Professional Resourcing: Everybody wins!
While much of the psychedelic frontier is still predominantly lawless and unbounded in many states, including California (despite numerous failed attempts to introduce favorable drug policy reform), professional supervision groups are giving facilitators an opportunity for structure, feedback, and community.
Organizations like PRATI, CIIS, and MAPS are among several—e.g., Vital, Synthesis, Fluence, IPI, Polaris, etc.—looking to pioneer psychedelic education and training models to empower practitioners to develop their practices and further specializations. Unfortunately, due to the lack of regulation, understanding, and oversight, there is an abundance of “training programs” popping up at a high premium with the promise of training facilitators, but don’t amass to much more than a paper certificate and a substantially lighter wallet. Institutions such as Esalen have historically played a pivotal role in providing structure and space in the nurturing of psychedelic education when banned from academic institutions, but as it stands, there are no codes, philosophies, or frameworks that facilitators can or should abide by. This leaves each facilitator, practice, and clinic with essentially free reign to develop internal protocols and standards on their own. There is no board of supervision, governing bodies, organizations, or oversight agencies to establish standards of care or report safety concerns.
As a former trauma surgeon who now blends the medical with the mystical, interweaving the art and science of facilitation, I must acknowledge that psychedelic medicine and healing ceremonies are still an ancient practice reserved for shamanic leaders and elders in many places. They are held together by tradition, rich culture, and shared wisdom. There is a significant portion of this community who believes that psychedelics should be kept completely out of the modern world of medicine and out of reach from the clutches of capitalism, fearing its monetization and barred access. It wasn’t too long ago that the exploits of R. Gordon Wasson and the Western world were lauded by Life Magazine, ultimately leaving Maria Sabina excommunicated and penniless, her reputation destroyed, and her community forever changed. These are warranted fears and beliefs.
But the psychedelic frontier pushes on. Despite innumerable opinions on exactly how it should do so, in the context of psychedelic facilitation, I consider the continued development and attendance of professional supervision groups both an ethical responsibility and vital to the current ecosystem. They provide a) professional and emotional support, b) a sense of community, connection, and opportunity for furthering field knowledge through peer experience, c) a safe environment for feedback, problem-solving, and open discussion without criticism, and d) accountability.
“There is a significant portion of this community who believes that psychedelics should be kept completely out of the modern world of medicine.”
As a facilitator, I have established clear prerequisites—safety, transparency, and trust—before any client begins journey work. I would certainly be suspicious and concerned about any facilitator conducting journey work without similar prerequisites. It’s the practice of ethical care using a refined framework that I believe distinguishes experts from enthusiasts, a topic many know I feel passionate about. As the emerging profession of psychedelic facilitators is relatively new, there are no requirements or licensure to establish an underground practice, and the barriers to entry for aboveground practices are not rigorous enough. Unskilled, unprofessional enthusiasts conducting “journey work” risk causing literal harm—both psychologically, emotionally, and physically—AND further stigmatize the medicine, the industry, and its progress.
Take a quick glimpse of the headlines, and you’ll start to see the impacts of neglectful, incompetent, or downright dangerous care: the death of Brandon Begley at the Soul Quest “church”, Garth Dickson and the White Flame Institute, Henry Miller and his deadly “shaman experience” in Colombia, sexual abuse under the influence, Jarrad Antonovich with Soulore “Lore” Solaris, and many more cases. The reality is that although these are headline-grabbing incidents, they are exceedingly rare due to the high safety profile of psychedelics. Most, if not all, of the adverse events happen outside of professional or medical contexts, and are related to negligence or misconduct of the people responsible for their clients’ wellbeing. Unfortunately, being in a professional or medical context doesn’t eliminate all risk, as professional misconduct and abuses still occur when professionals breach their ethical responsibilities and choose to exploit their vulnerable clients, including the now disgraced but once reputable psychedelic researcher and thought leader, Dr. Ben Sessa.
You can read more about what differentiates experts from enthusiasts in a past issue of The Container here. I also do another deep dive on informed consent and the importance of facilitators having traversed the terrain themselves in this issue here.
As an offering within the PRATI alumni network, I developed and led a monthly principles and practice development group where a range of multidisciplinary professionals with varying experiences with psychedelics could support one another. Topics and discussions were thoughtful, insightful, deliberate, and supportive. We held a safe space to discuss and examine challenging cases, explored and shared principles essential to ethical care, and examined practices that impacted client or patient care. Over time, I witnessed the progress and benefits of these groups, and I know firsthand how invaluable they are to the development of this field in a thoughtful and professional way.
Personally, this space allowed me to pilot and test my healing framework, share fears as they arose, feel supported without judgment or criticism, and feel less alone as a practitioner, business owner, and growing thought leader. It required me to be accountable, know my shit, stay humble, and be curious. It expanded my competency, wisdom, and skill, as naturally happens when surrounded by brilliant, excellent, and professional people. Eventually, the ever-increasing demands of being an entrepreneur—clinical care, developing education and training, growing a platform, creating new content, and expanding a wide array of healing opportunities—required I pass the reins on to the fully capable community. But those years were so pivotal to integrating and sharing wisdom within that same community.
"Unskilled, unprofessional enthusiasts conducting 'journey work' risk causing literal harm—psychologically, emotionally, and physically—AND further stigmatize the medicine, the industry, and its progress."
