Finding the Right Integration Support
The integration process is supported by a growing ecosystem of resources — from foundational books and peer communities to professional directories and structured training programmes. No single resource is sufficient for everyone. What follows is a curated overview of the most reputable and widely used resources across several categories, with enough detail to help you assess what fits your situation.
Books and Written Guides
How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan (2018) remains the most widely read introduction to the science and history of psychedelic research, offering accessible explanations of mechanism and excellent reporting on current clinical programmes. It is not an integration manual but provides essential context.
The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide by James Fadiman (2011) covers preparation, guidance, and integration across multiple use contexts, including what Fadiman terms "the integration session" in the days following an experience. Practically oriented and non-clinical in tone.
Psychedelic Medicine by Dr. Richard Louis Miller (2017) compiles interviews with leading researchers and clinicians and includes detailed material on integration practices used in clinical settings.
A Really Good Day by Ayelet Waldman (2017) is a memoir of microdosing that, while focused on a different dose range, contains useful reflections on the relationship between psychedelic use and daily life — the integration challenge in miniature.
For more clinical depth: Psychedelic Psychotherapy by R. Coleman (2019) and the MAPS-published treatment manuals for MDMA-assisted therapy (available free at maps.org) contain detailed frameworks for integration that therapists and informed individuals can both draw on.
Online Educational Resources
MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) — maps.org — is the most authoritative source for clinical trial updates, integration resources, and therapist training information. Their resource section includes free downloadable guides for participants and clinicians.
Psychedelic Support (psychedelic.support) provides a practitioner directory, educational articles, and community listings. Their integration guides are peer-reviewed and regularly updated.
CIIS (California Institute of Integral Studies) offers accredited training programmes in psychedelic-assisted therapy and maintains a public resource library covering integration theory and practice.
Multidisciplinary research summaries are maintained by the Beckley Foundation (beckleyfoundation.org) and the Heffter Research Institute (heffter.org), both of which publish lay summaries of current studies relevant to therapeutic application and integration.
Peer Communities and Integration Circles
Zendo Project (zendoproject.org) trains volunteers in psychedelic peer support and hosts integration circles. Their approach — based on the principles of support, safety, and trust — is widely respected and draws on decades of harm-reduction experience at large gatherings and in clinical contexts.
Psychedelic Society chapters (UK and internationally) organise integration events, educational talks, and community circles. Searchable by location at psychedelicsociety.org.uk.
Being True To You (beingtruetoyou.com) offers integration coaching training, online communities, and free educational content. Their facilitator network spans multiple countries and includes both coaches and licensed therapists.
Online communities with integration focus include: Reddit's r/PsychedelicTherapy and r/microdosing integration threads; the MAPS Community Forum; and moderated Discord servers such as Psychedelic Support Network. Quality varies; prioritise communities with active moderation and explicit harm-reduction guidelines.
Professional Support Directories
Finding a therapist or coach with genuine psychedelic integration training requires more than a general therapist directory. The following sources list practitioners who have completed recognised psychedelic education:
- Psychedelic Support practitioner directory (psychedelic.support/directory)
- MAPS therapist finder for practitioners trained in MAPS MDMA protocols (maps.org/find-a-therapist)
- Being True To You coach directory
- Numinus (Canada, US) — clinics offering integration therapy
- Synthesis Institute — integration coaches with formal training
When contacting any practitioner, ask directly: what specific training have you completed in psychedelic integration? What modalities do you use? Have you worked with people whose experiences were difficult or destabilising? A practitioner who cannot answer these questions clearly is not yet appropriately specialised.
Crisis and Acute Support Resources
Integration sometimes surfaces acute distress. These resources provide immediate peer support:
Fireside Project (US) — psychedelic peer support by phone or text: 62-FIRESIDE (623-473-7433). Free, confidential, available daily.
Zendo Project crisis support — available at large events and by referral through zendoproject.org.
MAPS crisis resources — listed at maps.org for people in clinical trials or otherwise using psychedelics with therapeutic intent.
Local mental health crisis lines — for situations involving acute psychiatric risk, contact your local emergency services or crisis line rather than a psychedelic-specific service. These services are equipped to triage and refer to specialist care if needed.
Workshops and Retreats for Integration
A growing number of organisations offer integration-focused (non-dosing) workshops and retreats that combine education with guided practice. These can be valuable at any stage — before a session, in the active integration period, or as a longer-term community touchstone. When evaluating a workshop or retreat: confirm that the programme is explicitly integration-focused rather than preparation-only; check the credentials of facilitators; look for programmes that explicitly address difficult experiences rather than only positive ones; and ask whether professional mental health support is available on-site or on call.