Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

About Psychedelics

Psychedelics are linked by category because they have the ability to cause visions and even a somewhat “out of body” experience. Psylocibin is a naturally accruing psychoactive ingredient found in several species of mushrooms around the world. These mushrooms belong to a category of plant medicines called psychedelics (i.e. Mescaline, Peyote, Buffo, Ayahuasca, DMT). There are also man-made psychedelics (LSD, Ketamine).

Studies show that psylocibin and ketamine can actually help you make changes to your brain. In our brain we have nerve cells called neurons. Neurons carry messages to and from your brain. They are responsible for making a connection of patterns in your brain that comprise all of your thoughts- good ones, bad ones, silly ones, sad ones, and so on. Every time we have a particular thought the neurotransmitter path that forms that thought gets stronger. When we incur trauma or fears and negative thoughts emerge from that trauma and then they play over and over in our head, it only builds anxiety and negative effects from that energy in our body. The thought pattern becomes stronger and therefore you will continue have the same thoughts and feelings regarding those incidences.

Psychedelics make it easier for your neurons to form different pathways allowing you to form a different thought response to a situation. In other words, they help to create neuroplasticity. Through psychedelic journeys coupled with coaching and integrative practices we can take traumas and negative thought patterns and help to reshape the thoughts associated with them and establish healthy coping strategies. It's a way of recoding your brain, to work for you and not against you.

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It's important to utilize coaching along with your psychedelic experience. This is important as it allows an "outside" and trained perspective on the complexities of emotions and challenges that may arise when digging into the subconscious. Experiences without coaching can lead to more confusion and make it hard to understand or come to terms with challenges that may arise. It is beneficial to have a coach present during a macro-dose experience as well as weekly sessions to discuss questions and thoughts as you integrate new thoughts and feelings you experience.

Macro-doses and Micro-doses

Macro-dosing a psychedelic describes taking a large enough of a dose in which your reaction causes you to have a psychedelic experience. The description most people give a psychedelic experience is wide ranging. Experiences can include sensory enhancements and distortions, altered sense of time and space, deep emotional insights, ego dissolution and mystical experiences, philosophical and existential realizations. Macro-doses allow for deeper work to be done in your psyche. Big life realizations and self-growth can occur during and following the journey.

Micro-dosing psychedelics describes taking a small enough amount that you will not feel any psychedelic experiences. If you do, it is not a micro-dose. Micro-dosing a psychedelic is a good approach when seeking a deeper connection to your thoughts and how you process your thoughts on a daily basis. It may also help you feel more focused and connected to the people and things within your daily life. The connections are more subtle with micro-dosing, but also they may be deeply meaningful when finding balance and peace in daily life.