5 Questions to Help You Find the Right Psychedelic Psychotherapist
As psychedelic informed psychotherapy is gaining more attention, many people are reaching out to our clinic for help finding a therapist in this emerging field. For therapy that is not combined with psychedelics it is hard enough to find a person who feels like a good fit. Research consistently shows that the best predictor of good outcomes in psychotherapy is the “therapeutic alliance”, or in plain language, how connected and supported one feels with their therapist. Given the client sensitivity, level of trust, and therapist compatibility required to work with psychedelics, this rapport is even more important in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAT).
For those looking to connect with a therapist who practices PAT, here are some questions to guide you in this conversation. These can be useful for the consultation with one of our therapists or outside of our clinic.
*Please note that we do not provide psychedelic-assisted therapy at our clinic, but we are well-equipped to support clients who are engaged in psychedelic therapy elsewhere. We can offer integration sessions and other supportive psychotherapy services to complement your journey towards balance and transformation.
Questions To Ask During Your Therapy Consultation
How do you feel about working with psychedelics as part of a mental health treatment plan?
This question helps you to get a feel for how open the therapist is to working with non-ordinary states of consciousness and their optimism that it can make a difference when approached responsibly. Ask yourself what you need from a therapist to get what you are looking for. Are they sufficiently optimistic but also balanced in their response? We are in the early days of integrating psychedelics with psychotherapy so we want to work with someone who is both enthusiastic and measured in their approach. Do you get the feeling that their heart is in this work from a place of compassion, responsibility and humility?
How do you collaborate with other professionals in this space for best practice?
Psychedelic informed psychotherapy is different from psychotherapy that does not use psychedelics as it is often done in collaboration with other therapists and medical professionals. Ask your therapist about the collaborative nature of their work so you can get a sense of the team you would be working with and how they communicate. Is there a feeling of trust and respect between the interdisciplinary members of the team? Do they participate in regular supervision and training to ensure best clinical practices and self-reflection?
How do you work with or manage difficult and positive experiences that arise?
This question helps you get a sense of the therapist's clinical skills in working with challenging experiences that can arise in psychedelic experiences. One can experience a range of difficulties including fear states, disturbing visions, unresolved traumatic memories, challenges in the therapeutic relationship or the disappointment of no change. You want to trust that the therapist is able to address difficult experiences in a skillful way and has professional support when in doubt. Likewise, psychedelic therapy harnesses the healing power of expansive states and taps into the potential of positive emotions like love, compassion, wisdom and creativity. It is important to get a sense of how balanced your potential therapist is with holding space for both positive and difficult experiences.
Are there particular therapeutic approaches and belief systems/worldviews that inform your practice?
Therapists align with different treatment modalities ranging from cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, somatic therapies, mindfulness, and Internal Family Systems therapy, to name a few. It is helpful that a therapist works with a particular approach that resonates with you but is not limited to that approach if it feels inauthentic or isn’t what you need at the time. Integration therapy for psychedelic experiences should be a combination of practical behavioural strategies for stabilization and balance in daily life alongside depth therapy that addresses deeper psychological wounds and limiting beliefs.
Also ask about belief systems and worldviews that may inform a therapist's practice. While most psychotherapy is seen as a secular realm, spiritual and existential issues often arise in psychedelic psychotherapy. Diversity and equity is always important in therapy but with current world events, more clients are asking questions to make sure that they will feel safe and supported with their religious, spiritual, social, cultural, gender and political affiliations in therapy. At the end of the day, as a client you want to trust that your therapist can provide enough of a holding space for your own beliefs and values without imposing their own - this is your time for healing that is led by you.
Training and clinical experience
This question is often asked first, but here we put it last as it is more practical in nature. Professional training, clinical experience and ongoing supervision are important as they are an indicator of how dedicated and responsible a therapist is to their profession. Determine if the therapist has trained with respected certification programs that are more than weekend workshops and have ongoing clinical supervision and mentorship in this emerging field.
For Clients Working with a Long Term Therapist
For those who have a long term therapist and are looking to add psychedelic psychotherapy into their existing treatment plan, the above questions can still apply. PAT can deepen existing work in therapy or it can be a shift to a new approach and different paradigm. This is an important conversation to have with your existing therapist to determine how you will continue to work together or pivot to a new therapist or approach.
Other Ways to Access Expanded States of Consciousness
It is important to mention that using consciousness-changing medicines is not the only way to access expanded states of awareness. Other ways to do this include breathwork, dream work, imagery and alpha theta neurofeedback, to name a few. These ways of working are generally preferable to using substances as they tend to be safer, gradual, affordable, and less complicated in a therapy context. Our therapists can work in collaboration with medical providers that are affiliated with our clinic or support you with natural ways to work with expanded states of consciousness.
Ready to take the next step?
Given the mental health crisis, new ways of approaching mental health problems, and advent of PAT, people will need guidance on how to navigate quality, evidence based services. If you have further questions about psychedelic/transformational psychotherapy and holistic mental health beyond the 15 minute consultation to match with a therapist, we offer a paid Psychedelic Consultation Service to help you make informed decisions about best treatment options and clinical practices. We also offer supervision to therapists who are interested in supporting their existing clients with a holistic mental health care approach.
Additional Resources:
Want to learn more about the current landscape of psychedelics and responsible use? We recommend the following resources: