Welcome. We’re so excited that you’ve chosen to venture on the journey of psychedelic healing. Psychedelic Passage was created to allow as many people as possible to heal through these ancient, revolutionary medicines, so we’re glad that you found us.
Right now, psychedelic-assisted therapy is only being practiced in clinical trials. You can try to sign up for a clinical trial, but it’s likely to be a few more years until you can use psychedelics in combination with a trained psychotherapist.
The reason is because therapists get their licenses to practice from the state government. Since psychedelics are illegal in every state except Oregon, a therapist who uses psychedelics in their practice would lose their license.
However, a therapeutic psychedelic experience is still possible. Therapeutic simply means “to have a beneficial effect on the body or mind.” A practitioner experienced with psychedelics could offer a psychedelic experience and call it therapeutic without facing the same legal repercussions as a therapist.
Because there is no regulating body for psychedelic healing, what qualifies a practitioner are the timeless values of virtue, honor, and personal integrity. At Psychedelic Passage, our facilitators prioritize safety above all else, constantly train with mentors, and are honest about their limitations.
Even if they have a wealth of experience with psychedelics, our facilitators will let you know if they are not a good fit for you and happily recommend you a facilitator more in resonance with your needs. Now let’s get into it.
Benefits of Having a Therapeutic Psychedelic Experience
It’s likely you’re familiar with the mental health benefits of psychedelics. MDMA, also known as ecstasy, is likely to be a legal treatment for PTSD by 2023 for its ability to eliminate the disorder in only one or two sessions. Psilocybin, the primary compound in “magic” mushrooms, is rivaling pharmaceutical antidepressants and helping people kick addiction.
But psychedelics are also known as entheogens, a term that literally means “creating the divine within.” Entheogens are substances that are used for connecting people to their spiritual nature, and psychedelics do this in impressive ways.
Psychedelics can produce mystical experiences that connect you to the vast, interconnected intelligence that runs through the universe. The normal sense of self, which is separate and so often characterized by negative beliefs and stories, is broken down, and a bigger, more loving self is realized. Regardless of your religious beliefs, those who have an experience of this larger self, also known as an experience of “oneness,” are more likely to be happier than those who do not.
If you’re simply seeking to make a bigger impact on the world, psychedelics can also help optimize performance. Microdosing is the practice of taking small amounts of a psychedelic substance several times a week, and it’s being used the world over to enhance creativity, increase focus, and make it easier to get into flow states.
The Current Legislation on Psychedelics in Illinois
Psychedelic reform in Illinois feels like the growth of a bamboo tree: it spreads its roots beneath the surface of the ground for a long time until one day, it spurts out with amazing speed. In 2020, a resolution was introduced in Chicago calling for the adult use of entheogens, as well as more research into how entheogens can help those with mental health issues.
That resolution has sat in committee for the last few years, and while it’s uncertain when the City Council will revisit it, Field Trip Health, a well-known ketamine clinic, has established a location in the city. There are also a wealth of psychedelic groups that meet all over the Chicagoland area.
Several cities in Michigan have decriminalized psychedelics, and the hope is that the momentum will spread down to the Prairie State. The coming years will be an exciting time for reform in legislation as psychedelics become a priority in a nation deeply in need of the kind of healing these medicines can provide.
Your Legal Options for Therapeutic Psychedelic Experiences in Illinois
In Illinois, you have two options for a therapeutic psychedelic experience: ketamine clinics and guided psychedelic journeys.
It’s important to note that if you do decide to pursue a guided psychedelic journey, you are responsible for sourcing your own medicine. If you have questions or concerns about this process, check out our Resources page for more information.
1. Ketamine Clinics
Ketamine is not a conventional psychedelic, but it does have an advantage: it’s legal to use for medicinal purposes. Most known for its rapid antidepressant effects, ketamine has also been shown to help those with anxiety and PTSD.
Ketamine is the only type of psychedelic-assisted therapy currently available, but clinics will vary widely with the amount of support they offer their patients. Some clinics offer just the medicine— typically through an IV— so you want to make sure you work with a clinic that will offer you the guidance of a mental health professional.
If you can’t find a clinic near you that offers adequate support, try seeking out a psychedelic integration specialist or a therapist of your own that has knowledge of psychedelics. Check out our guide on ketamine clinics to learn more.
2. Guided Psychedelic Journeys with Psychedelic Passage
No matter where you live in Illinois, if we can physically get to you, we will sit for you. It’s our duty as facilitators to provide a comprehensive container of support because we want you to feel safe enough to freely explore the depths of your consciousness. Our programs are usually five weeks long, with two virtual preparation sessions, an in-person ceremony, and two virtual integration sessions.
If you don’t feel ready for a full dose ceremony, we can coach you in a microdosing practice. We’ll guide you through dosing, intention-setting, and best practices to ground your experiences in your everyday life.
All of our facilitators are experienced with many psychedelics, including LSD, DMT and mescaline. Psilocybin mushrooms are the medicine that most of our clients elect to journey with, as they are the most accessible and the hardest to fake. If you would like to journey with cannabis, we sit for that as well.
We Provide Guided Psychedelic Journeys in Every Major Illinois City
- Chicago
- Aurora
- Joliet
- Naperville
- Rockford
- Springfield
- Peoria
- Elgin
- Champaign
- Waukegan
- Cicero
- Bloomington
- Arlington Heights
- Evanston
Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Healing Journey?
We can tell you from our own journeys and those of our clients that psychedelic healing can be one of the most profound experiences in a person’s life. Beneath all of the layers of negative stories and trauma, there lies a Self that is whole and complete. Psychedelics are not panaceas, they don’t cure anything— they merely expose you to that deeper Self.
It’s this exposure that’s transformational. Psychedelics change lives because they can remind you, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are not who you thought you were, that you are something far greater and wonderful. If you’ve made it this far and feel ready to take the next steps, book a consultation with us. Our psychedelic concierges would be stoked to hear from you.
Illinois’ Advancements in Research & Therapeutic Approaches
In Illinois, there have been significant developments in the realm of psychedelics, particularly in the context of psychedelic-assisted therapy. This section highlights factual information on the establishment of the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board, advancements in research programs, the potential therapeutic benefits for various conditions, and the regulatory landscape.
Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board: The state of Illinois has recognized the growing interest in psychedelics by establishing the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board. The board comprises experts from diverse fields who provide guidance and expertise on issues related to psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms.
Potential Therapeutic Applications: Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown promise in the treatment of mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Research suggests that psychedelics, when combined with therapy, can facilitate healing experiences and promote emotional breakthroughs, providing relief for individuals who have not responded to conventional treatments.
CURE Act and Research Program: Illinois has taken steps to support psychedelic research through the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act’s (CURE Act) provisions. This act allows for the establishment of a research program focused on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. The program aims to explore the safety, efficacy, and optimal therapeutic protocols for utilizing psychedelics in a clinical setting.
FDA-Approved Treatments: While psychedelic substances are still classified as Schedule I drugs at the federal level, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted breakthrough therapy designation and approved clinical trials for certain psychedelic-assisted therapies. This recognition underscores the potential for these therapies to address unmet medical needs and provides a pathway for further research and development.
Legislative Considerations: Illinois’s General Assembly plays a vital role in shaping the regulatory landscape for psychedelics. Through legislative efforts and ongoing discussions, policymakers explore the potential for compassionate use and the implementation of regulatory frameworks that prioritize safety, accessibility, and ethical considerations in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
