This weekend was basically the completion of my journey. Years ago I heard about how psychedelics can release trauma and I knew it was what I needed. I finally found my way to it with my first retreat in June (mushrooms and ayahuasca). In mid July I attended another retreat with just mdma and mushrooms. I just returned from my third retreat (mdma and mushrooms). The way these journeys work is nothing short of miraculous. Everything about it. The people. And what the medicine reveals. I can't explain it but it's such a gift. 

The first night of my retreat (Friday), I used only 3 grams of mushrooms and MDMA. It was terrifying. There were both men and women at the retreat and for some reason, I immediately became terrified of the men. I felt hunted. I was so scared. One of the guys had an energy that scared me so much. I went upstairs and kind of barricaded myself in a room. The facilitator, came to help me break through the battle I go through every time I journey, to help me get to the other side of my defense. It's an exhausting battle and she helps me remember to breath, and lean into the fear. Once I am able to do that, it's a feeling of melting into relaxation. But still, after that, anytime the guy would be anywhere near, absolutely anywhere near, I sensed his energy and would shake with the deepest fear. It felt like a jolt of lighting that would hit me with force and I would ask, "what was that" and sure enough he would pass by. I locked myself in the bathroom but there was only one bathroom, and I knew I couldnt stay in there long. I felt I had no safety. When I would hear his voice or sense his presence, I was enraged. Thinking that he was stealing from me, taking everything that was mine, even my space. I started to think about how everything in my entire life that I love has been taken from me and he was taking my space too. It was crazy. The other guys scared me but this guy terrified me. I felt like I was fighting a battle of the galaxies and had to defend myself. After I was terrified, I was SOOOO angry. I kept thinking, "Don't come at me like that. Get out of here with that. I HATE men." I became the most gigantic man hater during that journey. I felt bad about it later. I didn't know how scared I felt of men. 

The next morning I was so weepy. The journey opened me up and I was thinking of my ex-boyfriend and how even though he was going to kill me eventually, he also made me feel safe. I've never felt safe in my life. Recently divorced and no family (who do not abuse me), I have no home other than my apartment, where I live alone when my youngest daughter is not with me. I have nothing to return to. And I believed there was something horrible about me. That I was bad. There is a part of me that feels responsible for the suffering of everyone in my life. I have done parts work and the therapist pointed out that I call that part "it" instead of she. Because I hated that part of myself.

I read an entire book ("Psychedelic Psychotherapy) during the day after our integration session and felt proud of myself because I used many of the techniques it suggested for journeys when trying to recover memories and/or trauma. It worked.

At my July retreat, I sensed pain and sensations in my pelvic region and a lot of sexual images and I said, "NO. I don't want to see that." I also felt invited to let go of my now ex-boyfriend. I also said no to that but three weeks later realized if I stayed, he would kill me, at least this version of me.

I let the facilitator know about what I said no to in July and told her I would not Say no this time.

On Saturday night, I started with MDMA because I didn't want to become terrified and run away from people. I knew I needed to stay with the group. I took 4 grams of mushrooms which is lighter than most people but the facilitator and I thought that after such a hard journey on the first night, I needed something gentle. The MDMA gave me a sense of self love and when I went to the bathroom I saw myself in the mirror and talked to that part that I hated and said that I loved it...that I am going to take care of her now and can handle her job and told her I was thankful for how hard she works. Came back downstairs with the group. The music is always incredible. It becomes a part of my body. I can see, feel, and hear the music. It's crazy how good it feels. The book I read told me that when you notice sensations in your body, breathe into those places. So I did. I breathed into the pelvic area and I learned of my trauma. I don't want to write it. But I know it. And my entire life makes sense. I now know why the men I love hate me and want to crush me. I was hated like that from the very beginning. And violence from the very beginning. No wonder love to me feels like hate and fear. I never could figure out why the men I did everything for hated me so much. I felt like I was a good person who offered so much. I couldn't make sense of it. Now, I know why. Because that is how the people who were supposed to love me felt about me. I've been hated. I couldn't see the specifics of what happened and my facilitator said I may never know since it was likely pre verbal. But I got KNOWING. And I know who did it. It feels like I always knew it. But now I KNOW. I realized that my hatred for that part was blocking my ability to access what I knew, even during a journey.

The thing is, the next morning, I already wondered if any of it was real. I think that is somewhat normal. Is it?

I recently started seeing a psychedelic assisted therapist for a handful of issues and I am planning in the near future to do a Psychedelic Assisted Therapy session with this therapist. The therapist has recommended taking both psilocybin and 3mmc during the session, with the intention of the 3mmc allowing for more verbalization and expression of the thoughts during the session, and I'm wondering if anyone else has done both together and comment if they thought the combination was helpful?

Hey, I’m not sure if this is really the right place to talk about all of this, but I feel like I need to put this out there and see if anyone can relate.

