Somatic therapy for

Psychedelic Integration

It’s undeniable that we’re in the midst of a psychedelic renaissance. We see various headlines making waves as we try to expand the public discourse to encompass the vast and multifaceted world of substances that inextricably connect body, mind and spirit in a way we can no longer ignore. There’s a dizzying array of variables to consider in every possible aspect of this topic, but one thing remains clear - more and more people are experiencing altered states of consciousness in a wide variety of contexts. And while science, medicine, academia, legislative bodies, and pop culture work out the tangled web of what that means for us going forward - it’s still incredibly important for us to offer safe spaces and skilled support for people to process and integrate their psychedelic experiences.

Read on to see some of the unique challenges of psychedelic integration, and why it might need an approach beyond regular “therapy”.

Hi there, I’m Shannon. 

Welcome to my practice, I’m so glad you found me. 

I’ve also completed the Soundmind Psychedelic Facilitator Training (in addition to my other certifications), and have been an active participant in my local psychedelic communities to further benefit from (and contribute to) their collective wisdom.

No matter how complex your experience was, I can hold the entirety of that conversation with you. My approach is not just informed by academic research; I have plenty of lived experience navigating the vastness of the Great Mystery in all of its complexity. I’ve had immensely challenging experiences, and those that have left me in a speechless state of awe - and everything in between. I had the incredible honor of working with some highly skilled healers, and it would be my pleasure to share all of the wisdom I’ve gained in service to your evolution.

I know that it can be really hard to imagine that someone can offer a safe and clear space for processing something as messy, nonsensical, all-encompassing, otherworldly, and ineffable as an altered state of consciousness. I appreciate how tender this topic can be, so I wanted to say a few words about my background to offer some reassurance.

I have over 15 years of experience within this domain - from cannabis to Ayahuasca and Iboga, I have sat with over a dozen different medicines in various contexts. I have immense reverence for the vastness of the human consciousness and I firmly believe in our right to safely explore the outer reaches of our whole selves.

I’ve also attended innumerable lectures, workshops, and conferences (like the MAPS conference and the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference), not to mention the many hours I’ve spent immersed in people’s personal stories of their journeys (through podcasts, forums, shared experiences, peer support, integration sessions, etc).

Unique challenges of psychedelic integration.

There are many layers to psychedelic integration that present unique challenges (which might not be as present for people processing other material). For one, most of the experiences being integrated often take place in complex settings and involve illegal substances - which already creates a huge barrier to people seeking help.

It can also be very hard to verbalize or explain what the experience was, how it felt, and what about it remains unresolved. Big journeys often involve imagery, sensation, emotion, and involuntary bodily reactions that the mind can’t really convey in a concise and linear way. So it’s hard for us to get through our own confusion while being unable to express any of it to the person we’re seeking help from.

Given how complex, multifaceted, and truly unique most journeys are – spending valuable therapeutic time explaining them leaves very little space for processing them. Top down approaches (eg. talk therapy) have their own strengths, but I firmly believe that these complex topics call for “bottom up” modalities that focus more on the body and the subconscious. That way the experience can remain rich and multifaceted as it’s integrated, without being collapsed through the narrow straw of cognitive processing.

therapy office

Why somatic therapy is a great fit

for psychedelic integration

  • Somatic work doesn’t rely on verbal narratives as its primary tool. It might take you many hours to explain the complexity of your journey – yet your body already has a unified sense / imprint of the situation that we can work with all at once. We can recruit your body in expressing, moving, and integrating the energy of your journey in a myriad ways.

    In somatic work we can access all of your “content” through other channels (eg. sensation, affect, movement, etc) that don’t rely on linear thought – this allows you to start unburdening your nervous system without getting stuck in loops of stories. That makes the sessions more simple, impactful, and efficient.

    There will of course still be plenty of space for us to talk about your experience and make meaning of it - but in this case, a coherent narrative would be an outcome of proper embodied integration, rather than a prerequisite for it.

  • Often big journeys can leave us feeling a bit dispersed, like we haven’t quite landed anywhere. While the details of the experience might still be up in the air, somatic work can help us locate your body in time and place - to create some sort of a bookend to your trip, so you can find some solid ground to integrate your journey from.

    If your experience was scary and/or disorienting, there might also be a lingering sense of unsafety or hypervigilance in the body. While this can certainly be talked about, your body needs a felt sense of safety - a real, embodied experience of returning to a world of finite and somewhat predictable reality.

