What is Psychedelic Facilitation? Why is it Important?
If you’ve heard of the therapeutic benefits of facilitated psychedelic sessions, then you might be wondering “What does this facilitation actually look like?”
Some people refer to facilitators as “guides”. These words mean the same thing, so use whichever term you prefer.
We’re here to answer this and similar questions, so you can make an informed decision about selecting a guide for your psychedelic journey.
Psychedelic Facilitation Summary
Facilitation is all about having a support person present for you before, during, and after a psychedelic experience.
Ideally, you would work with your facilitator or guide over the course of several weeks, including a couple of weeks prior to your ceremony or medicine session.
On the day of your ceremony, the facilitator is there to help you stay safe, feel supported, and get the most out of the experience.
You would then meet with your facilitator after your journey, as they support you in your integration process.
We’ll cover more about facilitation, the guided psychedelic journey, and some important considerations for you to make as you explore your options.
Why Is Facilitation Important?
On a basic level, the presence of a guide, facilitator, shaman, or healer can help you maximize therapeutic benefits and reduce the possibility of negative outcomes. A great deal of clinical research affirms this and several cultures have implemented this practice for hundreds and thousands of years.
While generally safe, a psychedelic experience can demand a lot from us physically, psychologically, and spiritually. A facilitator or guide will support you through these demands and offer you what you need most, which often includes compassion, wisdom, and support in a non-judgemental way.
The presence of a guide/facilitator alone can help you feel grounded, even as the experience might be intense or difficult.
Facilitation In Your Psychedelic Journey
To help you understand the role of a psychedelic guide or facilitator, we’ve broken down a summary of what they do at each stage of your journey:
A Facilitator's Help In Preparation
A few weeks before a psychedelic experience, you will spend time and energy getting yourself ready. This usually involves some combination of mental, emotional, physical and (if applicable to you) spiritual preparation.
Some common activities of preparation include setting core intentions for your journey, becoming mindful of your thoughts and feelings, addressing any important apprehensions and logistical concerns, and practicing mindfulness.
One can think of preparation for a psychedelic experience as one similar to preparation to run a marathon.
Before running a marathon you would probably prepare for it with discernment (choosing to do it) and training (building the strength to complete it). Preparation for a marathon would look like a combination of training, cardiovascular conditioning, and healthy lifestyle choices.
A similar level of intentionality and preparation is recommended for a psychedelic experience: you’re more likely to have a positive experience by readying yourself physically and psychologically.
What’s more is you can maximize your preparation by having a coach or guide with relevant experience - this person will know the terrain, understand what it takes, and help you adequately prepare the body and mind.
Facilitator Support For Ceremony
On the day of your ceremony with the medicine, the facilitator will primarily do the following:
Ensure the setting for your journey is appropriate
Support you during the experience
Your setting can be thought of as your physical environment or context: think of this as the who, what, and where of the psychedelic experience.
The optimal setting for most people is a private, peaceful residence with a bed or couch, lots of pillows and blankets, music via headphones or a speaker, and the presence of a trusted support person (e.g., your facilitator). Your facilitator will run through a checklist of items to ensure your setting is optimized for your healing and safety.
The facilitator’s presence is oftentimes extremely important for the journeyer.
Psychedelic experiences can amplify intense feelings, sometimes ones that are complex or even challenging. A good facilitator will allow you to journey into these spaces with psychological safety and without disrupting or otherwise controlling your experience.
Facilitators often help clients by using grounding techniques that bring the journeyer back to the present moment. Here are some common grounding exercises:
Intentional breathing
Reflecting upon a mantra
Holding an object or the hand of the facilitator
Pausing or adjusting music
For most clients, simply knowing that their facilitator is there is reassuring during moments of difficulty. In fact, the presence of a facilitator often helps journeyers avoid or move through challenges quickly.
Aftercare With A Facilitator
Most people leave a psychedelic experience feeling peaceful, calm, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Previous clients have described it as “a shower for the psyche”.
Facilitators offer their guidance in the days and weeks following an experience to support the journeyer in the aftercare period. Oftentimes people have profound insights into their world, their families, friends or communities, and themselves.
It is also a tender time, when emotions and vulnerability can run high.
The goal of this aftercare work with a facilitator is to help you incorporate your newly discovered learnings, insights, and direction into your daily life.
Continuing to meet with your facilitator after a journey can help you make sense of your experience and find effective ways of integrating your new insights and learnings.
One integration technique a facilitator might support you through is journaling - check out our post on Psychedelic Integration Journaling Prompts for an overview and inspiration.
For all aftercare practices, the facilitator will help you explore what’s different for you, where in life you’re feeling called, how you’re connecting with other people, and more.
What Makes A “Good” Facilitator?
As more people consider psychedelics, they’re thinking about having a guide or facilitator present for them and wondering “What makes a good facilitator?”
Here are some common questions you might ask as you go about finding a facilitator:
Is my facilitator experienced with psychedelics on a personal level?
Have they guided other people?
What is the background and credentials of my facilitator?
Does my facilitator present as someone who cares about me?
How does the facilitator approach dosage for a ceremony?
Does the facilitator prioritize preparation and integration?
In general, your “guide” should be well versed in psychedelics, embody non-judgment and offer compassion, empathy, support, and harm reduction.
There is no regulatory body that approves facilitators, so we encourage you to conduct your due diligence when evaluating your options.
Harm Reduction and Legal Considerations
Pursuing these powerful medicines is best done in a safe container with an experienced professional in this field. At the same time, one should know the legality of the method they pursue and abide by local laws.
Working with a facilitator is grounded in harm reduction and education. Facilitators do not source illicit substances. When working with a facilitator, a journeyer takes on risk as they pursue this work on their volition, release the facilitator from certain risks, and waive certain rights.
For any facilitator you might work with, always read the fine print, understand your rights and your local laws, and consult with medical professionals to ensure safety.
Pivot Psychedelics Facilitators
Our team of Master’s level professionals are here to provide guidance for you as you decide what’s best and can prospectively serve as your facilitators for a journey.
To see more about the programs we offer in psychedelic facilitation, visit our Psychedelic Ceremony Program page. We are committed to providing programs that are intentional, therapeutic, and safe. Each program is customized to fit your needs
You can learn more about facilitation for a psychedelic experience and other options for pursuing psychedelics by booking a complimentary Discover Call with Pivot Psychedelics.
