Nestled on the shores of Puget Sound, the city of Tacoma, Washington offers a captivating blend of history, natural beauty, and a vibrant cultural scene with an emerging interest in psychedelics.
With its breathtaking waterfront, thriving arts scene, and diverse community, Tacoma provides a welcoming and enriching environment whether you live here or just visiting. Most notably, the city is widely known for its renowned glass art and associated museums.
While psychedelics remain illegal in the state of Washington, Tacoma is not lacking possibilities when it comes to psychedelic therapy. With the recent legislative developments surrounding psychedelics, it’s hopeful that Tacoma will soon embrace this transformative form of therapy.
Today, we will continue the discussion of our previous article on psychedelic-assisted therapy in Washington and focus on the city of Tacoma. We will also go over the existing options for accessing psychedelic experiences within the city.
Before embarking on a journey through the various areas we serve in Washington, let’s get up to speed with the current psychedelic legislation in the state and gain a clearer understanding of how psychedelic therapy differs from traditional talk therapy.
Current Legal Status of Psychedelics in Tacoma
Following California’s legalization of medical marijuana in 1996, Washington joined suit two years later in 1998. The state of Washington made history again in 2012 by becoming the first to legalize recreational marijuana use for those 21 and older.
In October 2021, Seattle took a significant stride by decriminalizing psilocybin and other psychedelic plant medicines, making the enforcement of entheogenic plant use a low priority. The city of Port Townsend followed their lead and decriminalized these substances in December 2021.
Governor Jay Inslee recently signed Senate Bill 5263 into law on May 9 which promotes psilocybin research and established a pilot program for therapeutic access to psilocybin. However, psilocybin will remain unavailable to the general public.
The pilot program, set to operate at the University of Washington, will provide mental health treatment for military veterans and first responders with conditions such as PTSD.
Originally intending to expand access to psilocybin for therapy, the bill underwent significant revisions and resulted in the formation of a psilocybin therapy pilot program which is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2025.
These new measures are moving us towards broader and more inclusive reforms, as they emphasize the need for a new treatment-focused approach and treatment programs rather than criminal penalties.
Download Our Free Psilocybin Sourcing Guide
For harm-reduction purposes, we provide links to online psilocybin vendors, local stores, delivery services, and spore vendors for growing your own medicine at home.
Psychedelic Therapy vs. Traditional Talk Therapy
When thinking about therapy, talk therapy is often the first thing that comes to mind. However, psychedelic therapy can also provide healing benefits tailored to your specific needs and desires.
Before embarking on your therapeutic healing journey, it’s important to acknowledge the differences between these approaches.
The primary goal of talk therapy is to identify and change troubling emotions and behaviors by talking with a healthcare professional, such as a therapist. Therapists can provide you with additional therapeutic healing tools, such as meditation or breathing exercises and journaling.
There are various forms of talk therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These types of therapy can be conducted in person or online, individually or in group sessions.
People seek talk therapy for many reasons, including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, or grief. The duration of talk therapy can be short-term for those dealing with specific current issues or long-term, even lifelong, for others.
In addition, talk therapy is often combined with medications, like antidepressants, to help change behavior or thoughts and overcome internal challenges.
While talk therapy and psychedelic therapy share similar goals, they are fundamentally different in their approach and tools used to achieve those goals.
Psychedelic therapy, also known as psychedelic-assisted therapy, aims to achieve therapeutic outcomes through the use of psychedelic substances. It involves three stages: preparation, the psychedelic experience, and integration.
During the preparation stage, your therapist will conduct a health screening to ensure your suitability for the psychedelic experience. They will discuss your medical history, family medical history, medications, and lifestyle.
Your therapist will also help you set an intention for your journey or in other words, determine what outcome you desire. Are you wanting to heal your past trauma? Show yourself how to be more empathetic?
During the actual psychedelic experience, your therapist will be there with you in person, providing support as needed. They create a comfortable setting, often in your own home, to ensure a safe and positive experience.
You are at your most vulnerable state during your psychedelic experience. Therefore, it’s crucial to build a strong relationship with your therapist beforehand to ensure complete trust so you can fully surrender to the experience.
