Coaching vs. Therapy in Navigating Psychedelic Integration
By Madison Margolin
For those seasoned in the world of psychedelic journeying, the term “medicine” takes on a layered meaning. It’s not merely about the substance itself; it’s about integration—the vital process of translating psychedelic consciousness into practical applications for everyday life. In essence, integration is the true medicine. Thus, the pressing question emerges: how does one integrate effectively?
Once a nascent field, “psychedelic integration” has burgeoned into a thriving subfield among mental health professionals, many of whom are now learning how to support clients navigating the aftermath of their psychedelic experiences. For some, a “psychedelic integration therapist” may provide a specialized approach, relying on established psychological modalities to assess a person’s emotional and mental state following a journey. Conversely, an “integration coach” does not speak the language of textbook diagnoses. Instead, they leverage the authority of lived experience to guide fellow travelers along the path of life post-psychedelic.
For anyone seeking to intentionalize their journey and cultivate growth from psychedelic experiences, the presence of a witness and guide can significantly enhance the potential for benefit, while also minimizing potential risks. To further unpack this nuanced landscape, let’s explore the distinctions between coaching and therapy in the context of psychedelic integration.
For starters, "therapy" and "coaching" are legally distinct terms. Therapy is targeted toward treating mental health disorders documented in the DSM-5, using techniques that possess some degree of evidence base, explains Jacob Ham PhD, Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Complex Trauma at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as Fireside Project's Director of Coaching. In contrast, he explains, coaching is somewhat “undefined,” albeit "geared toward practical problem-solving or skill-building for current or future issues."
This is where the Fireside Project’s coaching program truly shines. The coaches prioritize meeting the client exactly where they're at in their journey, offering support through active listening, hands-on advice, and presence. Their mission encompasses celebrating the client's successes, offering accountability, and ensuring their safety throughout the process. With a focus on harm reduction, the coaches serve as collaborative, co-creative companions on the psychedelic path, guiding clients toward meaningful integration through fostering safe, curious, compassionate, and nonjudgmental spaces in a container that reflects the nature of the psychedelic experience itself—drawing from what arises moment-to-moment from within the mind-body-soul of both coach and client and the relationship between the two. Whether a person works with a therapist or not, Fireside coaches bring invaluable wisdom from their own psychedelic experiences and over 300 hours of hands-on support.
The qualifications for coaches and therapists are also considerably different. Therapists are required to obtain various degrees and trainings, whereas coaches face no such mandates. "The experience of our coaching is modeled on the psychedelic experience itself," Ham says. "We go in with an open-mindedness of surrendering to whatever needs to come up. We observe, explore, witness, and allow. Just be with the process."
Anyone familiar with the spectrum of psychedelic experiences understands that "the process" often ebbs and flows, intertwining grace with grind, ease with agony. So how does the coaching process exist as a reflection of the psychedelic journey? To begin, the coach guides the client through a process of trust and of slowing down, inviting their inner wisdom to reveal the reason why something might be coming up in the session.
Ham emphasizes that it’s about the process of getting “unstuck.” Coaching someone out of this “stuckness” involves a keen attunement to what arises and moves—or fails to move—through the process. It’s about learning the language of the divine flow that envelopes one’s experience in the psychedelic space. While these concepts may elude clinical definition, a coach, unencumbered by the constraints of licensure, can engage with them freely. At the same time, coaching translates this exploration into practical tools.
"As a coach, it's okay for you to be a peer," Ham notes, "whereas therapists often hide that they are peers and don't bring themselves into the room." Coaches are generally less burdened by the prohibition against self-disclosure; in fact, it’s often encouraged.
Viewing coaching and therapy from a broader perspective—including the diverse array of therapeutic modalities—reveals that the success of working with a client often hinges less on the technique employed and more on the quality of the relationship between the provider and the client. This dynamic is what's referred to as the "therapeutic alliance."
