“The confusion is saying I don’t know. But the minute you are quiet, you find out that in truth you do know. For in you, you know.”
-Ram Dass
Psychedelics, Entheogens, and Plant Medicine have been used in ceremonial and sacred healing and religious practices by native and indigenous peoples around the world for thousands of years. This is ancestral knowledge and for many cultures, peoples, and religions, this knowledge is a gift that has been provided by mother nature or the spirit world. And in many instances, a gift to help heal the pain and trauma inflicted on indigenous peoples by colonialism and the very forces that sought to control it.
In the dominant culture of the “western” world, we tend to gravitate towards the word of scientific research, and subsequently, the medical model of medicine that is built upon it. Currently, there is great excitement and energy around the potential that is emerging from psychedelic science and medicine. Potential that the “west” is rediscovering, that native and indigenous cultures have been practicing as a birthright for generations.
Psychedelic and Entheogenic therapy and Plant Medicine hold the potential to rebuild a connection to a type of healing that has not been permitted in the “western” medical model. And we are seeing from ongoing research that Psychedelics, Entheogens, and Plant Medicine hold great potential to be a catalyst for change.
With this said, I want to acknowledge the creators and keepers of this ancestral knowledge and commit my intention to continued education, honoring, and contributing to the peoples, cultures, and healers with whom this knowledge originated.
Psychedelic Integration Therapy is the therapeutic support of medicinal, sacred, or personal use of psychedelic, entheogen, and plant medicines and non-ordinary states of consciousness. This may take the form of supporting an individual in the exploration, preparation, and harm reduction of their use of psychedelic, entheogenic, and/or plant medicines. As well as the post journey/ceremony integration of their experience and/or potentially therapeutic support around prior challenging experiences.
Psychedelic Assisted Therapy is the provision/use of psychedelics in the therapy session, and remains currently illegal despite decriminalization in Ann Arbor, aside from FDA-approved clinical trials or the use of Ketamine in Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAP). As a state-licensed clinician, I cannot provide, facilitate or guide a client on psychedelics in therapy or advise an individual on whether it might be beneficial to use psychedelics or plant medicine, dosing, or acquisition and I cannot provide referrals to illegal or underground providers or practitioners. I can, however, provide therapeutic support around education, harm reduction, preparation, and planning to individuals considering or who have decided to use psychedelics, and provide post-experience integration therapy and support. This can take many forms and would be tailored to the individual's needs, experiences, and intentions.
If you would like to learn more about Psychedelic Integration Therapy please visit the resources page. If you would like to explore Psychedelic Integration with me, please reach out to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation.