If you find yourself curious and slightly confused about psychedelics like psilocybin, you’re not alone. It’s understandable, as the legal status of psychedelic plants in our country continues to evolve rapidly, and it can be hard to keep up. Luckily, we’re experts in this re-emerging field and we’re here to help you navigate these uncharted waters in the state of North Carolina.
If you’re wondering how psychedelic assisted therapy with psilocybin can help you to better deal with depression and lower your overall anxiety, we created this guide for you. Keep reading to find out how you can take advantage of the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.
First, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the laws that govern psilocybin and psychedelic assisted therapy in North Carolina. Currently, there are no legislative reform initiatives in your state, however, there’s promising research being conducted to see if psychedelics can be used as potential psychiatric treatments.
But the fact remains, psychedelic plants like magic mushrooms are not yet decriminalized, so traditional therapy with a licensed therapist is currently unavailable. As it stands, mental health professionals risk losing their licensure by working with psilocybin and other psychedelics.
That said, you still have options because the word therapy holds a multitude of meanings. Consider whether you want to have a psychedelic trip under the supervision of a licensed psychotherapist or would prefer to have a therapeutic psychedelic experience.
It might seem like a small difference, but it has big implications due to the legal landscape of psychedelics like psilocybin in the state of North Carolina, as only one of those choices is currently an option. As you think about what you wish to gain from using psychedelics in a therapeutic setting, we recommend exploring the two words more deeply.
Often, the word “therapy” is used to describe working with a licensed therapist, in contrast to “therapeutic” which is defined as having a beneficial effect on the body or mind. So you don’t need a therapist to be present for activities like yoga, breathwork, meditation, and even psychedelics to be considered to be therapeutic.
To clarify your ultimate goal and realize the full potential benefit of your therapeutic psychedelic experience, it helps to think about the type of experience that you want to have along with the amount of support that you need. While traditional therapy with a licensed mental health professional is not yet a treatment option in North Carolina, you can still have a guided therapeutic psychedelic experience in your area.
It’s important that you make an informed decision, so we’ll cover all of your options for legal options for therapeutic psychedelic experiences and their potential health benefits. Remember that licensed therapists are unable to provide in-person support for clients during a psychedelic experience, so we fill that need by providing services facilitated by psychedelic guides as opposed to mental health professionals.
The Legal Landscape of Psychedelics in North Carolina
As psychedelic substances like psilocybin are not yet decriminalized in the state, the laws surrounding the field are still status quo, but there is reason for hope. Over a year ago, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine launched into a $27M research project with the United States Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) with the aim of developing new psychiatric medicines using psychedelics.
While psychedelic plants like magic mushrooms are illegal in the eyes of the federal government, many cities and states recognize the therapeutic benefits and have decriminalized the substances. As more and more research is being conducted, public perception continues to shift and the usual drug abuse dialogue becomes a mental health discussion rather than a criminal conversation.
We’re optimistic that positive change is on the horizon for the residents of North Carolina, and expect the psychedelic movement to gain momentum fast once the tipping point is reached. To stay up-to-date on the ever evolving legal landscape of psilocybin and psychedelic assisted therapy in your state, visit our state pages often to stay current!
Legal Options: Therapeutic Psychedelic Experiences in North Carolina
If you’re a resident of North Carolina, you’re in luck because there are a few ways for you to have a therapeutic psychedelic experience. We’ve described the current options below to give you an idea of their benefits and how they differ so you can choose the treatment option that’s right for you and your circumstances.
1. Ketamine Clinics
It’s not widely considered to be a traditional psychedelic, but ketamine has proven to have emotional, mental, and spiritual health benefits when used in a therapeutic setting. There’s also a strong amount of data suggesting it’s quite effective in treating depression, however, there are some risks involved. Ketamine clinics are not known for their comprehensive treatment approach so poorly integrated psychedelic experiences are possible.
2. Guided Psychedelic Experiences with Psychedelic Passage
Often called trip sitting, an experienced professional guides you through the sometimes difficult healing journey to help you realize the full therapeutic benefit of psychedelics. At Psychedelic Passage, it’s our mission to help as many people as possible have deeply healing psychedelic experiences to unlock change and transformation.
