The therapeutic use of psychedelics (medicines which induce altered states of consciousness) is seeing a resurgence in the U.S. over the last decade as research and steps toward legalization have increased. While most of these molecules are currently illegal to possess and administer in the U.S., there are still plenty of folks who find value in taking them.
That’s because psychedelic journeys can have profound effects on the person taking them, potentially leading to greater insight and self-awareness–two areas psychotherapy aims to strengthen. If this is your goal, too, it can help to process a (future or past) trip with someone you trust. We call this “integration”, or making sense of a psychedelic experience and its meaning for you, your past, and your future.
If you’re someone who has engaged – or is interested – in personal psychedelic use, it may be helpful to bring it up with your therapist. But the stigma and legal issues around taking psychedelics can make many people reticent to share their personal psychedelic experiences with others, especially health care providers. Below are a few examples of psychedelic-related experiences to process with your therapist, followed by some tips on how to bring up the topic with your provider.
Reasons to bring up psychedelic use in therapy
- to use psychedelics to explore your inner world
- to make sense of a psychedelic experience that was positive
- to work through a challenging psychedelic experience
- to process a traumatic psychedelic experience
- you were harmed (emotionally, physically, sexually) while in an altered state
- you’re curious (or concerned) about your relationship with psychedelics
- you’re engaging in ketamine-assisted or psychedelic-assisted therapy with a certified provider.
How to bring up psychedelic use with your therapist
GAUGE THEIR VIBE
Not every therapist is comfortable supporting clients with their psychedelic use, and you may be able to get a sense of their stance by asking how they feel about the subject in general. It’s important to listen to your gut and how much do you trust your therapist.
“I saw an article the other day about using MDMA with PTSD, have you been following this?”
REMEMBER CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY
Your rights as a client are protected under HIPAA and confidentiality agreements. Check in with your therapist if you’re unsure before revealing personal psychedelic use.
“Before I share something, I want to check in about confidentiality and who has access to the information I share.”
LET ‘EM KNOW
Share your desire to bring up psychedelics, and keep it as vague (or specific) as you’d like.
“I would like to process some psychedelic experiences I’ve had and was wondering if that’s something I can bring into our sessions?”
CONSIDER A DIFFERENT THERAPIST
If talking about psychedelics in therapy is important to you and your current therapist isn’t able to be supportive or isn’t well versed in this topic , it may be time to look for additional, more specific support. Reach out to intake@cfctherapy.com to schedule a free consultation with a psychedelics-allied therapist today.
NOTE:
CFC Therapy Group does not condone, recommend consumption of, or administer illegal substances. CFC Therapy Group is committed to harm reduction, which includes educating our community and creating a supportive environment for all clients so they can make informed choices about what goes into their bodies.
For the purposes of this post, we use the term “psychedelics” to indicate molecules like psilocybin (magic mushrooms), MDMA (“ecstasy”), LSD, ayahuasca, or ketamine. There are many more substances that induce altered states, but these are the most commonly consumed in the U.S.
It’s important to acknowledge that the use of psychedelic and plant medicines have been used for thousands of years within native communities in the Americas and around the world. Western medicine and society are only just beginning to navigate our relationship with mind-altering substances, but we are not the first to do so.
