“Not knowing when the dawn will come,
I open every door”
— Emily Dickinson
Psychedelic-assisted therapy embraces a new therapeutic approach rooted in ancient cultures that honored the interconnectedness of the human experience and the natural world. Our indigenous ancestors trusted their sacred medicines and traditions for healing and spiritual enlightenment. Many of these traditions continue today in pockets where modern civilization has not taken hold. Acknowledging the profound impact of these natural medicines on emotional well-being and spiritual awakening, our researchers and facilitators continue to seek what the ancient civilizations have known all along.
Respect. Prepare. Let go. Begin to Heal.
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The Natural Medicine Health Act (NMHA) which was passed in 2022, decriminalized adult possession of natural plant medicines (psilocybin, psilocin, mescaline not derived from peyote, ibogaine and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The NMHA took effect on July 1, 2023. The act also initiated the process of creating regulated healing centers in Colorado. The Rules from the Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) will hopefully be finalized in early 2025. A report by Colorado Public Radio in 2023 summarized the law below: (https://www.cpr.org/2023/06/21/colorado-psychedelic-law-for-psilocybin-mushrooms/)
People are allowed to grow and consume psilocybin and psilocybin mushrooms and their derivatives; as well as have ibogaine; mescaline; and DMT for “personal use.” The law does not set specific quantity limits. (Note that the law does not cover LSD, which remains fully criminalized).
People can give away, or share, most of those substances — but they can’t sell them. Ibogaine also cannot be shared.
People can sell “bona fide” services for “harm reduction” or “support” related to the use of psychedelic drugs, though the law does not define those terms.
Those service providers can also “share” the drugs with clients, free of charge. But if they are providing the drugs, they cannot advertise their services in any way.
Unregulated practitioners also must tell clients they’re working without a license.
People are allowed to cultivate mushrooms within a 12-by-12 foot area on private property.
It is illegal to “openly and publicly” display or consume psilocybin mushrooms, with a fine of up to $100 and 24 hours of public service.
It is illegal for people under the age of 21 to possess or consume any of the listed substances. It’s also illegal to share those substances with underage people.
Psychedelic mushrooms and the other affected drugs remain illegal at the federal level, meaning anyone growing or using them could still face consequences from federal law enforcement
To read more about legal developments, follow Colorado Public Radio’s The Trip, a CPR News series on Colorado’s new psychedelic movement. Here is their latest report: https://www.cpr.org/2024/12/18/psilocybin-therapy-natural-medicine-healing-centers-coming-to-colorado/
Individual Sessions using a Harm Reduction Model:
Individual sessions were the protocol that was approved by the FDA for the Phase I, II and III studies on psilocybin and MDMA. This is a deeply personal and introspective experience with a compassionate and experienced facilitator in a private setting. As you travel from your current consciousness through unknown territory to the core of your being, visual images may begin to emerge. Trust that the medicine will take you as far as you need to go while the psychedelic facilitator ensures you are safe. Just let go. You will have the undivided attention and support of your facilitator(s). You will begin your journey to your unconscious mind after about 45 minutes elapse.
It is never clear what experiences may emerge from your altered state of consciousness but your facilitator is equipped and experienced to guide you through whatever comes up. An individual session allows you to be who you are, feel what you feel and say what you need to say in a private space reserved just for you.
The space and time with the facilitator is for self-discovery and for the plant medicine to reveal what needs to be revealed to you at that moment in time. This transformative process fosters your emotional liberation, exposes new insights and fresh perspectives, empowers you to make positive changes, and cultivates a deeper connection to yourself and to those you care about.
How does the Harm Reduction Model work?
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) explains, “Harm reduction is an evidence-based approach that is critical to engaging with people who use drugs and equipping them with life-saving tools and information to create positive change in their lives and potentially save their lives. Harm reduction is a key pillar in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Overdose Prevention Strategy.” https://www.hhs.gov/overdose-prevention/
“Harm reduction emphasizes engaging directly with people who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission; improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing; and offer low barrier options for accessing health care services, including substance use and mental health disorder treatment.” https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/harm-reduction
At Metanoesis.care, the SAMHSA guidelines will be followed as well as the Psychedelic Risk Reduction Coaching Model developed by Trip Hōm for the Preparation, Administration and Integration sessions (triphom.com). Practically speaking, this means that the client will be introduced to a trusted source of freeze-dried psilocybin mushrooms that are cultivated to the highest standards and tested for purity and concentration based on Department of Revenue Regulations. The Facilitator or Natural Medicine Handler will bring the unopened packages of the mushrooms to the Administration Session, where the client will receive supportive care and risk reduction strategies during their journey.
Group Sessions
The use of psychedelics in a group session for religious or ceremonial purposes dates back centuries (1). It was through one of these traditional practices— the Mazatec communal ritual of the velada— that American researchers first learned of the psychoactive properties of the Psilocybe mexicana mushroom with Maria Sabina (2). Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies are still offered in group sessions in the US and abroad.
Besides a cost savings, there are studies that found additional benefits of group sessions (3) in HIV survivors (4), (5) and in cancer patients with depression. (6) I believe there will be additional benefits for group sessions with alcohol use disorder and for complicated grief.
A recent study from The Imperial College of London, led by doctoral student Hannes Kettner, has shown that the social dimension of psychedelic ceremonies, such as the one shown above in an episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, led to increased psychological well-being and social connectedness in participants (7). The team of researchers introduced and validated a modified measure used to assess “experiences of perceived togetherness and shared humanity,” referred to as the communitas scale. Kettner explained that “while in clinical one-on-one settings, the relationship between the facilitator and client is quite defined, a group setting can potentially act as an equalizer.” The researchers stated, “The interesting thing about this communitas construct is that we observed this dissolution of hierarchies and boundaries and social roles, which you wouldn’t expect to see when there’s a predefined relationship between doctor and patient, or guide and journeyer.”
They concluded, “this experience of communitas during psychedelic sessions emerged as a significant predictor of long-term improvements in well-being and mental health outcomes several weeks later, pointing towards a therapeutic potential unique to group settings of psychedelic use.”
Photo Courtesy HBO and Forbes
I’m planning Group Session opportunities for those who suffer from alcohol use disorder and/or for those trying to cope with complicated grief after I identify a suitable Healing Center location.
1) Guerra-Doce E. (2015). Psychoactive Substances in Prehistoric Times: Examining the Archaeological Evidence. Time and Mind 8 (1): 91–112.
2) Sabina M, and Wasson RG. (1974). María Sabina and her Mazatec mushroom velada. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
3) Trope A, et al. (2019). Psychedelic-Assisted Group Therapy: A Systematic Review. J Psychoactive Drugs 51(2):174-188.
4) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(20)30282-0/fulltext
5) Stauffer CS, et al. (2020). Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy and Attachment: Observed Reduction in Attachment Anxiety and Influences of Attachment Insecurity on the Psilocybin Experience. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 4(2):526-532.
6) James W. (1903) The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature, Longmans, Green and Company, London, England.
“Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown.”
- Claude Bernard*
*Known as the Father of Experimental Physiology, which led to the understanding of ‘homeostasis’
Embark on your journey towards new insights and perspectives.
Whether you’re ready to dive into the sessions, or you’d like to talk further about the benefits and risks, schedule your free consult today and Carolyn will be in touch to answer all of your questions!