About three weeks ago, I took 2g of Golden Teachers by myself at home. It was my first time taking mushrooms, and my intention was to better understand some of the issues I’ve been struggling with and hopefully find the motivation to work on them. The trip was pretty cathartic (I cried a lot), but not particularly insightful, and I had a pretty bad panic attack towards the end.

As I said, I went into the trip hoping it would motivate me to get my life back on track, but I feel like it ended up doing the exact opposite. Ever since the trip, I’ve felt empty and disconnected from myself and from the person I used to be. I feel like my life has lost its meaning, and like I’m no longer working towards any goals. I feel unmotivated and apathetic, and in general I don’t feel much pleasure from anything anymore. I feel like I’ve lost my soul and that I’m dead inside.

I spend a large part of my days watching movies and TV shows just to distract myself, but the feeling of emptiness always comes back eventually.

I’m having a hard time understanding where all of this is coming from. Even though the trip didn’t end particularly well, I don’t think it went that badly overall. It was uncomfortable, but I feel like it could have been much worse.

I was already worried about quite a few things before the trip, but I was nowhere near as bad as I am now. I still felt alive, and I still had goals and ambitions. Now I feel like a shadow of my former self, and it scares me. I’m afraid I’ll never feel like the person I was before again.

Has anyone here ever had a similar experience? I feel so lost.

Has anyone been through the certification program in Colorado? I was thinking of doing a career switch, but it doesn’t seem like there are a whole lot of jobs out there.

What’s your experience been like after graduating if you’ve completed the program and are you currently employed at a healing center?

Hey all,

I did shrooms yesterday, with a therapist as a trip sitter, for the first time (gandalf, about 4.2 g but taken in two doses).

Can I discuss my trip here and ask about yours - or if not, then which thread can you recommend to discuss this in?

I asked them if they could tell me something/educate me. I was told no, that they aren't teachers. They said you need Ayahuasca for that. I was told we are here to have fun. So I said okay.

The energy was very youthful. It was fun and I was laughing a lot.

Later on, I was taken back to uni days when I studied philosophy. I was trying to ask the mushrooms if they know more and they just don't want to tell me on this particular trip. I was told we only know as much as you do. Then I was wondering if that was 'me' speaking or 'them'. I was told but why are you asking that - we are the same. We are you and you are us.

Any insights? Thanks

Why is that ? It was so intense that I needed to lay down for three hours. I haven’t done yet a full dose. Usually I feel a micro dose quite a lot.. Weed doesn’t work on me on the other hand unless I do too much and then I get anxiety.
I have had grade 2 TBI two years ago and am diagnosed with extreme degree cptsd. But does that count? Or is there some psychopharmacology metabolism impairment involved ?

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, if its not if someone could kindly point me in the right direction but I feel like this is the right place to find like minded people.

In short, I've started taking mushrooms, im 23m and I've always struggled to make relationships and talk with strangers, I'm really awkward with talking to new people and I have a problem of just having nothing to say so I avoid talking to random people and don't know how to start conversations with strangers. This also makes me very nervous when a stranger comes up and talks to me in a social setting as I know I come off as maybe not interested or boring, or just awkward in general which kills the interactions.

I started taking shrooms before I go on a night out and I found I'm way less reserved I can talk to people, but when the trip wears off I'm at square one, my brain just becomes reserved. I even when on a few dates on a mini dose (I could of never dated without them) and the girls I would date actually enjoyed seeing me and wanted to see me again, this was something amazing and new for me, but when I spend long times with these people and the dose wears off, I can see in myself I'm not the person that they like anymore as I become reserved so it kills off these relationships.

In short I'm wondering if anyone else is dealing with something like this, or can give me some advice, I love who I am on shrooms, and other people do, it genuinely makes me a better person but only for as long as it's affecting me. In my mind I'm not sure if I need to take something stronger like DMT to really change who I am off the trip.

Thanks for reading.

Details here. If you'd like to attend DM me or email [contact@challengingpsychedelicexperiences.com](mailto:contact@challengingpsychedelicexperiences.com)

This is a free 90 minute peer support group for people experiencing post-psychedelic difficulties such as anxiety, derealization, HPPD or existential confusion. It's a chance to meet and find solidarity with others going through similar challenges.

This month we have a guest speaker, Anthony Pleetanino, a long-time volunteer at Fireside Project and an interfaith chaplain. He will speak for 15 mins and then everyone goes into breakout rooms of 4 for an hour or so.

https://challengingpsychedelicexperiences.com/online-support-group/

Hi everyone, I’m off to burning man soon and this will be my third burn )'(

My previous two burns were focused on partying and dancing, but since experiencing my first therapeutic psilocybin journey, my mindset has shifted. While I still plan on dancing and having fun with friends, I really want to explore events and talks centered on mindfulness, integration, and intentional/therapeutic psychedelic use (plus any other topics you all think would be outside a party context. Also open to any other events or topics that you all think I would find interesting/beneficial.

