Altered States, Plant Medicine & Psychedelic Integration
Are you returning back to ordinary life after an impactful psychedelic journey?
Did you have a psychedelic experience you wish to make sense of, and integrate it into the ordinary reality?
Do you want to learn strategies to integrate experiences of altered state of consciousness into your ordinary life?
Did you have a challenging psychedelic journey that has remained emotionally unresolved?
Whether it’s MDMA, psilocybin, LSD or ayahuasca, certain plant medicines and substances can open doors to seeing the world in a different and expanded way, while facilitating self-compassion. But while many people do have valuable experiences while they’re with the medicine, it may be less accessible in the normal waking state if the experience is not embodied. Bridge these experiences to ordinary, sensate reality is work that happens after the ceremony. It takes additional work. Integrating altered states of consciousness back into ordinary reality requires time, safety and support.
Psychedelic Integration therapy is focused on helping people piece together their experiences in a nonjudgmental, holistic and healing way. Integration involves reflection on both the thoughts and the feelings that one underwent, somatic processing of the experience, creative reflection, active dreaming work, exploration and assimilation of the gained insights into one’s life for lasting and positive change.
While the use of psychedelic substances remains tightly controlled in Canada, the reality is that many people use mind altering substances, such as: Ayahuasca, DMT, Ibogaine, Psilocybin, LSD, Peyote, MDMA, oral THC, and other psychedlics, in various settings and contexts. Recent research suggests that some psycho-active substances have the potential to catalyze profound psychological healing and spiritual growth. That said, they can also bring about dark and traumatic journeys.
Today, some people use these mind altering plants and brews recreationally, while others use them as sacred spiritual teachers and healers. While people who had positive experiences with these plants often look for support in integrating and bridging between ordinary and non-ordinary realities, people who have traumatic experiences with these powerful substances may face many challenging feelings, conflicting thoughts, and symptoms of anxiety and trauma symptoms following their experiences.
I work with people to help integrate both beautiful transformational journeys as well as dark and traumatic experiences.