What to expect during psilocybin therapy in Colorado
Colorado's regulated psilocybin program is now up and running — and with it comes a lot of questions. If you're considering psilocybin therapy, you're probably wondering what the process actually looks like from start to finish. As a licensed Natural Medicine Clinical Facilitator practicing at a licensed healing center in Denver, I walk clients through this process regularly. Here's what you can expect.
This Is Not Recreational Use
First, some important framing. Psilocybin therapy through Colorado's regulated program is not the same as taking mushrooms on your own. It takes place at a licensed healing center, with a licensed facilitator, following a structured therapeutic model. You cannot take psilocybin home with you. You cannot purchase it from a dispensary. Every step of the process — from screening through integration — happens within a clinical framework designed around your safety.
The Four Phases
Colorado's Natural Medicine Health Act established a four-phase model for psilocybin services: assessment, preparation, administration, and integration. In my practice, this translates to five sessions across these four phases.
Screening and Assessment
Before anything else, you'll go through a screening process. This includes a review of your medical and psychiatric history, current medications, and any contraindications. Not everyone is a good candidate for psilocybin therapy. Certain psychiatric conditions, cardiac concerns, and medication interactions (particularly SSRIs and lithium) may make psilocybin unsafe or less effective. This screening protects you.
If you're currently taking an SSRI or other serotonergic medication, we'll have a detailed conversation about whether and how to work with your prescriber to make adjustments. This is not something to do on your own, and it's one of the reasons working within a clinical framework matters.
Preparation (Two Sessions)
Preparation is where the real work begins — before you ever touch psilocybin. Over two preparation sessions, we'll cover:
Your intentions. Why are you here? What are you hoping to explore, heal, or understand? Intentions don't need to be perfectly defined, but having a sense of direction helps orient the experience.
What to expect during the session. I'll walk you through the arc of a psilocybin experience — onset, peak, and gradual return. We'll talk about the range of what can come up: emotions, memories, somatic sensations, visual phenomena, and states that are hard to put into words.
How to work with difficulty. Not every moment of a psilocybin session is pleasant. Anxiety, grief, fear, and discomfort are common and often therapeutic. We'll develop strategies for navigating these moments rather than resisting them.
Safety planning. We'll discuss your support system, your plan for the rest of the day after your session, and anything you need to feel secure in the process.
Logistics. What to wear, what to eat (and not eat), what to bring, arrival time, and how long the day will take.
If you've never used psychedelics before, preparation is especially important. I work with a lot of people who are new to this, and the preparation phase is designed to make the unfamiliar feel manageable.
Administration Day
This is the session itself, and it's the longest part of the process — plan for a full day. Here's what the day typically looks like:
Arrival and check-in. You'll arrive at the healing center and we'll spend some time settling in. I'll check in on how you're feeling physically and emotionally, revisit your intentions, and answer any last questions.
Dosing. You'll consume psilocybin in the form of dried mushrooms or a mushroom preparation. The dose is determined collaboratively based on your history, goals, and comfort level.
The experience. Effects typically begin within 30 to 60 minutes and last four to six hours. During this time, I'm present with you the entire time. My role is to hold space — not to direct your experience, but to support you through it. You might talk, cry, laugh, sit in silence, move around, or lie still with an eye mask on. There's no script.
Some people have vivid visual or emotional experiences. Others describe the session as subtle or body-focused. There's no "right" way for a psilocybin session to go, and comparing your experience to what you've read online is rarely helpful.
Coming down and transition. As the effects subside, we'll spend time together while you reorient. You won't be rushed out the door. You'll need someone to drive you home — you cannot drive yourself after a session.
Integration (Two Sessions)
Integration is where the experience becomes meaningful in your daily life. A psilocybin session can surface insights, emotions, and perspectives that feel significant in the moment, but without integration, those experiences often fade.
Over two integration sessions, we'll work through:
What came up. We'll process the content of your session — the images, feelings, memories, and themes that emerged.
What it means. Not everything that comes up in a session has an obvious interpretation. We'll sit with ambiguity where it exists and look for meaning without forcing it.
What changes. Integration is ultimately about action. What, if anything, do you want to do differently? What patterns do you want to shift? What relationships or habits need attention?
Some people find that one psilocybin session is enough. Others return for additional sessions after a period of integration. There's no predetermined number of sessions that's right for everyone.
Who Is This For?
People come to psilocybin therapy for many reasons. Common ones I see in my practice include depression, anxiety, grief, existential distress, life transitions, and a general sense of being stuck. Some clients have tried traditional therapy for years and feel they've hit a ceiling. Others are drawn to psilocybin for spiritual or personal growth reasons rather than a specific diagnosis.
Psilocybin therapy is not a magic fix. It works best as one tool within a broader commitment to your own growth — alongside therapy, community, lifestyle changes, and the willingness to do hard things.
What About Cost?
Psilocybin therapy is not covered by insurance. It's an out-of-pocket expense, and it's not cheap — the combination of facilitator training requirements, the time involved (particularly the all-day administration session), and healing center operating costs all contribute to the price. If cost is a barrier, it's worth asking about sliding scale options. I'd rather have an honest conversation about affordability than have someone avoid the process entirely.
How to Get Started
If you're considering psilocybin therapy in Colorado, the first step is a consultation. This is a chance to ask questions, share your history, and figure out whether this is the right fit for you. Not every inquiry leads to a session — and that's okay. Sometimes the most helpful thing I can do is point someone toward a different resource.
You can reach me through my website to schedule a consultation.
