People sometimes seek support before or after intense or non-ordinary experiences — including those arising through psychedelic work, breathwork, or other altered states. These experiences can be meaningful, disorienting, opening, or at times overwhelming, and are not always easy to make sense of on one’s own.

 

I support the integration of these experiences in a grounded, body-based way. This work is not about interpreting or explaining the experience from the outside. Instead, we focus on how it is held in the body and nervous system — allowing what remains activated or unresolved to gradually settle, organise, and integrate. Meaning is not imposed, but emerges over time as the system finds its own coherence.

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I recently completed an intensive, year-long training in psychedelic-assisted therapy with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI) in the USA.  My aim was to deepen my understanding of both the therapeutic potential and the risks associated with psychedelics, and to develop a clear, ethically grounded framework for preparation and integration work.​ The programme included study of research and clinical frameworks relating to psilocybin, ketamine and MDMA, with additional overview material on LSD, ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT. It also emphasised the important distinction between the effects of these substances in recreational contexts and their use within carefully structured, clinically supervised therapeutic settings. ​

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​What became increasingly clear through this training — and through clinical experience — is that the outcome of these experiences is shaped far less by the experience itself, and far more by the level of preparation, support, and integration that surrounds it. The ability to find stability, to orient when things become intense, and to have a space in which experiences can be spoken about and worked through, is central. This support does not always need to come from a professional, but it does require a relationship or environment that can hold the process with some understanding and steadiness. Without this, experiences can remain confusing, overwhelming, or unresolved rather than becoming meaningful or integrated.

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An Emerging Area of Therapeutic Work

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is an emerging area of research within mental health. In recent years, controlled clinical studies at major universities and medical research centres have explored the therapeutic potential of carefully supervised non-ordinary states of consciousness in specific population groups.

 

Research programmes at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Imperial College London, and New York University have contributed to a growing body of peer-reviewed work in this area. In the United States, certain psychedelic-assisted treatments are currently under review within regulatory pathways overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the United Kingdom, research in this field is conducted within frameworks regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

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Preliminary findings in structured research settings suggest possible benefit for some individuals experiencing:

• Treatment-resistant depression

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• End-of-life anxiety

• Certain substance use conditions (including alcohol and nicotine dependence)

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These studies are conducted under strict medical, ethical, and regulatory oversight.

Importantly, current research consistently emphasises that therapeutic benefit does not arise from a substance alone, but from careful screening, thorough preparation, skilled professional support, and thoughtful integration within a structured framework.

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The Role of Nervous System Capacity

• A central foundation of psychedelic-assisted work is nervous system capacity.

• A qualified medical provider plays a key role in determining whether an individual is a suitable candidate. Screening considers current medications, psychiatric history, physiological health, psychological stability, and environmental supports or stressors.​

• The ability to ground, regulate, and remain connected to bodily experience supports psychological stability during and after intense experiences. This includes developing the capacity to: 

  • ​Track internal sensations

  • Tolerate emotional intensity

  • Orient to the present moment

  • Return to coherence after activation

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Without sufficient regulation capacity, intense experiences may increase dysregulation rather than support integration. Strengthening these capacities helps reduce the risk of overwhelm and supports meaningful processing.

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How I Work in This Area

My role in this area includes:

• Psychoeducation

• Preparation work

• Integration support

• Development of regulation and embodiment skills

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This support focuses on helping individuals process and integrate significant experiences — whether arising from therapeutic, spontaneous, or non-ordinary states — into daily life in a grounded and sustainable way.

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FAQ

What is meant by preparation?

Preparation focuses on building safety, strengthening regulation skills, and clarifying therapeutic intention before any non-ordinary experience.

This may include:

• Developing grounding skills

• Strengthening self-regulation

• Increasing awareness of internal states

• Clarifying intentions and expectations

Preparation work aims to enhance psychological stability and informed decision-making.

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What is meant by integration?

Integration supports the process of reflecting on and making sense of experiences afterwards — emotionally, somatically, and relationally.

The aim is for insights to be gradually incorporated into everyday life, rather than remaining overwhelming, destabilising, or isolated.

Integration work does not assume that all non-ordinary experiences are beneficial; rather, it focuses on processing and understanding them within a safe therapeutic context.

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Are there medical or medication considerations to be aware of?

Certain medications, as well as some psychiatric or medical conditions, can interact with psychedelic substances and may present serious risks, requiring careful medical evaluation.​

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​Do you provide or facilitate psychedelic substances?

My work currently focuses on preparation and integration support only. I do not provide, administer, or facilitate psychedelic substances.