In psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy in California we discussed the state’s current endeavors for psychedelic reform. Today we’ll be centering on Sacramento, to review the options that residents have for legally seeking therapeutic psychedelic services near them.
As we always share with folks, finding a psychedelic guide is about connecting with someone who has the knowledge and experience to provide adequate support in preparation for, during, and after a psychedelic trip. That’s why we’ll be discussing tangible ways to gauge if a facilitator is right for you.
Later, we’ll dive into the services of a psychedelic facilitator/guide, more deeply. Is a guide really required to be present? And perhaps most essential, how could Sacramento locals find qualified and reputable psychedelic guides, near them?
What Qualifies a Psychedelic Therapist?
Despite the fact that we’ve dedicated a previous article to determining the most significant characteristics in a psychedelic therapist, this occasion certainly calls for a quick summary. First, we must distinguish between a psychedelic therapist, facilitator, and guide.
In its strictest definition, a psychedelic therapist is a certified therapist who mediates psychedelic experiences. However, as of now, only San Francisco, Oakland, and Santa Cruz in California have decriminalized psychedelics.
Decriminalization, as we know from cannabis reform initiatives, is a long way from legalization. As a result, it is highly unusual for a licensed therapist to assume the legal risk of providing psychedelic treatments.
This is where psychedelic facilitators and guides come into play. Due to the present absence of laws governing psychedelic therapies, the phrases ‘facilitator’ and ‘guide’ are nearly synonymous.
In essence, competent psychedelic therapists and professional facilitators/guides should all provide comparable preparation and integration services while also participating in your psychedelic ceremony. What precisely qualifies any of these experts to lead a psychedelic trip?
To begin with, a psychedelic guide should have an extensive history with psychedelics. This implies they should always have a lot of first-hand experience with various psychedelic drugs.
After all, what good is a psychedelic guide if they’ve never walked in the shoes of a journey? A psychedelic guide should understand the intricacies of these altered states of consciousness as a consequence of their own personal experiences with these drugs.
Your psychedelic guide’s therapeutic philosophy should be compatible with your own. To gain a better grasp of this, inquire about their specialties, safety precautions used, amount of engagement throughout the process, and what drew them to this career path.
Qualified psychedelic guides know that the true healer is within you. A guide should never seek to change the natural relationship between you and the psychedelic medicine during your psychedelic experience. Unless of course, you’re under critical or dangerous circumstances.
In any other scenario, a guide’s efforts to steer the course of your journey would be a disservice to the actual healing potential that comes with experiencing change and discomfort.
Of course, a skilled psychedelic guide has also conducted a significant number of ceremonies for other individuals. In order to gain a better sense of a guide’s track record with clients and the quality of their services, ask if they can provide you with access to client testimonials.
Last but not least, consider how you feel when you first meet a prospective guide. Take note of their environment and the energy it contains. Is this someone with whom you feel safe being vulnerable? Is their presence calming and empowering, or does it evoke feelings of disharmony or doubt?
You might be spending some of your most vulnerable moments with this individual. Thus, your psychedelic guide must always speak honestly and compassionately, and should let you take responsibility over your healing journey.
What is The Role of a Psychedelic Guide?
The term “guide” is frequently interpreted incorrectly. The title implies that someone is consciously directing the course of your psychedelic experience. As we discussed in the last portion, a skilled guide should let the experience evolve naturally since they know from personal experience that the natural communion between our inner healer and the psychedelic medication is unrivaled.
External manipulation may elicit internal resistance in the journeyer, who may be led to believe that bringing our inner truths to light requires something outside of oneself. That’s why we use the term “facilitator,” which more truly describes the service provider’s involvement.
Simply said, the assistance of guides/facilitators should enhance your psychedelic experience. Prior to the preparation phase, your facilitator should do a health check to determine if this is the right treatment choice for your medical situation.
Once you’ve been determined as a healthy candidate for psychedelic therapy, your facilitator should show an interest in your life, your present emotional conditions, personal and family history, and in the quality of your existing interpersonal connections.
They should help you prepare for the trip by offering resources that help you better align with your journey’s objectives. One of the most informative tools a psychedelic facilitator can provide is expectation management. Because they’ve observed and facilitated so many ceremonies, there are just a few in-ceremony scenarios that they haven’t witnessed yet.
As a result, psychedelic guides prepare you for all of the possibilities connected with altered states of consciousness, so that you are mentally and physically prepared to deal with whatever may arise.
Of course, your guide will assist you in determining a suitable dose and ceremonial setting. Throughout your trip, guides hold space for your comfort and healing. They notice your energy and actions in order to better understand how they can assist you.
A guided psychedelic experience is not the same as talk therapy. For example, some clients keep silent for nearly the whole voyage, whilst others process by verbalizing what’s going on within. Your guide will adjust to your current situation and meet you right where you are.
