Can You Heal Trauma Without A Psychedelic Guide?

People often ask me if a guide is necessary for using psychedelics to heal trauma. It is of course possible to try these tools alone. But aside from the cost factor, I can’t see why someone would take high-dose psychedelics without a guide.

Psychedelics are no joke. Scary and painful memories and emotions can, and often do, arise. I personally would not have made it this far safely without a guide.

These guides, often called facilitators, are usually psychotherapists or practitioners in non-traditional forms of physical or spiritual healing, like shamans, who have received additional training in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

In my experience, having a guide is makes an enormous difference in the quality of the experience. My sessions with my guide can be interactive, especially on MDMA, when I’m flooded with thoughts and insights, even as I work through personal issues.

During one of my early sessions, I worked with a guide I didn’t feel as comfortable with. When things got bad for me, our lack of connection made things worse. (You can read more about this in my book.)

Much of childhood trauma stems from not feeling seen or loved by those around us. A core aspect of healing is having an empathetic witness present—someone who validates your feelings and experiences, even if they’re not actively participating or saying much.

I think doing any therapeutic heavy lifting without a guide would be challenging, if not impossible, especially for those new to psychedelics. So not only is having a skilled guide crucial for safety, I believe it’s essential for healing as well.