Psilocybin Readiness

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What's your experience with psychedelics?

  • A.
    I've done psilocybin or other psychedelics several times
  • B.
    I took mushrooms, LSD, or something similar once or twice a long time ago
  • C.
    I've used cannabis
  • D.
    I've used MDMA
  • E.
    I'm a newbie to psychedelics
• 2.
  For how long have you been considering a psilocybin experience?

  • A.
    I've been researching it and/or considering it for at least a month
  • B.
    For years!
  • C.
    Within the last week
• 3.
  Have you or an immediate family member been diagnosed with schizophrenia, or a related disorder?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
• 4.
  Do you have, or suspect you have, Bipolar?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
  • C.
    I don't know
• 5.
  Do you have a heart condition?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
• 6.
  Do you have a heart arrhythmia or high blood pressure?

  • A.
    Yes
  • B.
    No
• 7.
  How much do you crave closeness and connection with others?

  • A.
    I tend to keep people at a distance
  • B.
    I can't get enough! It's what I live for.
  • C.
    I have at least one close, healthy relationship, and I'm open to more
  • D.
    I'm close with my family, but I don't have many close friends
• 8.
  You're in the passenger seat of the car, you're running late, and the driver is driving the speed limit. You:

  • A.
    I would NEVER be in the passenger seat. I like to be the driver.
  • B.
    I would let the driver know exactly what is on my mind
  • C.
    I might be tense, but I wouldn't say anything
  • D.
    I'd sit back and enjoy the ride
• 9.
  How often do you engage in a body-based activity, like breathwork, yoga, or meditation?

  • A.
    I live in my head and that's where I prefer to stay
  • B.
    I practice somatic techniques, meditate, spend time relaxing in nature, or other body-focused activity on a fairy regular basis
  • C.
    Somewhere in between the two answers above
  • D.
    I've dabbled in some of those things but they're not for me
• 10.
  How comfortable are you with looking at potentially painful events from your past? 

  • A.
    I haven't done much of it, but it's my primary reason for trying psilocybin
  • B.
    I've taken a deep dive and want to learn more
  • C.
    No thank you
• 11.
  How do you react when things don't go as planned?

  • A.
    I'm pretty good at going with the flow
  • B.
    It's disappointing and I might spend time figuring out how it happened, but I don't dwell on it for long
  • C.
    I analyze every angle and do everything I can to prevent a repeat

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Green: You're ready!

  Image Source

  Your answers indicate that you've spent some time considering whether or not you might benefit from using psilocybin. You understand the possible risks and benefits. You're pretty good at letting go and accepting what happens to you. While you might feel nervous, you're excited and open to whatever might come up during your journey. There are still things you can do to maximize your chances of having the kind of experience you really want. You can engage in a regular meditation or related practice in the weeks or months leading up to your experience; you can journal about your dreams and thoughts about your upcoming journey; you can give yourself extra time to relax in the days leading up to your session; you can spend time creating an intention for yourself; you can find a facilitator that inspires trust.There are other factors that can influence your experience, from high stress levels to an abusive living situation. A well-trained facilitator will ask you about your history and current life circumstances to make sure it's safe for you. I recommend having an open, honest conversation with your facilitator so they can accurately assess your risk level and readiness. Above all, be sure to work with someone you trust. Studies have shown that a person's comfort level with their facilitator is the most important factor in having a satisfying psilocybin session.If you have questions and/or would like to talk about working with me (with no obligation), click below to schedule your free consultation.
• 2.
  Yellow Zone: You're on the path

