Frequently Asked Questions

Of course. As a psychedelic practitioner it is my responsibility to maintain a relationship with the medicine that I work with. I began my study with psilocybin on June 1st 2013 at 19 years old when I took a large dose of Psilocybin by myself and sat in meditation. Since then, I have had over 100 psychedelic experiences. I consider this, and other medicines as well, to be my teachers. They help me learn how to be a better human being and therapist.

Yes! In Colorado the Natural Medicine Health Act has legalized Psilocybin Mushrooms for use by licensed mental health professionals who also hold a facilitator license. As a Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator (NMCF) I am permitted to provide Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy with Psilocybin Mushrooms when working within specific regulatory requirements. Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy with Ketamine is legal nationwide.

No. You can live anywhere, as long as you are in Colorado at the time of the Psilocybin administration session.

 While Psilocybin is generally well-tolerated, there are certain people for whom it poses risk. People who are diagnosed with Bipolar 1 or Schizophrenia or who are taking lithium or antipsychotic medication may not be a good fit for Psilocybin work. Each participant will be thoroughly screened for safety prior to beginning a course of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.

In large population studies psychedelic use is actually correlated with reductions in mental illness. For most people, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy provides psychological and emotional benefits which can include a greatly expanded perspective on life and acceptance of yourself. During the experience, things can indeed become strange. Your awareness changes drastically from baseline and perceptions can feel bizarre, but the experience will end when the medicine wears off. You will return to everyday consciousness. I use a very thorough screening process and do not give anyone a Psychedelic if I am not confident in their ability to work with it productively.

Like any powerful therapeutic approach, psychedelic-assisted therapy involves both risks and remarkable potential for healing and growth. It's important to understand both sides so you can make an informed decision.

Potential challenges include: emotional, psychological, or physical discomfort during sessions—you may experience intense emotions or encounter challenging psychological material like difficult memories. Physical effects can include nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Some people find they're more emotionally sensitive afterward, which can initially feel overwhelming as you reconnect with feelings you may have been disconnected from.

Many clients experience profound shifts in their relationship with themselves and others, expanded perspectives on life, increased self-acceptance, and lasting relief from symptoms that traditional therapy alone couldn't address. Clinical research shows remarkable results for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions, often with benefits lasting months or years after just 1-3 sessions.

Through careful screening, thorough preparation, and skilled guidance, we work together to maximize the healing potential while minimizing risks. Changes in perceptions, relationships, and even spiritual beliefs can occur. For most people, these changes represent meaningful growth and authentic reconnection with themselves.

Absolutely not. The lethal dose of psilocybin is 500x larger than the therapeutic dose. You could eat nothing but mushrooms until your stomach is full to the brim and still not chemically overdose. It may be psychologically intense, but it is generally not physically dangerous.

Our culture is a little confused about drug use and addiction. Alcohol, Nicotine, and Sugar are sold everywhere while Psilocybin remains illegal in most of the country. Fundamentally, psilocybin is non-addictive. Tolerance builds quickly, which prevents sustained redosing. High dose experiences are powerful and intense. Most people find they have no desire to endlessly repeat the experience, let alone compulsively.  While Ketamine does have some potential for abuse and misuse, this risk is minimized when used only in therapy sessions as recommended by the prescriber. In Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy we create a context within which our medicines are used as tools to move towards pain, not away. We are not coping, we are processing.

Psychedelics like Psilocybin are usefully thought of as “non-specific amplifiers”. They turn up the volume on our experience of reality and make it easier to notice the tiny details of our internal and external world. No two experiences are exactly the same, but there are some common elements. Many people experience notable changes in their perception of color, temperature, texture, size, time, thought, memory, and emotion. Bodily movements such as shaking and quivering are not uncommon. The experience can include a sense of unity with all things, transcendence of time & space, a collapsing of contradictions, and a sacredness or sense of poeticism that is difficult to describe with words. The primary effects of Psilocybin last between 4 and 6 hours.

Typically 1 to 3 psilocybin administration sessions, each with preparation and integration sessions, provides relief and benefit. In clinical trials of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Depression (including treatment resistant depression and major depressive disorder), Anxiety (including end of life anxiety), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder; 1 to 3 sessions resulted in significant symptom reduction. For especially challenging issues such as Complex Trauma and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, more sessions may be required. Some people like to have a psilocybin session once a year or more as a way to return to themselves.

Many clients find ongoing weekly sessions the most supportive to their growth and development, but how long you continue depends on your personal situation. I can teach you tools to manage anxiety in a single session. If you practice these tools they can help you for the rest of your life. If you don’t practice them, you’ll forget them quickly. For single incident PTSD, 5 to 9 sessions may be enough to resolve symptoms. Complex trauma may require 20 to 50 or more sessions. Depression can be helped in between 8 to 20+ sessions. I’ve personally been seeing my therapist for over 2 years. There’s no particular diagnosis that we’re working to “treat”, but I value having someone in my corner each week. Ultimately, you are welcome to stop therapy any time you like.

Individual Psychotherapy sessions are 55-minutes and offered at $150 per session. Individual Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy is billed at this same rate per hour while group sessions and packages are offered at a reduced rate. I accept most forms of payment such as cash, checks, Zelle, credit card, and HSA card. I do have a limited number of sliding scale slots.

I do not. I operate as a private-pay practice, which allows me to provide you with the highest quality of care. This approach means we can focus entirely on your unique needs without the constraints of insurance requirements. You'll receive longer sessions when needed, personalized treatment plans, and complete privacy—your therapy remains between us without insurance companies accessing your records or requiring diagnostic labels that may not reflect your true experience. I'm happy to provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for potential reimbursement. Many clients find their out-of-network mental health benefits cover a significant portion of the cost. I encourage you to check your specific benefits if you're planning to use a superbill. Please note that psilocybin-assisted therapy cannot be billed to insurance due to current regulations.

I see individual psychotherapy clients on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9am to 7pm. Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy preparation and integration sessions are generally scheduled Thursdays. When scheduled, psilocybin administration sessions typically occur on Saturdays or Sundays.

Most of my non-psychedelic sessions are offered by Telehealth via Zoom. I do have the option to use an office when desired by the client but this adds additional expense to sessions. All Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy administration sessions are conducted in person.

Yes! …but there are certain rules we must follow. In-home Psilocybin sessions must be either video recorded or include an additional facilitator, at least one participant must have a legal right to occupy the property, and nobody under 21 can be present in the session.