How to have a Psychedelic Therapy Session?

[Pariahprose]

Figured this wud b the best place to post this as it is relating to how to expand/heal an individuals ideas of philosophy and spirituality.If not,mods feel free to move.I have been interested in using hallucinogens for the purpose of philosophical and spiritual expansion in a theraputic manner since a very deep mushroom experience I had. I was curious if anyone had any suggestions as to how to go about doing this. What substances work when conventional tested psychedelics for therapy are not readily available? Any suggestions on RC's that might be useful in psychedelic therapy? Thanks!

Pariahprose

 

[Shrooms00087]

Alone, in a comfortable setting. Take as much as you can possibly eat 5g(+) and just sit there for 12 hours. Bad trips are also therapeutic.

 

[Pariahprose]

Would prefer to use something natural like shrooms,however, they are not available n my area bc everyone prefers to be tweaked out of their gourds. So RC's wud b my only option X.x I was mainly wondering how to guide someone else thru a session. I know one tool I wud use is "The Psychedelic Experience: Based on The Tibetan Book of the Dead" By Timothy Leary with a little help from a few other authors if I remember correctly. As it seems to be a good guide to ego-loss/death.

 

[P A]

Bad trips are also therapeutic.

And more often they're either inconsequential or catastrophic. Therapeutic! What a thing to say... 8(

 

[Shrooms00087]

I obviously disagree. Suffering through a bad trip and coming out on the other side is always a memorable and testing experience. As well they make for good stories. :D

 

[P A]

The adverse psychological outcomes associated with bad trips are, for obvious reasons, poorly documented, and therefore cannot be discussed on a level above anecdote and opinion. So, agree to disagree, I guess.

 

[Shrooms00087]

Well I'm not a psychiatrist in the first place I was speaking directly from opinion. I'll agree to disagree.

 

[jpgrdnr]

I've heard of LSD being used in testing with alcoholics, but obviously having a clinical therapist would be needed.

People at risk shouldn't really involve themselves with psychedelics, which is a general rule of thumb. Psychedelics are a known trigger agent, so I'm sure in controlled clinical settings it may prove useful.

I think the "therapy" you are looking for can be found in a book. Rather than in a neurotoxin.

Timothy Leary is the definitive example of a psychologist going thru a terrible downfall involved with psychedelics. Maybe read up on him.

 

[Pariahprose]

I have read about Timoth Leary and also read his book " The Psychedelic Experience: Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead". It has some good information that could be applied to a psychedelic therapy session,but still leaves aspects unanswered.

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

philosophical and spiritual expansion in a theraputic manner

Philosophic/spiritual expansion doesn't necessarily have anything to do with therapeutic use.

Anyway, we have a thread on the subject of psychedelic therapy over in PD. Also be sure to peruse the PD Index.

Any suggestions on RC's that might be useful in psychedelic therapy?

We don't generally do recommendations. Look through the relevant "Most...psychedelic" threads in the index, read up on promising compounds, you'll get a good idea of what's out there.

Bad trip stuff

I think it's important to differentiate between difficult trips and bad trips (though there will be overlap for those only interested in tripping for pure recreation). You can learn more about yourself from acutely unpleasant trips than fun ones full of wonder and 'gobbledygook' (as rangrz puts it) IMO, though they're not often so monochromatic. A negative experience with no positives would be a bad trip, say the experience caused some kind of mental trauma, or triggered a latent pathology, or what have you.

 

[Cthulhu]

I have heard Terence McKenna advise that one should settle on a single substance and take it over and over again - to work with it and get to know it intimately, what it has to offer. I completely agree with this course of action (as opposed to sampling many different psychedelics). My psychedelic of choice has been psilocybin mushrooms, and it was a great pleasure of mine to grow them myself and enjoy the good karma of eating the fruits of my labor If you're limited to RCs, perhaps find one the you react well with and which has few undesirable side effects. However, I cannot speak much on RCs and have to caution against trusting such an untested batch of chemicals.

As far as therapy? There are several important considerations. For example, the option of a sitter - this may be helpful if you are frightened/uncertain of what your reaction might be, and if you can find someone you trust; it may be helpful for the sitter to take a small dose him/herself, so as to share a wavelength and not get too bored. If you know yourself and the substance well, you can do without the sitter. Set and setting are obviously important - do not overlook them (very easy to do, even for seasoned veterans). Personally, I prefer nighttime because I live in a city and prefer civilization to be sleeping while I'm tapping into states of super-consciousness.

State your intention clearly, but make sure it is appropriate and something that you truly desire to know/understand/achieve. Be prepared to be surprised, and let go of any expectations you have of how a trip is "supposed" to go. Finally: be aware.

 

[trees_please]

you could lie in a sensory deprivation tank.. sober or not, that will trip you the fuck out

 

[Jerry Atrick]

This thread reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld where Costanza goes to a natural healer, drinks some tea, and turns purple :D

Anyways, so far there is a lot of info about drugs and psychedelics in this thread, which is great. However, since it is "therapy," the "therapist" should also have a working knowledge of people....more specifically, behavior and the human mind.

