Let’s talk about mental health for a minute. And motherhood. And psychedelics. 

Recently, a group of moms originating out of Colorado came into the spotlight for their nontraditional approach to managing their mental health. The group is called "Moms on Mushrooms," and- you guessed it- they take magic mushrooms to manage their mental health. 

Despite the obvious shock value of the idea of moms tripping balls while changing diapers and driving to school drop-off, let's unpack a few underlying issues surrounding this hot-button topic, clear up a few misconceptions about this approach to mental health and wellbeing, and offer some tips and guidance if you are just beginning a journey into using psychedelics for mental health and wellbeing. 

Mental Health And Motherhood

I'm a mom to three girls. Life is busy and stressful at times. Time is screaming by. As moms, our days include managing and balancing parenting, intimate partnership, career, and household management, along with about a zillion other things that we might feel like we’re barely staying on top of. Though for many of us- too many of us- unfortunately, this journey may also have included experiences of trauma, chronic anxiety, depression, and/or toxic stress. This can result in frequent experiences of emotion dysregulation, yelling at our kids, dissociating by scrolling on our phones, or other unhealthy behaviors to help us cope (hello wine culture and Netflix bingeing). Unfortunately, this can also project dysregulation onto our kids, perpetuating something called generational trauma, which is where our own dysfunction as adults creates an unhealthy, unsafe, or unsupported environment for our children to grow up in, thus creating dysfunctional patterns they will experience throughout their lives, which they will impart, in some way, upon their own children. There is a wide spectrum of harm from generational trauma, as you can imagine, from very mild to extremely debilitating. Further, each child will internalize dynamics differently and potentially be affected in different ways from even their siblings growing up in the same household. 

Right now, we are collectively experiencing a global crisis in mental health, worsened by the pandemic, so you can imagine the epidemic of dysfunction and dysregulation running rampant throughout households. You wouldn't know it from social media, but it is there running constantly in the background of perfectly timed selfie snapshots: add hashtag blessed, grateful, best family ever. 

When you begin to look at the idea of healing from this wider societal perspective, it becomes essential for raising the next generation to be strong, empowered, and not restricted by emotional limitations or dysfunction. 

And it starts at home. Healing starts with us.  

When we talk about 'healing', we are referring to the journey of recovery from emotional wounds in the realm of mental well-being. These wounds can be inflicted by a wide array of triggers, ranging from childhood trauma, acute traumatic experiences, chronic dysfunction in familial relationships, medical trauma, extended periods of stress, depression, anxiety, occupational stress, challenges of parenting, to unresolved conflicts, and beyond. The list of potential triggers is virtually endless, and any of these can disrupt our internal equilibrium.

However, it's essential to understand that it's not the triggering event itself that upsets this balance; rather, it's our individual system's reaction to the event that causes emotional harm. Our response to stressful events is rooted in our inherent survival instincts, as our system does its utmost to maintain safety and homeostasis. Therefore, the healing process revolves around learning to respond more effectively to these triggers, supporting our system in finding new, healthier ways to maintain balance and ensure our well-being.

The Pathway To Healing

Holistic wellbeing involves an inward journey, one that seeks to address and rectify any negative patterns and beliefs that have been ingrained over time due to emotional trauma. Central to this healing process is our nervous system, which governs our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Our life experiences significantly impact our nervous system, leading to alterations in our responses to stress and our perception of the world. Imagine your nervous system as an intricate organism, constantly processing millions of data points every second. Its paramount role is to sift through this information deluge and achieve equilibrium and tranquility.

Emotional wounds, trauma, chronic stress, and anxiety - all these elements influence how our nervous system determines and maintains this balance. It's akin to the calibration of happiness on a scale that's already bearing weight. The more emotional burden we start with, the more challenging it becomes to attain higher levels of happiness, engagement, and tranquility. In this way, the journey to holistic wellbeing is about lightening that load and recalibrating our internal scales towards greater happiness and peace.

By consistently committing to a mindful healing practice, you have the potential to reprogram your nervous system, thereby enhancing its function. The outcome can be a notable rise in your levels of happiness, a more harmonious emotional spectrum, and a heightened resilience to stress.

