Our Team

With experience as an advisor to start-ups, most recently in the healthcare space, Justin brings a blend of business acumen, leadership skills and a nose for futuristic health models to the MycoMeditations team.

Throughout his career Justin has worked as a business leader across a range of industries, helping innovative companies identify opportunities, communicate their vision and deliver profitable products. But he has also been on a personal quest to explore alternative healing therapies to combat his own anxiety and depression.

Over the past 20 years Justin has delved into both transpersonal and Jungian depth psychology, explored psychedelic modes of healing and developed meditation and breath work techniques, which he taught in Germany.

After attending a private retreat with MycoMeditations in 2017, he saw the opportunity to combine his unique business skills with his interest in alternative healing methods. Justin joined the MycoMeditations team soon afterwards, becoming partner and CEO in 2019.

As a retreat facilitator, Justin draws inspiration from the profound healing he is privileged to witness and believes that psychedelics offer an exciting path forward for mental health.

When completing his Bachelor of Commerce degree in University, Mike suffered from depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Conventional treatments he tried didn’t help, which was when he discovered psilocybin mushrooms and began to explore his mind in a quest for healing.

After his first experiences, psychedelics became his primary interest. He realized these compounds were completely misunderstood by society and offered something far greater than he ever imagined.

Looking to take his exploration further, Mike went to MycoMeditations in its early days and over the course of a week in Jamaica, undertaking three of the biggest psilocybin experiences of his life, everything changed for him. This transformative week allowed him to leave with a completely different perspective on life. The experience completely reframed his understanding of personal issues, the human mind, and reality. He has pursued psychedelic exploration ever since.

Mike immediately dropped his career plans to join MycoMeditations and provided initial funding. He oversees business-related projects and often works at the retreat as a facilitator.

With over a decade of management experience in the hotel and hospitality industry and an impressive background in photography and design, Abbie brings a wide variety of skills to the MycoMeditations team.

Abbie brings her unparalleled organizational skills to on-site logistics and operations in Jamaica and is always available to past, current, and future guests who need assistance. She coordinates all our vendors, transport team, massage therapists, and villa staff, maintaining a high level of service and quality for all our guests.

In addition to her hospitality experience, Abbie is an award-winning photographer and is responsible for all the beautiful imagery included on the MycoMeditations website and social media platforms.  After completing a degree in Photography and Design from the Hallmark Institute in Massachusetts, Abbie ran a New York based studio from a British photography company, where she was awarded International Photographer of the Year in 2019. Prior to this, she was the first American woman to ever be awarded an Associateship with the British Institute of Professional Photographers.

With her combined love of hospitality and design, Abbie has been a fundamental part of elevating the guest experience at MycoMeditations to a new standard.

In addition to working in the psychedelic-assisted therapy field, Gwen is a licensed marriage and family therapist. She specializes in working with clients with eating disorders, which often means treating depression, anxiety, and trauma.

Gwen has been working in the mental health field since 2007 and holds a designation as a Child Mental Health Specialist. She has worked in a variety of settings ranging from weekly outpatient care to involuntary psychiatric hospitals. Additionally, she has obtained certifications from MAPS’ MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training Program and for Substance Use treatment.

Gwen’s own relationship with psychedelics has led to continued personal growth and increased insight. She attributes her ability to move through life’s challenges and goals and tend to relationships that better align with her values to this work.

While working with others in this field, she may use skills from Motivational Interviewing, DBT, IFS and Lifespan Integration. Our guests are drawn to Gwen’s calm, supportive energy, and her genuine care for others is a daily presence on retreat.

Steven completed his graduate training in clinical social work in 1984. Since that time, he has worn many hats including developing his own private practice, supervising a team of six therapists in an agency setting, providing mental health consultation in a college setting, and raising five children who are now launched and chasing their own dreams.

Steven has learned through the years that psychotherapy becomes unnecessarily limited when the process is maintained at an intellectual level only. True change happens when there is a felt sense of something being experienced physically. Steven‘s capacity to slow things down and bring awareness to energetic shifts is the heart and soul of his work. He quickly realized that his style of allowing a space for real healing and not just internal management, was a resonant fit for integrating psychedelic experience.

In keeping with this focus, Steven has trained in and utilized a number of different therapy modalities including EMDR, hypnotherapy, and Somatic Experiencing. He is also a Level III Internal Family Systems practitioner which represents his deepest dive into somatic based therapy approaches.

Steven’s personal relationship to the mushroom carries both a reverence and a lightheartedness. His own exploration with plant medicine has fostered a deep appreciation for the wonder we discover in ourselves and the gift of our connection to our fellow travelers in our ever-changing world.

Felicity is a Holistic Counsellor, specialising in trauma-focused therapy and psychedelic integration. She uses somatic based modalities, transpersonal therapy, EMDR and mindfulness. Her holistic approach offers compassionate guidance to assist clients to access their true healing potential.

