Coming Soon (hopefully): Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
Although most psychedelics currently remain illegal in most states, their benefits for psychological and spiritual healing have been known for generations. People around the world have been using them in spiritual ceremonies for thousands of years and in more modern times they are being used therapeutically to aid in healing psychological conditions including substance misuse, PTSD, eating disorders, depression and many more.
However, psychedelics are powerful substances and their consumption should not be taken lightly. Not all people benefit from the use of psychedelic medicine and some have adverse reactions. Yet with proper planning and support, the potential negative effects can be greatly reduced and the positive effects enhanced. Toward those ends and in the interest of supporting harm reduction, I offer preparation and integration sessions to help consumers of these sacred plants and synthetics make the most of their experiences.
My Training in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy (PAT):
It was anticipated that MDMA would be federally approved for the treatment of PTSD by the end of 2024. (It was not and additional research is being conducted.) In preparation for this treatment being approved, I participated in a comprehensive educational program on Psychedelic Assisted Therapy through MAPS , the organization that originally lead the research trials.
Given the increased use of chemical and plant medicines to expand consciousness and address mental health concerns, I am dedicated to supporting seekers to not only minimize potential pitfalls but also make the most of their experiences. Psychedelics are sacred, powerful substances and their usage can be transformative. They can also be terrifying, dysregulating and dangerous. I participate in a number of organizations supporting harm reduction and the ethical use of plant medicines including the Psychedelic Guide Network. In the interest of harm reduction I am offering preparation and integrations services.
This is a great article a colleague wrote about the possible mechanisms of psychedelic assisted therapy, in other words ‘how psychedelics work’ - 3 Years of Therapy in One Night
Prep and Integration Services
(for those engaging with these medicines on their own)
Psychedelic Preparation
Preparation (pre-dose or pre-ceremony) sessions are helpful because it’s been found that one’s environmental and inner influences - often referred to as ‘set and setting’ - can have a significant impact on the psychedelic experience. Preparation can reduce the occurrence of a challenging experience or “bad trip”.
During preparation sessions I will help you:
identify your intentions for the medicine work
work with any parts of you that are anxious
establish safety protocols to mitigate the chances of a challenging trip
decide on a meaningful ritual for your journey
develop practices to mitigate anxiety and deal with frightening or challenging aspects of the journey
learn to trust your inner healing intelligence, present moment awareness and beginner’s mind
Psychedelic Integration
Integration sessions help you to make sense of your experiences and translate them into new behaviors in your daily life. Most psychedelic guides say that integration is as important as the psychedelic journey itself.
During integration sessions I will help you:
take advantage of the period of increased neuroplasticity to bring your experience into your daily life
make a plan for real, lasting behavioral changes in all realms of your life
bring into alignment the different aspects of your self - physical, emotional, spiritual, mental
process any challenging aspects of the journey to relieve distress and prevent long term damage
explore how to improve existing relationships with self and others
work with any material or parts that need a deeper dive
Fees
You can schedule as many prep and integration sessions as you feel you need.
$175 for 60 minutes
$260 for 90 minutes
$350 for 120 minutes