Does anyone have recommendations for specific camps, talks, or events to check out?

Also, with this new perspective, I’d love any advice, tips, or tricks on how to experience the playa through this more intentional lens. Thanks!

Also, would you advice doing intention therapeutic trips at burning man?

This strange bedfellows thing has gone to another level.

I’m in grad school right now working towards my LPC in California. I initially planned to become a school counselor since my program offers the PPS/CWA along with the LPC, but lately I’ve been considering the clinical LPC route instead. I’m interested in potentially becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapist. 

 I have personal experiences with psychedelics and have seen how they can help me when I use them recreationally, and it’s exciting to think about how targeted therapy could enhance that healing potential. I’m especially interested in MDMA for PTSD, although it’s not approved yet; however, when it is, I’d love to be involved as a psychotherapist ( not prescribing it).

I’m curious about what it would take to become a psychedelic-assisted therapist with my LPC background. I still have two years left in my program, so I'm exploring options right now, but I’d like to know if this is even feasible. 

Are there any resources I can look into while I’m in grad school that aren’t those expensive certificates/programs? So far, I’ve read Psychedelic Therapy by Keith Kurlander, and I Feel Love by Rachel Nuwer, which isn’t specifically about psychedelic therapy but does cover the history and current research on MDMA.

I have a question for the community.

If the medicine shows us a better way of being in the world, what does that look like in your life?

I know what it looks like in my life; I am curious what it looks like in other people's lives. I suspect there is a lot of overlap between us.

I ask this question because I am writing a story involving medicine, and the question comes up.

I appreciate any thoughts.

I have sat in many psychedelic ceremonies, including mushrooms, iboga, Aya, and 5-MeO.

There's a pattern I keep observing that I believe is alarming. Participants are often there to expect some form of healing, whether from depression and anxiety, or from other health troubles that psychedelics help with.

Most people I have encountered at these ceremonies, attribute the benefits they have received to the "spirit" of the medicine, and this belief is often expressed by them as something they unquestionably and factually know to be true. They attach the benefits they receive from these medicines to spirits, aliens, god, and more...

Now it does not stop there, they start attaching meaning to how the presence of a moth in a room as the ceremony is starting has some spiritual meaning to it. They go further and they carry crystals in their pockets for protection.

When participants suggest these ideas of reference, they are often confirmed and encouraged by facilitators, they often add even more superstitions to it.

Are there any facilitators who have noticed this and are actively ensuring to avoid it? Amy people who have participated in these ceremonies who have observed the same thing?

It is common knowledge that psychedelics chemically trigger aberrant salience in the brain, and I am wondering if it is impossible for a facilitator or shaman, to go through their training and experience a very large number of high dose and highly strong psychedelics, and not be left with permanently lasting symptoms of "magical thinking" as a learned trait through all those chemically induced ones.

Wondering if I have latent schizophrenia or it is a common motif to believe (under psychedelics) that

...I am the only one in existence or

Everything is in my mind...I created this world out of boredome cause was always here . ..started a simulation and forgot I was part of it or can't get out of it. I had to flush my ketamine due to the reoccurrence of this conviction. I feel I need to go through with it though and be done bc my life is meaningless . Considering Ayahuasca for second time (10 years ago). I take mood stabilizers for bipolar 2 (which never caused psychosis). I appreciate any insight though it is impossible to convince me that it isn't the case that these scenarios are true. While not on psychs I am 50/50. Call me so lipstick But I feel as though most rational people would have the same conviction.

Has anyone needed multiple psilocybin treatments to find relief from anxiety and depression? I’ve read all these studies and research that say a single dose of psilocybin can lead to rapid and sustained reductions in depression and anxiety. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for me… story below

Story:

I’m diagnosed with Chronic PTSD, OCD, anxiety and depression. With the help of my therapist, I did a Psilocybin assisted therapy session 3 weeks ago. For the most part, The journey itself was beautiful and profound - I had so much clarity, and for the first time understood the exact root of my problems. My thoughts were so clear and I was in tune with my feelings and emotions. I felt love, inner-peace and gratitude - for the first time in my life.

There was also some really dark parts - I saw traumatic memories from my childhood that I had repressed and didn’t know happened. So, at 38, for the the first time in my life, I saw a very traumatic experience I endured as a child. Again, prior to the journey, I had no idea this even happened (I don’t remember the majority of my childhood). As difficult as this was, I do feel it is important in my healing journey as a lot of things make more sense now. However, For the week after the session, I was pretty messed up about what I saw. I wouldn’t say it re-traumatized me, as that’s a little extreme, but it definitely messed me up mentally and emotionally. Week 2 was a little better, but I still felt pretty unstable at times.