  Image Source

  You're well on your way! While you're likely to have a good experience if you had a psilocybin journey now, you would likely benefit from a bit of preparation. Slowing down and tuning into your senses more often, or starting a meditation practice are just a couple of ideas. Studies show that those who meditate regularly tend to have better experiences on psychedelics. It doesn't have to be meditation, though - anything that gets you out of your head and into your body can help. Somatic experiencing, yoga, sound healing, relaxing in nature, or breathwork are a few ideas. You might also do well to put some attention on your inner world. You could start journaling regularly or working with a therapist or coach. You might allow yourself to sit with difficult emotions and/or start examining some of the painful experiences from your childhood. Not only can this expand your capacity to tolerate difficult feelings, but it can prepare you for what might come up in a psilocybin experience. Just make sure you have a support system in place in case you start to feel overwhelmed; this is especially important if you experienced significant trauma in your past.There are other factors that can influence your experience, from high stress levels to an abusive living situation. A well-trained facilitator will ask you about your history and current life circumstances to make sure the timing is right and that it's safe for you. I recommend having an open, honest conversation with your facilitator so they can accurately assess your risk level and readiness. Above all, it's important for you to work with someone you can trust. Studies have shown that a person's comfort level with their facilitator is the most important factor in having a satisfying psilocybin session.If you have questions and/or would like to talk about working with me (with no obligation), you can schedule your free consultation by clicking below.
• 3.
  Orange Zone: Proceed with Caution

  Image Source

  You might be ready for psilocybin work, but I'd recommend not rushing into it. There are some tendencies that put people at risk for having challenging experiences. Some of these tendencies include:having a hard time letting go of controlpushing away feelings of vulnerabilitybeing highly analytical and uncomfortable connecting with one's body and/or emotionsWhile you can work with psilocybin, you're more likely to have a good experience if you take a bit of time to prepare for it. I recommend engaging in some form of body work like yoga, tai chi, breath work, or somatic experiencing. Spending some time in nature and leaning into your senses can also be helpful. I'd also strongly recommend that you get more comfortable identifying and sitting with your emotions. When you can identify your emotions and tolerate difficult feelings without becoming overwhelmed, you're more likely to do well with psilocybin.There are other factors that can influence your experience, from high levels of stress to an abusive living situation. A well-trained facilitator will ask you about your history and current life circumstances to make sure the timing is right and that it's safe for you.Above all, it's important for you to work with someone you can trust. Studies have shown that a person's comfort level with their facilitator is the most important factor in having a satisfying psilocybin session.If you have questions and/or would like to talk about working with me (with no obligation), you can schedule your free consultation by clicking below.
• 4.
  Purple Zone: Seek Guidance

  Image Source

  There are some gray areas when it comes to people who can safely use psilocybin. While research is being conducted at a much faster pace now than in the past 50 years, there are still unanswered questions. One of those questions is about the safety for those with heart conditions. Current best practices suggest that those with heart arrhythmias or high blood pressure would do best to find alternatives to psychedelics. If you have another cardiac diagnosis, work with your cardiologist or other medical professional to determine your level of risk; not all heart conditions appear to put you at risk.Another gray area is a diagnosis of Bipolar. In the past, those with this diagnosis were told to stay away from psilocybin because of the risk of triggering a manic episode. However, research is showing that in certain circumstances it might be safe and even beneficial. Still, it's important to proceed with caution and discuss it with your medical team and your facilitator. Many facilitators will be uncomfortable with this or may not understand the risks or how to set you up for success; please interview potential facilitators carefully!There are other factors that can influence your experience, from high stress levels to an abusive living situation. A well-trained facilitator will ask you about your history and current life circumstances to make sure the timing is right and that it's safe for you. I recommend having an open, honest conversation with your facilitator so they can accurately assess your risk level and readiness. It will be especially important for you to work with someone you can trust. Studies have shown that a person's comfort level with their facilitator is the most important factor in having a satisfying psilocybin session.If you have questions and/or would like to talk about working with me (with no obligation), you can schedule your free consultation by clicking below.
• 5.
  Red Zone

  Image Source

  There are certain mental health conditions that make it unsafe for some people to use psilocybin. Schizophrenia and related conditions, heart arrhythmias, and high blood pressure are currently considered high risk factors. This might be disappointing, but I recommend you work with a qualified therapist.