How IFS therapy can support integrating psychedelic experiences

My interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy stems from my own deeply meaningful experiences with altered states.

I have done psychedelic therapy trainings with Fluence and with two of the leading IFS therapists who work with psychedelic-assisted therapy, Bob Falconer and Bob Grant. Still, I believe that my own therapeutic experiences with psychedelics have been the most meaningful preparation for supporting others in this work.

IFS therapy’s non-pathologising approach makes it a natural fit for preparation and integration work. Both IFS and psychedelic experiences tap into the innate healing capacity we all have within us.

I work with clients who want to either prepare for a psychedelic experience, or integrate past experiences. Some clients come to me not certain whether they want to have a psychedelic experience at all. I offer a space to explore your thoughts, questions, and concerns at your own pace, without any pressure to decide one way or the other.

Note that I don’t provide psychedelic-assisted therapy itself. I also can’t connect you with or recommend any psychedelic therapy providers.

Preparing for Your Psychedelic Journey with IFS

During our preparation sessions, we will clarify your intention for the experience. We will get to know the parts of you that feel drawn to the experience and are hoping for healing or a shift.

We will also make space for the parts that have concerns or fears about the experience and address them. We’ll work with your parts to address their concerns and create the internal conditions for a safer experience.

Sometimes the preparation phase may involve work with parts that are carrying pain or trauma. This can help deepen the healing that can happen during the psychedelic experience.

Integrating Your Psychedelic Experience with IFS

Using IFS therapy, we will work together to make sense and to integrate the insights and experiences gained from the psychedelic journey.

Psychedelics can bring up intense emotions and memories. We will work with parts that may hold challenging emotions or experiences either from the psychedelic journey or something from the past that has been revealed.

We will also work with parts that may experience internal conflict around making changes in your life or have concerns about what the future will look like.