Psychedelic Integration Therapy: Making Sense of the Journey.
Psychedelics have long been used as a tool for self-exploration, healing, and transformation. Research suggests that substances like psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca can help reduce the "veil" between the conscious and unconscious, allowing us to access deep-seated emotions, memories, and patterns. This can lead to profound insights, emotional breakthroughs, and even a renewed sense of connection to oneself and the world.
But the journey isn’t always smooth. Psychedelics have the potential to unearth what has been hidden—sometimes in ways that feel overwhelming or destabilising. Without the right support, a challenging experience can leave a person feeling untethered, anxious, or even questioning their sense of reality. This is where psychedelic integration therapy comes in.
The Science Behind Psychedelics
Emerging research has highlighted how psychedelics impact the brain, particularly through their effect on the default mode network (DMN)—the part of the brain associated with self-referential thinking, rumination, and ego identity. Psychedelics temporarily quiet the DMN, allowing for a more fluid, interconnected state of consciousness. This can foster shifts in perspective, deep emotional processing, and a sense of unity beyond the self.
Neuroscientific studies also show that psychedelics enhance neuroplasticity, meaning they temporarily make the brain more adaptable and open to change. This is why psychedelic experiences can lead to breakthroughs in trauma healing, addiction recovery, and emotional processing—when paired with proper integration.
When Psychedelic Experiences Turn Difficult
While some find psychedelics illuminating, others may be left feeling shaken, lost, or distressed. A “bad trip” or challenging psychedelic experience can include:
Feeling haunted or possessed by spirits, energies, or intrusive thoughts
A sense of ego dissolution—feeling like you are dying, going crazy, or that reality is no longer real
Receiving disturbing or confusing messages, visions, or internal "commands"
Uncovering traumatic memories but feeling unsure if they are real or what to do with them
Psychedelic experiences can also communicate through metaphor, imagery, sound, bodily sensations, or even a sense of connection with ancestors or other ‘beings.’ Making sense of these messages can be difficult, especially if they evoke fear, confusion, or deep existential questioning.
The Importance of Psychedelic Integration
At Wild Shadow Psychology, we offer therapy for those needing support after a difficult psychedelic experience. Our approach to psychedelic integration is rooted in harm reduction and is designed to help you:
Make sense of your experience in a grounded and compassionate way
Regulate your nervous system if you are feeling overwhelmed, dissociated, or anxious
Work through difficult emotions or memories that surfaced during your journey
Reintegrate insights from your psychedelic experience into your daily life in a way that is meaningful and sustainable
We acknowledge that psychedelic healing is about more than just the substance itself. True integration involves psychological preparation, emotional containment, and ongoing reflection, which are often missing in unregulated settings.
A Note on Safety and Ethics
As of July 1, 2023, Australia has implemented regulations allowing authorised psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA for PTSD and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression under strict clinical conditions. However, psychedelic-assisted therapy outside these parameters remains unregulated and is not legally sanctioned in Australia.
Wild Shadow Psychology’s psychedelic integration services are strictly for harm reduction purposes. We do not offer underground psychedelic-assisted therapy, provide illegal substances, or refer clients to unregulated psychedelic facilitators.
Honouring Indigenous Knowledge and Protecting Sacred Medicines
Long before the Western world "discovered" the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, Indigenous peoples across the globe had long-standing relationships with plant medicines. Many First Nations cultures have used psychedelics in ceremony for thousands of years, guided by Elders, shamans, and knowledge holders who understand how to work safely with these substances.
These cultures provide a framework or “container”—a deep understanding of set and setting, ritual, and communal support that ensures safety and integration. In contrast, Western psychology has medicalised psychedelics, often stripping them from their cultural and spiritual contexts. In many capitalist and colonised cultures, the absence of this ancestral wisdom has contributed to the dangers of unregulated use, leaving many people without proper guidance or support.
Wild Shadow Psychology recognises that the commercialisation and medicalisation of ancient plant medicines is yet another form of colonial harm—extracting sacred knowledge without acknowledging or compensating the First Peoples who have safeguarded these practices for generations. We stand in deep respect for Indigenous wisdom and acknowledge that the Western model still has much to learn from ancient healing traditions.