The
IbogaQuest
Team
The IbogaQuest team is here to ensure that you are safe, supported, and held every step of the way, before, during and after your treatment. At IbogaQuest, we strive to create a warm and nurturing ‘family’ atmosphere, where each individual is welcomed with open arms and cared for with genuine presence and love. Our team consists of compassionate professionals and kind-hearted individuals who walk beside you on your journey, offering a hand to hold and a listening ear whenever you need it.
Barry is the visionary founder of IbogaQuest who since its inception in 2009, embarked on his mission with a singular focus: to provide a haven for those battling severe addictions and seeking healing from mental and physical afflictions.
Inspired by his personal friendship with Howard Lotsof, whose accidental discovery of ibogaine’s anti-addictive properties in 1962 ignited a lifelong passion for healing, Barry has witnessed the profound impact of this plant medicine for over half a century. Throughout the years, he has tirelessly treated hundreds of individuals, guiding them on the path to recovery and healing from addiction and trauma.
As a long time student of Tibetan Buddhism with Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Barry has drawn a distinct line combining mindfulness practice with the gifts of sacred plant medicine. Revered as both the heart and soul of IbogaQuest, Barry is known for his unwavering love and respect for each individual who has graced the center’s doors. To Barry each person who enters IbogaQuest becomes family, forever welcomed into his home with open arms.
Felipe has a profound and personal history with ibogaine. After recovering from years of substance abuse and addiction, he has become the team’s expert in addiction treatment and precision ibogaine dosing. Felipe’s extensive recovery and healing toolkit is grounded in his own life experiences, making him a valuable and trusted source of applied wisdom and insight.
As a trauma-informed Gestalt therapist in training, he plays a pivotal role at IbogaQuest. Felipe works closely with the medical team to ensure your safety at all times and support you throughout your ibogaine treatment, helping you maintain the right attitude before, during, and after the treatment. Felipe has a warrior spirit that instills a sense of security in all those around him, his presence is solid but kind, which makes him able to hold space for the deepest of processes.
Jimena brings a compassionate presence and a deep respect for the uniqueness of each person’s journey. Her practice weaves together somatic resources and harm reduction principles to support ibogaine journeys with genuine care.
Her path as an ibogaine practitioner is rooted in a profound reverence for the Bwiti and Buddhist traditions, and shaped by her inner work. She conceives of ibogaine as a medicine for rebirth, a catalyst for the emergence of spaciousness, clarity, and deeper maturity.
Jimena is a Core Energetics Practitioner and Certified TRE Provider. She holds a Master’s in Integrative Gestalt Psychotherapy, a Master’s in Environmental Science & Policy from Columbia University, and is completing the Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). She also serves as an assistant teacher at Instituto Corpore.
Nienke is a philosopher and clinical ethicist supporting individuals and healthcare teams in exploring meaningful approaches to care, and finding new ways of relating to medicine, mental health, and the human experience. Trained as a life, transition, and death doula through ESFIM, she accompanies people through loss, identity shifts, and other life transitions, creating space for the unknown and uncomfortable with presence, warmth, and playfulness.
Her work is informed by two decades of exploration with altered states of consciousness, Vipassana and darkness meditation, and experience facilitating Socratic Dialogue, all aimed at cultivating insight through direct experience. At IbogaQuest, Nienke supports participants through preparation and integration, helping them remain grounded, oriented, and present as their journeys unfold.
Cecil is a clinical psychologist and Jungian psychotherapist specializing in psychedelic-assisted therapy with a trauma-informed approach.
Her therapeutic vision is rooted in the understanding of ibogaine as a soul-revealing medicine, guiding individuals toward Individuation: the journey of becoming one’s true, whole self. She regards ibogaine as a profound rite of passage, supporting people through transformative states of healing and renewal.
At IbogaQuest, Cecil’s integrative work helps participants process and embody their experiences through dream analysis, shadow work, and symbol interpretation, as well as art therapy, archetypal exploration, and living myths, offering a creative and soulful container for making meaning of their journey.
Chris is a lifelong musician and songwriter who traveled the world sharing his art. After being prescribed opiates for pain, he became dependent and received little support from the medical system. A decade of suffering followed, until a series of synchronicities led him to IbogaQuest, where ibogaine helped him work through his substance use issues. Years later, a near-fatal reaction to the Covid vaccine caused brain injury and chronic inflammation. Again, conventional medicine failed him, and again, ibogaine brought healing.
Now studying Compassionate Inquiry with Dr. Gabor Maté, Chris devotes himself to supporting others, offering his music, heart, and presence to those seeking transformation.
Our Medical
Team
IbogaQuest collaborates with a highly experienced medical team to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants undergoing treatment.
Proper medical oversight minimizes health risks by continuously monitoring vital signs, managing any adverse reactions, and providing immediate medical intervention if necessary.
This vigilant care not only enhances the safety of the participants but also maximizes the therapeutic benefits of the treatment, facilitating a secure and supportive environment for profound personal healing and transformation.
Juan is a medical doctor and Gestalt therapist with training in somatic, nervous-system-based trauma therapy. As part of both the therapeutic and medical team, he serves as the primary physician on-site throughout the treatment week.
He brings a deep commitment to supporting individuals in their healing process, integrating medical and therapeutic perspectives to address both the physical and emotional dimensions of care. Juan’s approach centers on the body–mind connection, supporting participants in releasing trauma, deepening self-awareness, and creating lasting change. Through his compassionate presence, he helps guide each person toward greater balance, resilience, and overall wellbeing.
Juanita is a core member of our medical team and has over 10 years of experience at IbogaQuest. As a trained nurse, she is present 24/7 throughout treatment cycles, providing continuous care and support.
She combines strong clinical knowledge with a deeply nurturing presence, helping participants feel safe, grounded, and cared for throughout their stay. Juanita’s warm presence and sense of humor instantly puts everyone at ease, creating a comfortable environment where healing can happen naturally.
Dr. René is a seasoned medical doctor with over a decade of experience working extensively with ibogaine. In collaboration with the IbogaQuest team, he has continually refined his clinical approach to optimize both safety and efficacy for each individual.
As IbogaQuest’s supervising physician, he is responsible for pre-treatment medical screening and comprehensive health evaluation of all participants. His role is central to ensuring a strong medical foundation for every treatment journey, with individualized care and attention to each person’s needs.
Paramedical Support
During medicine days, a fully equipped ambulance and an experienced paramedical team are on-site as a precautionary measure, ensuring that emergency equipment and medical expertise are immediately available if ever required.
Given our thorough medical screening and preparation process prior to treatment, serious adverse events are highly unlikely. However, we maintain this level of readiness as a standard of best practice and part of creating a safe and well-supported environment for all involved. This commitment allows participants, families, and staff to feel at ease and fully supported, with the reassurance that comprehensive care is present throughout the entire process.