Frequently Asked Questions
It isn't, not in the traditional sense. There's no biological marker, no inherited gene, and no blood test. Alcoholism is a behavior, a coping mechanism responding to unresolved trauma. By focusing on the alcohol, we're ignoring the root of the problem, what causes a person to drink, seemingly uncontrollably. The disease model, which was ushered in to reduce the stigma of getting treatment, has long outlived its utility. And even if it were a disease, you likely already know you have it. The quest for the cause will not help you quit. And, with a motto like "Relapse is part of recovery", the treatment industry is telling you that they don't expect you to succeed. When the "treatment" doesn't "cure", the disease model becomes the most defeatist elements of alcoholism. Instead, recognize that your compulsion to drink is actually your own, highly effective, form of medication, of coping. Doesn't it make more sense to address what you're coping with? Trauma, big T and little t, are at the root of addictive behaviors, and free of the imprisonment of those unbearable emotions, the need to drink disappears. At Kaleidoscope, we like to say, "it isn't about not drinking, it's about not wanting to."
Read The Little Book and take our readiness assessment. If you can agree with the 9 truths, you're probably ready. Readiness needs to be accompanied by a shred of genuine hope. Most alcoholics have tried and failed numerous approaches, and become downright hopeless. But in order for any approach to succeed, one must be ready to do whatever it takes to liberate themselves from the prison of alcohol, and the trauma and emotional angst that precede it. Share a free copy of SMASHED: Sober (with a twist) with your loved one. Our founder confronts all of the myths and misinformation she encountered in her own, increasingly hopeless search. If your loved one can't find something there, it's possible they truly aren't yet ready. We will be here when they are.
Everything. We don't treat symptoms, we extinguish pain, then help you to thrive. No labels, no slogans, no sedation, no shame. We know that every individual's dilemma is complex and unique, and so must be their bespoke healing path. We believe in a model of intensive, permanent healing, followed by a lifetime of personal, dynamic support. We love you back to life, and never let you go. You'll want to come back to our little slice of paradise, but you won't need to. Kaleidoscope delivers complete personal transformation - forever.
Along with somatic and psychotherapeutic techniques, psychedelic healing is a centerpiece of our approach to trauma remediation. While the psychedelic renaissance is still playing out in the United States and throughout Westernized culture, we are fortunate that in nearby Mexico and South America, there has been rich indigenous, spiritual use of these medicines for centuries, if not millenia. We are proud of our partnerships with academic institutions like the University of Washington's Center for Novel Therapeutics, led by Dr. Nathan Sackett, a renowned addiction specialist with significant psychedelic research credentials. Dr. Nathan Tiesmann, a board certified Emergency Medicine physician, leads a holistic healing center in San Mateo, CA, bringing a wealth of experience in spiritual psychedelic healing directly from his daily practice. Together with our dedicated clinical team, as Advisors to Kaleidoscope, Dr. Sackett and Dr. Teismann shape our protocols and inform our approach. In nearby Baja California Sur, we are bringing the best of modern Western medicine and safety with the best of indigenous traditional medicine: Kaleidoscope is where AI meets Ancient Wisdom.
Nine simple truths that flip everything you've been told about addiction. They galvanize our philosophy and guide the transformative healing we facilitate. If they resonate, you're ready to twist your own Kaleidoscope. If they don't, keep reading until they do. Download our founder's book Smashed: Sober (with a twist).
Yes, when appropriate. Psychedelic healing can be transformative, when paired with the right preparation, environment, and support. "There is no I in Ayahuasca", it's true. Responsible spiritual transformation requires three I's: Intention, Insight, Integration. Beyond psychedelics, Kaleidoscope includes a completely holistic approach to mind-body-spirit healing - functional nutrition and medicine, physical fitness, energy and somatic healing, body work and breathwork, and a curriculum of master classes designed to foster complete emotional alignment and mastery.
So did we. Until something worked. If you're willing to be honest, open, and curious, we'll help you find your way out. If most of your focus has been on alcohol - how much, how often, restriction, abstinence - you haven't really been getting to the heart of what's behind the alcohol. You may not even know. A lot of people are sitting in support groups right now, sharing, "I had a wonderful childhood, I don't even know why I'm here...". It's not about the alcohol, it's about the intolerable emotions the alcohol obliterates. We focus on complete liberation from trauma, after which, alcohol becomes irrelevant.
Both. We honor the science of trauma and the wisdom of the soul. Healing isn't one-size-fits-all. That's why everything we do is personalized, tailored, individualized. Our emotional health lies at the busy intersection of our mind, body and spirit. We don't prescribe a path, and we meet you wherever you are. You will find spiritual, physical and emotional liberation through transformation at Kaleidoscope.
This kind of healing isn't right for everyone. We conduct an initial evaluation in order to get to know you better, followed by a detailed acceptance approach - we prioritize safety, appropriateness and fit - this type of complete transformation is not for the faint of heart. We offer our retreats beginning the first of every month, for accepted applicants. From the time you complete the assessment, your preparation and healing have already begun. The retreat is delivered over four weeks, with spouses/partners joining on the final week for their own personal healing and integration. Each participant has a bespoke path of healing and curriculum, which follow a common arc of healing from self-discovery to deep relief to lifelong practice. At the end of four weeks, your Forevercare plan has been co-created with you, and you embark on a healthy, connected path, which adjusts dynamically as your individual needs change.
Absolutely. We know that addiction touches every life in its wake. You cannot simply transform the life of the alcoholic and expect everything else to be magically fixed. We're so committed to whole family healing that we offer a one-of-a-kind approach to spouse/partner involvement, including them at no additional cost, which includes virtual curriculum in the first three weeks, then joining their partner at the retreat for the final week of individual healing, and reintegration as a couple, followed by their own personal dedicated support for life. We have also developed a unique cadre of literature, education and community for the children of our participants, and deliver on-going resources, tools, events for family members. Transforming the life of the alcoholic is only the first step in transforming whole family systems.
Kaleidoscope is expensive, we agree. Offering an intentionally small group completely bespoke healing, expert curriculum, dedicated coaching and lifetime support is not an inexpensive proposition. Perhaps you're like many of us, and you've already tried and failed expensive treatments. Consider that the average alcoholic who receives treatment goes to rehab 3.4 times. A high financial price, sure, but an incalculable cost to time, reputation, family, career; and with each successive failure, the individual's hope that anything will work is shattered. We've created one completely individual approach that facilitates permanent, immediate relief, and is paired with a lifetime of tools, resources, support and community. You'll think it's priceless.
Insurance doesn't typically provide coverage for treatment methods outside of the evidence-based "standard of care". Unfortunately, the standard of care for alcohol treatment fails nearly everyone who encounters it. Additionally, the traditional industry protocols insist on intensive administration and continuous justification of the patient's need. We find that a bit comical - the vast amount of energy and resource being expended to prove that people are suffering just enough to deserve a treatment that will not cure them. So, for now, insurance doesn't have a symbiotic role in our offering. We highly recommend the documentary, The Business of Recovery, to understand more about why we've side-stepped that whole environment. At Kaleidoscope, we are conducting a demonstration project that will illustrate the success in our methodology and will publish the results freely, inviting policy makers and leaders in alcohol treatment to revolutionize their own approach. We envision an environment in the future where this type of transformative healing is ubiquitous and embraced. Until then, our foundation raises money to provide Kaleidoscope scholarships; those scholarships are currently dedicated to one veteran and their spouse each month, but we hope to expand our fundraising activities to support scholarships for all those in need.