GETTING STARTED
Are we a match? This work is for anyone seeking support with cessation, willing to learn, support and be supported by community, etc....could do a brief bullet point list of qualities or attributes? Maybe we offering up some reflection prompts to help assess one's readiness??
Brief bit about the steps to take to apply...what is needed...how long we take to reply...current cohort dates...then I will add an arrow that is clickable to the application below.
"This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor...
...Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond."
- Jalaluddin Rumi
OUR APPROACH
We are multidimensional beings part of a multidimensional world, social structures, family systems and relational networks. Therefore our healing needs to cater to this rich complexity of experience. Our Tobacco Cessation program will do just this because we firmly believe that addiction is not just an isolated problem that needs to be solved. Addiction arises as a response to this multifaceted network of causes and conditions and our approach reflects this.
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The Liberation Pathways Interconnection Model (LPIM) for addiction treatment. The addresses the psychological, social, biological, spiritual factors that contribute to development of addiction in a person.
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We begin our journey with a three-day retreat on the land at the Liberation Pathways Healing Space. During our gathering we will dive right in exploring and unpacking the roots of addiction as a coping strategy that arose as a response to emotional pain. You will be supported by two licensed trauma therapists as well as other healers and providers from other modalities such as somatic practitioners, nutritionists, naturopathic physicians, and breathwork facilitators. You will learn about yourself, begin the process of unpacking past trauma, and learn new behavioral interventions and practices to support your recovery. Participants will also gain a deeper understanding regarding the physiological effects of Nicotine/Tobacco use as well as the history of Tobacco as connected to colonization and capitalist social frameworks. We will also engage in learning the indigenous perspective regarding Tobacco as a Sacred medicine and we will engage in indigenous practices aimed at shifting the participant's relationship with this plant.
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Beyond the three-day retreat weekend, we will offer an online community space and weekly group support online every Wednesday at 6pm Pacific Standard Time. We will continue to explore topics from LPIM and will have guest practitioners and facilitators guiding each call.
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GATHERING IN 2025
Applications for the Liberation Pathways Tobacco Cessation Program open in March 2025 for our Summer Program. Dates: To Be Announced
ARE WE A MATCH?
We realize that our approach might not fit everyone and although we would love to serve vast numbers of people, our spatial capacity is limited to 20 persons per weekend cohort.
Before you apply, we invite you to reach for a journal, a sheet of paper, a trusted friend and ask yourself the following questions.
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Are you really wanting to quit smoking or using nicotine products because you realize that it negative impacts your health and other aspects of your life? If so, what would you like to be different?
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Are you ready for a lifestyle change and are you interested in putting in some time and some effort into learning new ways of nurturing and nourishing your Spirit, your Soul, your body? If so, what do you envision as possibilities at this time?
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Do you enjoy camping, spending time nature and are you comfortable spending three days/nights, mostly outdoors with us? If yes, what would you enjoy about it?
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Are you respectful of others, do you enjoy meeting new friends and being in community with others? Can you stay focused on your healing journey even as you energetically support those around you? If so, can you please share more in this regard?
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Are you an open-minded person? Are you open to learning about practices and concepts that might feel new or foreign to you, such as the view that the Tobacco plant is considered a sacred medicine by many peoples throughout the world?
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Are you familiar with social justice work and social justice movements? Do you think it is important? Can you please give examples?
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If you are getting consecutive "Yes..." responses then you might be the perfect candidate to join us on the land and begin your journey. Please save your answers as they will be part of the application process.
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Application portal will open in March 2025 for Summer 2025 program. Exact dates to be announced.
APPLICATIONS
The application portal will open on September 21st, 2024 for both our June and September 2025 cohorts. Please mark your calendars and visit us then. All information will be submitted via a HIPPA (Health Insurance Portablity and Accountability Act) compliant Electronic Health Records portal. Full and partial need-based scholarships are available whenever we have sufficient funding. Priority will be given to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA2S+, and folx from historically marginalized backgrounds including financially under-resourced folx. Please see our FAQ section below for information regarding costs.
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What is the cost of the retreat?Standard price for the three-day retreat + follow up care of three months of weekly online group support every Wednesday at 6pm PST. Price for the retreat and follow up care is tiered from $1,500 - $2,500 per person. We offer a tiered pricing model. We are in the process of applying for funding that will allow us to offer scholarships for folx from historically marginalized backgrounds (BIPOC, 2SLBTQIA+).
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Will the content of the program interfere with my religious or socio/political beliefs?Because we work from a Liberation-focused perspective there might be concepts that can challenge current social norms, beliefs, paradigms, and worldviews. We look at the impact of colonization and capitalism on our mental health through the lens of historical and intergenerational trauma. When it comes to history of Tobacco we will look at Indigenous worldviews in regard to plants, which are considered sacred. If these topics seem challenging, then perhaps this program is not a fit for you.
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Will I be supported if difficult emotional content comes up for me?There will be two mental health therapists as well as mentors and facilitators that can support you if difficult emotional content comes up. In fact, it is almost guaranteed that difficult emotional content might come up as we engage in a deep healing journey such as this one.
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Is there accessibility for persons with disabilities?We are a young organization, just establishing our presence and gaining our financial footing in the world. At this time we don't have the financial resources to make our home, farm and facilities ADA compliant. However, we are working toward obtaining enough funding to complete this important work in the future. With this said, we are open to finding ways in which this program can be accessible to persons with certain physical disabilities, so please reach out to us so that we can brainstorm ways to accommodate your specific needs if you are interested in participating in our program.
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What is the success rate of the program?We are a brand new program operating from many evidenced-based paradigms and some "alternative" paradigms of healing backed by centuries of scientific wisdom. With this said, we have high expectations for success and effectiveness in supporting abstinence and addiction healing and recovery. Should they agree to it, participants of the 2025 cohort will help us gather the evidence over the course of 5-10 years that will prove the success rate of our program. Are you in?
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May I leave the program if I am not comfortable in the program setting?Anyone is able to leave the program at any time if they are in a safe emotional, mental, and physical state to do so. We will definitely never use force or restraint as participants come freely. However, we strongly encourage participants to complete the program once they commit to it, should they wish to achieve the best results and meet their abstinence goals. If you wish to leave at any time, we will encourage one-on-one time in order to discuss and hopefully work through any issues that arise for participants.
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What should I expect from the online support following retreat completion?Part of the LPIM for addiction treatment/tobacco cessation is the importance of connection and what we refer to as the "modern village." You will learn more about the importance of connection when it comes to healing and recovery as part of our curriculum, which looks at at attachment not only from the Western model, but from an Indigenous perspective. Therefore, following treatment we aim to create a growing community of support that will meet online every Wednesday from 6-7:30 PST. Three months of this online group support will be included as part of the program package. However, you can stay connected with the community, should you choose to become a member year-round for $120 for 12 months.