It’s been 3 weeks now, and I’ve started to settle back in and come to peace with things. I’m doing all the integration work with my therapist, but my anxiety and depression doesn’t seem to be any better than it was before the journey. In fact, at times, it feels worse. I understand this is probably normal when old trauma surfaces, but I’m wondering if some people needed multiple sessions to find relief from their anxiety and depression?

Or maybe I had unrealistic expectations? Admittedly, I think I went into it thinking I’d be far less depressed and anxious afterwards, but that’s not the case. I did receive a ton of valuable information - It’s almost like the medicine said “here’s why you struggle with trauma, depression anxiety, etc. and here’s how it feels to live on the other side - free. Now go do the work” but the medicine itself didn’t relieve the symptoms, if that makes sense.

..

Vielleicht kann mir jemand helfen. Habe vor 10 Monaten LSd genommen, danach war ich Emotional extrem offen. Nach einem Streit mit meinem Ex hat mir, das was er gesagt hat, den Boden unter den Füßen weggezogen. Das war für mich ungewöhnlich stark. Danach hatte ich viele Erlebnisse die ich Emotional viel zu stark wargenommen habe. Meine innere Unruhe ist so stark geworden das ich Zwergfell schmerzen und schlecht Atmen kann. Es ist ein so masiv Belastender Zustand das uch nicht mehr arbeiten kann. Ich habe keine Stresstoleranz mehr. Extrem Ängstlich und schreckhaft.

Ich habe canabis und auch mdma danach ausprobiert was es meider nicht besser gemacht hat. Nach Mdma hab ich mich stark von der Welt entfremdet gefühlt.

Ich trinke kein Koffein, schlafe genug und Esse vernünftig, Hypnose, Mirtazipin, Quetiapin, Perazin, pmr, Atem übungen. Ich habe vieles ausprobiert. Nichts verändert diesen Fight or Flight Modus. Ich weiß nicht mehr weiter. Nehme aktuell Guanfacin aber das bringt auch nichts. Ignorieren habe ich auch versucht aber meine Emotionen sind so fragil das ich ja nichtmal arbeiten kann und alles mich extrem Stresst.

I’ve tried to self administer it once or twice with a similar dose to the 25mg that is used (of course this isn’t entirely possible to the exact number) and haven’t had any success. I’m heavily considering making a trip to one of the states where it’s legal and was curious if anyone has any insight into what that would look like process wise, success stories, etc etc. anything would be greatly appreciated really

OHA is considering major fee increases and eliminating reduced fees in Oregon’s regulated psilocybin system. Small, nonprofit, community-based, and religious providers may be unable to remain.

Before raising fees, OHA should examine the public money spent enforcing and defending an interagency training-program system that appears nowhere in Measure 109 or ORS chapter 475A.

Public records show that OHA and HECC created and publicly funded a multi-year agreement that expedited and subsidized selected training programs without public rulemaking. OHA later required programs to obtain HECC documentation confirming career-school licensure or exemption.

HECC now says it has no authority or process to issue determinations for most statutory exemptions. OHA can still revoke curriculum approval when an exempt program cannot produce that unavailable document.

These policies restrict the diversity of facilitator training, increase educational costs, and favor well-capitalized commercial programs. Those costs eventually reach clients through fewer facilitators, fewer service models, and more expensive care.

I filed a petition asking OHA to restore the original curriculum-approval framework or limit HECC requirements to programs legally required to obtain career-school licensure.

Read the petition on OHA’s website (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/Documents/OHA-Petition-for-Rulemaking-July-6-2026.pdf)

Public comments are open until 5:00 p.m. Pacific on August 29, 2026:

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/Pages/Psilocybin-July-2026-Rule-Petition.aspx

publichealth.rules@odhsoha.oregon.gov

Hello guys, there is somebody from Europe here that participate in a psychodelic assisted therapy in a clinic? If yes could you tell me what sustance and where please? Thanks.

For now, the only thing i know is ketamine therapy in Barcelona, Spain.

What are the best substance to assist psychotherapy with increased awareness, letting go of resistance and opening the heart?

I've tried psilocybin + cacao.

Hey everyone! My first time positing in this community,

I’ve been diagnosed with Type II since March 2021,

Just hoping I could get some answers,

I’m an extremely creative person, and marijuana is legal in my place of residence and I quite enjoy partaking and find it often helps my symptoms,

Some friends have recently invited me to do magic mushrooms with them in what would be a safe and comfortable environment.

I’m really interested in what it may unlock for me as I’m just about to step out into a new phase of me life,

I’m just wondering if anyone has any resources or information regarding mushroom use and bipolar disorder, anything I should be aware of, or if I should just completely avoid it,

Happy to answer any questions!

Thanks in advance!