Psychedelics and Healing

Psychedelics have garnered significant interest in recent years for their potential to promote healing and improve mental well-being. Commonly known psychedelics include substances such as psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), MDMA, and LSD. Research suggests that these substances may help rewire the nervous system, promoting healing and overall mental health. Johns Hopkins, Yale, and Massachusetts General Hospital are just a few of the dozens of reputable institutions researching various ways psychedelics can positively impact psychiatric and neurological outcomes. In the coming years, there is going to be an explosion of information as we grow in our understanding of the psychedelic experience and the potential it has to help in the healing process in a more holistic and less pharmaceutically dependent way. 

The growing body of research we’ve seen so far is exploring the therapeutic use of psychedelics for various mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. While the exact mechanisms are not yet fully understood, it is believed that psychedelics can facilitate a deeper connection to one's emotions and thoughts, leading to breakthroughs and insights that can promote healing.

There are two main approaches to psychedelic use as it relates to achieving healing and growth. One is using what’s called a “macrodose” to achieve spiritual and/or universal insight and enlightenment to heal and grow in a short amount of time, and the other is using a “microdose” amount, which includes taking a sub-perceptual (i.e. non-hallucinogenic) amount consistently over a longer period of time (weeks to months or longer) to build new neural pathways toward more desired habits and emotional connection and resiliency.

Psychedelic-assisted therapies utilizing the macrodose approach take place in a therapeutic setting, under the guidance of trained professionals. This approach might combine the benefits of traditional talk therapy with the potentially transformative effects of psychedelic substances, and it might also be a nonverbal, inwardly-focused transformative experience with trained support personnel nearby. Key components of psychedelic-assisted therapy include:

1. Safe and supportive environment: The process takes place in a controlled setting, ensuring that clients feel secure and supported throughout the experience.

1. Trained professionals: Therapists, facilitators, or coaches with expertise in psychedelic-assisted therapy are present to guide clients through their experience, helping them process and make sense of any insights or emotions that arise.

1. Potential benefits and considerations: Psychedelic-assisted therapy has shown promising results in clinical research, with many individuals experiencing significant improvements in mental health symptoms. However, it is important to consider potential risks and side effects, such as the possibility of a challenging experience or negative reactions to the substance.

Microdosing psychedelics has recently garnered some media attention with the controversy around whether moms, in particular, should be taking any type of psychedelic drug, in any dose. Certainly, there are a lot of factors to consider before beginning any medication, whether plant-based or synthetic, to ensure you will have a safe journey and will not experience any potentially dangerous side effects or interactions. 

Microdosing involves taking a small, sub-perceptual dose of a psychedelic substance on a regular schedule. This approach to psychedelics has gained popularity in many different groups- most notably in Silicon Valley Executives- for its potential to enhance creativity, focus, and emotional well-being without inducing the intense effects associated with full psychedelic experiences. For mothers, microdosing has been anecdotally shown to offer benefits such as improved mood, increased patience, and enhanced emotional connection with their children. By incorporating microdosing into their self-care routine, some moms may find it easier to navigate the daily challenges of motherhood, fostering a more balanced and fulfilling experience.

For mothers who have experienced trauma or are raising children who have experienced trauma, the process of healing and achieving emotional well-being is critical. By actively engaging in their own healing, mothers can create a more nurturing and supportive environment for their children, promoting resilience and emotional growth. The benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy or microdosing, such as improved mood, increased patience, and enhanced emotional connection, can help mothers better understand and respond to the needs of their children. This, in turn, can contribute to breaking the cycle of trauma and fostering healthier, more emotionally balanced families.

In a society grappling with the pervasive issue of childhood trauma, it is essential for mothers to prioritize their own healing and mental well-being. By doing so, they not only improve their own lives but also contribute to creating a more compassionate, supportive, and resilient future for their children and generations to come.

It’s important to keep in mind that a critical factor when microdosing is twofold: the dose should be sub-perceptual, meaning that you aren’t going to feel stoned or zoned or see fractals suddenly everywhere you look. Microdosing dose recommendations start at the 0.05-gram level. For comparison, a macro dose starts at around 3 grams, depending on the individual, their goals, and the experience they want to have. Microdosing should sit somewhere around 1-4% of a hallucinogenic dose. 

