Psychedelics are experiencing a resurgence. The popularity of these plant medicines has exploded over the last few decades, and with authorities around the world relaxing their once hardline stance and increasingly welcoming therapeutic and scientific use, this popularity has led to a wave of new psychedelic practices.

Psychedelic coaching is at the heart of this revolution, with skilled coaches incorporating psychedelic support to teach their clients more about themselves, their habits, their desires, and their goals. However, becoming a psychedelic coach isn’t as easy as reading about plant medicines and then seeking certification.

In a competitive field such as this, you need to be fully prepared, and the best way to learn more about any subject is to seek guidance from those already in the know. If you’re a psychedelic practitioner, you should consider getting a mentor. In this guide, we’ll tell you why mentors are important and how you can get one.

What is Supervision & Mentorship in Psychedelic Coaching?

Supervision and mentorship are similar, but there are some key differences:

• Supervision: Ongoing support from an experienced professional who will help you with everything from ethical dilemmas to safety protocols and the general challenges of being a psychedelic practitioner.
• Mentorship: A mentor is an experienced practitioner who can impart wisdom from years of practical experience. You’ll learn more about the practice and could avoid making mistakes by learning from their missteps.

Both of these will support you in your practice and help you to provide a better experience for your clients.

Why Supervision & Mentorship Are Critical in Psychedelic Work

Although you don’t need a mentor to become certified or work with plant medicines, it can make a big difference to your career and could fast-track your success. Here are just a few reasons why mentorship is important:

Ensuring Ethical & Safe Practices

Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are non-addictive, and they produce very few serious adverse reactions, especially when used under supervision. However, they are mind-altering, mood-changing substances and must be treated with respect.(1)

Supervision and mentorship can teach aspiring practitioners about the risks while showing them how to encourage safe psychedelic experiences. Mentors have experience working with psychedelics and helping others on their journey, so they should know about:

• Contraindications and high-risk factors
• Emotional difficulties
• Challenging experiences and integrations
• How to help someone through a “bad trip”

Rather than learning through trial and error, a practitioner can learn from real world examples with mentors who have a wealth of experiences behind them.

Deepening Your Understanding of Psychedelic Experiences

Everyone’s psychedelic journey is unique. The Psychedelic Coaching Institute’s training encourages personal experience to better prepare practitioners and give them first-hand knowledge of what their clients will be undertaking. However, everyone’s experience is different, and one journey is not enough to fully understand plant medicine.

As established practitioners have likely undertaken and supported many psychedelic journeys and taken lessons from each of them, their knowledge is priceless.

Building Confidence & Skillful Presence

Imposter syndrome, whereby the individual feels like they don’t belong, is common among psychedelic coaches. Regardless of how knowledgeable and experienced they are, they may not feel adequately equipped.

Supervision and mentorship can teach them to trust their abilities while also imparting some valuable lessons and reassurance.

Learning to Navigate Challenges & Difficult Situations

A psychedelic experience can unearth deep-rooted emotional issues, including long-hidden trauma. Reacting to these experiences and supporting an individual requires a practical approach—it’s not something you can fully understand through study alone.

With supervision, a mentee can debrief difficult sessions and get constructive feedback on their actions. They can also learn how the mentor would have approached the situation—whether that means providing more support, taking a step back, or referring the client to a therapist—before using this information to plan for future challenges.

Expanding Your Professional Network & Opportunities

Psychedelic practitioners accumulate a large list of clients and fellow professionals over the years. They build reputations online in forums like Third Wave’s Community platform and establish themselves in psychedelic communities offline. By adopting a skilled practitioner as a mentor, a new coach can tap into this network.

If a new or aspiring practitioner is good at what they do, a mentor is more likely to recommend them and connect them with clients, organizations, and communities.

How to Find a Qualified Mentor or Supervisor

There are many mentors and supervisors keen to work with ambitious and dedicated practitioners. However, simply stating your intent won’t mean they’ll be queuing at your door. Even if you do find someone eager to help, they might not be suitable for your needs, location, or level of experience.

Here’s how to find a suitable mentor:

Look for Coaches with Experience in Psychedelic Integration

Coaches cover various different areas of expertise, but if you’re exploring the field of psychedelic integration, you want someone who has direct experience working with psychedelics.

Look for someone who practices psychedelic integration and has the credentials to back it up. Make sure they have extensive knowledge of plant medicines and can support their claims with testimonials and a solid reputation within the industry.

Choose Someone Who Aligns with Your Approach

Will you be focusing more on trauma healing or somatic practices? Are your clients executives looking for a burst of creativity and professional direction, or everyday people seeking help with depression, anxiety, and past trauma? Find your focus, and get a mentor whose experience and values align with that focus.

Join Supervision Groups & Professional Networks

Coaching programs like those offered by the Psychedelic Coaching Institute provide mentorship and supervision to help aspiring practitioners take the next step. You can also find support, mentorship, and supervision within the Third Wave community or via other psychedelic communities, supervision groups, and professional organizations.

Try to ingratiate yourself into the community by visiting retreats, attending events, listening to psychedelic podcasts, following relevant groups, and making connections where you can.

The Path to Mastery: Committing to Lifelong Learning

Psychedelic coaching is not mastered in a single program of learning or training. It’s a gradual process—there’s always something to learn. Not only is the legal and scientific landscape constantly changing, but as this industry is still in its infancy, the best practices are also evolving.

Even experienced practitioners can benefit from ongoing mentorship. It’s an investment that helps coaches to improve, but more importantly, those improvements have a direct impact on their clients and ensure continued safety, integrity, and successful integration.

Conclusion: Elevate Your Psychedelic Coaching Practice with Supervision & Mentorship

Being a successful psychedelic integration coach requires real-world knowledge, a legal and ethical framework, and constant improvement. A mentor or supervisor can help with all of this while promoting competence, instilling confidence, providing accountability, and ensuring coaches have the knowledge and skills needed to support their clients.

If you’re serious about psychedelic coaching and are ready for the next step, regardless of your current skillset, you should consider working with a mentor or supervisor.

Interested in learning more about psychedelic coaching? Explore Psychedelic Coaching Institute’s Practitioner Certification Program.