Iboga

Harambe Detox Centre

Name: Harambe Detox Centre
Rating: 3.9

Valencia

3.9 (19 reviews)

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We have 10 years of experience in the treatments of Iboga working with all types of substance abuse, sex addiction, depression, spiritual development, as well as mental and physical disorders. We are based in Southern Spain where we have worked for the past 8 years in our family home with 100s of clients. We work with respect for the plant but we do not try to recreate Bwiti ceremonies in Europe. We work individually with one or two people at the most in purope built rooms in a tranquil setting..

Reviews (19)

3.9 out of 5

Overall 3.9

SK
September 30, 2017 at 3:51 pm

A DEEP AND POWERFUL HEALING EXPERIENCE

I decided to use iboga to treat post traumatic stress and long-term depression. I won’t go into details about the trip as everyone experiences it differently but I will summarise it. I had powerful and clear visions which cleared up and helped to explain what happened when I was a child. It is a physically difficult experience but I followed Bilal and Catherine’s advice on how to prepare and surrendered to the iboga. The iboga spirit is a healing spirit, it gives you what you need and not necessarily what you want. I definitely got what I needed. Trust in what happens in the trip and when things feel like they’re getting too intense or your are feeling nauseous or anxious, remind yourself that these feelings will pass. Trust the healing process.

You must be prepared mentally and physically for the experience, it took me several days to recover physically. The nausea and ataxia are highly unpleasant. For me the nausea was not as unpleasant as the motion sickness I have experienced in cars, boats and aeroplanes. The disorientation of the ataxia was horrible but as long as I didn’t move my head I was fine.

The day after the trip I felt I would not be able to do it again but those feelings passed quickly and I would definitely do another treatment, perhaps next time I will do a double treatment. Mentally and psychically the positive effects were immediate, I felt calm and at peace with my past. It is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had, and very different from any other hallucinogen I have tried. I felt that I was in the presence of a powerful spirit that quite ruthlessly showed me what I needed to see, but which was also very compassionate.

Catherine and Bilal are real, genuine people. There is no bullshit involved, no fake shamanism, no attempt to baffle anyone with science or psychotherapy. They know the power of iboga and want to heal people – it’s that simple.

The treatment takes place at their home in a family setting, if you prefer more solitude during your treatmemt you can choose to stay in the yurt or lodge. I found the family setting to be quite comforting but can understand that some people may want a quieter setting.

I will definitely return for another treatment to continue the healing and I would definitely recommend Harambe Detox. It is not a clinical setting and it’s not a bourgeois luxury rehab “resort”. IT IS REAL, AND THEY ARE REAL. And that’s why I loved it.

For anyone doubting Harambe Detox due to the few less than positive reviews I would say make your decision based on your expectations. Talk to Catherine and Bilal about those expectations and then make your own mind up. But do not underestimate the power of iboga or Catherine and Bilal’s genuine wish to heal people.
GD200161
September 29, 2017 at 11:41 am

I have just finished a session at Harambe Detox for depression and anxiety. I took SSRIs for years and benzos on and off. I would take various other substances like cocaine and alcohol but more bingeing. I have battled with childhood trauma and feelings of worthlessness. I heard about iboga and contacted many places but few answered and I felt that Harambe seemed the least airbrushed, more real.

I contacted Catherine and she was very strict with protocol and even though it was hard I put in the work, followed the manual for benzo reduction and also lowered my dose of Prozac very gradually till at last I was off. Even still the withdrawals were horrible, dizziness, anxiety and horrible brain zaps. I wasn’t really prepared for that, through many Skype sessions Catherine assured me that iboga would deal with that and helped me to look towards a positive ending. So I arrived in Spain with anxiety at a maximum. Catherine got me from the airport and we came to their place. They have a family home which they have built from scratch and are extending it little by little to make more treatment space. Its comfortable, clean and self sufficient running on solar power which is really great.