I wouldn't go to a therapist, psychedelic or otherwise, who did not either possess the appropriate academic credentials or could not prove status of being a shaman (having of course completed an apprenticeship, which takes years).

In other words, having access to and providing psychedelic substances to people does not make one a therapist. IMO, until you can prove that you are actually able to help people, it just makes you a drug dealer with a fancy self-proclaimed title.

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

^In the perfect world there would be easy access to qualified persons, but legit therapists and clergymen are generally opposed to the ingestion of entheogens, and reliable shamans aren't exactly easy to find (and there are a lot of expensive commercialists and sharlatans out there, or so I've heard).

I don't I think the DIY/amateur option should be discouraged. For the vast majority of users, therapeutic use will have to be either by themselves, or with the help of a friend/loved one. The guide should be experienced with dealing with people who are tripping ,and it's better if the patient is familiar with the psychedelic experience themselves in these amateur therapy sessions, to attain the best risk:benefit probability.

Of course I'm one of those youngsters whose bywords are foppery and whim, I might be of a more conservative view had I the attachments and responsibilities of the agèd.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

I did not mean to sound discouraging to the OP. My main hang up is that the OP is calling it therapy. The word therapy carries with it at least some expectation of experience and/or credentials that the OP does not seem to possess. There is not much that is therapeutic about dispensing psychedelic drugs to people without also having the ability to talk, and more importantly listen, to the patient in a manner that allows the prescriber an opportunity to help work through whatever ailments the patient may be experiencing.

If the OP wants to hand out shrooms and call himself or herself a trip advisor or guide, that's great. I just wouldn't get in a rush to call myself a therapist until I had some formal training under my belt.

 

[Shrooms00087]

Since we're comparing accredited priests, erm, I mean therapists with drug dealers I have a question. What's the difference between talking with a complete stranger who then hands you a sanctified script for SSRI's and the other handing you non-sanctified MDMA? Sure, the latter is a bit excessive. To be sure the cheapest and most healthy option is just have a priest throw water in your eye, chant a passage from an ancient text and send you on your way.

 

[Jerry Atrick]

Since we're comparing accredited priests, erm, I mean therapists with drug dealers I have a question. What's the difference between talking with a complete stranger who then hands you a sanctified script for SSRI's and the other handing you non-sanctified MDMA? Sure, the latter is a bit excessive. To be sure the cheapest and most healthy option is just have a priest throw water in your eye, chant a passage from an ancient text and send you on your way.

The first difference that comes to mind is that, the complete stranger prescribing the SSRI is licensed and insured. If you react badly to the medication or if something goes wrong, you can hold the doctor and his practice liable. If you go the other route and something goes wrong, what are you gonna do, take a drug dealer to court and sue him for your ER bills?

I was not comparing therapists to drug dealers. I was talking about people who claim to be therapists, with no formal training in mental health, that want to hand out psychedelics. I don't know wtf priests have to do with anything.

 

[Shrooms00087]

The first difference that comes to mind is that, the complete stranger prescribing the SSRI is licensed and insured. If you react badly to the medication or if something goes wrong, you can hold the doctor and his practice liable. If you go the other route and something goes wrong, what are you gonna do, take a drug dealer to court and sue him for your ER bills?

I was not comparing therapists to drug dealers. I was talking about people who claim to be therapists, with no formal training in mental health, that want to hand out psychedelics. I don't know wtf priests have to do with anything.

I was comparing priests to therapists. They serve a similar function for society. I also was comparing them to drug peddlers. But you're right insurance is their best quality

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

Pariahprose, as to how to go about this, here's something I said to someone who wanted a more introspective trip:

I'd say don't go about trying to create it, letting it happen on its own is much more rewarding in my experience. Explore your thoughts and feelings yes, but do so by gently examining and following the ones already present rather than try to dredge something up.

Be sure to change your setting a few times during your trip, start it off by just trying to enjoy yourself (listening to music, playing around, and what have you). Then maybe go for a walk without music, if you're feeling up to it, this is good for letting your mind wander.

If the OP wants to hand out shrooms and call himself or herself a trip advisor or guide, that's great. I just wouldn't get in a rush to call myself a therapist until I had some formal training under my belt.

I think that's a good distinction to make, one oughtn't try to sound more qualified than they are.

Take as much as you can possibly eat 5g(+) and just sit there for 12 hours.

I didn't say before, but I wouldn't recommend this. Rather than blowing one's mind to a million pieces and hoping for a psychological miracle, a mild-moderate dose is most likely to be productive for therapeutic purposes IMO. You need your mental faculties intact if you want to: identify a maladative thought or behavior, analyze and understand why it came about, its consequences, and what you are to do about it.

 

[Erkos]

Have you ever tried psycho-analysis on yourself while tweaked? I tried it with some marijuana and that worked. I've made profound realizations of myself!

Practice on yourself, then you'll have some sort of general idea how to have a drugged out therapy session.