When You Return Changed: Navigating Disconnection After a Retreat

You may come back from a retreat or plant medicine journey with a new softness in your body… a quieter mind… a heart that’s cracked open in the best way. You may feel more yourself than you’ve felt in years.

And then you hang out with your old friends.

The ones who feel like home—but also, somehow, like a version of you that doesn’t quite fit anymore.

Why Does This Happen?

After powerful inner work—whether through a silent retreat, a creative immersion, or a ceremony—you’re not the same. Your nervous system has shifted. Your priorities are rearranging. You’ve been in spaces where honesty, presence, and growth are the norm.

So when you're back in old dynamics—small talk, drinking, rehashing gossip or complaints—you might feel:

• Sensitive to negativity

• Drained by certain conversations

• Misunderstood or even judged for your new choices

This isn’t because your friends are bad people. It’s because you’re growing. And growth almost always creates space.

You’re Not Alone

Many psychonauts and retreat-goers share this exact experience. You might feel:

• An aversion to alcohol or old habits that don’t align anymore

• Lonely in your clarity

• Unsure how to connect without pretending to be who you used to be

And here's the hard truth wrapped in love:
You might outgrow some friendships.
But that doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means you’re honoring your evolution.

How to Move Through This with Grace

1. Get Curious, Not Judgmental
   Ask yourself: What’s changing in me? What am I craving more of in relationships now?

2. Honor the Grief
   It’s okay to miss what you had. Let yourself feel sad, confused, even heartbroken. You’re not just letting go of people—you’re letting go of the version of you who fit inside that old container.

3. Try a Gentle Re-Entry
   You don’t have to cut everyone off. You can practice being different in old relationships. Sometimes, showing up more authentically invites others to meet you there. And sometimes… it doesn’t. That’s information too.

4. Find Soul-Aligned Community
   Join integration circles, creativity groups, or healing spaces where your new self feels recognized. Your people are out there—ones who want to go deep, grow wild, and celebrate your truth.

You’re Becoming More You.

It takes courage to live a radiant life—one aligned with your values, your inner knowing, and your creative spark.

So if you’re feeling the growing pains right now…
Keep tending to your light.
The world needs you exactly as you are becoming.

Looking for space to unpack what’s shifting?
Our next After the Ceremony integration circle is a place to process, create, and connect with others on a similar path. You don’t have to do this part alone.

Join the waitlist for the next on-line Circle.