Ketamine-Assisted Intensive Retreats

We are excited to launch our new KAIR Program, combining the powerful effects of ketamine alongside EMDR, ART, IFS and other proven trauma processing modalities. This innovative approach is intended to catalyze profound personal growth and healing, opening doors to new perspectives and pathways in your life that may have seemed out of reach.

Step away from the noise and demands of your daily life and immerse yourself in a supportive and nurturing space that promotes deep introspection and healing. Whether you are battling trauma, anxiety, PTSD, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of yourself, our ketamine-assisted intensive retreats offer a unique and powerful journey towards wellness, combining cutting-edge therapy with the timeless healing power of nature.

I have wanted to write to you for some time now. I want to give you excruciating details of our (my internal family) progress. The work we did has helped me so much. I say a prayer to you daily. I love you, so deeply. There are no words—thank you. I wish I could write

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Homa G

I have felt huge shifts since my retreat. First I finally feel in charge of myself and my choices instead of feeling like a small onlooker just responding to things that I encounter. I have a good relationship with my mom, which I had written off before my retreat. I’m able to communicate with my

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Megan Boxberger

My 5 day Intensive EMDR retreat gave me a new and improved sense of self-awareness and self love by allowing me to look deep within myself. This office is a very safe and entirely accepting space. Bambi helped me walk through painful memories in order to process my trauma by gently nudging me to step

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Sky Yamagiwa

So much has changed in my life! I feel free from so much trauma. I have more time In the day as I’m not bogged down with negative, self destructive thoughts. I am soRead more “”

The best part of my 5-day retreat with Dr. Bambi Rattner is that she was able to reach my trauma in such a gentle way. Bambi is compassionate, healing, gracious, sensitive, honest and funny. My retreat went by so quickly, even while spending 7+ hours with Bambi every day. I loved how kindly she brings

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Judy G

When your ego is breaking apart you can feel stuck with trauma and a lot of blocked emotions you collect through your life. You need to let all those emotions go to become your new self. Bambi with her kindness, love and knowledge was the person that helped me to become my new version of

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Pablo G.

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At the very beginning of my intensive retreat with Bambi she told me that the process would open up my life to all the universe had to offer. That was a very nice thought but I had no idea that it would completely change my life. After struggling with chronic Lyme disease for 13 years and struggling to care for my disabled adult son I had lost my career, profession, and family. I believed that I would never be able to work again or be able to contribute to the world in any way. I had completely given up on my childhood dreams even before I reached adolescence.
After the first session I experienced a strange tingling sensation running from my brain all the way down through my legs to my feet. It felt as if my brain was reconnecting to parts of my body that had been disconnected all my life. I then had a series of quite severe Lyme die-offs and I lost a great deal of my anxiety and depression and I thought this is what she meant by “opening up my life”. It was wonderful but the best was yet to come. Just after the beginning of Covid and before our last retreat I received a phone call from the sister of a woman that I had worked for over twenty years ago which resulted in me acquiring my absolute dream job, the one I had abandoned in childhood.
I believe that the therapy removed the trauma-induced blockages in my brain so that its immune system could deal with the Lyme and I now have more energy than I have ever had in my life. I am not as anxious as I was and the depression has gone completely. My ADD is very much better and I regained my ability to count! Changes are still occurring as I deal with life’s usual challenges in different and more productive ways. Most importantly I am present in my own body, in my life and in my son’s life. Bambi is a highly skilled therapist and a warm, caring, sensitive and empathic person who has brought such incredible joy into my life. I highly recommend this process to anyone who has experienced trauma and especially to people who are struggling with chronic Lyme disease.

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Josephine Burnett, PhD

Dr Bambi Rattner worked with me doing intensive EMDR after my mother had passed. I was experiencing a reactivation of my PTSD from the sudden death of my father when I was a kid, that got reactivated from my mother’s recent death. It would have been a much longer road of healing without Dr Bambi’s

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Dr Kate Klemer, DC, RCST

It seems impossible to describe the extent of the positive impact that Bambi’s intensive therapy brought to me. The first night after about 5-6 hours of her intensive trauma therapy, I experienced a new sense of serenity that I had not felt for close to 15 years. Physically and mentally, it felt similar to when

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C.T.

