Navigating Transformation: Harnessing Plant Medicines and Psychedelics for Mental Health
In the ever-evolving landscape of mental health care, the incorporation of plants and psychedelic substances as medicinal and therapeutic treatments has gained significant attention in the policy, mental health, and research communities. Historically rooted in indigenous practices and traditions, psychedelic-assisted and integrative therapies have been undergoing a new wave of research and clinical exploration, showing increasing promise in the medicinal use of plant medicines and psychedelics to treat mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, and substance abuse. Plant medicines and psychedelics are also being utilized as powerful healing tools that can help to facilitate deep, transformative exploration of self.
Increasing Popularity of Plant Medicines and Psychedelic Substances in Mental Health
With careful and intentional use of plant medicines and psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, Ketamine, and MDMA (just to name a few), psychedelic-assisted and integrative therapeutic approaches are gaining significant traction across the globe. The Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) model, utilized by the psychedelic therapists with The Keely Group, aims to facilitate healing, personal growth, and self-discovery for people who have had or are considering having a psychedelic experience while ensuring safety to reduce risk and potentially harmful impacts of a psychedelic experience. It recognizes that the use of psychedelics can be both powerful and unpredictable, requiring careful attention to set and setting, dosage, and intentional mental/physical preparation.
Understanding Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration Therapy
In this process, Keely Group patients work with their psychedelic therapist to make sense of insights and experiences they have had during a psychedelic experience and to incorporate associated desired changes into their everyday lives. Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration Therapy is based on the understanding that the therapeutic potential of psychedelics goes beyond the experience itself and that proper integration can lead to lasting and meaningful growth and healing. While active psychedelic experiences themselves can be profoundly transformative, they run the risk of remaining in dream-like limbo or even potentially causing psychological harm if left unintegrated.
Psychedelic Harm Reduction
Education and Awareness:
Psychedelic harm reduction starts with education. Individuals should have access to accurate information about the substances they are considering using, including their potential effects, risks, and interactions with other medications or conditions. This empowers individuals to make informed decisions and minimizes the likelihood of adverse experiences.
Safe Environments:
Creating a safe and supportive environment is vital for minimizing risks during a psychedelic journey. This includes choosing an appropriate setting, which includes ensuring that the environment is safe and familiar and having trusted and experienced trip sitters, guides, or supports to help manage challenging experiences and provide emotional support. For those embarking on a journey alone, safety planning and identifying supports in the event assistance is needed is crucial for safety and well-being.
Intention and Preparation:
Setting clear intentions and engaging in thorough preparation before a psychedelic experience can enhance its potential benefits while reducing potential risks. This may involve self-reflection, journaling, meditation, or discussing concerns and expectations with a therapist. Adequate physical and mental well-being, including managing any existing mental health conditions, is crucial. Intention setting is also a crucial part of any expanded state experience as the state of mind one is in when entering a journey can significantly impact one’s experience during and after.
Dosage and Substance Awareness:
Understanding dosage guidelines and substance purity is essential for harm reduction. Different substances have varying potencies, and even slight variations in dosage can lead to significantly different experiences. Practicing responsible substance use, including proper measurement and testing for purity, reduces the risk of unintentional harm.
Psychedelic Integration
Preparation and Set:
Psychedelic integration therapy places great emphasis on “set” and “setting” for creating a safe and supportive environment for someone undergoing a psychedelic experience. This includes ensuring physical safety, providing emotional support, and establishing an atmosphere conducive to healing.
The “set” refers to the participant's state of mind or mindset prior to undergoing a psychedelic experience. With the support of a therapist, individuals can work on setting clear intentions and goals for engaging with psychedelic and plant medicines. This process helps establish a framework for the journey and allows individuals to focus their attention on specific areas of personal growth, healing, or self-exploration.
Setting Intentions:
Setting one’s intentions includes exploring the “why now” – why someone is being called to the medicine and their motivation for its use, as well as intention setting for the experiences – what someone is hoping to bring focus to and explore during their experience. Intentions are unique to each individual and can range from something specific such as working through grief and loss, or more open-ended such as connecting with and learning from the medicine.
The preparation phase typically occurs over a number of sessions between therapist and patient and ensures that patients are as emotionally and psychologically ready for their journey as possible and that safety/safety planning has been addressed. Together, this exploration with the assistance of a therapist, increases the likelihood of a positive, healing, and transformative experience.
Setting:
This refers to the actual psychedelic experience itself. Understanding the different settings for working with psychedelics is crucial in order to minimize potential harm and ensure that the psychedelic experience is a safe and meaningful one. Whether experiencing an expanded state through peer-led, ceremonial, spiritual, clinical settings, or alone, understanding the setting/environment for working with psychedelics and plant medicines is essential for ensuring a safe and healing experience.
Integration:
Integration refers to the process of incorporating and making sense of psychedelic experiences into one's everyday life. Think of it as a translation process, which involves reflecting on the experience itself, and the insights, emotions, and revelations that emerge during a journey. Psychedelics and plant medicines offer us a rare opportunity to step back from our everyday selves and create lasting changes in our lives but, oftentimes, our experiences require contextualizing the insights and lessons learned from the medicine. The integration process can be complex, and it may take time to fully understand and embody the transformative potential but, with the assistance of a therapist, these practices can help individuals process and incorporate their psychedelic experience into their self-understanding, relationships, and life goals.
Connect With a Community
Connecting with a community of like-minded individuals who have had psychedelic experiences can provide a valuable support network during the integration process. Sharing experiences, insights, and challenges with others who understand the psychedelic journey can foster a sense of belonging and provide guidance and encouragement.
With growing public interest, support, and advocacy, the field of psychedelic therapies continues to evolve to bring about a more holistic, transformative, and dynamic approach to mental health care - Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration being one of them.
Explore The Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration Model of Care Today at The Keely Group in NYC.
Embark on a journey of healing and self-discovery with the evolving realm of mental health care, where the integration of plant medicines and psychedelic substances is illuminating new paths to wellness. Grounded in indigenous wisdom and modern research, explore the promise of psychedelic-assisted therapies as transformative tools for tackling depression, PTSD, and substance abuse. Uncover the power of intentional preparation, safe environments, and meaningful integration, guided by the Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration model. Discover how, with expert support, these therapies are revolutionizing mental health care and opening doors to profound personal growth. Embrace a holistic approach to healing and step into a brighter future for mental well-being.
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Other Online Mental Health Services Offered at The Keely Group in New York City
In addition to Psychedelic Therapy, The Keely Group offers a wide variety of online services to fit the needs of busy professionals. We understand that you may face other challenges throughout your daily life that can affect relationships and dating, so we offer online therapy services to help you cope with these issues. Our ultimate goal is to help you streamline your life and that's why we offer an array of services such as: