among emergency medical service workers.
From Burnout to Breakthrough: Jason & Kimberly’s Story
Owners of Ananda Lodge Costa Rica, Jason & Kimberly Ocana, know how unresolved trauma, stress, and burnout can permeate the families surrounding first responders.
As a retired firefighter paramedic, Jason struggled silently for years with depression, hypervigilance, emotional shut down, and burn out. His method of coping was typically alcohol, isolation, and dissociation. Through his smile and jovial personality, he hid the scars well. Until one day it had become too much for their family.
Hit by Hurricane Ian in 2022, Jason & Kimberly lost their home and belongings under 30 inches of water. Trying to salvage the remains, Jason steadfastly worked to support the community. When he finally returned home, he did so with a bottle and no emotional capacity for his family. It was at this point Jason & Kimberly a drastic change needed to take place.
"Words cannot express how incredible and unique this place is. The support during and after ceremony is unmatched in the retreat industry. If you wat to feel safe and supported you will not find it anywhere else like Ananda."
~ Scott, March 2025 Guest
The Hidden Cost on Families
While first responders face unique challenges that compound over time, their trauma doesn’t exist in isolation—it ripples through their entire family system.
The stress of the job often manifests at home through:
- Emotional withdrawal and hypervigilance that can create distance in intimate relationships
- Sleep disturbances and nightmares that affect the entire household
- Increased irritability and anger that family members must navigate
- Difficulty “turning off” work mode, bringing the intensity of emergency situations into family life
- Communication challenges as my first responders don’t want to burden their families
- Hypervigilance about family safety that can feel overwhelming to spouses and children
"If you are considering a retreat to explore your spirit, heal from past traumas or just reset your life… Ananda Lodge is the place to start."
~ Jay W, December 2024 Guest
What You'll Gain
- Community healing in a safe, intimate environment with others who understand your experience
- Tools for nervous system regulation and restoration
- Genuine community and connection with a max of 10 guests
- An opportunity to heal from burn out and a return to renewed passion
- The ability to improve cognitive functioning, depression, and anxiety that is lasting
- Enhanced emotional connection and communication skills with your family, friends, and community
- Toolkit for Microdosing for everyday health, vitality, and optimal cognitive function
This Retreat Is For You If:
- Active first responders curious about the healing potential of sacred plant medicine
- First responder family members - spouses, partners, and adult family members who have absorbed secondary trauma
- First responders who have tried traditional therapy, medications, or other treatments without finding lasting relief from PTSD, depression, or anxiety
- Those seeking deep healing within a community who understand your unique challenges
- Individuals looking for sustainable, lasting change rather than quick fixes, and who are willing to commit to a journey of transformation beyond just a retreat
YOUR GUIDES
Jason Ocana
Jason is the co-founder of Ananda Lodge Costa Rica and a retired Firefighter Paramedic. In his almost 18 year career Jason intimately understands how unresolved trauma can accumulate in the body and impact those around him.
In his exploration for healing, Jason discovered the healing benefits of Psilocybin in both large and small doses. In this, Psilocybin has been an ally for restoring health in his physical, mental, and spiritual body.
Kimberly Ocana
Kimberly is the co-founder of Ananda Lodge Costa Rica and a certified somatic trauma-informed medicine facilitator and integration guide. As an empathic medicine woman, Kimberly brings over 10 years of personal coaching and working with plant medicine. Experiencing the depths of corporate burnout, she turned to ancient healing traditions and plant medicine for soul reconnection and transformation.
“Kimberly is an incredibly insightful and thoughtful guide and teacher. She is astute, knowledgeable, compassionate, articulate and holds space for me in just the ways I need.” ~ Personal coaching client
