MDMA: MDMA is a potent empathogen-entactogen with stimulant and minor psychedelic properties. The variability of the induced altered state is lower compared to other psychedelics. The purported pharmacological effects that may be prosocial, include altered sensations, increased energy, empathy, and pleasure. MDMA acts primarily by increasing the release of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline in parts of the brain. When taken orally, effects begin in 30 to 45 minutes and last three to six hours, oral consumption reaching peak effect at 75 to 120 minutes, which then plateaus for about 3.5 hours. Currently, this substance has been studied mainly in its effective impact in treating PTSD, trauma, and addiction; however, it is also being studied in the treatment of many more mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
PSYLOCIBIN: Psilocybin is the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms” with records of its use by shaman and indigenous cultures dating back thousands, if not tens of thousands of years. There are three main forms of life on earth: plants, animals, and fungi. It is now understood that fungi form vast, interconnected networks under the soil, across hundreds of thousands of miles. This substance can be used in a microdosing or macrodosing capacity. The intensity and duration of the effects of psilocybin are variable, depending on species or cultivar of mushrooms, dosage, individual physiology, and set and setting. At Lower doses can induce hallucinatory effects. Closed-eye hallucinations may occur, where the affected individual sees multicolored geometric shapes and vivid imaginative sequences. Some individuals report synesthesia, such as tactile sensations when viewing colors. At higher doses, psilocybin can lead to intensification of affective responses, enhance the ability for introspection, and activate of vivid memory traces with pronounced emotional undertones. Open-eye visual hallucinations are common and may be very detailed, although rarely confused with reality. Psilocybin is also known to strongly influence the subjective experience of the passage of time. Users often feel as if time is slowed down, resulting in the perception where minutes feel like hours or that time is standing still. Users having a pleasant experience can feel a sense of connection to others, nature, and the universe; other perceptions and emotions are also often intensified.
5-MEO-DMT: 5-MeO-DMT, often referred to as the “God Molecule”, Soma, or Jaguar, is a powerful medicine that can trigger deep somatic releases that unlock trauma while offering a glimpse into the interconnected nature of this universe. 5-MeO-DMT is an experience unlike any other psychedelic in the world. 5-MeO-DMT (also known as Bufo, Toad, and the God Molecule) is the strongest entheogenic medicine on the planet. It is unique from any other psychedelics in that at high doses the experience dissolves the mind entirely and allows you to let go of trauma and patterns on a deep somatic (in the body) level. Put simply, 5-Meo-DMT has the potential to reset your nervous system and release deeply stuck energy and trauma that you cannot access in any other way. The experience is intensive enough that it can feel like a true death and a rebirth experience. At full strength, you leave your body, time, and space. Where you go is impossible to describe though people give it many names: the infinite oneness, god space, the quantum field, pure consciousness, etc. For some, the experience is blissful, for others, it is exceptionally challenging. Often it is a mix of both. For everyone, it is an incredibly impactful experience and, with the right preparation and support throughout the process, is deeply transformative. This medicine can be vaped or insufflated, and both offer very different experiences. When vaped, 5-MeO-DMT has a very quick onset, within seconds, and holds the potential to offer you a non-dual experience. When insufflated, 5-MEO-DMT offers a gentle introduction to the medicine and a gradual peak into the experience. Insufflated offer a somatic and nervous system healing, where you are fully conscious throughout the entire experience.
KETAMINE: Ketamine is currently a legal prescription drug, that is considered a psychedelic like substance. It is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. It is also used as a treatment for depression and a pain management tool. Ketamine is an anesthetic medication most commonly used in hospitals and emergency centers for pain and anesthesia. It is one of the earliest discovered anesthetic agents and has been used since then. In fact, the safety of Ketamine treatment was so relied upon that children’s hospitals used it during surgeries and in the ICU. Ketamine works by blocking the N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA), BDNF, and AMPA receptors. However, the effect of the drug also causes synaptic plasticity. Apart from taking away the pain, it creates what doctors call “dissociative anesthesia.” It is a state where a person goes into a “dream-like” state and feels disconnected from the environment around them. When used in a controlled environment and at the appropriate dose, it can be useful in stabilizing the mind and healing treatment-resistant depression.
CANNABIS: Cannabis-Assisted Psychedelic Therapy (CAPT) provides a safe, legal, and more easily accessible option to adults seeking psychedelic healing. Over the past few decades, cannabis has slowly been recognized by the medical community as a plant medicine with healing properties. Cannabis is one of the only legal psychedelics that can be used in psychotherapy. Cannabis’ effects are variable and depend on a variety of factors. They range from a euphoric and relaxing intoxication to anxiety and hallucinations. Most clients will experience increased body awareness and a feeling of being very present. This can lead to personal introspection which may contribute to finding a deeper connection with their sense of purpose and feeling more in control over their lives. Cannabis can work to alleviate a range of symptoms from various conditions mental health challenges, including PTSD, OCD, and anxiety. It has also been commonly used to address pain conditions like inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, nerve conditions, and chronic pain. It has also been studied to address symptoms of neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Cannabis assisted therapy aims to move beyond just producing euphoria and relaxing effects with cannabis; its goal is to uncover the roots of what is causing these symptoms. Cannabis serves as a tool allowing a client to connect to not only the deeper parts of their psyche but also do so with the help of another person. Like other mind-altering substances, cannabis can help a sufferer uncover and process difficult memories and emotions while usually putting the mind and body in a relaxed state.
LSD: LSD, or lysergic acid diethylamide, is a favorite in the psychedelic family. It is produced in a laboratory from precursors that are found in nature (specifically, ergotamine, derived from ergot fungus). LSD can be used for self-introspection and as a tool for consciousness expansion. LSD interacts with the brain by mimicking serotonin and binding to a number of its receptors. In doing so, there are cascading effects that influence other neurotransmitter systems, having effects on cognitive function and motor behavior. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages, LSD manifests primarily mental, visual, and auditory hallucinations. Dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, and increased body temperature are typical. Effects typically begin within half an hour and can last for up to 20 hours (although on average, experiences last 8–12 hours). LSD is also capable of causing mystical experiences and ego dissolution. LSD was used in therapy before it became illegal, with doctors supervising their patients’ trips.
