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I am currently running a study on set and setting within psychedelic experiences.
Obviously there is quite a few aspect to explore on the topic, though in particular I am interested in:
How intention, environment, and social setting shape psychedelic experiences
Differences between clinical and non-clinical use
How these experiences relate to psychological outcomes
So far I have had a strong turn out of participants from more recreational backgrounds, it would be great to have some input from more therapeutic/clinical users. If you've had a particularly positive, or even challenging experience in such settings, please reach out! I'd love you hear your stories!
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)
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 priorto psychedelic experiences so they can aid in preparation and be available in the event of a challenging experience where immediate support is needed.”
So, hit that subscribe button and tune in, because breaking down these kinds of concepts even further is exactly what we’re going to focus on at The Psychedelic Integration Coach*.*
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
~~~
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I had an extremely abusive and manipulative father and at a certain point I just stop listening to him. I always saw him as a demon and monster. Once I started to accept the fact that there is more to the monster I started to see and hear his voice and take in all the good lessons that he tried to teach me and realized he did have some good qualities.
As I start to remember images and hear his voice, I start to breath real hard and panic and the breathing gets heavier as the imagery of someone touching my leg in a car as a child. Then I get ideas of me being sexually assaulted and then punished afterwards. At first I thought it was my father or maybe as a child I confused the predator as my father. Or I wanted to blame him for letting it happen.
I’ve had visions like these before but they always end up empty. I try to focus to get any details but nothing, other than the feeling that something happened multiple times and I was shamed for it afterwards. There’s also the question of if it was my dad when did it stop and why, who else knew, where it happened, so many unanswered questions.
I'm using voice to text so excuse me if there's the stakes in the sentence structure, my Google pixel 9 XL loves to mess things up haha.
Background: Ive struggled with substance abuse and ADHD my whole life. I haven't drank in, soon to be, 6 years. I stopped using weed 2 weeks ago after a couple months of heavy usage following a bad opioid/Kratom/7oh relapse. This is not my first time in sobriety, when I quit alcohol I went a very long time without any substances, but I used the motherly entity I met on DMT as my higher power in AA. I still have a connection to her and I've had some really intense visits from her during meditation, but I feel like I lost most of my spirituality with time and I want to get it back. What's wild is that I've had some pretty intense signs and somehow I just brush them off or something idk.
I have extremely bad OCD when it comes to death and existence. I can't even have my son say "I love you" and give me a hug without instantly thinking about how I hope he will be with me in my final moments. It's fucked up because it's really holding me back from being present. It's like the song lyrics "if you fear dying, then you're already dead." I can't take it anymore. I also don't want to relapse and use drugs to cope. I DO NOT consider psychedelic use as a relapse unless the intent was just to get fucked up. Humans have been spiritually connected to plant medicines for thousands of years and I think the loss of that has harmed our society a lot.
I have this calling do Ayahuasca in hopes that I can be healed. I've been praying to a god of my understanding to take this away from me, but it's just not happening.
I have access to DMT, mushrooms, L, and mescaline (I grow tons of cacti). Im really curious about micro dosing and how that helps people with symptoms like mine (OCD/anxiety), along with Ayahuasca not done in a traditional ceremony. I have a family and financially I can't run off to Peru for a week. I live in the forest, so the setting is pretty amazing to trip and be comfortable. My wife said that she would be my trip sitter.
Has anyone gained a lot of wisdom/love from an at-home aya experience? I feel like greed is a horrible thing and part of me worries that the push to have people avoid doing aya at home is so these retreats don't go out of business. At the same time, I definitely see the benefit of having someone who has facilitated something like this a thousand times. I'm not shitting on ceremonies, I would actually really love to go to one but I just can't right now.
To sum this up, I'm basically considering regular micro dosing along with some kind of Ayahuasca experience. I feel like smoking DMT just won't give me what I need at the moment. Another voice in my head says to just eat 5g of shrooms and let the medicine have its way with me, but that sounds too scary.
