Personal Questions about Psychedelic Experience

If the client asks personal questions about the health professional's experience with psychedelics, the goal is for the health professional to demonstrate personal integrity and give an honest answer but not to let the personal material of the health professional intrude on the experience of the client.

Before responding to personal questions, it is helpful to consider whether the self-disclosure relates to the client’s experience and helps them connect to the health professionals.

Health Professional Tip

How would you approach a situation where a client asks:

Client: “Why do you do this work?”

Health professional: "I have found alternate states of consciousness to be very helpful in my own life, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to support others’ deep healing journeys. I am fascinated by the experience of being human, and I get to celebrate all of the human experience during these sessions. Thank you for trusting me to support you on this journey."

In the example response, the health professional did not disclose detailed information that would have the potential to distract from remaining centered on the client's process while disclosing enough to answer the client's question thoughtfully.

Next Steps

It is likely that clients will ask specifically about health professionals’ experience with alternate states of consciousness. When this question arises, health professionals are encouraged to speak about experiences that they have had with alternate states of consciousness induced by psychedelic medicines if they are comfortable doing so with the particular client. This could be in the context of a ketamine-assisted therapy training program or as a client of ketamine-assisted therapy, through travel to a part of the world where a given medicine is legal, or in the context of another approved research or training protocol.

Health professionals are discouraged from personal disclosure of illegal activity in this context.

Instead, health professionals are encouraged to consider speaking about and actively exploring alternate states of consciousness without medicine. If for any reason this is not comfortable, then health professionals are encouraged to provide a respectful response and follow-up with the client about why they were asking the question.

Health Professional Tip

What are some statements that can be useful to provide a respectful response?

Some statements that can be useful in this regard include:

  • I would prefer not to discuss my own experiences

  • I am here to be of assistance to you, and I tend to discuss my own experiences only in the context of how they could be helpful for you

  • I don’t usually discuss my own experiences so that the focus stays on you. What might it mean to you if I have had experience with psychedelics? What if I haven’t?

Whatever way a health professional chooses to navigate this line of questioning, it is useful for health professionals to enquire as to why clients asked the question that they did. This helps the health professional understand the motivation behind the question and to provide further response, trust enhancement, or connection, as required. Whichever way this conversation goes, the overarching goal of health professionals is to reassure the client that they are experienced and trained in providing this therapy, while also communicating a sense of knowing what the experience may be like.

References

Haden, M. (2019). Manual for Psychedelic Guides.