{"id":9833,"date":"2023-09-03T12:28:19","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T12:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/?p=5772996"},"modified":"2023-09-03T12:28:19","modified_gmt":"2023-09-03T12:28:19","slug":"how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon\/","title":{"rendered":"How does psilocybin-assisted therapy work in Colorado and Oregon?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"wp_fb_like_button\" style=\"margin:5px 0 5px 5px;float:right;height:100px;\"><script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon\/\" send=\"true\" layout=\"standard\" width=\"450\" show_faces=\"false\" font=\"arial\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<p>Before Dee Lafferty decided to add psychedelic-assisted therapy to her repertoire, she wanted to try it for herself.<\/p>\n<p>A licensed clinical social worker of more than a decade, Lafferty had heard about the promise of substances such as ketamine and psilocybin to improve mental health. In June, Lafferty sat with a facilitator in a psilocybin service center she owns and operates in Albany, Oregon, called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.innerguidanceinc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Inner Guidance Services<\/a>. And she took a journey.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was kind of like how all psychedelic experiences go, from my observation,\u201d she said. \u201cYou go in thinking you know what you want to work on and what you want to gain from the experience, but you actually walk out with whatever it is you need \u2014 and that may or may not be what your expectation is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Oregon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/01\/03\/health\/psychedelic-drugs-mushrooms-oregon.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">became the first state to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy<\/a> via a ballot measure in 2020. Colorado <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2022\/12\/04\/legal-psilocybin-therapy-oregon-colorado-regulations\/\">followed suit last November<\/a>, and regulators here are now developing rules to govern the new industry, from licensing workers in the space to product testing and compliance.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5765433\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline\"><img class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon.jpg\" alt=\"Capsuled psilocybin mushrooms at Joe Stone's home in Westminster are seen on Aug. 22, 2023. Stone uses psilocybin mushrooms as a treatment for his cluster headaches, typically ingesting it through tea or capsule form. (Photo by Hyoung Chang\/The Denver Post)\" width=\"7442\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"5765433\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon.jpg 620w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/TDP-L-joestone082223-cha-1539.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/TDP-L-joestone082223-cha-1539.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/TDP-L-joestone082223-cha-1539.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/TDP-L-joestone082223-cha-1539.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Capsuled psilocybin mushrooms at Joe Stone\u2019s home in Westminster are seen on Aug. 22, 2023. Stone uses psilocybin mushrooms as a treatment for his cluster headaches, typically ingesting it through tea or capsule form. (Photo by Hyoung Chang\/The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Dominique Mendiola, senior director at Colorado\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/dnm.colorado.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Natural Medicine Division<\/a>, says her department is looking to Oregon and working with officials there as it develops rules and best practices.<\/p>\n<p>While much is still yet to be decided, elements of this type of therapy have become recognized as standards while it\u2019s been happening underground \u2014 and now legally in the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n<p>Psychedelic-assisted therapy typically consists of three phases: preparation, administration and integration.<\/p>\n<p>Preparation involves meeting with a facilitator once or more to discuss the recipient\u2019s medical history, intentions and goals, and safety protocols.<\/p>\n<p>Participants do not need a doctor\u2019s note or a formal diagnosis to receive psilocybin therapy at Inner Guidance Services, Lafferty said. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/secure.sos.state.or.us\/oard\/displayDivisionRules.action?selectedDivision=7102\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oregon\u2019s laws<\/a> prohibit individuals who are actively taking lithium from partaking in the service, and other medications could have bad interactions. Clinical trials also typically exclude people with a family history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder out of concern that psychedelics might induce psychosis.<\/p>\n<p>Administration refers to the session during which a person ingests psilocybin; these last, on average, four to eight hours. At Inner Guidance Services, participants purchase 3.25 grams of mushrooms that they eat raw. They also can bring pre-packaged food products, such as tea, to consume with the mushrooms.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5727909\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter size-article_inline\"><img class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dee Lafferty decorated therapy rooms, seen on July 5, 2023, with comfortable lounge chairs, minimal artwork and soft blankets, seen here at Inner Guidance Services Inc. in Albany, Ore. Lafferty, one of the first licensed psilocybin therapists in the country, believes that her practice can help to give people a sense of safety. She hopes to encourage wider acceptance the use of psychedelics in medicine. (Photo by Kristina Barker\/Special to The Denver Post)\" width=\"3600\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon-1.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"5727909\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/how-does-psilocybin-assisted-therapy-work-in-colorado-and-oregon-1.jpg 620w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/TDP-Z-psilocybin-therapy-kb-008.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 780w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/TDP-Z-psilocybin-therapy-kb-008.jpg?fit=810%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 810w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/TDP-Z-psilocybin-therapy-kb-008.jpg?fit=1280%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1280w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.denverpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/TDP-Z-psilocybin-therapy-kb-008.jpg?fit=1860%2C9999px&amp;ssl=1 1860w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dee Lafferty decorated therapy rooms, seen on July 5, 2023, with comfortable lounge chairs, minimal artwork and soft blankets, seen here at Inner Guidance Services Inc. in Albany, Ore. Lafferty, one of the first licensed psilocybin therapists in the country, believes that her practice can help to give people a sense of safety. She hopes to encourage wider acceptance the use of psychedelics in medicine. (Photo by Kristina Barker\/Special to The Denver Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lafferty\u2019s team provides each person with an eye mask, a pair of headphones and a blanket and encourages them to get comfy before the psilocybin sets in.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike traditional talk therapy, there\u2019s rarely discussion during an administration session.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf the person is up and they want to talk, of course, we\u2019re going to talk to them,\u201d Lafferty said. \u201cBut the hope is that they\u2019re going to go inside (themselves), because this is an internal process where the psilocybin products help your brain and body move through the process toward wellness and less suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The final phase, integration, happens in the days and weeks after a psychedelic journey. Participants work with their facilitators to process their experiences and apply any insights to their lives.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"related right\"> <\/aside>\n<p>While it\u2019s not required by law, Lafferty believes integration is among the most important steps in this therapy. Individuals with prior experience using psychedelics for recreational purposes have told The Denver Post that the therapeutic approach \u2014 with support before, during and after taking the drugs \u2014 produced different results.<\/p>\n<p>Many recipients also said they experienced challenging emotions during their trip, but ultimately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/2023\/08\/31\/psychedelic-therapy-psilocybin-ptsd-cancer-cluster-headaches-colorado\/\">these sessions can be transformational<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not magic,\u201d Lafferty said. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to walk out a new person. But you may walk out better off than you were when you came in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.denverpost.com\/newsletter-signup\/checkup-denver\/\">Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><\/div>\n<p>Colorado became the second state to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy, and regulators are now developing rules to govern the new industry, from licensing workers in the space to product testing and compliance. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5062,52,6811,1345,6892,7938,7524,4995,77,9,7300,8146,5019,170,8147,8148,1,3,7072,6923,61,1736],"tags":[5063,2632,6816,3915,6893,7939,7527,4996,2655,7305,8151,5022,2748,8152,8153,7073,6924],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9833"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannitrol.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}