  • It’s common to feel like the journey is too big to be “digested” - there might be so many strands of it that are all tied together, that it might feel like pulling at any thread would end up unleashing it all and re-creating the original overwhelm.

    There are many techniques in Somatic Experiencing that allow us to create some containment for the situation and to take small, manageable bites of the overall story to keep your nervous system within its zone of resiliency. That way you won’t have to process it all at once, and can integrate your journey in small increments that leave you room to breathe.

  • Sometimes psychedelics can bring to surface some old stagnant energies, memories, and experiences that had previously been buried in the body. As a result, it’s very common to have involuntary movements, sounds, sensations, and other physiological releases during the journey that may or may not have been allowed to run their full course.

    Somatic work can help the body complete some of those impulses in a safe and contained manner.

  • Psychedelics can and often do impact more than one aspect of us, and have a great way of connecting the body, mind, and spirit in rich and multifaceted ways. I find that it’s best to involve all of those aspects of ourselves during integration in order to preserve, and further foster that beautiful interconnectedness - without trying to collapse this entire rich experience into the cognitive realm.

  • Processing your journey is only part of the integration process; the other big piece is learning how to live in the world with your new level of awareness.

    Somatic work pays deliberate attention to supporting your nervous system in expanding its capacity to contain your new level of being. That way your post-journey self is not just confined to the wider container of your mind - it’s also embodied in real and grounded ways that help you create lasting change in your life.

Wondering if this work can be done online? Better than you’d think. Click here to find out more.

Ready to get started?

Book a free consultation.

It’s important that you feel safe, seen, and understood in our work together. You can tell me what you’re working on, and what’s important to you. I’ll let you know how I can help, and we’ll see if we’re a good fit! 

My office is in Vancouver, but I also offer online sessions - so wherever you are in the world, I’d be happy to work with you.

Got questions? Get in touch.

I know that the first steps are always the hardest. 

But you’re here taking them anyway, and that’s all that matters. 

I look forward to hearing from you, and I can’t wait to meet you.

If you prefer to reach out directly, my email is: shannon.solieva@gmail.com

The unique benefits of online somatic work

  • The most obvious benefit is convenience and accessibility. There are already so many barriers to accessing mental health support, and the more seamlessly we can integrate it into your life, the more sustainable this work will be in the long run. We want this work to be nourishing and supportive for you, instead of being an extra stressor that requires multifaceted coordination.

  • Creating a sense of safety and containment is a big part of somatic work, and those are so much more readily available in an environment that’s already familiar, cozy, and supportive for you (especially if you’re new to this type of work). You being able to chose your therapeutic environment is hugely beneficial for reducing strain on your nervous system, and allows us to better focus on the work you’re here to do.

  • Physical commute to and from the session creates unnecessary charge, tension, and distraction in your nervous system. Online sessions allow us to more easily come into & out of the therapeutic process, without having to spend too much extra time on managing the impacts of the many stimuli you might have encountered on the way to session.

  • Meeting from the comfort of your home also allows you to have access to many additional items of comfort and support throughout the session. Whether it’s your favourite blanket, your fuzzy throw pillow, or that hot tea in your favourite mug – all of those can provide additional support as your nervous system moves through the content of our sessions.

  • Remote sessions also allow for more space to linger in the “afterglow”. This is probably the most important benefit of online somatic work - it can be so immensely helpful to have that extra time to integrate and support all of the shifts that happen during session, without having to rush off into your commute. This work can open up many aha moments, insights, and avenues for further exploration - that extra time afterwards helps to keep your experience intact, and allows you to really process and settle into the benefits of the session.

  • Aftercare is more readily available in the environment of your choosing. Depending on what happens in the session, you might have an impulse for movement, a desire for a warm tea or nourishing food, you might need more space to cry or wrap yourself in your favourite blanket. Coming into contact with what we need is an essential part of somatic work, and remote sessions make it more likely that you’ll be able to meet those post-session needs in a more thorough way.

Of course, the above assumes that you have access to a safe and comfortable indoor space, and a reliable device / internet connection to participate in online sessions. I appreciate that this is not the case for many, and going to an office might be the only way you can access an environment conducive to this work. Somatic work is still immensely helpful in person, and keeping the above in mind can help you plan ahead for it in a way that minimizes the strain of in-person work and maximizes the benefits.