Considering Taking Psychedelics During the Quarantine? A Discussion with Therapist Rebecca Kronman
Thanks to the current pandemic, most of the population is quarantined at home. During this time, some may want to consider using psychedelics. However, there are some additional considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether to undergo a psychedelic journey during the quarantine.
Rebecca Kronman is a licensed therapist and the founder of Plant Parenthood, a community of parents who use psychedelics. She is a psychotherapist with a private practice in Brooklyn, NY where she works with clients to help them prepare for and integrate after psychedelic experiences.
In this episode, Rebecca discusses the concept of harm reduction. This means that no one is advocating what anyone else should or shouldn’t be doing. Rather, it is about asking that people explore the topic of psychedelics with all the information available. With the right knowledge and confidence, people will feel better prepared for whatever they decide to do.
Given that hospitals are currently overtaxed and undersupplied, considering what might happen if a psychedelic experience goes wrong is more important than ever. Rebecca talks about how heightened levels of anxiety are going to play into this and how is more crucial that someone is attuned to their mindset before undertaking a psychedelic experience. Rebecca shares some tools that people can use to listen to what their mind and body are telling them.
If, after taking everything into account you decide this isn't the proper time to be journeying for you, then it can still be used to prepare for one in the future or integrate one from the past. That being said, for some individuals this time may be too overwhelming for that and it might be best to wait for another time. Rebecca stresses that everyone needs to evaluate their own situation and make an informed decision.
In this episode:
What harm reduction means and how it relates to psychedelic use
Important considerations if an experience goes awry
Tools for evaluating mindset during times of heightened anxiety
Using this time to prepare for a future experience or integrate a past one
Quotes:
“Are we okay with the fact that the hospital might not be available to us right now?” [6:20]
“Any way that you can create space for yourself and pause - any kind of contemplative practice - is going to be extremely useful.” [11:10]
“This is an entropic period for all of us. Our whole lives look different. We may be in a different place. Definitely, we’re doing different things. Our whole routine has shifted. Greater entropy gives us greater opportunity for shifting patterns. That’s what psychedelics are about.” [20:07]
“If it feels accessible to us to add something new into our integration practices, this is a great time. If we’ve got too much on our plate, have compassion for ourselves and say ‘drop the technique.’” [22:27]
Links:
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The Psychedelics Integration Handbook by Ryan Westrum, Ph.D.