At the time all I could think about was getting started on the iboga treatment although I was really scared. I got a horrible drink which cleaned my stomach and a few hours later was given a test dose. Within half an hour I was feeling pleasant effects but couldn’t move without getting dizzy. Soon after the flood dose was given and that was much more intense. Really it’s so hard to describe or compare that feeling to anything, I don’t know what alien abduction is like but it might feel like this. But not altogether bad as I saw that these feelings, my story that I have been dragging around like a burden, I could shake it off. We don’t have to follow these miserable narratives, I realised that I had even used them to control relationships in my life. I saw many more things then the visions faded…I was left feeling miserable, again nagging myself with doubts and negativity. I know this is called the grey day….now feeling like I’d been in there for days in end I was starting to feel frustrated. With no sleep but Catherine and Bilal werre very attentive, checking me, calming me, they said this will all pass and I didn’t think it would but it did.

I must have dropped to sleep and when I work my mind was empty…after more time the dizziness faded and I am feeling better and better. The good feeling continues back home and the withdrawals were gone.

I would like to thank the guys for their support, company and food. I like the family vibe, the kids are cute the little boy is a force of nature, the family, they are always laughing even though the work they do is hard it’s very valuable. They do it with a positive attitude!
suzanne
September 28, 2017 at 3:19 pm

Harambe Detox Centre: Valenica Spain

I am a woman, 45 years old. After many years of struggling with alcohol abuse (10ltrs of beer a day off and on 35 years), depression and anxiety I decided to try an unconventional way to see if that would help. I’d been clean a year at a time but always fell back.

I had been using anti depressants for five years combined with Valium (diazepam) prescribed by a psychiatrist. Due to a chronic skin problem (Chronic Urticaria) I was also prescribed steroids for 4 months. I explicitly told Kathy and Bilal at my intake what medication I had been taking and for how long.

Kathy & Bilal told me that I was unable go ahead with the Ibogaine treatment as I was taking Ssri’s. They recommended that I first had to undergo a detox program. It was agreed on at their house for 12 days using Taperaid (Chinese herbs) and marijuana pills, and to stop all my medication immediately. Price 2,300euro incl. food and stay. Within 2 weeks they said I would then be able to go ahead with the Ibogaine treatment. I felt that 190euro per night expensive but felt desperate and agreed.

Due to stopping Valium and Anti depressants in one go my mind was very unstable and felt as if I had taken LSD. Due to this stress it made my chronic skin condition worse.

After 3 days detoxing I was very ill. I decided to call my husband to pick me up. I felt that I had no choice but to stop the detox program and continue alone. My husband took me to the hospital in Spain 9x in 2 weeks, as I had to undergo many tests. The Doctors told me that I would need a lot of rest and time to heal my chronic skin problem, and told me to gradually reduce the ssri’s over a period of months.

I contacted Kathy and Bilal and asked for a refund, not a full refund but a fair amount that we could hopefully both agree on.

Kathy still insisted that I would be well enough to go ahead with the ibogaine treatment and said it would also help my skin problem. I disagreed and took the Doctors advice. It is now 2 months later and I am still very ill.

I paid 2,300euro for three nights detox (excl. ibogaine treatment). Kathy’s reply: ” You left the detox! Is that normal that you get a refund or meds to go away with? You are clean which is the objective and you need to stop fighting with me”. Fighting?
I knew then I was ripped off!

They should never have taken me in as a client, POINT. I had to leave for valid medical reasons and I felt it was fair to reimburse me for a large part of the detox.

Their feedback (which by the way I find hilarious) was: Bilal said “you paid me for my knowledge” and Kathy said “you paid me for my tools”.

What a bloody joke!

The problem is they are not Doctors (although they both think they are), and have little to no experience with Ssri’s or Steroids. They just told me that they regularly took people to the hospital in a psychotic state, meaning if something went wrong with their clients who underwent the ibogaine treatment. It was no problem as there was a hospital 10mins away. Very comforting!

By the way, there were no organic meals 3x a day: (I couldn’t eat much due to detoxing but that didn’t mean I couldn’t eat anything) Kathy’s response, “I feel too unwell to cook”.

No professional detox experience from either individual!