To operate within the law, our pre-vetted network of guides don’t provide psychedelic medicines to our clients and we’re not licensed mental health professionals, but the focus of our work is to connect you with guides who can facilitate life-changing experiences which emphasize harm reduction. While we can sit with many types of psychedelic plants, the majority of clients select psilocybin as their preferred substance.
We Offer Guided Psychedelic Experiences in Every Major NC City
- Charlotte
- Raleigh
- Greensboro
- Durham
- Winston-Salem
- Fayetteville
- Cary
- Wilmington
- High Point
- Concord
- Greenville
- Asheville
- Gastonia
- Jacksonville
- Chapel Hill
This list is not meant to be exhaustive. We provide our trip sitting and guiding services in all major cities in North Carolina, including those which are not listed above. If we can physically get ourselves to you, we will sit for you. If you are curious whether we are able to service your area specifically, please contact us.
Understanding The Benefits of Therapeutic Psychedelic Experiences
It seems like the more we learn about psychedelics from scientific studies and research data, the more we realize how little we really know about their enormous healing potential. It will take some time, but as more states decriminalize psychedelic substances like psilocybin, research projects can be resumed and further prove the health benefits of therapeutic psychedelic experiences.
In the meantime, we can look to the ancient wisdom of indigenous people and their spiritual traditions which have been practiced for thousands of years. The power of psychedelic experiences is that they facilitate a deep healing process that happens on the subconscious level.
By creating awareness to repressed emotions and unhealthy habits, psychedelic plant medicines can help you to release the outdated mental models and limiting beliefs that are holding you back from living your best life.
Therapeutic psychedelic experiences are a comprehensive treatment option which delivers holistic healing, from spiritual and emotional to mental and physical. It’s a wonderful alternative which is growing in popularity as an alternative to the traditional ways of dealing with depression, reducing your stress level, or lowering your overall anxiety.
Psychedelics in North Carolina: Advancements in Therapy & Research
In North Carolina, there have been significant strides in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and research. This section focuses on information regarding psilocybin-assisted therapy, MDMA therapy training programs, specific therapeutic techniques, clinical trials, and the role of organizations like the Pearl Psychedelic Institute in expanding access and furthering research.
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in North Carolina: Psilocybin-assisted therapy involves the use of the psychedelic compound psilocybin, found in certain mushrooms, in a therapeutic setting. While psilocybin remains a Schedule I substance at the federal level, research on its therapeutic potential has been conducted in North Carolina and other states.
MDMA Therapy Training Program: North Carolina has witnessed the emergence of MDMA therapy training programs. These programs aim to train therapists and medical professionals in the specific techniques and protocols used in MDMA-assisted therapy. This form of therapy utilizes MDMA, also known as ecstasy, in conjunction with therapy sessions to address specific mental health conditions.
Investigational Treatment and Clinical Trials: Psychedelic treatments like psilocybin-assisted therapy and MDMA-assisted therapy are considered investigational treatments. Clinical trials are underway to assess their safety and efficacy in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety disorders. These trials adhere to rigorous scientific standards and involve collaboration between researchers, therapists, and medical doctors.
Pearl Psychedelic Institute and Expanding Access: The Pearl Psychedelic Institute is a nonprofit organization based in North Carolina that aims to expand access to psychedelic therapies and further research in the field. They provide educational resources, community support, and advocate for the responsible and evidence-based use of psychedelics in therapy. The institute contributes to the growing network of organizations promoting safe and ethical psychedelic practices.
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS): The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a leading organization involved in the research and advocacy of psychedelic therapies. MAPS supports clinical trials, training programs, and education initiatives, with the goal of establishing these therapies as legal and regulated treatments. Their work has contributed to the advancement of psychedelic studies in North Carolina and beyond.
Talk To a Psychedelic Professional
Are you ready to explore a therapeutic psychedelic experience in the state of North Carolina? If so, we’re here to help you in that process. As experts in the field, our network of pre-vetted facilitators will guide you through the entire healing journey, from intention setting to post-trip integration to give you the full benefit of a therapeutic psychedelic experience.
Psychedelic guides are available locally to help you have a ceremonial psychedelic experience in the comfort of your own home—book a consultation and visit our resources page to learn more!