A Small, Dedicated Ibogaine Treatment Center in Tepoztlán
IbogaQuest was founded in 2009 by Barry Rossinoff after years of personal experience with ibogaine and a long-standing connection to the early history of the medicine in the West.
Barry first became aware of ibogaine in the late 1960s through mutual friends connected to Howard Lotsof, the person most responsible for bringing attention to ibogaine’s ability to interrupt addiction. Long before ibogaine entered broader public awareness, Barry was already part of a small circle of people exploring its therapeutic and transformative potential with seriousness and respect.
Founded in Response to a Need
What eventually became IbogaQuest began simply: people started reaching out for guidance. At the time, reliable information about ibogaine was difficult to find, and many people struggling with addiction had nowhere to turn. Those early conversations gradually evolved into a small and dedicated treatment practice rooted not in commercial ambition, but in a sincere desire to help people heal and change.
Choosing Quality Over Quantity
Over the past 17 years, IbogaQuest has remained intentionally small and deeply focused. Rather than pursuing growth or scale, we chose to develop a model centered on careful preparation, strong medical safety protocols, personal attention, and meaningful aftercare.
Today, IbogaQuest operates as a cooperative, not-for-profit project in Tepoztlán, Mexico. We work with a limited number of participants each month so we can remain closely involved in each person’s process before, during, and after treatment.
What we offer is a safe, grounded, and compassionate space for meaningful transformation.
Our Approach
We believe ibogaine treatment is most effective when it is approached with seriousness, preparation, and genuine human support.
Our work combines:
careful medical screening
experienced clinical oversight
therapeutic and somatic support
preparation before arrival
structured integration after treatment
an environment that allows people to feel safe enough to go deeply into their process
Beyond Ibogaine
Over many years of experience, we have learned that successful treatment is not only about the medicine itself. The quality of attention, the emotional environment, the readiness of the participant, and the support available afterward all play an essential role in long-term outcomes.
For this reason, we intentionally work with small groups and remain highly selective in our intake process.
Unfortunately, there are situations where ibogaine treatment may not be medically or psychologically appropriate. In those cases, we believe honesty and safety are more important than accepting someone into the program.
Our Intention
We aspire to meet each person who comes to us with compassion, respect, and genuine care.
Beyond the addiction, emotional struggle, trauma, or spiritual crisis that may be causing suffering, we try to recognize and support the deeper human being underneath. The part of each person that is capable of healing, clarity, connection, and change.
What continues to inspire us after all these years is witnessing real transformation in the lives of those who have the courage to engage with this medicine, and place their trust in our care.
Why We Remain Small
From the beginning, we have resisted the pressure to turn this work into a large-scale commercial enterprise.
Instead, we have chosen to remain intentionally small, allowing us to give close attention to each individual and each unique process. Our retreat groups are limited in size so that participants can feel personally supported rather than processed through a system.
This approach also allows genuine relationships to develop. Not only between participants and staff, but among the group itself. Many people arrive feeling isolated or disconnected. Being held within an environment of sincerity, safety, and human presence can become an important part of the healing process itself.
Word of Mouth
Over the years, our reputation has grown primarily through word of mouth and the experiences of those we have had the honor to serve.
The Sacred Valley of Deep Work
Tepoztlán sits in a high mountain valley about ninety minutes from Mexico City. Long regarded as a place of retreat, contemplation, and ceremony, the surrounding mountains create a sense of protection, quiet, and distance from ordinary life.
IbogaQuest was designed to feel more like a home than a clinic. Participants stay in private rooms and are supported within a calm and intimate environment that encourages rest, reflection, and integration.
While our medical standards are rigorous, we believe deep healing is more likely to unfold in spaces where people feel welcomed, cared for, and emotionally at ease.
Experience & Safety
After more than 17 years of continuous operation and roughly 1,300 participants served, safety remains the foundation of everything we do.
Every participant undergoes a detailed medical and psychological screening process before acceptance into the program. During medicine sessions, participants are monitored by an experienced medical team that includes physicians, nurses, and paramedics.
Our protocol continues to evolve through direct clinical observation, ongoing learning, and more than 17 years of practical experience working with ibogaine across a wide range of conditions and treatment goals.
We approach this work with respect for both the power of the medicine and the vulnerability of the people who come seeking help.
IbogaQuest garden with pool