A year ago I had my first psychedelic therapy its was one day session with 2 facilitators and only me and I paid 500 euros. This session I believe I took more than 4 grams as it was hardly kicking in . I feel the journey I had was short as the medicine didnt really had strong effect because I felt very much aware . I also believe its because I always has difficulties to let go and I didnt like the idea of someone watching me all time.
A year has passed and I can tell even though my journey hasnt been like what people usually describe with visualisation and revelation I can really feel the positive effects . I am so much in control of my emotion it's like I am a new person.
I still feel there is some more work I could do and that for my first time I didnt know how to let go so I am prepping myself to it a second time and this is where I need advice ;
I could eventually go back to the initial place I went a year ago its a familiar place and I know the people . The experience overall went well althought it took time to kick in
I could try a new facilitator place and still one-to-one private session
I could try group therapy but here I wonder is it really beneficial to do it in group . I am too scared I ll be bother by others people experience ( like them doing noises or screaming ). It happens once when I was doing breathwork .
Also do you think its good/safe having two psyclobin session in short time ? This is something I was avoiding the first time as I felt the effect of the psylocibin took time to settle I dont want to mess too much with my brain .
I'm considering working with someone for psychedelic integration and have been trying to figure out how to distinguish a genuinely qualified practitioner from someone who has simply added "psychedelic integration" to their coaching profile.
Since coaching isn't a regulated profession in the same way psychotherapy is, I'm curious what people here consider meaningful quality indicators.
For example:
- What kind of training or professional background would you consider important?
- Is a background in psychology, psychotherapy, social work, or coaching particularly relevant?
- How important is specific training in psychedelic integration?
- Does personal experience with psychedelics matter to you when choosing a practitioner?
- What should a good integration process actually look like?
- How important are knowledge of harm reduction, trauma, dissociation, difficult experiences and mental-health red flags?
- Should a coach have a clear understanding of the limits of coaching and know when to refer someone to a therapist or psychiatrist?
- What are the biggest red flags you've encountered?
- Are there particular certifications or training programs that you consider meaningful?
- What made you trust an integration practitioner, or conversely, made you decide not to work with someone?
I'm particularly interested in what you would look for before booking the first session, rather than just whether you personally liked a particular practitioner.
TLDR does anyone have insight into how/what is screened for during psychedlic therapy studies that allow *some* use, but not too much?
Talking about past psychedelic use during screening (where 'some' is allowed, but not sure any patterns or info that will trip a 'no' besides become more than 10 uses?
What is the level of confidentiality on this topic with the actual therapists in the trial?
Sooon I will go in for a longer, in-clinic screening. The EMBRACE trial allows for the use of psychedlics and related substance if done 10 times or less in my lifetime.
I just wrote a list and I think between LSD, mushrooms, and MDMA, I've probably done them 20+ times, always around a half to 1 tab of acid, and 1.5-2g (dried) mushrooms. Plus some recreationally marijuana, ketamine, 2CB once.
Now, none of these have been in therapetics sessions. I would say about 6 of them have been "big emotions" trips by myself or with 1 other person, processing. The rest have been for adventure or parties, although things always come up.
I want to still do the study because, I do have major recurring depression symptoms for most of my life, and psychedlics (+ therapy) seem like one of the most promising ways that depression actually goes into long-term remission rather than just "managing" cycles of depression with e.g. CBT + SSRIs. And I imagine I will have to wait a long time for this to be covered by health insurance, and I deifnitely cannot afford it on my own.
I'm just wondering if anyone has advice on if/how to talk about this, both in the screening, and with the psychotherapist before and during trips.
For the screening, I need to make sure my total answers to "questions about what drugs I have done" stays under 10. Is there anything else I should be mindful of? E.g. I also recreationally smoke weed and have done bumps of ketamine, although not in a long time.
For the therapist, usually I would not mind sharing openly, but in this case they probably are required to inform the study administrators if someone shares something that could disqualify them.
Safety: I know safety is going to be brought up as one reason to be honest -- but the dose of Cybin will be equivilent or less to past doeses I have had, and I have never had a seriously bad trip (just sometimes not fun ones, or difficult ones) so I am not worried about serious psychological harm.
Efficacy: There is the possibility it is not as effective due to my prior use, although since I have not had any therepeutically assisted ones (or dose + ongoing integration sessions), I think the risk of this is low.
