Psychedelic Integration
What is Psychedelic Integration Therapy?
If you are reading this page then my guess is that you are one of two individuals: someone who is curious about the new wave of psychedelic-assisted therapy experiences or you yourself have engaged with psychedelics therapeutically, recreationally, or culturally/religiously and are looking for support. We are fortunate to be living in an area of the world where extensive and groundbreaking research is being conducted such as the FDA-approved studies by organizations like the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) exposing promising outcomes for psychological and emotional challenges such as PTSD, depression, anxieties and fears, addiction, and more.
What does Psychedelic Integration Therapy look like?
Setting intentions and grounding practices before the journey
Addressing and processing fears or doubts before going into experience
Processing what was seen, felt, downloaded or remembered after the experience.
Having support in integrating insights and new wisdom from their experience into their daily lives
Struggling to process difficult or upsetting material that may have arisen
Processing any exposed or experienced trauma and learning how to come back into the body if this was part of the journey
Feeling disconnected with reality, or just feeling radically different, and would benefit from having assistance in re-entering life without losing the transformation
Seeking help making major life changes that the journey guided you to make
Maintaining spiritual connection and wisdom without relying solely on psychedelics.
Using somatic psychotherapy tools, brainspotting, EMDR, journaling, expressive arts
Psychedelic integration therapy involves the therapeutic processing of psychedelic experiences after the fact, rather than during a session. As a psychotherapist overseen by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, I follow a harm reduction philosophy of substance use. I do not encourage engagement in illegal activities, including the purchase and consumption of illegal substances.I do not offer guided psychedelic experiences, nor do I see clients who are under the influence of psychedelic substances during sessions. I do not offer referrals to private providers who offer guided psychedelic experiences, and I do not assist clients in finding or obtaining illegal substances. If you are interested in a guided psychedelic experience to address mental health issues, you may wish to visit the MAPS website to see whether you might qualify to participate in a current study.
Personal Beliefs & Important Info
On a deeply personal level, I carry the upmost respect for psychedelic medicine and specifically for medicines in plant form. By that I mean not only the psychedelic experience by way of the plant, but everything about the plant, it's spirit & wisdom, the land it comes from and the ancestral lineage the medicine has been carried. We, as Westerners, are borrowing such sacred medicines for our own healing and it is important for me to name this. I am very aware of the level of cultural appropriation that may be involved in working with plant medicines. I hold this sacred awareness within my work with clients, as a white woman, and make sure to have this be an integral part of our discussion, especially if a specific medicine is being used by an individual who does not come from the same lineage as the medicine. If you choose to do this work with me, I hope you can share this lens and respect for the medicine.