Over the past 15+ years, Felicity’s experiences learning from indigenous cultures and plant medicines around the world have furthered her studies in shamanic healing. This learning has become a way of life, and she integrates the wisdom of these ancient traditions into her therapy practice.

Felicity has received her own profound healing from plant medicines and feels incredibly grateful to be able to support our guests in their personal growth, healing, and transformation with psilocybin.

Felicity also provides individual therapy in private practice. She is a registered Clinical Counsellor with PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia).

She enjoys travel, learning Spanish, yoga, and being in nature.

Chris holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and is on track to complete his Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of the West Indies in the summer of 2022. His approach to psychotherapy is rooted in the ideology of working collaboratively with clients in setting goals and making appreciable steps to achieving them in each session.

He routinely seeks out opportunities to increase his breadth and depth of knowledge in both classical and contemporary techniques and strategies of therapy in the service of tailoring his treatment to the unique needs and preferences of each client. His interests lie specifically in trauma-informed interventions for those having issues with processing past experiences that continue to cause them distress.

When not facilitating retreats at MycoMeditations, Chris conducts psychological assessments and offers psychotherapy at a group practice in Kingston, Jamaica. He also enjoys playing musical instruments, working out, reading, playing chess, playing video games and raising his terrier-mixed puppy.

Bonney is passionate about helping people tap into their innate capacity for healing to be able to move from feeling stuck to living fully.

She is a registered psychotherapist, somatic experiencing practitioner, and nurse practitioner who has worked in a variety of hospital and community health settings. She has led a private counselling practice since 2008 and facilitated numerous groups and workshops.

Bonney has an integrative, experiential approach, incorporating modalities of Somatic, Narrative, and Emotion-focused Therapies, Family Systems, EMDR, Brain spotting, Mindfulness, and Sand Tray Therapy. Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy interweaves her long held fascination with plant medicine, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and depth psychology. She has extensive experience working with those impacted by life-limiting illness, loss, and recovering from personal and intergenerational trauma.

In both her work and personal growth and wellness, Bonney draws upon deep connections with nature,
supportive communities, mind-body approaches, the expressive arts, and the healing properties of
laughter and play. She has a gentle, grounded presence and a wicked sense of humour.

Bonney enjoys yoga, dancing, and the occasional game of Scrabble.

Sadie completed her master’s in social work and certification in trauma informed care in 2006 from Denver University. Since then, she has worked in a variety of settings, including a residential horse ranch for teens, a private hospital, and two Minnesota state prisons. Her experience and training as a therapist draw upon mindfulness, motivational interviewing, internal family systems and hypnotherapy.

In 2020, Sadie became certified as a hypnotherapist by the National Guild of Hypnosis. Working alongside clients in altered states of consciousness led to more interest and personal exploration in the field of psychedelics. Sadie has journeyed with a variety of plant medicines, including couples work with ayahuasca. Sadie’s life; professionally, personally, and spiritually has improved through work with psychedelics and hypnosis.

Sadie believes that when a person can bypass some part of their conscious mind through altered states, such as with psilocybin, it can allow greater access to subconscious memories, emotions, and experiences.

Sadie’s presence in the psychedelic space has been described by our guests as calming and nurturing. She has a deep regard for the trust that is built and is always fostering a safe place for guests to do very meaningful work. Sadie’s favorite part of her clinical work has always been group therapy, so she brings a great deal of experience to the group integration process here at Myco.

Sadie is the mother to two teens and is married to her husband Dan, who has a private psychiatric practice in their hometown of Northfield, Minnesota. As a family, they enjoy traveling, theater, live music, sports, and good food.

James holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Penn State University and earned a Master of Arts degree in Counseling & Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. His master’s thesis, titled Symphonies of Consciousness, explored Jungian depth psychology as a means to better understand the role of music in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

James’ path to becoming a therapist and psychedelic facilitator was borne out of recreational psychedelic use while attending music festivals in his early twenties. James experienced a profound expansion of self-awareness and a deep yearning to understand not just his own experiences with psychedelics, but the nature of human transformation itself. Amidst a newfound fascination with the intersection of psychology and spirituality, James also became alert to the powerful ways in which music can influence the psyche in non-ordinary states of consciousness.

James’ approach to therapy is rooted in his conviction that psychedelics serve to catalyze pre-existing capacities for healing. His style emphasizes a non-directive, person-centered approach which strives to balance active listening and empathetic attunement with the skillful application of trauma-informed intervention.

When he is not working on retreat or seeing therapy clients in private practice, he can be found reading, writing, DJing, or cuddling with Lolo.

With a background in Gender and Development Studies and Clinical Psychology, Adaeze’s studies have focused on aspects of liberation psychology, political ecology, environmental justice, gender justice, and critical development studies.

As a nature lover, Adaeze values and appreciates the interaction between humanity and the natural environment. She believes that this relationship is not only one of healing and restoration, but also one that is integral for understanding the greater interconnectedness that exists between human beings and the earth.

