My Healing Journey with Psychedelics: A Therapist’s Perspective (But Really, Just Me as a Human)

I first became interested in psychedelics in 2020 when I attended a trauma conference where some of the leading experts in psychology and trauma spoke about the potential of psychedelics in healing PTSD. At the time, research was expanding, showing how substances like MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine could help people process trauma in ways traditional talk therapy often couldn’t. I was fascinated by the possibilities and hoped that one day I could incorporate this approach into my own work with clients.

Fast forward to 2023, when I started my private practice. One day, while scrolling through social media, I came across a post from Journey Clinical about Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). I was immediately intrigued and booked a consultation. That one click opened the door for me to start offering KAP to my clients—a tool that I now believe in deeply, not just because of what I’ve seen in others but because of what I’ve experienced myself.

My Personal Healing with Psychedelics

While psychedelics fascinated me professionally, I also knew I needed to experience them for myself. I wasn’t just curious—I felt the pull. I had been carrying deep grief from my divorce, wounds from childhood sexual trauma, and a lingering sense of disconnection from my ancestors. I wanted to go deeper in my healing, and psychedelics felt like the key.

Using psychedelics helped me navigate the intense grief of my divorce, a loss that shook my sense of identity and stability. They also became a powerful tool in my journey of healing from childhood sexual trauma—allowing me to access and release emotions that had been trapped in my body for years. Most recently, psychedelics have helped me connect with my ancestors, bringing me a sense of rootedness and belonging that I had long been searching for.

However, I want to emphasize that psychedelics were never a replacement for therapy—they were a tool I used alongside therapy. Psychedelics can open doors to deep healing, but without proper integration and support from a safe, trauma-informed therapist, those insights can be difficult to process and apply. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation, and working with a skilled therapist while engaging in psychedelic work is essential for lasting change.

Learning to Let Go (Even When You Have Control Issues…Like Me)

One of the hardest parts of working with psychedelics—both for myself and for many of my clients—is learning to surrender. If you’re someone who struggles with control (hi, it’s me), the idea of letting go and allowing the medicine to take you where you need to go can be terrifying. The first time I did, I could feel myself resisting. My mind kept trying to make sense of everything, trying to “manage” the experience.

But here’s what I’ve learned: the real magic happens when you trust yourself. When you allow the medicine to show you what you need to see. Not what you think you need, but what your soul actually needs. That kind of trust isn’t easy, but it’s where the breakthroughs happen.

Why Psychedelics Can Be a Powerful Tool in Trauma Therapy

Psychedelics are not a magic cure, but they can be an incredible tool in trauma therapy. They help quiet the part of the brain that keeps us stuck in fear and hypervigilance, allowing us to process memories and emotions in a way that feels safer and more accessible. They also help us reconnect with ourselves, with our bodies, and even with the world around us in ways that can be profoundly healing.

For survivors of trauma, especially childhood sexual abuse or complex PTSD, traditional talk therapy can sometimes feel like it’s only scratching the surface. Psychedelics create the opportunity to go deeper, accessing parts of the self that have been disconnected or shut down due to trauma. But again, this process is most effective when done in conjunction with therapy and with the guidance of a trained, safe therapist who can help integrate the experience. Psychedelic insights can be profound, but true healing happens in the work after the journey, when we make sense of those insights and apply them to our daily lives.

Final Thoughts

My journey with psychedelics has transformed me—not just as a therapist, but as a person. It has allowed me to grieve, to heal, and to reconnect with myself in ways I didn’t know were possible. And because of that, I feel even more passionate about offering this work to others.

If you’ve been curious about psychedelic-assisted therapy, I see you. I know it can feel scary, exciting, and maybe even a little out of reach. But healing is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone. If you want to learn more about Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, or just want a space to talk about what’s coming up for you, I’m here.

We are all capable of healing. Sometimes, we just need the right tools—and the right people—to help us get there.