Psychedelics are illegal at a federal level, and while a few governments have decriminalized or legalized some plant medicines, they are illegal in most countries. They can also cause adverse reactions, especially with improper use or in the presence of preexisting illnesses or medication contraindications. (1)

This combination of prohibition and risk creates a quandary for psychedelic practitioners, and it’s why students at the Psychedelic Coaching Institute are trained in ethical practices. Before becoming certified, they are walked through the ethical issues that can present during psychedelic practice and are taught to practice with the utmost integrity while always considering the client’s safety.

Core Principles of Holding Space

PCI-trained students are taught the principles of “holding space”, which outlines the high level of competency required of all certified practitioners. Holding space is an active and conscious practice that requires a high level of understanding, as well as a certain degree of humility.

This competency comes from a series of complementary skills, including:

Integrity

Practitioners act as guides and facilitators. While some may be licensed therapists, they do not provide therapy or clinical care in this role. They offer support and reflection, but they don’t diagnose, treat, or give medical advice.

Maintaining integrity during psychedelic practice means adhering to strict ethical conduct and never manipulating clients into a certain way of thinking or coercing them into a particular practice.

At PCI, practitioners are trained to act as experienced and knowledgeable guides. At the same time, they are expected to adopt a science-backed, client-centric approach—with guidance based on fact, not driven by ego.

Compassion

Compassion is key when it comes to this work. Coaches should be mindful of the unique needs and temperament of each person they support, and never project their own experiences or expectations onto the client.

Presence

The ability to remain calm and grounded throughout a psychedelic journey is an essential skill for every practitioner. The client may experience distress during the journey or resist change after it. It can be a scary, confronting, or temporarily disorienting experience for them. A calm and centered presence is key to keeping them on the right track.

Witnessing

Building on compassion, witnessing means holding a supportive, responsive space for whatever is surfacing in a client—without imposing, rushing, or forcing the process. The coach is a source of both grounding and mirroring, staying present to the client’s experience and offering reflections that honor the nature of the work and the client’s goals.

Transparency

Coaches should always be upfront about their experience, abilities, qualifications, and limitations. They should inform the client about the scope of their practice, the limitations and risks of plant medicine, and the potential outcomes without making grandiose claims or promises.

Ethics and Boundaries

Coaches should always establish boundaries. A psychedelic journey is an intimate, eye-opening experience, and allowing someone into that journey requires a high level of trust that must be honored with the highest integrity.

The following aspects are covered extensively in the PCI curriculum:

1. Power Differentials: In expanded states, clients may feel a strong emotional connection or dependency toward their coach. This is a common response that requires careful, ethical handling. Coaches should never encourage this dynamic or act on it. Instead, they must maintain professional integrity and avoid any emotional or sexual entanglements.

• Touch & Intimacy: Building on the above point, practitioners should avoid emotional or physical intimacy with clients, as it can compromise trust and blur ethical boundaries—especially in expanded states.
  
  Touch can be a powerful part of healing, but practitioners must understand whether touch falls within their scope of practice and ethical guidelines. If used, it should be discussed in advance with clear boundaries and informed agreement. Even well-intentioned touch can cause harm if not appropriately administered.

• Role Discipline: Coaches are facilitators of psychedelic experiences. They are guides and integrators. They are not therapists or shamans, and they shouldn’t offer or promise anything that goes beyond their scope of practice, such as clinical care. Failing to adhere to these roles can place both the client and the practitioner at risk.
  
  
• Personal Experience: At PCI, coaches are encouraged to “walk the walk”, in part by undergoing their own psychedelic experiences. Doing so equips practitioners with personal insight and helps them embody a deeper level of integrity in their work. At times, sharing aspects of one’s experience can be helpful—especially if a client is feeling nervous about what to expect.
  
  However, a practitioner must be careful not to relive or project their own personal journey onto their client. The focus should always remain on the client’s unique process, wherever it leads. To support this, the PCI curriculum includes real-world examples of ethical missteps and clear guidance on how to avoid them.

Trauma-Informed Coaching

Not everyone is suitable for psychedelic integration. A good coach will know how to properly assess their clients and spot red flags, such as unresolved trauma, preexisting health conditions, psychological instability, or medications (such as some antidepressants).

Clients are the lifeblood of every coach’s practice, but their health and safety come first, and a good coach will know how and when to refer someone to a therapist or facilitator. Although there are various factors at play, readiness usually comes down to the client’s window of tolerance, or their psychological and physiological capacity to undergo a psychedelic experience and self-regulate during the integration phase.

Safety as a Practice, Not a Concept

One of the challenges of psychedelic coaching is that there’s no simple playbook to follow. It’s a dynamic practice that requires both lived experience and deep understanding. While some of these skills can only be developed over time, PCI’s training provides a strong foundation through in-depth theoretical and practical instruction.

With experience, coaches learn the more nuanced aspects of ethical practice and can incorporate them into their work. This is an ever-evolving skillset—and the more educated, informed, and prepared a coach is, the safer and more supported their clients will feel.

After all, ethics and safety form the scaffolding that supports each phase of this work. Without integrating these core tenets, a practitioner isn’t truly ready to do this work.