Known as the Mile High City, Denver is not only centrally located in Colorado, a state that boasts some of the most beautiful national parks, but it’s also consistently on the cutting edge of drug and social reforms.
In 2012, Colorado had a busy year tending to drug policies. The state voted to legalize cannabis, and the city of Denver became one of the first cities in all of America to decriminalize the personal use and possession of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, renewing many people’s interest in this humble fungus.
The combination of progressive ideologies and a growing scientific body of evidence, have all culminated in the legislative landmark– Proposition 122, which was voted on just this year. With 54% of the population’s support, the proposition was passed, keeping Colorado on the cutting edge of drug policy and fully legalizing psychedelic mushrooms.
This makes psychedelic mushrooms legal in Denver, Colorado, home to one of our co-founders and facilitators, Jimmy Nguyen. No longer will people have to rely on the gray market for their psychedelic journeys. Now, even more than before, Denver is the perfect place for people curious about exploring the benefits of psychedelic mushrooms. Last year, Denver welcomed 31.7 million total visitors.
We’re sure this number will continue to climb exponentially with the ever growing number of people seeking out alternative therapies with a rich history in healing. Due to the lax penalties for psychedelics, Colorado, specifically Denver is quickly becoming a destination for psychonauts and psychedelic tourists alike.
But where do you start? You cannot run head-on into a psychedelic experience without thorough preparation. Before deciding to take a trip to Denver for some psychedelic tourism, there are a few things worth considering. First, are psychedelics right for you? As with any medicine, psychedelics are not for everyone. We advise you to carefully consider the magnitude of this experience.
Second, we recommend setting an intention to get the most from your experience. This will allow you to clearly navigate the process of finding a facilitator, guide, or therapist. So, how would someone get started on their psychedelic journey in this beautiful mile-high town? Do you really need a therapist, guide, or facilitator? There seem to be so many options. What’s available near you?
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.
The Difference Between a Psychedelic Therapist, Guide, & Facilitator
Therapist. Guide. Facilitator. There are a lot of titles that are used in the psychedelic healing field, thus, it’s important that we take a moment to discern the differences.
Let’s start with a psychedelic therapist, as out of the three, they’re the only ones required to hold a mental health license. A psychedelic therapist is a licensed mental health professional. For example, a psychologist, counselor, or therapist, who facilitates psychedelic experiences.
While a facilitator or guide may not have a medical license, what they lack in credentials they make up for in their experience with psychedelics. Since psychedelic legalization is new to Colorado, many therapists may not have an extensive history with psychedelics.
Both facilitators and guides will likely have more experience when it comes to dealing with the ups and downs of a psychedelic journey. Not only will they have participated in multiple ceremonies, but they will have their own personal experience with psychedelics.
It is almost impossible to gain this type of an insight without personally participating in many ceremonies. The terms ‘guide’ and ‘facilitator’ are virtually interchangeable. They both offer preparation, integration, and in-person ceremonial support.
What Qualifies a Psychedelic Therapist?
The main goal of a psychedelic therapist is to provide psychedelic-assisted therapy. This involves ingesting a psychedelic drug in the presence of a trained professional. The intention here is to explore issues or past traumas, allowing you the space to feel and heal.
Luckily, Denver’s history of decriminalization and their recent all-out legalization of psychedelic mushrooms, has opened a plethora of choices for those that decide to explore psychedelic healing.
Due to the lax status of psychedelic mushrooms in particular, it will be quite easy to find a service provider that fits you and your needs. Although there are plenty of choices, you should still exercise caution when vetting your prospective psychedelic therapist. Here’s a few qualities to look out for when vetting a psychedelic facilitator:
- Find out what services they offer. Do they offer in-person ceremonial support, or only preparation and integration guidance?
- Get a feel for the therapist and make sure you are comfortable with them. You’re entering a very personal relationship, so you must ensure that the facilitator or therapist makes you feel safe in the environment.
- Most importantly, will you feel comfortable opening up to them during your journey? These may very well be some of the most vulnerable hours of your life. It’s important that you have therapeutic trust in your service provider.
Due to Proposition 122, not only will a therapist be able to help you more than ever, but they’ll have the ability to facilitate preparation and integration sessions. For the first time in American history, they’ll be able to help with the procurement of psychedelic mushrooms. This’ll be a massive relief for those exploring psychedelics, as sourcing isn’t always the easiest task.