Following your experience, you continue working with your therapist to integrate the insights gained into your daily life. Because psychedelic experiences are intense, it could take weeks to fully process everything.
The role of the therapist is to provide you with a safe journey and help you apply the lessons to your life. They don’t guide the experience directly but are available to assist or steer you back on track if necessary.
Psychedelic therapy is typically conducted by a psychedelic therapist or guide/facilitator. Due to strict psychedelic legislation in the US, finding a psychedelic guide is much easier, as psychedelic therapists may be wary of risking their licenses by working with these substances.
Psychedelic substances alter consciousness and expand thinking in ways that talk therapy alone cannot achieve. This can help you overcome challenges and approach problems from new perspectives.
Now that you have a good understanding of psychedelic therapy and the importance of finding a trusted therapist, we invite you to read our article on the key qualities you should look for in a psychedelic therapist.
Where To Find Legal Psychedelic Experiences in Tacoma 2023
With the legal status of psychedelics in Tacoma, psychedelic therapy isn’t available to everyone just yet. However, other options are available for those searching for a therapeutic psychedelic experience: ketamine clinics and guided psychedelic journeys with Psychedelic Passage.
1. Ketamine Clinics
Even though ketamine isn’t considered to be a traditional psychedelic like LSD or psilocybin, it produces similar hallucinogenic-like effects when consumed. And like other psychedelics, ketamine has been shown to have many therapeutic uses.
Ketamine is often used to treat depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. The way ketamine works is by allowing you to detach from yourself and view your problems from an alternative and more empathetic perspective.
But of course, there are disadvantages when it comes to ketamine therapy. The cost of treatment is a significant consideration, and multiple sessions are typically required, as it’s not a one-time solution.
Additionally, ketamine therapy often lacks the extensive support that is provided in psychedelic therapy. As previously discussed, psychedelic guides are highly supportive and accompany individuals throughout the entire process, offering guidance when needed.
In ketamine therapy, the concept of integration is not typically incorporated, which is a key component of a successful therapeutic journey.
While your therapist can work with you during the integration stage, they most likely won’t be the ones administering the ketamine. Having them present during the actual session is important for monitoring your reactions and facilitating a deeper understanding of your experience.
Before finding a ketamine clinic near you, we encourage you to read our article on the benefits and pitfalls of ketamine therapy before making an informed decision.
2. Guided Psychedelic Experiences with Psychedelic Passage
Psychedelic journeys are deeply personal and transformative, and we at Psychedelic Passage want to make the process as easy as possible for you.
Recognizing that everyone is different, we have designed a 5-week program that is customized to fulfill your specific needs. This comprehensive program includes preparation sessions, trip sitting, integration sessions, microdose coaching, and email/text support.
To ensure the best possible match, you will have access to our extensive network of qualified psychedelic professionals. Having a strong relationship with your guide is essential to a beneficial journey.
Whether you prefer to have your psychedelic experience in your own space or theirs, they will accommodate your preferences. Our facilitators also possess expertise in working with a wide range of psychedelics, allowing for a versatile and tailored approach to your journey.
Find Your Next Psychedelic Journey in Any Major Tacoma Area
- Central Tacoma
- South End
- West End
- North End
- Eastside
- Hilltop
- Lincoln
- McKinley Hill
- Stadium District
- New Tacoma
- Old Town
- South Tacoma
- Manitou
- Fern Hill
- Salishan
Connect With a Local Psychedelic Guide Today
For years, psychedelics have been utilized for their profound healing properties, and their therapeutic potential continues to be realized in the present day. We are passionate about providing you with the opportunity to embark on your own transformative healing journey.
To begin your journey, we invite you to book a consultation with one of our knowledgeable psychedelic concierges. They have the expertise to guide you in the right direction, connecting you with our carefully curated network of trusted psychedelic guides.
Have any unanswered questions? Head on over to our resources page to explore our content. We also invite you to check out our testimonials page to see what others had to say about working with us. Enjoy your well-deserved healing journey!
