psychedelic assisted therapy
I am delighted to announce that I’m now offering select psychedelic assisted therapy sessions for my current clients. I’ve been working actively with psychedelics for the past several years and have used them extensively in my own personal healing work throughout my life. In the fall of 2022 I completed a 200 hour year-long psychedelic assisted therapy training program for licensed mental health professionals with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute www.psychiatryinstitute.com and am now a certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist. In addition to this primarily academic/western training I have also studied in a more traditional way with plant medicines apprenticing and mentoring with an elder practitioner here in Sonoma County. My elder/mentor has trained within the lineage of traditional Mazotec Indians and their use of psilocybin mushrooms for spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical healing. In the summer of 2021 I spent time in Jualta de Jiminez, Mexico, and participated in a week long traditional psilocybin ceremony/healing journey with the medicine people of that area who are carrying the lineage of these ways and sharing with those of us who are seeking to learn these ways.
Psychedelic assisted psychotherapy is by no means new to our world but it is experiencing a renaissance in recent years and has been designated a breakthrough treatment for conditions such as PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and Addiction. Psychedelics such as Psilocybin, Ketamine, LSD, Mescaline, Ayahuasca or their analogs have a long history of safe human use and caught the attention of the western psychology community over seventy years ago when professionals saw their potential for healing. Sadly when these medicines became part of the counterculture in the 60s what followed was a government ban on their use which shuttered medical research, however this is changing. Today several psychedelic assisted therapy treatments are either legal or in the final stages of approval by the FDA.
What to expect from a psychedelic assisted therapy session:
Leading up to your session I will work with you to create an intention and dive into the issues you want to work on. This will create a foundation for your session which can last anywhere from from 3-10 hours. You will work with me one-on-one where I will support and guide you through the experience, however it’s important to note that the most important guide in the process is your own inner healing intelligence. After the session we will work on integrating the insights you gained during the process to maximize their long term benefits. Many clients who have received psychedelic assisted psychotherapy report that it’s like having 10 years of therapy in a single session.
“My medicinal therapy experience was more profound and impactful than I believed was possible. I was able to revisit past traumatic memories in a visceral yet safe way, and with Alyson’s gentle guidance, alter my perception of those events. The results have left me with a new relationship with my own subconscious, enlightening me to my own power to heal myself, and giving me strength and confidence to venture into regions of myself that I previously would not or could not access. The experience and unique insight that Alyson brought to preparing me for, and then supporting and guiding me through this journey, are gifts that I am immeasurably grateful for.” - Z
If you are interested in a psychedelic assisted therapy session please call or email me so we can set up a time to discuss in greater detail if this approach is right for you.