Module 4

Medicine Sessions

Module 4

Medicine Sessions

“Perhaps the most important job of the psychedelic therapist during a Medicine Session is to facilitate a client's connection to their inner healing intelligence. Once that connection is made and intrapsychic alchemy begins, don't assume you know what path or shape their journey will take. Support, secure, encourage, and invite, but above all else–get out of the way.”

–Dr. Steven Thayer (2022, personal communication)

Module Description

Health professionals will likely observe many different things in the course of Medicine Sessions. It is impossible to predict and prepare for all that may occur, however, there are some things that we know may occur that health professionals can be prepared for. The following instructions in this module on how to deal with specific behaviours and circumstances have been adapted from Mark Haden’s Psychedelic Treatment Manual (Haden, 2019).

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Employ appropriate responses to specific clients’ behaviours and circumstances, such as psychological distress, avoidance, physical reactions.

  2. Manage the arc of the Medicine Session including logistics prior to ingestion, reviewing appropriate boundaries, the ritual or administering the medicine, what to expect during the session, closing the session, and following up.

  3. Describe how to work skillfully with music during the Medicine Session.

References

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