The hygiene in their house was by far not up to scratch and don’t go there in the summer months as the house has no shade at all and you will bake, no airco, not enough energy for fans. On the website: “Beautiful place in the heart of the Valenican Countryside”, I didn’t see that.

Conclusion:

Please think before jumping on a plane form the other side of the world in desperation feeling very vulnerable (which most of us with severe problems do). Do not undergo detox in their hands they are not equipped to offer this and you will loose a shit load of money in doing so.

I have done some research now I’m home and below have posted all Ssri’s and other medication that you must look out for before considering to undergo the ibogaine treatment:

“The risk of experiencing cardiac complications or other dangerous side effects increases when ibogaine is taken in conjunction with the following medications and substances”. (not a complete list):

Anti-arrhythmic drugs:

Metoprolol, Propafenon, Timolol maleate

Antidepressant drugs:

Amitriptyline (Elavil), Citalopram, (Celexa)Clomipramine, Desipramine, Duloxetine, (Cymbalta, Ariclaim, Xeristar, Yentreve, Duzela, Dulane), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Imipramine (Tofranil), Paroxetine (Paxil), Venlafaxine (Effexor)

Antipsychotics:

Aripiprazole (Abilify, Aripiprex),Haloperidol (Haldol), Pimozide (Orap), Risperidone
(Risperdal), Thioridazine (Mellaril, Sonapax, Thioril)

Other drugs:

Amiodarone, Azithromycin (Zithromax), Bepridil (Vascor), Chloroquine (Aralen), Chlorpromazine (Thorazine, Largactil),Clarithromycin (Jiaxin), Disopyramide (Norpace), Dofetilide (Tikosyn), Droperidol (Inapsine, Droleptan, Dridol, Xomolix, Innovar), Erythromycin (Isotrexin), Flecainide acetate (Tambocor, Almarytm, Apocard, Ecrinal, Flécaine), Halofantrine (Halfan), Moxifloxacin (Avelox, Avalox, Avelon, Vigamox, Moxeza), Pentamidine (NebuPent), Procainamide (Pronestyl, Procan, Procanbid), Quinidine (Quinaglute), Sevoflurane (Ulane), Codeine (3-methylmorphine), Dextromethorphan (DXM, DM), Methadone (Methadose), Mexiletine (Mexitil), Ondansetron (Zofran), Tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Istubal, Valodex), Tramadol (Ultram, Ralivia, Tramal)

Furthermore, foods containing bergamottin or bergamot oil, such as grapefruit juice, as well as a variety of other supplements and over-the-counter medications such as Prilosec (Omeprazole), some gastric disorder drugs, anti-fungal medications, HIV treatment drugs, and some antihistamines, can all significantly contribute to cardiac complications while circulating in the body at time of ibogaine treatment.

I can totally relate to the other negative reviews I’ve read based on what I saw for myself.

Watch out for these people because in my case it had nothing to do with my well being, making money was their priority!

Note: This review was edited for over-capitalization and punctuation; as well as to remove GPS coordinates.
hendrixchile78
June 23, 2017 at 5:04 am

Before I explain my experience at Harambe Detox Center, I would like to provide a bit of background on myself. I’m 25 years old, from the United States but currently living in Berlin, Germany. I’ve been a heroin addict for 8 years, starting at the young age of 16 and continuing steadily through until now. I first found out about Ibogaine three years ago and since then, I’ve gone to ClearSky in Cancun, Mexico as well as an individual provider in the Netherlands in order to undergo ibogaine treatment for my addiction. I never managed to fully kick my habit, as I found myself relapsing 6 months or so after each treatment.