As someone who has struggled with suicidal depression since childhood, I have done important work with many therapists, counselors, and healers. But Bambi Rattner is the first to help me recognize, name, and face my deepest wounds, and to compassionately embrace the parts into which I broke myself to survive. Bambi has not only shown

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Joy Ladin

I have participated in intensive therapy with Dr. Bambi Rattner on three different occasions. I had not done a therapy intensive before and was hesitant, but Bambi made me feel comfortable right from the start. She is warm, accepting, non-judgmental, and deeply kind. As a trauma survivor, it is hard for me to feel safe with people and

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Jessica B.

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My life had become like ashes in my mouth. I felt nothing but fear, and maybe shame, but not even much of those because I was so shut down by a lifetime of “sucking it up” and “pulling myself up by my bootstraps” until, one day, those bootstraps ripped off in my hands. I was irritable, underemployed, joyless, easily startled, didn’t sleep much (and had nightmares when I did), deeply unsatisfied, lonely (despite work, family, and friends), and more often than not looking forward to the end of my miserable life.
All this came to pass despite 22 years of continuous sobriety as an active member of a 12-step program, plus years of talk therapy. And then a trusted person suggested I contact someone who could help me make the changes I needed to make. Bambi Rattner, Psy. D., engaged me in six solid days of a memory reconsolidation therapy called Progressive Counting (same principles as EMDR, but a different method, which she also knows well) and I put a past behind me that I barely knew I had. I slept a lot the next two weeks, then woke up a different person.
At 56, I was finally myself. Late, yes, but so much better than never. I was free of my intrusive memories from childhood and those gleaned from the dubious adventures that those awful childhood experiences caused me to seek as an adult. That’s what trauma really is: memories that won’t leave you in peace. In the years following treatment my marriage rekindled, my career changed (starting with a master’s degree at age 60!), my children forgave me for being so checked out for so many years, and I finally got to be a full participant in my life. I know joy now. And love. And sorrow—even anger and a useful amount of fear.
I can’t guarantee the same for you because this is my story. But I have since witnessed many people come through this treatment in far better shape than they went in. That much I can promise you. And Bambi knows how to get it done quickly, professionally, and discretely. I’d pick her again in a heartbeat for myself or anyone else I love.

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Don Cuerdon

I sought out Bambi’s help for my son when he was 5 years old and suffering from behavioral outbursts and PTSD from early childhood trauma. I was impressed with Bambi’s abilities. She was always very calming and engaging. She was able to guide him through past traumatic memories in a way that allowed him to

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G. O.

Bambi was an integral part to overcoming issues I was still dealing with from my past. She is very kind, open, listens, and provides positive direction to her clients. I felt extremely comfortable working with her and had no trouble opening up and talking. She really helped improve my depression and anxiety in a short

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Heather Clifford Moros

I knew I was in good hands… Bambi demonstrated just the right balance of abiding kindness and exceptional knowledge in her craft as a trauma therapist. She brought me through a week-long intensive EMDR retreat in a way that felt safe and productive. She genuinely cared and responded with attunement and warmth to the varied

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Traccie Hilton, LMHC

What To Expect From a Ketamine-Assisted Intensive Retreat?

More Happiness

Two Ketamine Sessions

Unlock incredible insights with this powerful medicine.

Communication

Improved Communication

Authentically connect with your family and community.

Progress

Renewed Clarity

Eliminate past baggage and get clear on your purpose.

• Break free from ineffective patterns: Understand the root causes of internal conflicts and the buildup of resentments. Identify the pivotal emotional and behavioral hurdles derailing your progress, enabling you to more clearly achieve your goals. This is your opportunity to shed outdated behaviors permanently.