It’s almost as if you’re borrowing your guide’s nervous system during a psychedelic experience. Your guide has done so much inner work that they are emotionally and energetically stable for themselves and for you. This degree of consciousness cannot be lexically articulated, but the journeyer perceives it as a sense of trust and comfort in surrendering to the journey.
They’ll ask if you want a sip of water or if you need to use the restroom every now and again, and they’ll accompany you if necessary. Following the completion of your journey, a full-service guide will lead you through the integration process.
This is where you digest the experience and gain a better grasp of how the journey might be utilized constructively in your daily life. Integration is a critical procedure for guaranteeing a safe and healthy transition between these differing states of consciousness.
Is it Really Necessary to Hire a Psychedelic Guide?
Is it a requirement that a psychedelic guide be present in order to have a therapeutic psychedelic journey? The simple answer is no, since, once again, your inner healer is the major driver of your personal transformation.
Theoretically, having a close friend or family member accompany you on your journey seems to be the most comforting. However, it may be incredibly difficult to totally surrender to such an experience in the company of our family and friends.
We inhabit the most emotionally naked and unfiltered versions of ourselves while we are in a psychedelic state. In the company of individuals you know, how far can you genuinely allow yourself to surrender? We experience far less feelings of judgment in the company of persons with whom we have no personal relationships.
As a result, if a journeyer is with someone they know while in such a state of consciousness, they may experience pressure to maintain the identity they project around that person, to “keep themselves together.”
Many people seek these experiences to help them deal with depression, anxiety, or PTSD. When we consider the intensity of these emotional states and the extent of emotional repression they have most likely created, we can see why having a professional present is most likely the best therapeutic choice.
A psychedelic guide possesses expertise and experience in the areas of safety, presence, and crisis management that friends and relatives likely do not. Another element to consider is that we are extremely energetically in tune with our surroundings in these psychedelic states.
Someone who is unfamiliar with managing their own nervous system may unwittingly radiate energy of fear, concern, or judgment. These energies are sensed by the journeyer, and in such cases, the journeyer is very likely to reflect those same emotions.
Aside from that, a professional psychedelic guide will have the tools to assist you with preparation and integration procedures, whilst friends and relatives likely cannot.
All things considered, a psychedelic guide is not required to be there throughout your experience. However, it is the most secure and well-supported choice, particularly for people looking to address significant life transitions or pervasive mental health issues.
Where to Find Legal Psychedelic Experiences Near Sacramento 2022
Right now, two options exist for seeking therapeutic psychedelic experiences in Sacramento: Ketamine clinics and guided psychedelic journeys with Psychedelic Passage.
1. Ketamine Clinics
A newly developed technique for treating PTSD and depression is ketamine therapy. Since the 1960s, when LSD was first synthesized, ketamine has been a part of our pharmacopeia as a dissociative anesthetic.
Despite the fact that ketamine does affect consciousness, it is not a true psychedelic. Journeyers report to have seen oneself from a different physical perspective while on ketamine. Such an encounter enables individuals to process and evaluate the circumstances affecting their lives right now in a more impartial and sympathetic manner.
In full disclosure, we want to point out that about 50% of the clients who utilize our services wish to experience classic psychedelics because their ketamine therapy has failed or has only provided temporary mood enhancements.
So, if you’re looking for a ketamine clinic close to you, double-check that all necessary therapeutic assistance is being offered. You should have the full attention of a psychedelic guide during your ketamine experience, as well as preparatory and integration sessions.
2. Guided Psychedelic Journeys with Psychedelic Passage
We facilitate therapeutic psychedelic experiences with all psychedelic substances, here at Psychedelic Passage. This means that you are in command of the medication you decide to journey with. Everyone ought to have control over how their healing progresses.
We designed our 5-week program with this precise idea in mind. Our program is completely customized to meet your needs, goals, and yes, even your financial situation. It includes preparation, integration, and in-person ceremony facilitation.
We can adapt program fees to your financial condition thanks to our income-based pricing. Equal access to these medicines is important to us. For individuals who require financial support, the cost of our program can be subsidized thanks to our low-income fund.
You can have your psychedelic experience from the convenience of your own living room by selecting from our large, pre-vetted network of experienced psychedelic facilitators. We understand that navigating this new territory of psychedelics can be difficult, so we’ve done the legwork of vetting guides for you.
Find Your Next Psychedelic Journey in Any Major Sacramento Area
- East Sacramento
- Downtown Sacramento
- Land Park
- Natomas Park
- North Oak Park
- Midtown
- Meadowview
- Tahoe Park
- Old Sacramento
Explore How it Feels to be Connected
We hope that this article has offered a clearer understanding on the role of a psychedelic guide/ facilitator and on the therapeutic options available to you in Sacramento, California. By now, you may be interested in learning more about our program or perhaps in embarking on your own journey.
If you’d like to get connected with our pre-vetted network of experienced psychedelic facilitators, we empower you to book a consultation with us.
As always, if you have any other psychedelic-related questions still lingering on your mind, head on over to our resources page for more informative articles like this one. Safe and mindful journeying, friends!
