The Benefits of working with a psychedelic integration guide

Psychedelics are potent medicines that often lead to hugely beneficial and life-changing outcomes. A lack of preparation before the experience and lack of integration afterwards increase the risk of encountering problems.

Psychedelic integration: is it necessary?

Psychedelic integration is the process of translating a psychedelic experience into clear insights and embodied action for improving health and well-being. Integration is about creating wholeness in one's life through dedication, patience, and embodied living. Without proper integration, the teachings and insights from your psychedelic experience can quickly fade, making it harder to translate them into lasting positive changes in your life.

At Nectara, we consider psychedelic preparation as part of the integration process. In fact, we're integrating every moment of our life as it happens.

Preparation is any action we take that builds the mental, emotional, physical, social, and spiritual capacity to have a more safe, beautiful, and meaningful psychedelic experience before taking medicine. Without attending to the preparation stage, at best, there will be missed opportunities for growth, and at worst, unnecessary psychological, physical, spiritual, or social distress.

Benefits of psychedelic support

The benefits of working with a psychedelic preparation and integration guide vary based on who you work with and your intentions. Choosing the right guide for you allows you to get the most out of your psychedelic experience or microdosing practice.

• Accelerate the potential for healthy, balanced, and transformative change after your psychedelic experience.
• Process, reflect, and share with an experienced professional in a safe and confidential container.
• ‍Safely assess fit for psychedelic experiences with various substances/plant medicines.
• ‍Create a personalized protocol for engaging with psychedelic retreats, therapy, microdosing, or solo journeys.
• ‍Make better choices in choosing the setting where you engage with psychedelics and create desired outcomes.
• ‍Determine your intention and goals for using psychedelics.
• ‍Better understand the plant medicines and psychedelic options available in a recreational or therapeutic context.
• ‍Design your psychedelic experience top to bottom, how to choose the right medicine and safe dosage for you, how to safely navigate guided and solo sessions, and how to let go of emotional blockages.
• ‍Learn methods of integration for profound, sustained inner change.
• ‍Develop wellness practices to help support your mind, body, and soul like breathwork, meditation, yoga, and more.
• ‍Increase your confidence, Self-reliance, and personal agency in navigating psychedelic experiences and the healing journey
• ‍Obtain personal breakthroughs that can equate to years of conventional therapy - and save you money along the way.
• ‍Deepen your psychological, spiritual, and physical well-being.
• ‍Reduce risks associated with psychedelic substance use - and how to navigate a challenging experience.
• Non-judgmental emotional support on your journey of growth.

How to find the right psychedelic guide

Getting direct support from an experienced psychedelic preparation and integration guide is one of the most effective ways to resource yourself. Finding the right one can be challenging as there are a lot of options. Asking the right questions to assess the best fit for your personality, situation, and intentions is essential.

Factors to consider when selecting a psychedelic guide:

• Write the ideal version of a guide that would align perfectly with your current goals and personality. Clarifying what you truly need to begin is a great start in finding the proper support.
• How do you feel around them? Even someone with tons of experience and an excellent reputation may not be a good fit. Working with someone you enjoy and feel safe around is a big step towards an effective partnership. Don't base your decision solely on credentials. At Nectara, we vet our guides based on experience and their warm, caring, and humble personalities.
• How much experience do they have? Navigating psychedelic spaces can be a complex and nuanced process that often requires practice and on-the-ground expertise. While professional experience as a coach or facilitator is essential, years of personal experience can also lead to a deep understanding of the medicines and how to navigate the process of preparation and integration.
• What kind of training do they have? Are they highly decorated psychotherapists? Or an underground practitioner who has many years of experience? Just starting? What else have they done previous to their psychedelic support career? Sometimes, previous experiences may not be related to psychedelics but still hold valuable knowledge and tools for their work as a guide.
• What's their intake process like? Do they just work with anyone, or are they selective?
• Has the guide done a lot of their shadow work? Are they continuing that path? Humble devotion to their personal growth is critical to finding a great guide. This can be challenging to discern so watch how they speak about their services and where they are at on their journey. Are they working with mentors or teachers? Do they engage in modalities for their own growth? Be aware of people who present themselves as having figured it all out or selling you on shortcuts.
• What skills and modalities do they offer? Are they well-practiced in therapeutic or healing modalities you've been curious to explore?
• Check their social media presence. What language do they use? What are their values? Political views? World views? Differences can be nice, and some might not be a fit for you. Practice discerning what profoundly matters and what may be minor things to consider.
• Ask people you trust for referrals. If you don't know anyone, pay attention to client testimonials. At Nectara, we've done the hard work for you by carefully vetting psychedelic guides with interviews and background checks and verifying previous client referrals.
• Identify your budget capacity. What amount per session would allow you to invest in longer term support from a guide? 
  

Still need help finding the right guide? No problem. Just fill out this survey - we'll review it as soon as possible and get back to you with options that are the best fit for you from our team of psychedelic support guides.