Located in the serene mountain sanctuary of the Sacred Valley in Cusco, Peru, Sapan Inka was founded to offer a disciplined, safe, and deeply therapeutic haven for spiritual transformation and self-discovery.
With over two decades of experience, founders Erik Hendrick and Nilda Quispe created Sapan Inka as a conscious, ethical alternative to commercialized psychedelic tourism. Our center brings together two powerful healing traditions: the ancestral wisdom of traditional Amazonian plant medicine (vegetalismo) and the clinical rigor of Depth and Transpersonal Psychology. We believe that genuine transformation requires more than an expanded state of consciousness during ceremony—it demands skilled psychotherapeutic holding, energetic safety, and dedicated integration to translate visionary insights into everyday life.
Erik Hendrick is a Transpersonal Psychotherapist with over twenty years of experience studying and facilitating sacred plant medicine ceremonies, specializing in traditional Ayahuasca and San Pedro (Huachuma) practices. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Development and a Master’s Degree in Transpersonal Psychology, bridging extensive academic study with immersive training in Amazonian and Andean vegetalista traditions.
Erik’s clinical focus centers on guiding participants through altered states of consciousness with psychological safety and clarity. During ceremonies, he adheres to a philosophy of minimal interference, respecting the innate wisdom of the plant medicine and the participant's inner healing intelligence. Following ceremonies, Erik conducts private, one-on-one integration sessions designed to decode complex symbolic material, facilitate shadow work, and support the ongoing journey of individuation.
Nilda Quispe is a Psychotherapist trained in Analytical Psychology (Jungian Psychology) who brings a profound ancestral connection to the traditional healing arts of Peru. Her practice seamlessly combines clinical psychotherapeutic training with traditional Amazonian vegetalismo, energetic harmonizing, and compassionate containment.
Through traditional ícaros (sacred healing songs), ceremonial plant cleansings (sopladas and limpias), and intuitive care, Nilda creates a grounded, protective energetic container within the temple. Her dual expertise ensures that participants feel emotionally contained, psychologically safe, and supported by a strong holding environment throughout their most vulnerable visionary states.
Together, Erik and Nilda provide a balanced synthesis of masculine and feminine energies, clinical psychotherapeutic expertise, and traditional Amazonian shamanism. Their joint presence ensures that every participant at Sapan Inka receives deeply personalized care, safety, and professional guidance throughout their retreat experience.
At SAPAN INKA Retreat Center:
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A safe and structured space for deep self-discovery, emotional healing, and transpersonal growth in Cusco, Peru. Reserve your retreat 
