Plant medicines have become one of the fastest-growing healing movements in the world. Every day, more people are turning to Ayahuasca, Huachuma, Magic Mushrooms, Cannabis, 5-MeO-DMT, and other entheogens in search of healing from trauma, depression, addiction, anxiety, and countless other psychological challenges.
Working with the plants, however, creates a tangible tension between the modern world’s understanding of mental health and the shamanic view. Western medicine likes to diagnose, analyze, and medicate. The plants like to go all-in to feeling and subconscious illumination.
This inherent conflict has had many repercussions. Some people that need these medicines most - people diagnosed as bi-polar or borderline, as an example - are often turned away from retreats and treatments, in part because of misunderstandings and lack of a common language around what this really means. And others are given large doses of entheogens that actually can cause more trauma and destabilization.
The time has come to bridge the spiritual and clinical understandings of mental health, and to create safe and compassionate containers that actually help people heal. This is the mission of our new course. As a woman diagnosed bi-polar who later found profound healing and understanding of her psyche through Ayahuasca, this is Kat’s deepest passion.
Over eight weeks, we'll examine how different plant medicines affect the nervous system, consciousness, emotions, and behavior, while exploring the unique ways they interact with common psychological conditions. Each week we'll focus on a different area of mental health, discussing the clinical understanding of these challenges alongside the spiritual perspectives held by traditional plant medicine lineages.
We'll also explore one of the most important aspects of this work: harm reduction. We'll discuss when plant medicines may be supportive, when they may not be appropriate, and how thoughtful preparation, facilitation, and integration can dramatically influence outcomes.
Drawing from more than 22 years of shamanic training, 18 years of psychedelic integration coaching, thousands of client experiences, and her work as co-founder of Bassé Ibogaine Clinic, Kat brings together practical experience, indigenous teachings, and modern psychological understanding to create a balanced and compassionate approach to this rapidly evolving field.
Whether you're a facilitator, coach, therapist, healthcare professional, experienced participant, or simply fascinated by the relationship between psychology and plant consciousness, this course will deepen your understanding of what happens when these powerful medicines merge with the complexities of human consciousness.