If you follow me on social media, you have most likely seen me both discussing and providing more opportunities for psychedelic professionals. There is a lacuna that needs addressing. Healing professionals need more support, community, and structure. They need a safe place to process, commune, recover, and combat burnout, which runs rampant in healing professions, especially for those conducting long-format journey work. Healers who do not prioritize their well-being or lack the resources to access quality programs are at risk (take, for example, pandemic burnout and suicide risks for healthcare professionals). Too quickly, service can turn to servitude, compassionate care can turn to martyrdom, and gratitude can turn to resentment. If there are corporate wellness programs, the same should be offered to health professionals in academic and training institutions, professional boards and agencies, as well as corporate, group, and solo providers. Everybody needs a lifeline, especially those who serve as conduits to healing work. We are not impervious or invincible.
We recently held a professional walkthrough of the Soul Surgeon MD sanctuary for doctors, therapists, and allied health and healing professionals interested in learning more about psychedelic-based work for their clients, or to actively practice and look for resources around their own psychedelic-based work. There was an open-format discussion on services provided, client candidacy, and how exactly psychedelic medicines are harnessed for healing across the health industry. It’s always wonderful to be surrounded by like-minded practitioners, facilitators, and facilitators-to-be with progressive beliefs, but it also further illuminated the necessity for more resources. For this reason, my team and I will continue to hold ‘Professional Walkthroughs’ at the Soul Surgeon MD sanctuary, provide one-on-one consulting, and begin to offer retreats for healing professionals in 2025. More here.
As for a professional supervision group, I would like to know from you if this is something you are currently in search and need of. If so, let’s talk about it. What’s the format you prefer (virtual or in-person)? What are you hoping to gain or lean into? Have there been past negative experiences you want to avoid, or have there been positive experiences you would like to have the opportunity to continue?
At Soul Surgeon MD, we’re a small but mighty team, allowing us to cater to our community. If you’re interested in a professional supervision group, I encourage you to reach out so we can grasp and meet your needs.
Contact us through this form or reach out directly at heal@soulsurgeon.com.
The Culinary "Shroom" Boom & Health Benefits
Funnily enough, there were two shroom booms during the COVID lockdown, with both the reemergence of the psychedelic renaissance and at-home mushroom growth kits of the non-psychedelic kind (and I’m sure there were quite a few parties interested in the crossover). With many of us forced to sit down and reckon with ourselves, our habits, partners, and circumstances, there was an increased interest in healing and health. So began many seeking out all species of mushrooms for various uses, and we haven’t seen a downward tick in demand since.
Since marijuana’s legalization, we’ve seen a total pop crossover with shows like ‘Cooked with Cannabis’ on Netflix. It isn’t surprising that with hallucinogens inching towards similar legal lines, or at least growing in interest and popularity, we see more and more recreational and cultural intertwinement. Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with “shroom tea” (AKA psilocybin steeped tea), a relatively well-known at-home recipe. Over-the-counter “shroom” chocolate bars seem ubiquitous these days, which are supposed to present an accessible avenue for macro- or microdosing. Because of lack of oversight and governance, companies are sneakily substituting Amanita muscaria instead of psilocybin. Despite its long history of use in Chinese medicine and purported benefits, when exploited in the Western commercial sector, consumption often leads to unpleasant complications at best and fatalities at worst. In some circles, you may even find yourself invited to a “shroom soiree” dinner party with psilocybin in some “creamy mushroom risotto, psychedelic pizza with mushroom toppings, or even a caramelized mushroom salad.”
All in all, as a psychedelic facilitator, it’s interesting to read and hear about the growing interest and variable uses when my lens has typically viewed these “ingredients” as medicine. I don’t reject their use in the recreational sense. I recognize that nurturance looks different for everyone, and connection has immense value. Instead, I try to offer clients and others psychedelic-assisted support so that if they feel they must partake, at least they do so safely.
However, as we see this culinary phenomenon, we also see the same parallel interest in non-hallucinogenic mushrooms. Let’s talk about adaptogenic and medicinal mushrooms and how their use in functional medicine may become household before their hallucinogenic siblings. Paul Stamets, the famous American mycologist and entrepreneur, has been trying to spread this very message for decades with his supplement brand Host Defense. Legal mushrooms such as Lion’s Mane, turkey tail, and shiitake are making their way into the mainstream, but they are still seen as “holistic,” AKA experimental. Cordyceps has received incredible acclaim as a performance enhancer for athletes (increased blood flow and VO2 max) and couples looking to spice up their sex life (increased blood flow impacts all organs). Chaga and Reishi are regular parts of my holistic treatment plan due to their robust anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other immunomodulatory effects.
From stress to digestion to cancer, these little capped fungi friends have proven powerful, based on their continued use in Chinese medicine and recent studies. One 2020 review with “eight placebo-controlled studies found promising results in cancer patients. Patients benefited from adaptogen therapy through improved quality of life. Participants also showed antitumor effects from these mushrooms through increased activity in natural killer cells.” In a 2022 journal, Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications, they identify precisely which non-psychoactive medicinal mushrooms aid in immunoregulatory effects, and which mushroom extract’s biological activities make it possible to target cancer cells, from breast to cancer to colon. These ancient colonizers and sporulates have been taking the evolutionary world by storm for probably millions of years, and it seems like their mycelium won’t stop short of the conversation within pop culture and everyday use. These ancient beings are here to stay.
