You’ll often hear the words “set and setting” used when people talk about psychedelic work, the quality of both being essential to creating a safe, responsible, and beneficial experience. The third element, of equal importance, is what happens after the psychedelic ceremony is complete and the ceremony of your life commences. This process is known as integration and, for almost everyone, it is imperative to have a guide to assist with it. I’ve had the good fortune to work and train with extraordinary practitioners. It is my honor to share with you some of what I have learned. Bear in mind that what I share below is based upon my personal experience, on what I have seen work (and not work, God bless the teachers who show us what not to do!) for me and many others, and should not be taken as gospel. In asking these questions, I do not intend to imply any particular answer as the correct one, though inevitably my own preferences will influence the language. (In a separate blog post I’ll share my personal answers to these questions.) My intention is to help you gather relevant information that you should have to make an informed decision. It will always be your choice to weigh the value of the answers. Just as you set an intention for your psychedelic journeying, so should you set an intention for your integration process. The goal will be to find a practitioner who is aligned with your intention.
What is their personal experience with psychedelics?
Have they personally worked with psychedelics? Have they taken the specific medicine that you are integrating? How extensive is their experience? Do they prefer synthetics like (MDMA or ketamine) or with plants (like ayahuasca and mushrooms? Why?
What is their relationship to psychedelics and to plants?
This might seem like the same question as #1, but it isn’t. Perhaps more important than the extensiveness of the practitioner’s experience, is the nature of their relationship to the medicine. I’d ask the question in a general, open-ended way and then listen for things like: is it reciprocal? is it regarded as spirit or as pharma? If your practice is within a particular indigenous tradition, are they familiar with that tradition? What is their relationship to that community?
If they are on the plant medicine path, what is their experience with non-psychedelic healing plants? Have they done dietas? What tradition do they practice within? What is their relationship to the community that the tradition comes from? Is it reciprocal?
What is their training?
Are they licensed? What training have they received? How long have they been practicing?
Are they trauma informed?
What is their understanding of trauma? What is their comfort level with trauma? What are their limitations?
Do they offer free consultations/introductions?
Ideally, you will want to have a brief introduction to the practitioner before committing to a session. There is no better way to assess potential for compatibility than a real time conversation. I know this may be a controversial take, but I think any practitioner who understands the vulnerability entailed in this process will offer to speak with you and answer questions about their approach before entering into any exchange agreement.
How do you feel when you are talking to them?
Check in with your body. Do you feel safe and relaxed or tense? Do you trust them? It can be helpful to do a grounding exercise before the introductory call so you can feel into your gut as you speak with them. Trust yourself.
Are they good listeners?
This will be something you gauge in your first session/s. Do you feel that you have been heard and understood? Do they ask clarifying questions? Do you feel there is space for your emotions?
What is their intention as a practitioner?
What draws them to this work? What is their personal mission?
Do they seem to “have all the answers”?
This is one area where I will assert a strong personal opinion as it’s the number one error I have witnessed. Nothing forecloses discovery like certainty. Psychedelics can help us uproot the core beliefs and emotions that have been suppressed and obscured for a lifetime. A solid practitioner will never presume to know the answers, but will hold an empathetic presence and ask thoughtful and compelling questions to guide you to the inner knowing that has always lived inside you.