If you are in crisis right now

United States: Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Available 24/7.

International: Find your local crisis line at findahelpline.com

Reaching for help is not a failure of your practice. It is part of your practice.

Resources

A curated portal to time-sensitive material the book cannot carry. Every link here points outward — this page is a starting point, not a destination.

Finding a facilitator

This project does not endorse specific facilitators. Instead, we offer a framework for evaluation. What follows are directories and questions — not referrals.

Directories to explore

Questions to ask

  • What is your training and background?
  • How do you screen for contraindications?
  • What does your integration support look like?
  • What happens if something goes wrong during the session?
  • How do you handle boundaries around touch?

Red flags

  • Promises of specific outcomes or "breakthroughs"
  • Pressure to commit quickly or without meeting first
  • Lack of medical screening or contraindication questions
  • Unclear or shifting boundaries around physical contact
  • Discouraging outside support or second opinions

Finding an integration therapist

Integration therapy is different from facilitation. An integration therapist helps you process and apply insights from experiences — they do not provide the experiences themselves.

Directories to explore

Search terms for your area

If no specialized directories cover your region, try searching for therapists using these terms:

  • "psychedelic integration therapy"
  • "ketamine-assisted therapy" (as a proxy for psychedelic-informed work)
  • "somatic therapy" + "altered states"
  • "transpersonal psychology"

Evaluating retreat programs

Retreat programs vary enormously in quality, safety, and ethics. Price is not a reliable indicator. Reputation can lag behind reality. Ask questions.

What to look for

  • Clear medical screening and contraindication protocols
  • Defined integration support before, during, and after
  • Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
  • Clear cancellation and refund policies
  • Staff-to-participant ratios appropriate for the medicine
  • Emergency protocols and medical backup plans

Questions to ask before booking

  • What is the staff-to-participant ratio during ceremony?
  • What medical support is available on-site or nearby?
  • How do you source your medicine, and how do you verify quality?
  • What happens if I need to leave early?
  • Can I speak with past participants?

Reading beyond this book

A short curated list. The comprehensive bibliography — organized by chapter and updated as new research emerges — lives at the references page.

  • How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan — the popular entry point
  • The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide by James Fadiman — practical protocol guidance
  • Psychedelic Psychotherapy by R. Coleman — a clinical perspective
  • Plants of the Gods by Schultes, Hofmann, and Rätsch — ethnobotanical history
View the full bibliography