What should you do if you or someone you know had a dangerous, abusive, or unethical experience at an ayahuasca retreat?
Unfortunately, too many guests stay silent – either because they don’t know where to report the issue, fear retaliation, or assume nothing will happen. But reporting a harmful center can help protect others and begin to hold the psychedelic retreat industry accountable.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to safely and effectively report an unsafe retreat center – and what happens after you do.
🚩 Common Reasons to Report a Retreat Center
Not every bad vibe is a total red flag – but some situations should absolutely be reported:
- Sexual misconduct by staff or shamans
- Medical negligence (e.g. no screening, ignoring warnings)
- Psychological abuse or gaslighting
- Untrained facilitators giving dangerous advice
- Deaths, overdoses, or emergency hospitalizations
- False advertising about experience, safety, or staff
- Mixing incompatible medicines (e.g. ayahuasca + Bufo + Kambo)
- No integration or support after psychological crisis
Even if you’re not 100% sure something was “illegal,” you can—and should—still report it if it felt unsafe, dishonest, or abusive.
🛡️ How to Report a Problem Retreat (Step-by-Step)
Here’s exactly what to do if you want to speak up about a retreat center:
1. 📍 Submit a Report on Best Retreats
We created Best Retreats to make this easier.
- Go to the homepage and look for the red button towards the top
- Click “Report a retreat incident” or use the incident reporting form
- Your submission can be anonymous
- We’ll verify the report and add it to the retreat’s public trust record, while usually contacting the center for a resolution.
Best Retreats is the only platform with a live incident report database that tracks real-world safety issues across centers.
2. 📣 Post on Reddit, Facebook, or Retreat Forums
Platforms like:
…can help surface recurring issues. Use clear, respectful language. Focus on facts. Anonymous accounts are okay.
3. 🧾 File a Report with ICEERS
The International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS) is a Spanish organization that also collects reports on misconduct through their Ethical Commitment Process.
- Website: iceers.org
- Click on “Ethics” > “Report a Situation”
- Especially useful for reporting centers in Spanish speaking communities.
4. 🏛️ Contact Your Embassy or Consulate (if serious)
If a crime occurred – especially sexual assault, drugging, or theft – report it to your home country’s consulate. They can:
- Help you file a police report
- Connect you with translators and local legal resources
- Track problematic centers operating near tourist hubs
5. ⚖️ Leave an Honest Review (But Be Smart)
TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Independent review sites can help, but:
- Be factual, not emotional
- Use legal-safe language (“In my experience…” vs. “They are a fraud”)
- Watch for “review scrubbing” or fake 5-star floods
😶 Why People Stay Silent (And Why You Shouldn’t)
- “I don’t want to ruin their business.”
→ If they intentionally harmed someone, they already did that themselves. - “They helped me in other ways.”
→ Healing and harm can happen simultaneously. - “They told me not to share anything that happened.”
→ That’s a control tactic. Silence enables abuse.
🔍 What Happens After You Report?
Reporting doesn’t always lead to arrest or closure – but it creates a track record. Here’s what your report can do:
- Trigger vetting or investigation by platforms like Best Retreats or ICEERS
- Help other travelers avoid dangerous centers
- Influence future policy or regulation in the ayahuasca space
- Signal to unethical centers that they’re being watched
✅ Final Word: Speaking Up Is Sacred Work
Reporting abuse or harm in the psychedelic space is not “negative energy.” It’s brave. It’s needed. And it can literally save lives.
If you had a dangerous experience, or even witnessed one, don’t keep it to yourself. Speak up. Best Retreats will always provide a space to share your truth, track patterns, and push this healing movement to become more ethical and safe.
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