What is The Role of a Psychedelic Guide?
Despite decriminalizing psychedelic mushrooms in 2012, psychedelic therapy is still in its infancy. Due to this, many therapists, especially the ones who’ve waited for full legalization, can still be experiencing growing pains when it comes to adding psychedelics into their pre-existing practices. This is where the role of psychedelic guides and facilitators pick up the slack.
A psychedelic guide/ facilitator’s goal is to make your psychedelic journey as effortless and productive as possible. Not only are they there to help ground you on the day of your journey, but they will also be instrumental in applying any lessons you learn to your everyday life.
Any qualified facilitator should start by giving you a health screening to ensure that psychedelics are right for you. They want to make sure that you are physically, emotionally, and mentally fit for what is likely to be a life-changing experience.
To prepare for your journey the facilitator will take some time to discuss safety and make sure you have complete faith in the medicine, in yourself, and in them. Although you will ultimately have the final say, they will do everything in their power to ensure you have a safe and fruitful journey.
Facilitators and guides always approach anything that arises in the journey with non-judgment and loving acceptance. The experience is about allowing you to explore personal truths, and the facilitator or guide is there to offer support and comfort you, as you see fit.
After your journey, the facilitators and guides aim to help you make sense of what you experienced. Usually, they will employ several different techniques. This includes an in-depth discussion of your journey, and may be followed by quiet meditation and journaling. This all aids in digesting what you just experienced.
Is it Really Necessary to Hire a Psychedelic Guide?
Due to the legality of psychedelics, many have either chosen or been forced to do it alone when it comes to an experience of this nature. In short, it is not necessary to have a guide, facilitator, or therapist along for the ride. You should always choose what makes you most comfortable.
Although solo journeying is an option, we encourage you to explore the most supported routes. Psychedelics are potent medicines, capable of producing life-changing experiences. This can be especially overwhelming if this is your first time using psychedelics.
A psychedelic journey is a lot like life, it can be helpful to have a solid mentor or teacher to move through internal challenges that might arise. Qualified facilitators have much experience overseeing safety, and grounding journeyers through conflicting thoughts or overwhelming feelings.
Where To Find Legal Psychedelic Experiences Near Denver, Colorado
With the passage of Proposition 122, you have more options than ever: Ketamine clinics, guided psychedelic journeys with Psychedelic Passage, or working with one of the therapists in your area.
1. Ketamine Clinics
Ketamine clinics, which have existed for a while now, specialize in treating PTSD, depression, and chronic pain. Ketamine does this by acting as a dissociative anesthetic.
While this may sound extreme, it’s done under the supervision of a medical professional. The experience allows clients to detach from their circumstances and take on a more objective view of their life. This often leads to a more empathic and self-loving perspective.
A major pitfall of ketamine therapy is that many report only receiving temporary relief. We’ve seen many cases where treatment failed due to inadequate therapeutic guidance. If you decide this is the path for you, make sure that the clinic offers support in preparation and integration.
2. Guided Psychedelic Experiences with Psychedelic Passage
At Psychedelic Passage, we put the power into your hands. We’re here to help guide and support you through your journey. We offer facilitation services with a wide range of psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms.
Our program works off of a sliding payment scale, so costs are determined by your income. We do this to provide equal access to these ancient healing medicines. Our 5-week program is designed to be completely customized to fit your needs and intentions. We meet you exactly where you are.
Our program includes both preparation and integration, as well as in-person ceremonial support. By choosing Psychedelic Passage, you’ll be connected to our pre-vetted network of experienced psychedelic facilitators.
Find Your Next Psychedelic Journey in Any Major Denver Area
- Denver
- Boulder
- Englewood
- Greenwood Village
- Littleton
- Broomfield
- Centennial
- Aurora
- Westminster
- Louisville
Getting Started on Your Healing Journey
After reading this, you may feel ready to embark on one of the most important journeys of your life. To find out more, book a consultation with any of our psychedelic concierges. They will connect you with the perfect professional to help guide you on your journey.
If you are interested in what others have had to say after working with us, we recommend you head over to our testimonials page. This will hopefully offer some clarity on the therapeutic potential that psychedelic medicine holds, when taken in a supported setting. To learn more about all-things-psychedelic, head over to our resources page. That’s all for now, friends. Safe journeying!
