Yes — research demonstrates strong safety profiles when conducted in appropriate therapeutic settings. We carefully screen each client and ensure your life circumstances are right for Psychedelic therapy. In a study of 73% of PTSD participants achieving substantial symptom reduction with ketamine, no serious adverse events related to the treatment were reported .Multiple trials show that proper preparation, trauma-informed facilitation, and integration support create safety rather than risk. The key is working with trained professionals who understand trauma.

The difference between re-traumatization and reprocessing is the amount of safety that you feel during the experience. While challenging material can and does arise during psychedelic sessions, the safety that will be created makes these experiences therapeutically useful. Many people describe observing traumatic memories from a new perspective rather than re-experiencing them viscerally. The medicine naturally brings forward what you're ready to process. If overwhelming material comes up, you will be professionally supported in working with it during the session. As Psychedelic therapists and facilitators, we do not confront you with your trauma and instead allow the medicine to bring up whatever it is going to bring up. Sometimes specific memories arise during the session and sometimes they do not.

Psychedelic therapy accelerates trauma processing through multiple mechanisms simultaneously. While EMDR reprocesses trauma through bilateral stimulation and prolonged exposure uses gradual habituation, psychedelics reduce amygdala reactivity, increase neuroplasticity, promote empathy, and facilitate perspective shifts all at once. This creates conditions for profound healing in 1-2 intensive sessions rather than many months of weekly therapy. Many trauma therapists are now incorporating psychedelics into their practice because of the accelerated results. Put simply psychedelics allow enough safety and perspective to experience the content that was previously intolerable, thereby changing how it sits in the system.

Yes — complex PTSD (C-PTSD) from childhood abuse, neglect, or attachment trauma can benefit from psychedelic therapy. For complex trauma, we often recommend ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) as the first approach because the weekly sessions provide more stabilization and gradual processing. Some people then transition to psilocybin therapy for deeper transformation. Complex trauma typically requires more integration support than single-incident PTSD. Psilocybin can also be a good option for those with C-PTSD who are already receiving extensive support from an ongoing therapist. Overall complex PTSD can be treated in the context of ongoing therapeutic relationships.

Both are effective — the choice depends on your needs, preferences, and level of stability in your life. Ketamine (KAP) works well for people who prefer gradual approaches, those needing more stabilization, complex PTSD without prior work, and trauma survivors who feel overwhelmed by intense emotions. Psilocybin works well for people ready for intensive deep work, those seeking spiritual dimensions of healing, single-incident trauma, and well-contained PTSD. Many people benefit from both in sequence — KAP first for stabilization, then psilocybin for transformation.

For ketamine: The standard protocol is 6 weekly sessions (each 2-3 hours), with 73% of participants achieving substantial symptom reduction in research when adhering to this protocol. Some people benefit from additional sessions or periodic boosters. For psilocybin: We use use 1-2 intensive sessions (each 7 hours) with preparation and integration. Complex PTSD often requires more sessions than single-incident PTSD.

Dissociation requires careful consideration but isn't necessarily a contraindication. If you experience significant dissociation, we'll assess whether additional stabilization would be helpful before medicine sessions. Ketamine, which is itself dissociative, can sometimes help people who dissociate by providing a sense of safety in "disconnection." For psilocybin, we might use lower doses with more grounding techniques. Severe dissociative identity disorder may require specialist support before psychedelic therapy. With dissociation the overall goal is to associate to it. To get good at noticing when it comes in. Psychedelic-assisted therapy can help by providing perspective towards the dissociation.

Yes. Combat-related PTSD can be addressed with psychedelic therapy. A study on U.S. military veterans with severe treatment-resistant depression (which commonly co-occurs with combat PTSD) found significant sustained reductions in symptoms up to 12 months after psilocybin treatment. Psychedelics also show benefit for moral injury — the deep spiritual/ethical pain that can accompany combat experiences. Many veterans report that psychedelic therapy helps them process war experiences in ways traditional therapy couldn't reach.

Yes, with some considerations. SSRIs are commonly prescribed for PTSD and can reduce psilocybin's effectiveness (but not ketamine's). We may recommend supervised tapering before psilocybin treatment. Benzodiazepines (often prescribed for trauma-related anxiety) can reduce effectiveness of both medicines and may need tapering. Prazosin (for nightmares) typically doesn't interfere. We'll review all medications during consultation and create a safety plan.

Temporary increases in trauma symptoms during integration are not uncommon and represent material surfacing for processing. This is why integration therapy is essential — we work with you in the weeks following sessions to process emerging content. These temporary intensifications typically resolve and lead to deeper healing. We equip you with grounding techniques for managing activation.

Yes — anger and irritability often improve significantly. These hyperarousal symptoms stem from an overactive threat-detection system. By reducing amygdala reactivity and increasing psychological flexibility, psychedelic therapy helps regulate emotional responses. Many people report feeling calmer, more patient, and less reactive to triggers. The increased self-compassion that often emerges during treatment also reduces self-directed anger and harsh self-judgment common in trauma survivors.

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