Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration
As a psychedelically-informed therapist with harm reduction training and experience with the MAPS-affiliated Zendo Project, I offer both psychedelic harm reduction and integration as part of my practice. Please note that since most psychedelic substances are still illegal in the U.S., I do not provide, condone, or assist in the procurement or use of illicit substances, nor do I refer clients to sources for obtaining illegal substances.
Psychedelics and Non-ordinary States of Consciousness
Psychedelics have been around for millennia, however they are becoming more mainstream both in recreational as well as therapeutic and research settings, where they are shown to improve cognitive flexibility and stimulate neurogenesis. Classic psychedelics include lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms”), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and mescaline. Other psychedelics that are considered non-classic but that can produce sensations and experiences similar to classic psychedelics include cannabis, ketamine, MDMA, and ibogaine. Many of these psychedelics are being rigorously studied in controlled settings and the therapeutic use of psychedelics is a burgeoning field. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is a rapidly evolving treatment approach that has shown promise for alleviating a number of mental health conditions, including alcohol and other substance dependency/misuse, trauma, treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, and eating disorders.
Apart from their purported mental health benefits, many people enjoy the consciousness-altering effects of psychedelics, which can also be achieved through non substance-induced experiences such as meditation, holotropic breathwork, or ecstatic dance. Although many of these experiences producing non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSCs) are legal and safe, they can sometimes result in adverse mental or physical health outcomes. For example, sometimes psychedelic users can have challenging or disturbing experiences, which are often referred to as “bad trips.” However, with the proper guidance and support from a professional, it can be possible to transform these difficult experiences into profound ones that can serve as valuable opportunities for growth and healing.
Harm Reduction
Harm reduction is the practice of minimizing the negative health, social, and legal consequences associated with certain behaviors, most commonly, alcohol and drug use. However, harm reduction principles can be applied to other behaviors unrelated to substance use, for example risky sexual activity. The core belief of harm reduction is meeting people where they are instead of demanding abstinence or shaming or punishing people for their decisions. It is based on the assumption that people sometimes engage in behaviors that can be harmful, and that rather than try to convince people to alter their behaviors, it is more effective to empower people to make informed decisions that consider and mitigate these potential risks.
One goal of harm reduction around psychedelic use is to help you become informed about the various types of substances, including their effects and doses, potential interactions with medication or contraindications, and when feasible, testing your substances for potential impurities. It also includes careful consideration of your mental state or mindset going into the experience (commonly referred to as the set); environmental or external factors surrounding the experience (the setting); developing goals for the experience (intention-setting); and receiving proper support following the experience (integration).
If you have chosen to engage in psychedelic use on your own, I aim to foster a sense of safety and non judgment around your experiences and can provide guidance on ways to reduce or prevent the potential negative effects that can sometimes occur with use. This might include empowering you with education and information to make safer choices, providing practical tools and strategies to keep yourself emotionally and physically safe, and offering resources or referrals, all through a lens of compassionate care.
Integration
Additionally, I provide psychedelic integration therapy for those seeking support following psychedelic use. It is important to find healthy ways of stabilizing and grounding yourself after experiencing something as powerful as psychedelics. Integration can be thought of as the “aftercare” which involves processing your experience on multiple levels - emotionally, somatically, behaviorally, cognitively, spiritually, existentially, and collectively. I hold space for you to reflect on your experiences and begin to derive meaning from them. In the safety of the therapeutic container, I can help you make sense of and implement the insights you gained during these experiences into your daily life, thereby increasing the chances that you will derive longer-term mental health benefits from them.
Integration often involves a commitment to action by taking small steps. For example, you might identify one thing you can do per day, week or month in the service of supporting your mental or physical wellbeing, such as journaling, spending more time in nature, practicing mindfulness, talking to people you trust, or tuning in to your body’s needs. It is common for psychedelic experiences to inspire cognitive and behavioral changes, and I have found evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance and commitment therapy to be effective frameworks through which to provide more action-based integration.
I cannot emphasize the importance of integration enough. Even if you undergo deep and profound healing experiences, if you do not take the subsequent steps of translating these into shifts in your daily habits, it will be hard to sustain them and they will be of little value to you or others. Many people’s experiences with psychedelics involve the realization that we are all interconnected with one another, with nature, and with the universe. From this lens, integration need not be limited to the individual; in order to be collectively beneficial, psychedelic experiences can and should be integrated into a larger vision of social justice, equality, and community.