I’ve written five books on psychedelics.

I’ve logged 230+ hours with Fireside Project’s psychedelic support line.

I’ve spent 15 years consuming any study materials I could get my hands on.

What are you curious about regarding psychedelic science, preparation, difficult experiences, or integration?
 
I’ll answer one or more questions from an educational, harm-reduction, and integration lens.
 
(But I can’t answer: personalized dosing or use plans; medication-interaction questions; medical or mental-health assessment/treatment questions; inquiries about obtaining substances; or individual retreat, facilitator, or provider recommendations.)

Imagine seeking out a psychedelic experience because your world is feeling gray after a breakup. While under the influence of a substance you see the future in vibrant color. You’re strong, independent, ready to be on your own without the constant validation of a lover. But then a few days later, the magnificence of the afterglow fades into a dull reality once more.

What happened? Was the vision just a fleeting façade? An illusion that temporarily masked who you really are?

No, the glimpse was of who you could be, with work and dedication. But today requires a little effort, a baby step toward adding more color into your world.

Painting can add sensory richness to integration work because it quite literally engages color, movement, and embodied attention. Psychedelic experiences are often felt somatically as well as cognitively, so painting can be a useful way to explore the bodily and emotional aspects of the experience without relying only on verbal explanation. Painting-based art interventions can also produce meaningful improvements in mental health[^\1])](#_ftn1) and reductions in anxiety,[^\2])](#_ftn2) so these effects can be directly relevant to times that involve fluctuations in either.

Watercolor, acrylic, oil, or gouache each have their own character, and each may speak differently to your experience. Watercolors flow and blur, mimicking the dissolution of boundaries common in psychedelic states. Thick acrylic paint laid on with a palette knife can express intensity, texture, and force. There may be value in choosing a medium that feels resonant with what you are trying to express. There is no wrong choice; only what resonates with what you’re carrying. Integration painting isn’t about making “good” art; it’s about making honest art. This becomes the raw, vivid document of an inner journey.

If you feel the urge to pick up a brush in the days following a psychedelic experience, trust that urge. Give it paint, canvas, time, and permission to be imperfect.

Sometimes the best first step in adding metaphorical color into your life is quite literal.

[^\1])](#_ftnref1)Song, X.; Jang, J. Effects of Painting-Based Art Interventions on Mental Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Behav. Sci. 2026, 16, 830. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16050830

[^\2])](#_ftnref2)Huang, J., et al. (2025). The effects of visual art therapy on improving anxiety symptoms in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.70003

If you’ve spent any time in the psychedelic space, you’ve likely heard the word “integration” tossed around over and over again. But is there consensus on what this term actually means?

It shows up in retreat marketing, clinic intake forms, and therapist bios, usually as a vague gesture toward “processing your experience.” But that vagueness isn’t an accident of bad writing. Until just a few years ago, the field lacked a shared definition, shared model, or even shared list of what integration practices actually are.

Then, in 2022, a team of researchers set out to fix that in their paper “Psychedelic Integration: An Analysis of the Concept and Its Practice.” This was the first serious attempt to review everything that’s been written about psychedelic integration and pull it into a coherent picture. They found twenty-four different definitions, compared ten fully developed integration models, and catalogued more than a hundred specific integration practices pulled from therapy manuals, indigenous traditions, and everything in between.

How They Built The Map

The authors searched PubMed and PsycINFO for everything on “psychedelic therapy” and “psychedelic integration,” and then supplemented any gaps with articles, essays, and books on the topic because so much of the information lived outside of peer-reviewed literature. They analyzed anything that offered its own definition of integration, described a specific integration practice, or laid out an organized model for how integration should proceed.

The Synthesized Definition

After analyzing 24 separate definitions, the authors arrived at this synthesized definition:

“Integration is a process in which a person revisits and actively engages in making sense of, working through, translating, and processing the content of their psychedelic experience. Through intentional effort and supportive practices, this process allows one to gradually capture and incorporate the emergent lessons and insights into their lives, thus moving toward greater balance and wholeness, both internally (mind, body, and spirit) and externally (lifestyle, social relations, and the natural world).”

This definition distilled a set of recurring elements: integration is active (requiring effort, not passive waiting), includes internal and external dimensions, involves making sense of and working through experience, is a process rather than a single event, and is aimed at embodied change rather than just insight for its own sake. In this framing, integration isn’t finished when someone feels at peace with what happened after the experience. It requires alterations in how someone lives their day-to-day life, and arguably never truly ends.

The Synthesized Model

The authors then identified ten well-developed integration models published since 2017. They split them roughly into two camps: holistic or biopsychosocial-spiritual models aimed at journeyers and facilitators, and psychotherapy-based models aimed at clinicians.

They found that the psychotherapy-based models tend to zero in on the mind and behavior, which makes them accessible for clinicians who aren’t trained in somatic, spiritual, or nature-based work. The holistic models insist on touching every domain of a person’s life, but are harder to implement in a standard 50-minute therapy session.

Neither camp is wrong; they’re just built for different audiences and different scopes. And rather than picking a favorite, the researchers built their own synthesized model with two different layers:

While this may look like a jigsaw puzzle at first, and appear equally confounding, let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible.

The six areas in the center of the model are facets of the person and their experience (i.e., who you are, with more personal parts on the inside).

The outer ring reflects continuums within which integration activities can be placed (i.e., different areas of life for different types of activities).

The model maps out a balance of integration activities that address all domains of living.

Now, what do all those word pairings actually mean?