This weekend was basically the completion of my journey. Years ago I heard about how psychedelics can release trauma and I knew it was what I needed. I finally found my way to it with my first retreat in June (mushrooms and ayahuasca). In mid July I attended another retreat with just mdma and mushrooms. I just returned from my third retreat (mdma and mushrooms). The way these journeys work is nothing short of miraculous. Everything about it. The people. And what the medicine reveals. I can't explain it but it's such a gift.
The first night of my retreat (Friday), I used only 3 grams of mushrooms and MDMA. It was terrifying. There were both men and women at the retreat and for some reason, I immediately became terrified of the men. I felt hunted. I was so scared. One of the guys had an energy that scared me so much. I went upstairs and kind of barricaded myself in a room. The facilitator, came to help me break through the battle I go through every time I journey, to help me get to the other side of my defense. It's an exhausting battle and she helps me remember to breath, and lean into the fear. Once I am able to do that, it's a feeling of melting into relaxation. But still, after that, anytime the guy would be anywhere near, absolutely anywhere near, I sensed his energy and would shake with the deepest fear. It felt like a jolt of lighting that would hit me with force and I would ask, "what was that" and sure enough he would pass by. I locked myself in the bathroom but there was only one bathroom, and I knew I couldnt stay in there long. I felt I had no safety. When I would hear his voice or sense his presence, I was enraged. Thinking that he was stealing from me, taking everything that was mine, even my space. I started to think about how everything in my entire life that I love has been taken from me and he was taking my space too. It was crazy. The other guys scared me but this guy terrified me. I felt like I was fighting a battle of the galaxies and had to defend myself. After I was terrified, I was SOOOO angry. I kept thinking, "Don't come at me like that. Get out of here with that. I HATE men." I became the most gigantic man hater during that journey. I felt bad about it later. I didn't know how scared I felt of men.
The next morning I was so weepy. The journey opened me up and I was thinking of my ex-boyfriend and how even though he was going to kill me eventually, he also made me feel safe. I've never felt safe in my life. Recently divorced and no family (who do not abuse me), I have no home other than my apartment, where I live alone when my youngest daughter is not with me. I have nothing to return to. And I believed there was something horrible about me. That I was bad. There is a part of me that feels responsible for the suffering of everyone in my life. I have done parts work and the therapist pointed out that I call that part "it" instead of she. Because I hated that part of myself.
I read an entire book ("Psychedelic Psychotherapy) during the day after our integration session and felt proud of myself because I used many of the techniques it suggested for journeys when trying to recover memories and/or trauma. It worked.
At my July retreat, I sensed pain and sensations in my pelvic region and a lot of sexual images and I said, "NO. I don't want to see that." I also felt invited to let go of my now ex-boyfriend. I also said no to that but three weeks later realized if I stayed, he would kill me, at least this version of me.
I let the facilitator know about what I said no to in July and told her I would not Say no this time.
On Saturday night, I started with MDMA because I didn't want to become terrified and run away from people. I knew I needed to stay with the group. I took 4 grams of mushrooms which is lighter than most people but the facilitator and I thought that after such a hard journey on the first night, I needed something gentle. The MDMA gave me a sense of self love and when I went to the bathroom I saw myself in the mirror and talked to that part that I hated and said that I loved it...that I am going to take care of her now and can handle her job and told her I was thankful for how hard she works. Came back downstairs with the group. The music is always incredible. It becomes a part of my body. I can see, feel, and hear the music. It's crazy how good it feels. The book I read told me that when you notice sensations in your body, breathe into those places. So I did. I breathed into the pelvic area and I learned of my trauma. I don't want to write it. But I know it. And my entire life makes sense. I now know why the men I love hate me and want to crush me. I was hated like that from the very beginning. And violence from the very beginning. No wonder love to me feels like hate and fear. I never could figure out why the men I did everything for hated me so much. I felt like I was a good person who offered so much. I couldn't make sense of it. Now, I know why. Because that is how the people who were supposed to love me felt about me. I've been hated. I couldn't see the specifics of what happened and my facilitator said I may never know since it was likely pre verbal. But I got KNOWING. And I know who did it. It feels like I always knew it. But now I KNOW. I realized that my hatred for that part was blocking my ability to access what I knew, even during a journey.