The other key factor to remember when it comes to using psychedelics as a mental health support tool is that it is not a magic pill that will make your problems go away, or make you feel them less. Intention, integration, and receiving professional guidance throughout your journey are critical to ensuring you have the proper tools and support to work through your challenges and optimize your results. 

How To Prepare For A Psychedelic Experience

If you are considering macrodosing psychedelics as a tool for healing, it is important to adequately prepare yourself to ensure a positive and meaningful experience. Here are some steps to help you get ready:

1. Set intentions: Before embarking on a psychedelic journey, take some time to reflect on your goals and desired outcomes. This can help you focus on your experience and create a clear sense of purpose.

1. Ensure a comfortable and safe environment: The setting in which you undergo your psychedelic experience can significantly impact its outcome. Make sure you have a comfortable, quiet, and safe space in which to engage with the substance. 

1. Build a support network: Having a network of trusted individuals who can offer guidance, encouragement, and emotional support throughout your journey is essential. This may include friends, family members, professional coaches, therapists, or facilitators. 

1. Mental and emotional readiness: Make sure you are in a stable emotional and mental state before embarking on a psychedelic experience. This can help reduce the likelihood of a challenging or negative experience.

If you are considering microdosing psychedelics as a tool in your healing practice, here are a few tips to get you started: 

1. Set intentions: Make sure you are clear on what your goals are for the microdosing experience. What habits do you want to get rid of, or begin? What do you want to change in your relationships, in your job, and in your self-image? 

1. Track Your Progress: Whether you use a journal, a spreadsheet, a self-questionnaire, or an app, be sure to note how you are feeling each day. You may not feel an immediate shift, and journaling or tracking your experience can help you see more objectively the progress you are making. 

1. Connect with a coach or therapist: find someone who is trained in supporting others through personal growth and healing experiences and can help you make the most out of your experience. 

1. Integration: applying your insights and learnings to your daily life is critical for creating sustainable and lasting change in your life. 

Healing And Psychiatry 

The development of a strong healing practice is essential for moms who have experienced trauma, chronic anxiety, or prolonged periods of stress in their lives, not only to nourish themselves but to also end the cycle of generational trauma by not passing emotional dysfunction on to their children. Today, we are in a global mental health crisis. People, women, moms are struggling everywhere and they are looking for options that don’t include pharmaceutical medication with a potential for lifelong dependency and risk of unwanted side effects. 

Western psychiatry has historically been an institution rooted in pathology, a “find and fix” approach to medicine and health. We are finding more and more evidence that this is not always the most effective container as it relates to patient outcomes and quality of life. While this approach certainly does work for symptom management in many, it often falls short in supporting real growth and insight around addressing the root cause, which leaves many feeling unable to cope with their symptoms without the ongoing support of pharmaceutical medication. For many people suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic stress- it can feel like a pathway with no real end. 

Furthermore, diagnosis and financial processes are closely intertwined when you examine the underpinnings of psychiatry. Originally constructed in order to determine who gets paid for what service, it has become a profitable juggernaut in the wake of a population in crisis. When you combine that financial construct with treatment pathways that don’t seem to create viable and sustainable transition plans to live a life independent of medication, you can begin to see how pervasive the issue truly is. 

Using plant-based medicines such as cannabis or psychedelics safely, responsibly, and with intention creates a shift in what’s possible when advocating for our own care and wellbeing. It cultivates the pretext and backdrop of self-trust and self-accountability. It assumes that health outcomes can be achieved so long as we do the work to create the conditions for our bodies to heal. 

The question isn’t “What are you healing from,” it is “What are you healing toward?” 

It is a subtle shift, but a crucial one in taking ownership of and cultivating our mindset toward growth and healing rather than limitation and suffering. 

The inclusion of psychedelics and microdosing in our mental health dialogue can revolutionize the way we approach overall wellbeing. By offering alternative and holistic paths to healing that go beyond traditional methods, they have the potential to help address mental health conditions that have proven resistant to other treatments. Importantly, they also empower individuals to become active participants in their own mental health journey. By engaging with these therapeutic modalities, individuals can experience first-hand the transformative effects and advocate for their broader acceptance and integration in the healthcare landscape. As such, psychedelics and microdosing have the potential to not only enhance individual mental health outcomes but also reshape the future of psychiatry.

And I am here for it.