Therapy and psychedelics

There has recently been a huge resurgence of interest in the use of certain psychoactive substances, including LSD, psilocybin and MDMA, for therapeutic purposes. This has been reported widely in the academic literature and popular media. Having worked in psychedelic harm reduction (“trip sitting”) in festival contexts, I’m personally familiar with the insights and accelerated personal growth that can emerge for people when they use these substances.

Unfortunately the legal framework is not yet in place in the UK for most clients to access properly facilitated psychedelic-assisted therapy. If you wish to engage with psychedelics in a structured, legal setting, I recommend the Psychedelic Society’s retreats, which are held regularly in the Netherlands. If you are considering using any psychedelic in an uncontrolled (‘recreational’) context, I would urge extreme caution. These are powerful substances and their effects are often unpredictable.

If you regularly use psychedelics or are planning on experimenting with them, I am happy to discuss your expectations and experiences during our work together. You may find it useful to devote some counselling sessions to setting intentions for a ‘trip’. On the other side, we can work on integrating the experiences and insights that came up for you. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions about this. Please note that in terms of professional ethics I cannot supply any illegal substances, nor work with anyone while they are under the influence.