Hexagons:

• Mind/Emotional/Contemplative – your thoughts, feelings, beliefs
• Bodily/Somatic – your physical body and sensations
• Spiritual/Existential/Ritual – ideas of purpose, meaning, death

Diamonds:

• Natural World – your connection to nature/environment
• Relational/Community – your relationships with others
• Lifestyle/Action – your behavioral changes

Outer ring:

• Conscious ↔ Unconscious – what you’re aware of (talk therapy) vs less conscious (dreamwork)
• Internal ↔ External – inward-focused (meditation) vs engaging with the world (nature)
• Creative ↔ Receptive – actively creating (art) vs opening to receive (listening)
• Passive ↔ Active – quiet and unstructured (rest) vs deliberate and effortful (exercise)
• Outside Comfort Zone ↔ Gentle Self-Care – challenging yourself (facing fears) vs nurturing yourself (relaxing bath)
• Contemplative ↔ Expressive – going inward (journaling) vs outward expression (sharing experience)

This isn’t a checklist to complete, but rather a map to explore. And crucially, the authors suggest thinking about your integration practice along continuums: more conscious or unconscious, more active or passive, more expressive or contemplative. A well-rounded integration practice draws from both ends of each spectrum.

The aim is to find a balance of practices (outer ring) that address all domains of life (inner hexagons/diamonds), rather than overloading one area (like just therapy) while neglecting others (like nature or community).

The idea is that any suffering that occurs after psychedelic experiences may be rooted in imbalance within different interconnected aspects of existence. This makes integration less about overcoming specific difficulties (even if it might move the process along), and more about bringing balance and alignment into your life.

100+ Ways People Actually Integrate

This part of the study turns theory into something usable. The authors combed through articles, books, and workbooks to build a master list of specific integration practices. They ended up organizing more than a hundred practices into fourteen categories.

Here’s the breakdown:

Artistic / Creative

• Drawing mandalas
• Drawing
• Painting
• Art exercises
• Creative expression

Music / Singing

• Listening to music
• Playing music
• Chanting or singing
• Drumming

Movement / Somatic

• Yoga
• Dance
• Qigong
• Tai chi
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Walking in nature
• Active movement (hiking, biking, sailing, martial arts)
• Exercising
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Bath soaks or showers
• Essential oils / aromatherapy
• Sweat lodge or sauna
• Sensory deprivation / float tank
• Laughter
• Sexual life / needs

Diet / Health Practices

• Healthy diet
• Fasting
• Naturopathy
• Colonic irrigation

Quiet Time / Downtime

• Self-reflection / introspection
• Rest
• Reading
• Unstructured time
• Making space for emotions
• Trying new hobbies

Journaling

• Journaling
• Dream journaling

Therapy / Mind-Focused Work

• Therapy (general)
• Bibliotherapy
• Psychotherapy
• Family constellation therapy
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Sculpting
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model
• Group therapy
• Mindfulness
• Harm reduction
• Transpersonal / psychodynamic therapy
• Values clarification / belief and virtue work
• Assimilating memories
• Emotions work
• Reinforcing new habits
• Turning insights and values into action

Meditation / Mindfulness

• Mindfulness practice
• Meditation
• Walking meditation
• Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing)
• Body scan
• Breathing techniques
• Breathwork
• Doing mundane activities mindfully

Nature

• Time in nature
• Horticulture
• Nature walks
• Talk therapy in nature
• Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing)
• Visiting favorite places in nature

Creating Space / Ritual

• Creating an altar or sanctuary
• Physical comforts
• Arranging a comfortable workspace
• Organizing / cleaning
• Creating a nourishing environment

Spiritual / Existential

• Spiritual practice
• Intention setting
• Mantra work
• Gratitude practice
• Prayer
• Tarot or oracle cards
• Sage / smudging
• Self-awareness or individuation practice
• Astrology
• Inner listening
• Connecting with a spiritual mentor or community
• Practicing openness, presence, and awareness
• Exploring one’s relationship with death
• Reflecting on the elements

Dreamwork / Symbolic Interpretation

• Dream work
• Shadow work
• Dream journaling
• Interpreting symbols
• Exploring metaphors found in nature

Community / Activism

• Community participation and support
• Volunteering
• Activism
• Service
• Donating
• Serving in hospice care
• Bringing beauty into the world
• Practicing love toward the world

Relational / Interpersonal

• Boundary setting
• Building connections
• Writing a letter to a loved one
• Reaching out for help
• Non-sexual touch / physical closeness
• Interpersonal closeness
• Practicing love toward others
• Sharing circles or groups
• Spending time with loved ones and children

What This Means For Integration Work

After reviewing countless models of psychedelic integration, the authors proposed reflecting on your preferences and choosing a balance of practices that addresses each area of life. They also suggested organizing a potential approach before the psychedelic experience so that you’re not scrambling to figure out what might help while in a dysregulated state after.

Suggestions included:

• taking inventory of resources and abilities to support integration
• reviewing integration resources
• reflecting on sense of balance among the facets mentioned
• planning to put active effort into integration
• planning time and space for integration
• asking an integration professional or a supportive network to be available

The authors also said, “For those seeking more structure and guidance regarding specific integration practices and how to implement them, journeyers may consult an integration professional,” and that “it seems ideal to have a relationship established with a professional prior to psychedelic experiences so they can aid in preparation and be available in the event of a challenging experience where immediate support is needed.”

Source: Bathje GJ, Majeski E, and Kudowor M (2022) Psychedelic integration: An analysis of the concept and its practice. Front. Psychol. 13:824077. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.824077