EUREKA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Humboldt Social, a California hospitality and wellness group, and The Center for New Growth, Humboldt County’s first ketamine and integrative mental health practice, announced today the launch of a new, immersive ketamine-assisted therapy retreat. The four-day experience, which is hosted at Humboldt Social’s Scotia Lodge, will take The Center’s depth-oriented model of psychedelic-assisted therapy into a boutique hotel setting to allow people to experience accelerated benefits.
“We are truly honored to launch this new venture with Humboldt Social,” said Carrie Griffin, Physician, Trauma Therapist and Founder of The Center for New Growth. “Our patients have experienced profound results with this treatment in a medical setting, and Humboldt Social’s focus on creating warm, welcoming spaces for guests makes them the ideal partner for this one-of-kind experience that has the ability to change lives.”
After initially being created as an anesthetic, ketamine has been used as an off-label treatment for mental health conditions since the early 2000s. Evidence that it provides relief for people for whom traditional treatments have failed continues to grow, including a recent study of over 1,800 patients who received ketamine-assisted psychotherapy between 2020 and 2022 and showed sustained relief from the effects of depression, anxiety and trauma for up to six months after treatment1.
“We want this to be an immersive and transformative experience, so we’re going one step further and are incorporating things like massage therapy and tub soaks to The Center’s therapeutic sessions,” said Nicole Fryer, co-founder of Humboldt Social, certified holistic health coach and massage therapist. “Body work can release past trauma, feelings and memories that guests sometimes don’t understand how to work through. Partnering with The Center to meet these needs is a dream come true and something that we think will have a lasting impact for retreat goers.”
The Center’s retreats will include a medical clearance examination (either in-person or via telehealth) and a group session with retreat participants prior to arrival. During the four day retreat, participants will take part in an opening ceremony, two ketamine-assisted sessions, and a final day of reflection and closure. The historic setting of Scotia Lodge, paired with the natural grandeur of Humboldt’s redwood forests, offer participants the chance to undergo their inner process against a backdrop of stillness and beauty. Throughout the retreat, guests will enjoy specially prepared nourishing meals, herbal beverages, bodywork, and soaking tubs.
“We are so excited to introduce Humboldt County to the world as a medical tourism destination. Addressing trauma and depression through innovative treatments like ketamine-assisted therapy is critical in addressing the current mental health crisis,” said Kim Bergel, City of Eureka Mayor. “Dr. Carrie Griffin is one of Eureka’s treasured medical professionals contributing positively to our vibrant city and county.”
To allow greater access to psychedelic-assisted therapy, The Center for New Growth offers ongoing pro bono treatments, uses sliding scale fees with treatments at times as low as $350 for ketamine sessions, and has become a contracted partner with California Humboldt County Veteran Affairs.
The 2023 retreats dates are currently scheduled for June 11-14, August 6-9, November 2-5, and February 18- 21 in 2024. For more information on The Center for New Growth, or to make a retreat reservation, please visit the Scotia Lodge website or The Center for New Growth website. Interested participants may also email support@humboldtcenterfornewgrowth.com or call 707-267-7931.
About Center for New Growth
The Center for New Growth opened in the summer of 2022 when Carrie Griffin DO, a family and addiction medicine physician who had been using ketamine assisted psychotherapy as part of her practice since April of 2021, expanded her team to include three psychotherapists, a nurse and a nurse practitioner. Since Dr. Griffin and the Center’s opening, they have supported hundreds of patients through ketamine assisted transformation. The Center is dedicated to the following aim: transforming trauma and suffering into wholeness. They define wholeness as a state of being complete in and of oneself, the experience of the totality of one’s self and union of one’s multidimensional parts and experiences. For more information, visit www.humboldtcenterfornewgrowth.com
About Humboldt Social
Humboldt Social is a family of hospitality brands whose mission is to expand the connection between wellness and hospitality. We create and operate unique lodging, dining, spas, and event spaces that welcome visitors as family. We curate authentic, integrated travel experiences that reflect the richness of our region. We are passionate about introducing our guests to Humboldt’s most unique resources - our redwoods, beaches, cannabis farms, craft businesses, and creative community. Humboldt Social operates two lodging locations: Humboldt Bay Social Club and Scotia Lodge, both in Humboldt County, California. For more information, visit www.humboldt-social.com .