• Recognize your entrenched negative cycles: Gain insights into the subconscious influences shaping your life. Understand how these factors hinder proactive issue resolution, leading to feelings of depression, anxiety, and withdrawal. Discover strategies to break free from these cycles, shifting the focus from seeing yourself as the issue to viewing the cycle as the challenge. Cultivate self-trust amidst adversity.

• Master effective communication techniques: Acquire the ability to address any topic, including challenging ones, without causing conflict or distance in your relationships. Utilize proven therapeutic strategies to express your needs, establish boundaries, and foster genuine understanding in your interactions with others.

• Acquire strategies to tackle negative emotions: Learn to identify the emotions that lie at the heart of your challenges. Gain access to tools that bolster your communication, self-assurance, and capacity for self-soothing. Develop skills to navigate difficult feelings with greater compassion and efficiency as they arise.

• Establish trust as a cornerstone of your progress: A sturdy foundation of self-trust is essential for personal growth. Discover profound insights into your inner dynamics, fostering greater fulfillment in your life. Strengthen your relationships and self-connection as you deepen your understanding of yourself and others.

Daily Agenda

Preparation

It is important to note that your ketamine-assisted intensive retreat can be a challenging and emotionally exhausting experience. Please plan on providing yourself with as much self-care as you need to support yourself while working through the retreat. The work we do in session will continue to integrate for days and months after the end of your retreat, but may feel most acute within the space of the retreat itself.

Some self-care ideas to consider during your retreat:

• Prioritize nutritious meals to support your body and mind during this intensive work. Explore our healthy dining options located within downtown Northampton for recommendations.

• Allocate time for relaxation in a calm environment, with the knowledge that you may feel extra sensitive to external stimuli.

• Ensure you get adequate rest to facilitate the formation of new neural pathways in your brain.

• Share your plans with a trusted individual for additional support if needed.

• Engage in gentle activities like walking or light hiking in nature for grounding.

• Avoid the consumption of drugs or alcohol, as they may impede the processing and integration of your experience.

Day 1: Intake, Establishing Resources & Worst Things List

On the first day of your ketamine-assisted intensive retreat, you will spend the morning going through a comprehensive orientation, your where you and your therapist will delve into your personal history, current life circumstances, strengths, challenges, and prior therapeutic experiences. Together, you'll outline short-term and long-term goals for the retreat and beyond. By midday, provided you are ready to get started, you will have the opportunity to initiate the profound work of addressing core traumas utilizing EMDR and other proven modalities.

Before delving into trauma processing, you'll embark on visualization exercises aimed at creating internal resources to support you through challenging memories. Techniques such as envisioning a "safe place" or cultivating a sense of "secure attachment" with a mentor figure will provide grounding and resilience. Additionally, you'll collaboratively construct a chronological "worst things list," rating each memory's subjective distress level so we can see how your subjective discomfort shifts through your retreat. This step serves as a foundation for trauma processing, with the ultimate goal of minimizing distress associated with traumatic memories.

If you and your therapist complete intake during the morning session, you will have the opportunity to begin the profound work of trauma processing in the afternoon. Each therapist utilizes their own unique combination of modalities to help you achieve your goals, including EMDR, ART, IFS and more.

Day 2: Medicine Session & Integration

Your first medicine day, you will have your ketamine session in the morning. Your therapist will be present with you throughout the entire session as well as for the time afterwards, which will be used for insights, integration, and the opportunity to do more EMDR processing should you feel up for it.

Day 3: Trauma Processing

You will continue the processing of your past experiences with EMDR, ART, IFS and other techniques, allowing time for reflection and integration.

Day 4: Medicine Session & Integration

Returning to medicine-assisted therapy, you will have another opportunity to enter the non-ordinary realm of ketamine, reaching deeper levels of yourself for profound healing and exploration. You will have the opportunity to engage in more trauma processing in the afternoon.

Day 5: Trauma Processing & Wrap-Up

Your final day makes space to engage in further processing and wrap-up activities. Emphasis will be placed on integrating healthy coping mechanisms and revisiting your trauma list to gauge progress. The goal is to significantly reduce or eliminate distress associated with all of your target memories.

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