Whether you’re walking amongst the oak trees, passing local art galleries like Visual Art Exchange and Bee Hive Studios downtown, or visiting The North Carolina Museum of Art’s large outdoor art park, it’s no secret Raleigh has a passionate community.
Despite its flourishing art scene, the state capital may be best known for its education and research development. Only 20 minutes away from the largest research park in the US, and as a part of the “Research Triangle” alongside Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh is known for its education and research development.
With academic buildings sprinkled around the city, North Carolina State University is a hub for innovative research spanning many disciplines. The problem-solving attitude of the school brings a population that is eager to make a difference in the world.
Raleigh might not be a forerunner in progressive psychedelic legislature, but they haven’t shied away from exploring these magical substances scientifically. We have already discussed the state’s harsh legal stance and what it means to have a therapeutic psychedelic experience in our article, psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy in North Carolina.
Let’s take it one step further and explore if psychedelics are right for you, what’s been happening in the world of psychedelics, and local options for legal psychedelic experiences, right in Raleigh.
Are Psychedelics Right For You?
As research gains momentum, we uncover more and more possibilities for psychedelic-assisted therapy. Healing from trauma may be the most impactful application, with mental health, addiction and end of life care just as promising.
There are multiple ways to benefit from a psychedelic experience. Macrodosing is a way to get rapid, transformative results, while microdosing is not meant to be hallucinogenic and can be used to enhance creativity and even work performance.
Some people use them to enhance mindfulness practices, since the healing state of mind we seek during psychedelic-assisted therapy can also be reached during mediation. Their power comes from a combination of its physical and mental effects both during and after a powerful psychedelic journey. So how do you know if you can benefit from them?
It’s understood that psychedelics promote long term neural plasticity, meaning they can rewire our brain pathways. This habit-breaking potential could be a major game changer for issues like treatment-resistant addiction.
A therapeutic psychedelic experience can illuminate the root causes of depression or anxiety, and offer assistance in resolving them. As it works on our psyche, it simultaneously breaks the strong physical hold our habits have on our neural pathways.
One particularly powerful aspect of any given psychedelic experience is its spiritual nature. Even though shamans have used them in spiritual practices for thousands of years, the same level of profound experience can happen in your living room. Anyone can eat a psilocybin-containing mushroom, but reaping the most benefits from it is where we come in.
Even if you are experienced with psychedelics yourself, our pre-trip preparation and post-trip integration sessions are in place to address your expectations, and implement meaningful changes in your life.
The difference between a psychedelic therapist and a guide/facilitator is that a therapist has mental health licensure. A guide or facilitator gets their qualifications through years of personal experiences and facilitation.
So while a psychedelic therapist may agree to offer their services pre and post-trip, the current legal landscape hinders them from actually being present during a psychedelic experience, to avoid risking loss of licensure.
A qualified psychedelic guide knows what to expect through years of experience, so having one present for your journey assures that everything goes smoothly. If you already have a therapist but would feel more comfortable having an expert present for your experience, a good facilitator will work in tandem with your therapist and be able to address any concerns.
The most common reason our clients come to us is to elicit a change. That could mean overcoming trauma, forming new patterns, or discovering more about themselves. There doesn’t have to be anything “wrong” for you to feel a desire for a transformative psychedelic experience, sometimes all we need in life is a fresh outlook or spiritual connection.
If you are under 21 years old, breastfeeding or pregnant, or have a history of heart issues or seizures, we caution against a guided experience with Psychedelic Passage. Psychedelic use is also not recommended for anyone who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. You should always talk to your doctor to make sure it’s a viable option for you.
This is especially important if you are on medication. Antidepressants, such as SSRIs, dull the effects of psychedelic substances while taking them in combination with MAOIs can have dangerous side effects. Because safety is of utmost concern, we require a health screening prior to sitting with a psychedelic guide.
The Sociocultural Climate of Psychedelics in Raleigh, North Carolina
The psychedelic dark ages left behind a few scared-straight generations, majority of who don’t understand the new revival. It’s important to not only spread awareness moving forwards, but to reach those who are still suffering from the fear campaign rained upon them in the late 20th century.
So, what are the options for the older folk looking to learn more? The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is a branch of NCSU that provides learning opportunities and events for those who are 50 years and older.
Their class Psychedelics: Journey from Ancient Spiritual Practice to Modern Day Medicine is an examination into the deep connection between humans and psychedelics, their therapeutic uses now, and what it means for the future.
That’s not all, in March 2023 OK Boomers will be hosting a Raleigh Psychedelics Meetup. OK Boomers is a group of diverse professionals based out of the Research Triangle who are interested in discussing psychedelics in many lenses.
Another thing that’s happening right here in Raleigh is the Revitalist Clinic. They offer a handful of mental health and pain relief treatments that include IV ketamine infusions, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, and counseling.
In a state that’s 38th in the country for mental health access, the Veteran Outreach and Adolescent support programs are a testament to Revitalist’s mission and it seems the residents are coming together to make a positive change, in true Raleigh fashion.
Where To Find Legal Psychedelic Experiences in Raleigh 2023
At the moment, there’s two options for those looking to have a therapeutic psychedelic journey: ketamine clinics and guided psychedelic journeys with Psychedelic Passage.
1. Ketamine Clinics
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that causes psychedelic experiences in mild to high doses. Its most common purpose is as a hospital sedative but has now grown to be an FDA-approved, off-label therapeutic drug.
By dissociating, or becoming less responsive to outside stimuli, your body relaxes, blocking the physical stress symptoms that enhance the possibility of a negative experience. The combination of decreased stress and increasing mental activity allows for emotionally charged information to be processed in a more rational, third person perspective.
The immediate results can be life changing for someone with treatment-resistant depression or PTSD, but we must address both benefits and pitfalls to ketamine. The biggest downside to ketamine treatment is the unregulated support to accompany it.
In full disclosure, nearly half of our clients come to us after failed ketamine therapy or short-term effects. The level of support can vary heavily from clinic to clinic, so it is important to seek out places that offer a comprehensive healing approach.
2. Guided Psychedelic Journeys with Psychedelic Passage
The experience we offer is meant to be carefully tailored to your individual needs. At Psychedelic Passage, we’ve built a pre-vetted network of psychedelic facilitators across the country with a healing philosophy for everyone.
Think of a guide as your personalized psychedelic encyclopedia through the preparation and integration stages, and a comforting safeguard when the time comes for your therapeutic journey.
Our expertise comes from our own extensive experiences, but also by listening to what our client’s past experiences lacked. This means we are equipped to deal with a variety of situations and answer any questions you may have.
As it should always be, you have complete autonomy over your experience, and that means choosing the substance and the guide you want to work with, in the comfort of your own home.
Find Your Next Psychedelic Journey in Any Major Raleigh Area
- Downtown Raleigh
- Five Points
- North Hills
- Glenwood
- Hillsborough
- Six Forks
- Central
- Wade
- Cameron Village
- Boylan Heights
- Northeast
Explore How it Feels to be Connected
As human beings, it is easy to toss our wellbeing aside, and distract ourselves from our true potential. It’s important to put yourself first in order to improve all parts of life. If you’re interested in connecting with our pre-vetted network of facilitators, we empower you to book a consultation.
Finding reliable information can be daunting, so check out our resources page for educational articles and podcast transcripts, if you haven’t already. As always, stay safe, be mindful and radiate love.
