This article by Jill Ettinger was originally published on Psychedelic Spotlight, and appears here with permission.
In the first episode of Goop’s Netflix series, “The Goop Lab”, GP staffers, including former Chief Content Officer Elise Loehnen and Gwyneth Paltrow’s personal assistant Kevin Keating, head to Jamaica. They’re there to take part in psilocybin mushroom therapy sessions.
Say what you will about Goop (I won’t stop you), but the episode did psychedelics a pretty big solid. Paltrow and Loehen chat with experts psychiatrist Will Siu and Mark Harden, of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. They set the stage, providing history and context to the current state of psychedelics in the West. They also dive into the research and testing on psychedelics — psilocybin specifically — for mental health issues.
“We know at Goop that psychedelic mushrooms are controversial, but what we try to do at Goop is be open-minded and explore ideas that may seem out there or too scary so that people can have access to the information and make up their own minds,” Loehnen explains in the episode.
Goop staffers get cozy in the tropics with a small crew of practitioners who administer the psilocybin and the integration sessions afterward. Goopers have breakthroughs; some opened up emotionally, one even comparing the experience to five years’ worth of therapy. Some processed traumas, like the loss of a parent, while others worked on their own personal development. The cameras keep rolling.
These experiences aren’t unique to bougie purveyors of high-priced skincare, jade eggs for you hoo-ha, and $200 straw hats; this is the power of psilocybin.
Photo by Mariam Soliman on Unsplash
Psilocybin Retreat Centers
But finding retreat centers that specialize in psilocybin-assisted therapy isn’t as easy as booking a massage. In the U.S. the substance is classified as a Schedule 1 drug alongside heroin. That makes it illegal on a federal level, even with recent policy shifts in Oregon and cities including Denver and Washington D.C.
A number of psilocybin treatment centers are already operating in places like Jamaica and the Netherlands where psilocybin is legal. They’re seeing great success with patients reporting lasting benefits.
Last November, Oregon voters decriminalized psychedelics. But the state also did something much bigger — it also legalized the use of psilocybin in therapeutic settings. This is a first in the country. The state will now establish guidelines for treatment. That includes certifying therapists to work with the substance on treating mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Just north of Oregon in Canada, Vancouver is also on track to become the first Canadian jurisdiction to decriminalize drugs. Health Canada is also greenlighting a number of trials that could pave the way for more centers and support for psilocybin.
“Retreats step into…
Read more:Is America Ready For Psilocybin Mushroom Retreats? | Benzinga