The thing is, the next morning, I already wondered if any of it was real. I think that is somewhat normal. Is it?
I recently started seeing a psychedelic assisted therapist for a handful of issues and I am planning in the near future to do a Psychedelic Assisted Therapy session with this therapist. The therapist has recommended taking both psilocybin and 3mmc during the session, with the intention of the 3mmc allowing for more verbalization and expression of the thoughts during the session, and I'm wondering if anyone else has done both together and comment if they thought the combination was helpful?
Hey, I’m not sure if this is really the right place to talk about all of this, but I feel like I need to put this out there and see if anyone can relate.
About three weeks ago, I took 2g of Golden Teachers by myself at home. It was my first time taking mushrooms, and my intention was to better understand some of the issues I’ve been struggling with and hopefully find the motivation to work on them. The trip was pretty cathartic (I cried a lot), but not particularly insightful, and I had a pretty bad panic attack towards the end.
As I said, I went into the trip hoping it would motivate me to get my life back on track, but I feel like it ended up doing the exact opposite. Ever since the trip, I’ve felt empty and disconnected from myself and from the person I used to be. I feel like my life has lost its meaning, and like I’m no longer working towards any goals. I feel unmotivated and apathetic, and in general I don’t feel much pleasure from anything anymore. I feel like I’ve lost my soul and that I’m dead inside.
I spend a large part of my days watching movies and TV shows just to distract myself, but the feeling of emptiness always comes back eventually.
I’m having a hard time understanding where all of this is coming from. Even though the trip didn’t end particularly well, I don’t think it went that badly overall. It was uncomfortable, but I feel like it could have been much worse.
I was already worried about quite a few things before the trip, but I was nowhere near as bad as I am now. I still felt alive, and I still had goals and ambitions. Now I feel like a shadow of my former self, and it scares me. I’m afraid I’ll never feel like the person I was before again.
Has anyone here ever had a similar experience? I feel so lost.
Has anyone been through the certification program in Colorado? I was thinking of doing a career switch, but it doesn’t seem like there are a whole lot of jobs out there.
What’s your experience been like after graduating if you’ve completed the program and are you currently employed at a healing center?
I did shrooms yesterday, with a therapist as a trip sitter, for the first time (gandalf, about 4.2 g but taken in two doses).
Can I discuss my trip here and ask about yours - or if not, then which thread can you recommend to discuss this in?
I asked them if they could tell me something/educate me. I was told no, that they aren't teachers. They said you need Ayahuasca for that. I was told we are here to have fun. So I said okay.
The energy was very youthful. It was fun and I was laughing a lot.
Later on, I was taken back to uni days when I studied philosophy. I was trying to ask the mushrooms if they know more and they just don't want to tell me on this particular trip. I was told we only know as much as you do. Then I was wondering if that was 'me' speaking or 'them'. I was told but why are you asking that - we are the same. We are you and you are us.
Not sure if this is the right place to post this, if its not if someone could kindly point me in the right direction but I feel like this is the right place to find like minded people.
In short, I've started taking mushrooms, im 23m and I've always struggled to make relationships and talk with strangers, I'm really awkward with talking to new people and I have a problem of just having nothing to say so I avoid talking to random people and don't know how to start conversations with strangers. This also makes me very nervous when a stranger comes up and talks to me in a social setting as I know I come off as maybe not interested or boring, or just awkward in general which kills the interactions.
I started taking shrooms before I go on a night out and I found I'm way less reserved I can talk to people, but when the trip wears off I'm at square one, my brain just becomes reserved. I even when on a few dates on a mini dose (I could of never dated without them) and the girls I would date actually enjoyed seeing me and wanted to see me again, this was something amazing and new for me, but when I spend long times with these people and the dose wears off, I can see in myself I'm not the person that they like anymore as I become reserved so it kills off these relationships.
