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Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Numinous Ways submits its own information.

Numinous Ways: An In-Depth Review for Psilocybin Retreats in Portugal and the Netherlands

Numinous Ways is an Edinburgh-based company, NUMINOUS WAYS LTD (Scottish company SC770054, incorporated 2023), run by counselling psychologist Dr Christoph Zwolan and body psychotherapist Danielle Tanner, that holds six-day, two-ceremony psilocybin retreats near Faro in Portugal and in the Netherlands, according to Companies House and its Retreat Guru page. Groups of up to 16 work in pods of four with a psychotherapist-led screening, two integration days and online follow-up, from about 2,500 euros. It rates 4.5 on Trustpilot from 15 reviews and 5.0 on BookRetreats from 17. Against that, its Portugal listings say mushrooms are excluded “for legal reasons” and bought from a third party it arranges, although supply remains a crime in Portugal; no contraindication list, medical doctor or emergency protocol is published; and activity has thinned in 2026.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: A retreat center with a heated pool near Faro, Algarve, Portugal; in the Netherlands, a converted church near Nederweert-Eind (2024 to 2025) and the Helios Centrum farmhouse near Zwolle (2026). Head office in Edinburgh.
• Approach: Two psilocybin ceremonies in a psychotherapy framework, with breathwork, meditation, bodywork, art and integration days.
• Suitable For: People wanting a clinically framed group retreat with strong integration, after confirming the legal status of the medicine in writing. Not suitable for people taking lithium or with a personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder.
• Costs: Portugal October 2025: 2,750 euros twin or 2,900 single, per its booking page; October 2026 from 2,512 euros; the 2026 Netherlands retreat 2,750 to 2,950 pounds. Refund terms appear only on BookRetreats: full deposit refund 60 or more days out, half at 30 to 59 days, none after.
• Overall Assessment: Registered company and credentialed therapists with good integration, offset by a Portugal supply arrangement that leaves legal risk with guests, no published medical contraindications or emergency plan, and uniform reviews. Directory evaluation: B-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

The positive picture. Reviewers praise a professional, well-qualified team, feeling safe in small pods, thorough preparation and aftercare, the food and the Portugal venue, and bursaries that made it affordable.

The negative feedback. None found.

Who is writing the reviews. Every visible review is five stars, and reviews arrive in bursts right after retreats, consistent with post-retreat requests. The company cites an “84%” mystical-experience rate with no published study. If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.

🚩 Incident Report

We searched review platforms and English, Portuguese, Dutch and Polish-language news for reports involving Numinous Ways, Christoph Zwolan, Danielle Tanner and other named facilitators.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: None found.
• Legal action: None found. The UK psychotherapy register shows no sanctions for Danielle Tanner.

Our earlier profile found no incidents.

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.

🔍 Critical Notes

Screening and medical support. Each guest has a one-to-one screening with a psychotherapist, and severe conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are excluded per its directory listing, with one facilitator for every four guests. No list of medication contraindications such as lithium or antidepressants, no named medical doctor and no emergency protocol is published, and the Portugal venue and nearest hospital are not named.

Who runs it. Dr Christoph (Krzysztof) Zwolan holds a doctorate in counselling psychology and is listed as an HCPC counselling psychologist on Psychology Today; Danielle Tanner is a UKCP-accredited psychotherapist per the UKCP register. Other facilitators include psychotherapists Sam Bloomfield, Roger Duncan and Alexis Caught and clinical psychologist Dr Nick Wakefield.

Legal context. Portugal decriminalized personal possession in 2000, but supplying psilocybin remains a crime, according to ICEERS; arranging a third-party purchase does not change that for guests or suppliers. In the Netherlands, truffles are legal and mushrooms are not, as Mind Medicine Law explains, though some Dutch listings say “mushrooms.”

Corrections to our earlier profile. No Peru program, Shipibo healers or 2,550-pound Peru price was found; only a passing “Peru” mention on an events page. Groups reach 16, not 12. The 2025 Netherlands retreat ran July 1 to 6, not September 1 to 7; a September 2026 retreat did run. Portugal prices are in euros. The UK base, Netherlands retreats, six-day Portugal retreats, integration, mindfulness, bodywork, breathwork and the October 2025 Portugal dates are confirmed.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

Therapist screening is described but no medication contraindications are published. Psilocybin can interact with some psychiatric medications, including lithium, and is generally not advised for people with a personal or family history of psychosis or bipolar disorder. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a retreat without your prescriber’s guidance.

🧪 Brew Substance

Psilocybin only: truffles from Dutch smart shops in the Netherlands per one listing, and mushrooms bought from an arranged third party in Portugal. Psilocybin is the active compound of magic mushrooms and truffles, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: A retreat center minutes from the beach near Faro; Dutch countryside venues.
• Rooms: Twin or single rooms, mostly ensuite in Portugal; a farmhouse with separate toilets in the Netherlands.
• Style: Psychotherapy-led psilocybin work with vegetarian meals from a private chef.

Practical guidance: Fly to Faro or Amsterdam; transport from the airport or station is listed on most programs.

Should You Book?

Possibly, for a clinically framed retreat, after getting the medication contraindications, emergency plan, nearest hospital and the legal basis for the Portugal supply arrangement in writing. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The company was founded in 2023 and also runs online preparation, integration and coaching programs. Its monthly online circle for 2026 to 2027 is listed as cancelled, and no 2027 retreat dates were found. We did not independently verify every facilitator’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing and plan any change with your own doctor. After you return: The program includes online integration and community membership; arrange support from a qualified therapist at home. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.

Pros & Cons

Book Your Ceremony

Programs are listed on the company’s Retreat Guru page. Best Retreats does not take bookings; learn more about our mission.

Last reviewed November 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.