The Benefits of Psychedelic Integration

By: Dr. Denise Renye

One of my specialties is psychedelic integration. If you’re confused about what that means, you can read my post about the difference between psychedelic integration and psychedelic-assisted therapy. In essence though, integration is processing or making real what was unearthed in the internal landscape of the psyche during the psychedelic journey.

The psychedelic experience can bring with it a wide array of symbolism, feelings, and sensations. After an experience, whether it happened yesterday, two weeks, two months, or 20 years ago, integration is a very necessary part of the psychedelic process. It should be commonplace that it is part of the process. It is not an add-on. The way I understand and practice psychedelic integration is, in part, from a concept Carl Jung introduced to the world. He said individuation or integration consists in making one whole out of consciousness and the unconscious. In other words, psychedelic integration is unifying the conscious and unconscious.

In terms of psychedelic integration specifically, if the psychedelic session was conducted through an expanded access clinical site with a trained practitioner, a patient will discuss with their therapist what occurred as a way to process the journey. Integration offers a person the chance to experience communion with their internal landscape, to reconnect with all of themselves. Without the integration piece, the psychedelic journey may be forgotten like an unrecorded dream. Integration makes real something that occurred in a symbolic or ritualistic act during the psychedelic journey. Doing so allows the person to reap the psychospiritual benefits of what they experienced while in a potentially mind-altering state.

Integration can also happen when not linked to therapy. In other words, no matter how a person comes to a psychedelic experience – a clinical trial, a retreat, traveling to another country, in the privacy of their home, etc., they can work with a psychedelic integrationist such as myself to process their experience.

When I work doing psychedelic integration, I invite people to dive deep into a shorter-term intense exploration that can be done in conjunction with any other longer therapy or coaching that person already has in place. I have a three-month intensive psychedelic integration coaching program, and I run women’s psychedelic integration circles two to four times a year. (I have one upcoming!) And because I know sex workers have a special set of circumstances and concerns, I also offer a psychedelic integration circle specifically for sex workers. All work can be done on Zoom as I work with folx anywhere in the world.

Why would someone want to integrate their experience? I’ve seen it firsthand – there’s a difference between those who have integrated and those who have not. Those who have not may have a tendency to continue to seek experience after experience with a sense of chasing. But also, people have expressed the immense transformative power of integration themselves. Some quotes that I’ve modified a little to protect confidentiality:

“It helped me see who I really am deep down and psychedelic integration helped me explore that even more.” – Patient A 

“When my body is reacting in a certain way that my mind was disconnected from, the psychedelic journey helped me to get in contact with what was happening with my body and my mind could understand it. The integration work helped me learn practices and tools to continue.” – Patient B 

“The integration work helped to expand the process that began in the journey to release parts of me that I took on in life that weren't actually me. It also helped me process feelings I never really did before.” – Patient C

While I do not need to know how people found their way to psychedelics, I am very interested in connecting with them to assist them in allowing the seeds that were planted in the experience to bloom thereafter. That cannot happen without a conscious and focused integration space that follows the psychedelic experience. 

If you’re interested in psychedelic integration, please do reach out. I’d love to support you. And stay connected by subscribing to my newsletter where you’ll receive exclusive content. Click here for a psychedelic integration audio.

Suggested Reading

I wrote an article on Integration through the use of the inner exploration tool, the labyrinth. You can read it here.

Journal Prompts

If I am considering a psychedelic journey, what are some intentions I have for this experience?

Why would now be a good time for a psychedelic journey?

If I have already had the journey, what symbols or images do I have from the experience?

What body sensations do I have as I reflect on the experience?