As many addicts can relate to, the process of gathering up financial and moral support to undergo something as expensive and complicated as ibogaine treatment is incredibly difficult. The longer an addict proves to be a problem, the less and less likely family members, friends, and loved ones want to help and support them. I found myself in this exact position recently as I fell into a hole of heavily using and retreating from my support structures. So when I finally came to my senses and realized that I needed a way out of my life of despair, I reconnected with my parents and friends and attempted to raise the money I needed for these expensive treatments. During this time, I encountered the Iboga Healing House, a seemingly professional looking facility run by Adam and Edyta. Over the course of two weeks, I had numerous skype calls with them, got them a full medical work up and EcG examination, all at my expense and finally convinced my parents to support one last attempt at saving myself by utilizing ibogaine. Well, life seemed to have a different plan for me and I couldn’t have been better off for this turn of events.

A mere hours before I was to book flights to the Iboga Healing House and pay them their fee, I get a message from them claiming that they no longer want to treat me and that their only reason for denying me treatment was because “they reserve the right to refuse treatment to any patients they feel they don’t want to treat.” I’m young, healthy, and was able to afford it in that moment, but with their refusal to treat me, the financial and moral support that I had worked so hard to get from my loved ones was stripped right out from underneath me.

I was shocked and terrified that people claiming to be “healing providers” would treat a vulnerable addict in such a manner as this, and to this day they have said absolutely nothing in response to my numerous questions regarding why they refused me as a patient. Life had a different answer for me, just when I needed it though. In a frantic search, I came across the Harambe Detox Center in Valencia, Spain. They were immediately responsive and incredibly accommodating to my needs and scheduling and their fee for treatment expresses their sincere desire to help people, not monetize them. Upon arrival in Spain, I was taken care of in such a caring and understanding manner that I instantly felt at home at this beautiful plot of land in the countryside where you feel like you can honestly connect with yourself and your place within nature. Another thing you should really consider when deciding upon a ibogaine provider is simply what “kind” of ibogaine they are working with. Not all are the same and it’s very important to know what you are getting. They work with the strongest total alkaloid I have ever had the pleasure of taking and the results speak for themselves. Highly reliable and quality material which provides the best setting for a proper flood dose.

I cannot express my sincere gratitude for Catherine and Bilal, they are exactly what you want in ibogaine care providers. They work together in a family home environment to provide a balanced and challenging environment where you are given the best set of conditions and tools to really work through your internal issues surrounding addiction. Bilal pushed me to fight through my weaknesses and forced me to become a stronger person for it; but not in a patronizing or demeaning way, but simply encouraging me to dig deeper into myself and my psychosis with what I believe I need. I initially resisted this advice, but I soon came to learn it’s importance and value in this recovery process. In the three times taking ibogaine prior to coming to Harambe, there was limited instruction or drive to the care providers. They just wanted us to be happy and didn’t really want to invest in learning about us and pushing us in specific ways about our personality. The environment at Harambe is the perfect place for those who are seeking a true and brutally honest look at themselves and why they are where they are and how to get up from there. I will be forever grateful to Catherine, Bilal and the kids. You all have shown me such compassion, respect, and joy that I will never forget the time I’ve spent here. Thank you.

Note: This review was edited or over-punctuation.
luilui
May 15, 2017 at 7:14 pm

I just loved every minute of my experience with Cathy and Bilal.. What a fantastic retreat …. For me it was a perfect mix of tranquility and vibrance. They are such lovely, chatty, caring people and I felt so looked after and safe. You can really tell that they care about people. I had a great 2 experiences with Ibogaine – don’t get me wrong its no walk in the park but Bilal knew how much to give me. My trips were personal to me and my OCD – very repetitive (almost drives you mad but its what I needed to get over my OCD). There were other visions in there too but I don’t feel like discussing as Iboga shows you what you need and its different for everybody… though I do believe I saw the future and the other side…. I also saw things from my families point of view and how they view me which can only strengthen ones relationship with family members. I would go back in a heart beat. I’d go back tomorrow and do Iboga again if I could find the time and money but I certainly will be back hopefully next year or the year after. Big hugs…. I could go on all day and write a lot more… the only other things I’ll say is that I LOVED cathy’s cooking (even though Ibogaine makes you not very hungry) and Bilal’s music. And they are both incredible, knowledgeable intelligent people. Awwwwwwww I want to go back!!! 🙂 big hugs and thanks again – see you guys soon xxxxxx