A psilocybin integration coach is an individual who supports people with the process of integrating psychedelic experiences. They have no role in the experience itself but they can help during the critical period following an experience, when real change can occur.
These therapists are trained in a variety of fields, including depth or Jungian psychology, transpersonal psychology and interdisciplinary fieldwork (IFS). Their work focuses on a harm reduction approach for promoting personal and public safety.
Psychedelics
Psychedelics have a wide range of effects on the body, including changes in sleep patterns and feelings of relaxation. They can also cause hallucinations, which can be frightening or disturbing.
During high doses, psilocybin is known to trigger mystical experiences. These are specific states of consciousness in which a person discovers himself to be one continuous process with god, the universe or the ground of being.
This type of experience can often lead to an inability to understand reality, or even a psychotic episode. Other features include dizziness, blurred vision, a feeling of clumsiness and difficulty concentrating.
Psychedelics can also have a profound effect on the brain, which can lead to flashbacks and re-experiences of the ‘trip’. These can occur days, weeks, months and even years later.
Trauma
The impact of a traumatic experience can have long-lasting effects on the body, mind and spirit. These effects can range from disabling to non-disabling, depending on the individual’s coping skills and support systems.
A trauma-informed psilocybin integration coach can help you navigate these emotional and mental challenges. They provide expert coaching and accountability to help you make lasting changes.
Trauma is the result of a significant event, such as an accident, violence or natural disaster, that causes an individual to feel intense fear or horror. Some symptoms of trauma include flashbacks, numbness, and strained relationships.
Traumatic experiences can also challenge core life assumptions, such as the idea that the world is a just place or that everyone is safe. These assumptions can be especially challenging if the event was unexpected or if it occurred in an unstable, unsafe environment.
Support
As a plant medicine integration coach, you’ll help people transform their lives using ancient shamanic and spiritual healing practices. This work requires a combination of skills in trauma release and behavioral change frameworks, tools, and techniques to optimize the psychedelic experience and deepen transformations.
In addition, you will learn how to provide ongoing integration support to clients. This means providing them with the ongoing container they need to hold and work through their experiences, and ensuring that they have a network of practitioners to turn to for guidance, support, and accountability as they process.
There is a growing demand for qualified and experienced psychedelic integration specialists to support individuals through the most profound, transformational work of their lives. If you’re ready to heed this call, there are a few ways to get started.
Preparation
Before you begin your psilocybin journey, it’s important to prepare yourself physically and mentally. This means taking time to clear your schedule, having a supportive partner or friend to act as a ‘trip sitter’ to help you navigate the experience, and setting your intention for what you want to achieve.
Once you’re ready to go, the psilocybin mushroom journey can be intense and transformative. It may feel like a new world has opened up to you, or that you are able to see into another person’s perspective.
The psychedelic experience can also be very challenging, even painful. This is normal and it’s important to acknowledge that your feelings and experiences are valid.
The key to integrating the experiences that come up from a psychedelic trip is to have an ongoing process for processing and making sense of the insights that emerge. This can be done through talk therapy or a variety of other integration modalities, such as movement, breathwork, or meditation exercises.