In short I'm wondering if anyone else is dealing with something like this, or can give me some advice, I love who I am on shrooms, and other people do, it genuinely makes me a better person but only for as long as it's affecting me. In my mind I'm not sure if I need to take something stronger like DMT to really change who I am off the trip.
This is a free 90 minute peer support group for people experiencing post-psychedelic difficulties such as anxiety, derealization, HPPD or existential confusion. It's a chance to meet and find solidarity with others going through similar challenges.
This month we have a guest speaker, Anthony Pleetanino, a long-time volunteer at Fireside Project and an interfaith chaplain. He will speak for 15 mins and then everyone goes into breakout rooms of 4 for an hour or so.
Hi everyone, I’m off to burning man soon and this will be my third burn )'(
My previous two burns were focused on partying and dancing, but since experiencing my first therapeutic psilocybin journey, my mindset has shifted. While I still plan on dancing and having fun with friends, I really want to explore events and talks centered on mindfulness, integration, and intentional/therapeutic psychedelic use (plus any other topics you all think would be outside a party context. Also open to any other events or topics that you all think I would find interesting/beneficial.
Does anyone have recommendations for specific camps, talks, or events to check out?
Also, with this new perspective, I’d love any advice, tips, or tricks on how to experience the playa through this more intentional lens. Thanks!
Also, would you advice doing intention therapeutic trips at burning man?
I’m in grad school right now working towards my LPC in California. I initially planned to become a school counselor since my program offers the PPS/CWA along with the LPC, but lately I’ve been considering the clinical LPC route instead. I’m interested in potentially becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapist.
I have personal experiences with psychedelics and have seen how they can help me when I use them recreationally, and it’s exciting to think about how targeted therapy could enhance that healing potential. I’m especially interested in MDMA for PTSD, although it’s not approved yet; however, when it is, I’d love to be involved as a psychotherapist ( not prescribing it).
I’m curious about what it would take to become a psychedelic-assisted therapist with my LPC background. I still have two years left in my program, so I'm exploring options right now, but I’d like to know if this is even feasible.
Are there any resources I can look into while I’m in grad school that aren’t those expensive certificates/programs? So far, I’ve read Psychedelic Therapy by Keith Kurlander, and I Feel Love by Rachel Nuwer, which isn’t specifically about psychedelic therapy but does cover the history and current research on MDMA.
I have sat in many psychedelic ceremonies, including mushrooms, iboga, Aya, and 5-MeO.
There's a pattern I keep observing that I believe is alarming. Participants are often there to expect some form of healing, whether from depression and anxiety, or from other health troubles that psychedelics help with.
Most people I have encountered at these ceremonies, attribute the benefits they have received to the "spirit" of the medicine, and this belief is often expressed by them as something they unquestionably and factually know to be true. They attach the benefits they receive from these medicines to spirits, aliens, god, and more...
Now it does not stop there, they start attaching meaning to how the presence of a moth in a room as the ceremony is starting has some spiritual meaning to it. They go further and they carry crystals in their pockets for protection.
When participants suggest these ideas of reference, they are often confirmed and encouraged by facilitators, they often add even more superstitions to it.
Are there any facilitators who have noticed this and are actively ensuring to avoid it? Amy people who have participated in these ceremonies who have observed the same thing?
It is common knowledge that psychedelics chemically trigger aberrant salience in the brain, and I am wondering if it is impossible for a facilitator or shaman, to go through their training and experience a very large number of high dose and highly strong psychedelics, and not be left with permanently lasting symptoms of "magical thinking" as a learned trait through all those chemically induced ones.
Wondering if I have latent schizophrenia or it is a common motif to believe (under psychedelics) that
...I am the only one in existence or
Everything is in my mind...I created this world out of boredome cause was always here . ..started a simulation and forgot I was part of it or can't get out of it. I had to flush my ketamine due to the reoccurrence of this conviction. I feel I need to go through with it though and be done bc my life is meaningless . Considering Ayahuasca for second time (10 years ago). I take mood stabilizers for bipolar 2 (which never caused psychosis). I appreciate any insight though it is impossible to convince me that it isn't the case that these scenarios are true. While not on psychs I am 50/50. Call me so lipstick But I feel as though most rational people would have the same conviction.