At MycoMeditations, she leans into her intuitive judgement and places significant trust in the medicine and her teammates while working with our guests on retreat. Adaeze loves spending time outside, eating Julie mangoes, listening to music, and meeting new people.

Dr. Baldwin-Miller is a graduate of the University of the West Indies. She earned the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB,BS) Degree and Doctor of Medicine in Psychiatry in 2011 and 2019 respectively. She has been employed by the Ministry of Health in Jamaica since 2011, which has led her to practice medicine in the primary and secondary care settings all across the island. Her special interests are in emergency psychiatry and psychiatry in the primary care setting.

The original MycoPet, Lolo has been working retreats since 2019. After following facilitators home during a retreat as a puppy, it became clear to the team that she was here to stay. She works retreats at Blue Marlin, and in her spare time enjoys digging for crabs on the beach and begging for scrambled eggs. A natural empath, Lolo is beloved by our guests for her calm nature and gentle cuddles.

Wandering alone at a local vegetable stand, Chloe was a tiny puppy that stole our hearts in 2022. Even if she’s not on the schedule, Chloe works retreats at Blue Marlin and has recently been promoted to Chief Cuddling Officer. She can be seen jumping the fence to be with our guests and scores very high in emotional intelligence and developing unhealthy attachments.

Meaning lucky in Japanese, Rakkii was named by a frequent guest at Blue Marlin. After being found alone as a puppy at the beach gate, this lucky boi picked the best home and lived up to his name. Rakkii loves air-conditioning and high fives and is rarely seen without his best friend Chloe.

Since packing up her New York apartment and flying to Jamaica, Maggie has become a fan favorite here in Treasure Beach. Maggie lives at the Myco office and looks forward to signing autographs and showing off her tricks for our guests during cultivation tours. When she’s not wearing down the batteries on her treat button by pushing it continuously, Maggie can be found adding items to her Amazon cart and watching season 1 of Bridgerton. (Please don’t mention season 2 around her, she just can’t.)

Butter is feisty and rugged and was named for the magical almond tree on the seaside of the house at Rainbow Tree Villa. Though she looks like a kangaroo, she runs like a racehorse and will follow you down to the beach to show off her speed. When she’s not racing, Butter likes to lay on the couch and watch cooking shows on Netflix.

Also known as “Busta”, this little guy joined the Rainbow Tree team at the end of 2022 after battling a near-deadly virus and making it through even scrappier. Busta enjoys jumping in cars, swimming in the sea, and following guests wherever they go. He will always lay down for a good belly rub, but please mind your sandals as this puppy is still learning healthy boundaries around footwear ownership.

By way of the JSPCA in Kingston, Mango has been living at Blue Marlin since 2019. An excellent hunter with a built-in camouflage coat, Mango keeps our retreats free of unwanted creatures. Recognized on property by her high-pitched mews, Mango can be found lounging by the pool or wherever there is food.

After a lengthy immigration process, Russ was finally able to join his dad Mike in Jamaica in March of 2022. Russ can often be found walking the road with his goat friends, playing bocce, or doing cannonballs into the Blue Marlin pool. A purebred Red Labrador from Canada, Russ enjoys swimming in the sea, playing fetch with his ball, and apologizing unnecessarily.

After being found on the road as a kitten in 2020, Tallawah was made famous by her Dodo video the following year. She can often be seen rolling on the beach or slinking around during group integration at Blue Marlin. When she’s not on retreat, she can be found at home scrolling through subreddits or watching John Wick.

Our Bluefields guests have been enjoying the company of this big guy for 4 years. Named after the quintessential Jamaican libation, Rum is as laid back a dog as there ever was. Praised for his charm and demeanor, Rum enjoys slow belly rubs and walking guests back and forth to their villas.

This lovely young lady is as sweet as they come! Polly has been hanging out with our guests at Bluefields since 2021 and absolutely adores working retreats. When she’s not sleeping through integration, Polly can be found at the beach covering herself in sand or begging to be splashed. A puppy from her dad Rum’s last litter, Polly is half Catahoula Leopard Dog, half Potato.

One of the gentlest dogs you’ll ever meet, Lily has been sharing her grace with our Bluefields guests since 2019. An unassuming alpha, Lily quietly keeps the rest of the pack in line. Conveniently appearing during mealtimes, Lily can mostly be found between the beach and the dinner table and can often be seen sleeping under the stars.

The newest addition to the MycoPack, Shiloh has been in training at our Bluefields retreats. After being found near the road in August of 2023, it didn’t take long for this likkle lady to make her mark and find her tiny place amongst the team. Shiloh splits her time between her house in Montego Bay and Bluefields, and enjoys playing with her toys, belly raspberries, and a nice Chianti in the evenings. When she’s not climbing on her big sis Polly, Shiloh can be found at the beach or under the dining room table.