Integrating Psychedelic Experiences (with Biz Bliss)

For this episode of Into the Stream I'm joined by Biz Bliss, a professional psychedelic experience facilitator (perhaps imagine a really fantastic trip-sitter), whom I met four years ago whilst attending one of her psychedelic integration circles. 

She is the co-director of Alalaho, an organisation that offers high-dose psilocybin-assisted retreats in a safe, legal, and supportive environment. It's really very cool and I wish I had access to such an organisation earlier in my personal experimentation.

I find Biz to be deeply sincere, down-to-earth, and quietly wise; if you listen deeply you'll find  gold in her words here. Not only does she live what she talks about but she has also, along with her colleagues, managed to create a grounding, supportive, and professionally responsible organisation around psychedelic experiences, experiences that are stereotypically chaotic. That is no easy feat. 

In our conversation we talk about:

• Where the name 'Alalaho' came from and what it means
• The meaning of facilitating psychedelic experiences for Biz
• The value of peak experiences
• The importance of deep respect
• The place of ritual, cycles, and deep listening
• How community can support individual integration
• The strange tendency of therapists' laughter-filled psychedelic experiences
• The commodification of psychedelics
• Timmy's lesson from his bad trip
• How psychedelics and ritual supported Biz with her father's death

Some Resources
You can find Alalaho here, their cyclical membership program here, and information on their retreats here.

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The podcast's music is Good Morning by Bonaparte and Acid Pauli, who kindly gave permission for use.