“Whether you like your therapist, feel like you are collaborating, or believe that you’re working toward the same goals is the largest predictor of outcomes in therapy, not the techniques,” Ham explains. “I would assume that this also drives positive outcomes in coaching. It boils down to bedside manner or human interpersonal skills." While the psychedelic experience can be viewed as a projection of our own minds into different metaphoric planes of reality, Ham explains, this happens in fact all the time and within human relationships, too. "Fireside coaches are taught to be aware of and explore these projections in a thoughtful, compassionate, and collaborative manner because the relationship itself can be healing and because a good working relationship is the foundation for all other coaching work that might be done." Success in psychotherapy is often measured through symptom improvement against established diagnoses, while in coaching, Ham continues, outcomes are gauged more by “general satisfaction or quality of life measures.”
So, with these distinctions in mind, how can both coaching and therapy apply to the process of psychedelic integration? First, we should consider what the integration period entails.
Integration can unfold over weeks, months, or even years following a psychedelic experience; it is rarely a linear journey. The essence of integration lies in maintaining an openness to receive lessons from the psychedelic experience, continually drawing from the memory and sensory reminders of that journey in one’s sober life. The goal is to harvest the lasting insights and glimmers that emerge over time.
As for how the focus of psychedelic integration shapes the processes of coaching or therapy, the answer isn't entirely straightforward because, as Ham points out, "the psychedelic experience is just you anyway; it just makes you more acutely aware of your own mind and body." When individuals seek either coaching or therapy for psychedelic integration, it’s not solely about recounting the details of a psychedelic trip; rather, it involves a broader exploration of life, perhaps simply using that experience as a jumping off point to dig deeper into the content that came up—and that content, complex and winding as it may be, is often, simply, the stuff that life is made of more generally speaking.
“There’s a process for personal and spiritual growth that's always happening, and it's often facilitated and intensified by the peak experiences that psychedelics offer,” Ham articulates. A skilled coach, well-acquainted with the client and their journey, can stay attuned to their growth and better assist them in deciphering the significance of their experiences. “A psychedelic coach needs to be familiar with the range of psychedelic outcomes—both the phenomenological experience and the pure somatic experience,” he emphasizes. In essence, the psychedelic trip acts as a narrative written in the energetic realm. A knowledgeable coach can provide a supportive framework that allows clients to weave their insights into the larger tapestry of their lives.
Rabbi Peretz Mochkin, a specialist in psychedelic integration, captures this sentiment aptly: a coach should prepare the client for the work itself. “Whereas a therapist may not share their own personal experiences and instead rely on professional tools to help you navigate your own experience, ideally, a coach has extensive experience with the medicine you’re using. They can not only advise you but also prepare you intentionally for the journey, guiding you through integration based on their own firsthand knowledge.”
Mochkin also emphasizes that a good coach understands the importance of discernment. “They will not take every job, and will help a client transition into the mental health space, if that's what's called for, or keep them grounded in the spiritual space, if that's what's called for." A proficient coach imparts tools derived from their own experiences, equipping clients to establish rituals and practices that anchor the essence of the psychedelic experience and consciousness into everyday reality. “A good coach in the psychedelic realm can help people create rituals and practices so that these big experiences don't remain aloof, while helping clients interpret their experiences in a way that makes sense and brings that wisdom back into their lives.”
Whether someone chooses to go with a coach or a therapist, having a witness and support along for the journey—including before and after taking the substance—can play a pivotal role in the outcomes of psychedelic integration. Fireside's coaching program stands out by offering a collaborative and supportive space that prioritizes harm reduction and fosters a collaborative coach-client relationship, while empowering individuals to explore their experiences fully. Ultimately, the integration process flourishes in partnerships that honor personal journeys and promote safety—reflecting the transformative essence of the psychedelic experience itself.
Fireside Project does not condone the use of illegal substances including psychedelics. If you choose to partake we encourage safety and awareness.
