Making Sense of Psychedelic Assisted Therapy in Colorado

Last week I attended the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver, CO to further my learning of psychedelic assisted therapy. This was an opportunity for researchers, healing practitioners, indigenous healers, trauma experts, policy advocates, attorneys, veterans, and people seeking healing from all walks of life to come together for a single purpose: to discuss how to utilize the healing power of psychedelics in a respectful, safe, and effective way. The current Colorado law is in its infancy and there are understandably a lot of questions! In this article I attempt to answer a few.

What is Psychedelic Assisted Therapy?

Psychedelic assisted psychotherapy incorporates psychedelic medicine into psychotherapy, often facilitating an accelerated insight and healing process. Unlike a typical therapy session, psychedelic sessions can last anywhere between 2-6 hours, depending on the medicine taken. It is not recommended to do psychedelic assisted therapy without proper preparation (therapy sessions before the psychedelic journey), integration (therapy sessions done after the psychedelic journey), and intentional curation of the setting.

Is Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Legal in Colorado?

Yes. In 2022, Colorado voters passed Proposition 122, also known as the Natural Medicine Health Act. The following plants are now legal to cultivate and use for healing purposes:

• Psilocybin and psilocyn: These are the active compounds found in “magic mushrooms”.
• Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): This is a psychedelic substance found in various plants.
• Ibogaine: This is a psychedelic substance derived from the iboga plant.
• Mescaline (excluding peyote): Mescaline is found in some cacti, but Proposition 122 specifically excludes mescaline derived from the peyote cactus. The San Pedro cactus (part of the Trichocereus genus) is a common source of mescaline that is not derived from peyote and is considered a potentially acceptable alternative.

Ketamine assisted psychotherapy is also legal in the state of Colorado with a prescription from a doctor or nurse practitioner. MDMA is currently completing clinical trials under the FDA and will hopefully be legalized in the next few years for therapeutic use.

Why Was Peyote Excluded?

Peyote was excluded out of respect for the indigenous people of Colorado that have used peyote in their rituals for centuries. Proposition 122 created tension between indigenous people and Natural Medicine Colorado, the legal group that advocated for the legalization of plant medicine. Excluding peyote was a way of honoring indigenous cultures and allowing it to remain sacred to their ceremonies and traditions. Some indigenous people feel this fell short, and are worried about the ramifications of taking plant medicine out of ceremonies conducted by trained shamans. They eloquently argued that the spiritual connection and processes facilitated by plant medicine cannot be regulated by western law. At the Psychedelic Science conference there was a session track devoted to the voices of indigenous people.

What Issues Does Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Help?

There is a considerable amount of research being conducted on this question at universities such as Johns Hopkins, Yale, Stanford, and the University of CO, and private research centers such as MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), PRATI (Psychedelic Research and Training Institute) and the Usona Institute. Current studies are looking at how psychedelic assisted therapy can help:

• Addiction
• Treatment resistant depression
• End of life anxiety
• Trauma

How Do I Find a Facilitator?

Psychedelic practitioners go by a variety of names, which I will try and define, as applicable to the state of Colorado.

1. Clinical Facilitator: A licensed mental health professional trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Facilitates psychedelic experiences including preparation and integration, and: 

• must hold one of the following licenses: PSY, LSW, LCSW, MFT, LPC, ACD, DR, CDRH, APN, or PA.
• completed an approved training program (150 hours).
• 40 hours of consultation.
• 40 hours supervised practicum training.
• Basic Life Support Certification.

 

2. Facilitator: Facilitates psychedelic experiences including preparation and integration and:

• Facilitators must apply for a license after completing 40 hours of approved training and 200 hours of experience facilitating at least 40 different individuals.
• 25 hours of ethics training, and they are also held to a code of ethics under DORA (Department of Regulatory Agencies).
• Basic Life Support Certification.

3. Guide & Sitter: In the state of Colorado, these terms are synonymous with facilitator. Therefore, individuals that are not licensed are not allowed to advertise themselves as a psychedelic guide or sitter.

4. Shaman: Leads ceremonies and rituals with psychedelic plant medicines.

• Associated with indigenous practices and beliefs that have been passed down generation to generation.
• A spiritual healer or guide with traditional and cultural knowledge of psychedelics.
• Conducts ceremonies and rituals, often using plant medicines like ayahuasca or peyote.
• Focuses on spiritual healing, transformation, and connecting with the divine.

Each practitioner type plays a unique role in the context of psychedelic experiences, tailored to different needs and settings.

Where Can I Receive Psychedelic Assisted Therapy?

• Licensed healing centers.
• For individuals who meet certain eligibility criteria, such as being in hospice, receiving palliative care, being homebound, or living with a disability, you can have facilitation in your own home.
• Healthcare facilities: Such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, or long-term care facilities that are licensed or otherwise permitted by law to offer medical treatment.
• If you are wanting to do it in your own home and you don’t meet the above eligibility requirements, you can receive bona fide harm reduction services or bona fide support services used concurrently with the sharing of natural medicine, provided that there is (1) no advertisement related to the sharing of natural medicine or the services provided, and (2) the individual providing the services informs an individual engaging in the services that the provider is not a licensed facilitator.

Questions to Ask a Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Practitioner:

1. What training have you done? How long ago?
2. Did you have a supervisor or mentor?
3. Are you licensed by the state of CO? If not, why did you decide not to pursue licensure?
4. As a requirement of your training did you write or publish anything?
5. For approximately how many people have you facilitated journeys?
6. What issues do you feel comfortable working with?
7. What is your plan if at anytime you feel in over your head?
8. How might you support me if I’m experiencing something challenging or frightening?
9. What is your approach to preparation and integration?
10. What is your own personal experience with psychedelics?
11. What is the cost and your cancelation policy? What exactly is included?
12. How do you approach touch? How are boundaries set?
13. What is your approach during the journey?
14. How will you insure my safety?

This is an exciting time in the state of Colorado, and the will of the voters is being implemented. It is up to the consumer to proceed with care and to do their due diligence to find the right facilitator of their psychedelic experience. For more information on the history, research, and healing potential of psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, you can read my paper, Mystical States and Healing: What Psychotherapy Can Learn from Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.