Ketamine enhanced Internal Family Systems (KIFS) Clinician Training Retreat

About the Ketamine-enhanced IFS Clinician Trainings

The use of ketamine as treatment for depression, suicidality, PTSD, and chronic pain is booming and sits at the forefront of altered state assisted psychotherapy. However, there is a lack of clinicians who are able to guide patients through this process to make lasting change in their life. This training blends ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) with Internal Family Systems (IFS) to provide clinicians with a map to support clients and patients through altered consciousness therapy.

These Ketamine enhanced Internal Family Systems (K-IFS) training retreats and workshops will instruct clinicians in K-IFS specific preparation for medicine work, therapeutic support, anchoring, and integrated embodiment. During this experience, participants will learn the basics of IFS, translate the IFS paradigm from ordinary consciousness into a map for medicine work, gain a foundational understanding of ketamine as a supportive medicine for psychological exploration, and practice facilitating ketamine enhanced IFS sessions, as well as dive into the medicine to support your own internal processing. Participants will also learn about the ethics of altered consciousness psychotherapy and best practices for set, setting, and integration.

Just as all of your internal parts are welcome, all levels of IFS learners are welcome. For those who are new to IFS, we will cover the basics and begin the journey into this world-opening therapeutic lens. For those who are experienced in IFS, we will hone your skills as you shift from the application of IFS in ordinary consciousness into expanded consciousness. Ketamine enhanced IFS offers an opportunity to journey into the world of your parts and visit them in their internal home–as distinct from inviting them to come to the surface of conscious awareness in IFS sessions. This exploration into the inner world can profoundly shift your capacity to navigate non-medicine IFS work.

“This experiential retreat was mind-blowing…enabled me to see below the conscious level of protection, from the proverbial tip of the iceberg to that enormous section under water. If you’re interested in seeing what’s in your way, this format of learning/reviewing IFS theory assisted by ketamine, is emboldening. The 3 teachers gave us everything we need for our own businesses with a powerful yet intimate & collaborative leadership style. I am still inspired.”

“This was a great learning experience on multiple levels. The workshop remarkably balanced theory and big picture concepts with practical, nuts-and-bolts clinical interventions. Each of the three workshop leaders shared their own clinical wisdom, experience and personal insights from their work with Ketamine. Together, they created a wonderfully safe atmosphere to learn how to facilitate as well as experience a therapeutic Ketamine journey. Jennifer Baldwin, in particular, brought a palpable exuberance to teaching the interface of IFS therapy within the context of Ketamine and the sheer volume of information conveyed by Jennifer was extraordinary. There was ample opportunity to get questions answered and receive 1:1 consultation from each of the three leaders. Overall, the pace of learning was brisk yet balanced by enjoyable holistic group activities. HIGHLY recommend attending this unique and invaluable workshop.”

“This Retreat Training, which was located in a secluded, sumptuous, private setting, was an extremely organized and well-planned learning environment. The participant size was perfect for small group discussions and lectures. The preparations and teachings were multi-sensory and conducted with respect for the Indigenous traditions and a sense of sacredness to the healing rituals. The three Leaders/Teachers/Facilitators were wholly present throughout and provided nurturing on all levels of the experience, creating a set and setting conducive to the Ketamine Assisted IFS Training for Therapists. I highly recommend choosing Sapience Therapy to deliver the 'complete package' -- you will not be disappointed!”

“Stellar! The training I received with Jennifer was the most supportive and respectful retreat training I’ve done, and I’ve done a number. We were attended to on every level, from deeply engaging didactic sessions, to trauma informed and compassionate group processing, to nurturing of our own individual processing and finally, excellent first hand support for our own experience attending to someone on the medicine. I highly recommend a KIFS retreat if you would like to come away ready to help your clients through their journeys as refreshed therapists with first hand knowledge of the experience. The added bonus is a wonderful cohort of therapists to share with ongoing discoveries of new ways to help heal our world.”

Upcoming KIFS Trainings

February 16-22, 2025: Woodstock, GA

Learning Objectives

Learn the fundamental components and trajectory of the Internal Family Systems model.
Identify features of IFS that pair well with altered states of consciousness therapy.
Discover the history and applicability of ketamine for mental health care.
Determine when ketamine treatment or ketamine assisted psychotherapy is an appropriate referral or addition to treatment.
Articulate trajectory of the ketamine experience.
Assess readiness for ketamine therapy and how to maximize its benefits.
Deepen your capacity to support your clients through their ketamine experience.
Develop skills for altered state therapy.
Discuss the role of ethics, consent and building a strong therapeutic alliance in the context of altered consciousness therapy.

What makes this training unique

The KIFS retreat is a small cohort experience with 2:1 participant to staff ration.
We prioritize the “therapy” in ketamine assisted therapy through supported dyad practice to gain skills beyond “sitting” support.
We utilize an integrative practice+medicine model to maximize the efficacy of KIFS sessions.
We blend didactic “learning about” and experiential “learning how and from” the medicine.
We encourage participants to bring their own personal work to the retreat to more fully become aware of the healing potential.
Trainers have worked with a range of doses and routes of administration.

Lead Trainer

Jennifer Baldwin, PhD, LPC, CIFST

Jennifer is a certified IFS therapist in private practice. She completed her initial IFS training in 2009, was certified in 2016, and has trained directly with Dick Schwartz multiple times. In addition to IFS, she is trained in Somatic Experiencing (SEP), EMDR, heart rate variability, neurofeedback, applied shamanism, sound therapies, breathwork, and multiple movement practices. Jennifer completed her clinical training while in the midst of her doctoral work in Systematic Theology with an emphasis in Religion and Science. She was ordained in 2007, completed her doctorate in 2013, and has published five edited volumes and two monographs. She was trained in ketamine assisted psychotherapy in 2019 and MAPS MDMA assisted psychotherapy in 2021. She has facilitated hundreds of ketamine enhanced IFS sessions since 2019, honing and refining protocols on the intersection of IFS and KAP. While between writing projects, she is developing a “blueprint” for integrative trauma care that actively accounts for alterations or expansions of consciousness, including trauma-related (Frewen & Lanius) and safety-dependent.

Additional Trainers include partnering physicians. For retreats in Mass and VT, our partners are physicians from Sapience Therapy. For retreats in GA, our partners are physicians from Clarity Psychiatry.

Cancellation Policy:

Greater than 60 days prior to the retreat – full refund, minus $200 administration fee
4 weeks before the first training day (for any reason) – a 50% refund, or 50% credit toward a future training within the next 18 months.
Within 4 weeks – not eligible for a refund.
If you do not show up for your registered training, you do not get a refund.
If you need to cancel due to a medical emergency or test positive for Covid-19 within 72 hours of starting the retreat, we will hold your spot for a future KIFS retreat and apply your tuition towards that. Please reach out to us with appropriate documentation, refunds due to medical emergencies will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Payment plans are available.

Eligibility:

Registration and Participation are limited to professionals in a related licensed field, including psychotherapists, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians (non-psychiatry), psychiatric nurse practitioners/physician assistants. Exceptions may be made by request and approval for those working with Consciousness Medicines in other contexts.