How is a psychedelic coach different from a psychedelic therapist or a psychedelic guide?
In the emerging psychedelic landscape, there are a number of professionals who can guide you as you approach, move through, and process your journey. Being aware of your needs can help you determine whether you’d benefit from working with a therapist, guide, or coach.
If you’re in a very dark place and hoping to work through trauma or mental health issues, seeking the support of a psychedelic therapist may be prudent. Not everyone who works with psychedelics needs to see a therapist, but therapists can be helpful for individuals who are tackling deep-seated issues. Psychedelic therapists are trained in therapeutic methods such as transpersonal psychology, psychiatry, or psychotherapy. Diagnosis, treatment planning, and talk therapy may form key parts of a psychedelic integration therapy approach. A psychedelic psychotherapist, for example, can empower clients to apply beneficial aspects of their psychedelic experiences to help heal detrimental behaviors, traumas, or thought patterns. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy often takes place in more clinical settings.
If you’re seeking support during the actual journey itself, a psychedelic guide could be the right person to work with. Psychedelic or shamanic guides hold space during a psychedelic experience as you move through altered states of perception. A guide’s role may include encouraging you to lean into discomfort or offering reassurance when things feel overwhelming. Guides may use additional tools such as breathwork or music before or during the journey. There may be some discussion following the experience, but follow-up integration sessions with guides are not usually common.
Psychedelic coaches, on the other hand, are for individuals looking to optimize their psychedelic experience. If you are hoping to derive as many benefits as possible from your journey, become a better version of yourself, or gain the necessary skills to further explore and experiment with psychedelics, then working with a coach could be transformative. Read on.
