A gold Inwardbound spiral over dark green leaves, with the quote: The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek. Joseph Campbell

Co-founder · Accredited Psychotherapist (MIACP) · Transpersonal Therapist

Rob Ó Cobhthaigh

One of the pioneers of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Ireland and Europe, Rob co-founded Inwardbound in 2018 as one of the first legal psilocybin retreats in the world. His work brings together psychotherapy, transpersonal psychology and indigenous wisdom traditions, with one aim: helping people reconnect with themselves, with each other and with nature.

[Portrait of Rob, warm natural light, 4:5]

2018

Co-founded Inwardbound in the Netherlands

20 years

Guiding people through mountain and river wilderness

8 years

Transpersonal training in the tradition of Dr Stan Grof

CIIS · MAPS

Trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy

[Archive photo: Rob on an expedition river]

Rob’s story

From Outwardbound to Inwardbound

In his twenties, Rob was one of Ireland’s top whitewater kayakers, leading expeditions to some of the most remote places on the planet, including Iran, the Himalayas and Ethiopia. Over 20 years as a guide and outdoor educator, he came to see the healing power of wild places firsthand.

That life also brought several near-death experiences and the loss of close friends to the river. To recover in body and mind, Rob turned to Jungian psychology, yoga and meditation. It became the start of a new path: guiding people through inner landscapes rather than outer ones.

A former university lecturer, Rob now also coordinates Inwardbound’s Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy training programme.

Training and approach

Therapeutic experience, held alongside living traditions

Psychotherapy

Trained in counselling and integrative psychotherapy at Dublin City University and accredited by the IACP, with further training in Jungian psychology, transpersonal psychology and trauma-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Psychedelic & transpersonal work

First trained in non-ordinary states with Martin Duffy, a student and colleague of Dr Stan Grof and Dr Ivor Browne. Graduate of the CIIS and MAPS psychedelic-assisted therapy programmes, and Holotropic Breathwork trained with Grof Transpersonal Training.

Indigenous traditions

Many years of learning through dietas with Shipibo curanderas in Peru, iboga in the Bwiti tradition, and the three-year Txana dieta with the Shanenawa people of the Brazilian Amazon.

Safer practice

Raising the standard of care

Rob co-authored A Guideline for Navigating Sexual Trauma and Harm Prevention in Psychedelic Ceremony Space and helped draft the Code of Ethics for the Dutch Guild of Guides.

Speaking

Selected talks

  • 2026Keynote, European Association of Body Psychotherapy conference
  • 2025Forever Jung conference, California Institute of Integral Studies
  • 2025IDPAT and IACP conference, Trinity College Dublin
  • 2023Breaking Convention
  • 2021Keynote, Insight conference, Berlin

Listen and read

Podcasts, talks and writing

Podcasts

Talks and films

Writing and interviews

Credentials

Qualifications and training

Psychotherapy

  • Graduate Diploma (Level 9) in Counselling and Integrative Psychotherapy, Dublin City University
  • Accredited psychotherapist (MIACP)
  • Certificate in Jungian Studies, Jung Society of Ireland
  • Trauma-focused Expanded ACT for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Psychedelic-assisted therapy

  • CIIS graduate training in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
  • MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy training
  • Professional member, Institute of Psychedelic Therapy
  • Professional member, MIND European Foundation for Psychedelic Science

Transpersonal

  • Eight-year Transpersonal Therapist training and Shamanic Counsellor qualification, Irish Centre for Shamanic and Transpersonal Studies
  • Holotropic Breathwork, Grof Transpersonal Training (Mexico)
  • Vision Quest Facilitator (US)
  • Trauma Release Exercise (TRE)

Body, nature and community

  • Yoga Alliance RYT-200 (Maui), with further training in India, Mexico, Guatemala and Spain
  • Adventure Therapy facilitator (US)
  • 6,000 m trekking leader and international Class 5 river guide
  • Co-founder and facilitator, Dublin Men’s Circle

Considering a retreat with Rob and the team?

Get in touch with any questions and find out whether a retreat is right for you.