Conversations around Hope & Healing through the lens of Psilocybin

Hope is a delicate yet powerful force.

Sometimes it is a whisper in the darkness, reminding you that healing is possible, even when the way forward has yet to be illuminated.

For centuries, plant medicines like psilocybin (more commonly known as psychedelic mushrooms) have been used to help people break free from old patterns and clouded ways of thinking, to reconnect with something greater than ourselves.

Psilocybin is gaining mainstream recognition as a tool for healing, today. It is a beacon of hope amidst the growing uncertainty of our world. It has been a powerful ally for my own mental health, as it opens doors to self-discovery, deeper self-awareness, emotional release and transformative healing.

My journey with plant medicine began as a sacred and personal exploration, but in recent years it has evolved into something more-a calling to hold space for others as they step into their own healing. Now I co-facilitate women’s retreats that offer guided plant medicine journeys. Supporting students through this expansive form of revival has been the highest honor. It is nothing short of profound, to witness the significant shifts that can occur when this medicine is approached with intention, respect and care. Whether it’s helping someone move through trauma, break free from limiting beliefs, or reconnect with lost parts of themselves, psilocybin continues to reaffirm one truth: HEALING IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE,IT IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT.

For this article, I spoke with several individuals whose work with psilocybin is actively transforming lives: an Indigenous Earth medicine guide bridging ancient wisdom and modern healing, a veteran advocate using psychedelics to support PTSD recovery, a trans facilitator and DJ witnessing the medicine’s impact on marginalized communities and exploring the fascinating connection between music and psilocybin, and a psychologist who founded a plant-medicine retreat for healing. Their stories offer an inspiring glimpse into how psilocybin is creating space for hope, healing, and transformation in a world that desperately needs it.

THE SCIENCE & SPIRIT OF PSILOCYBIN: A WELCOME CONVERGENCE

We are living in a time when ancient wisdom and modern science are finally converging. One major point of convergence: sacred plant medicine. Though technically fungi, psychedelic mushrooms fall under the plant medicine umbrella in spiritual and healing contexts.

Felicia Mendes is a psychologist who founded Resurgence Retreats in 2024 to help attendees heal through several modalities including yoga and breathwork, guided meditation, sound healing, and a guided psilocybin journey. She says, “Mushrooms have been used for improving well-being in Indigenous practices for generations. Now, emerging research is showing clinical evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy can be effective in treating various mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety and addiction.”

For Mendes, this meeting of worlds is personal. “I’ve always had a spiritual practice with plant medicine,” She explains. “As a psychologist, I love data and love to see the emerging research from universities like Johns Hopkins and NYU, which have found that psilocybin helps people break free of rigid thought patterns associated with depression and addiction.”

High-dose guided psilocybin sessions, when combined with therapy and integration, have shown “significant and sustained improvements in mood and overall well-being,” Mendes shares.

However, she notes that psilocybin is not for everyone, especially those with a personal or family history of psychotic disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar, as it can exacerbate symptoms. She also reminds us that a thorough screening process should be completed for anyone seeking mushroom therapy.

In the state of Colorado, patients are required to have a minimum of one preparation session and one post-integration session to support their psilocybin- assisted healing process. Why such an emphasis on pre- and post-care? Psilocybin has the potential to unearth deep-seated emotions and unresolved trauma, making preparation key to navigating the experience with intention. Post-integration support ensures that the insights and healing that emerge continue to unfold in a productive and supportive way.

NEUROPLASTICITY: HOW PSILOCYBIN CAN HELP REWIRE THE BRAIN TO BREAK FREE FROM LIMITING PATTERNS

One of the most scientifically significant aspects of psilocybin is its ability to promote neuroplasticity – your brain’s capacity to reorganize and form new neural pathways and connections. Mendes breaks down neuroplasticity with an analogy that Coloradans in particular will appreciate:

“Imagine tiny highways in your brain. When we are experiencing depression, anxiety, or even blocks in creativity, it’s like being stuck in traffic on I-70 at peak ski season. Mushrooms create new neural pathways, encouraging you to choose new, healthier habits or simply step out of your comfort zone of rigid thinking. New highways and faster routes are formed!”

This effect is particularly beneficial for addiction recovery, as psilocybin allows individuals to break through deeply ingrained habits and patterns and view their behaviors in a new light.

“Many addictions are reinforced by repetitive behavior patterns or habits that make quitting difficult. Psilocybin helps individuals step outside of these cycles and view their behaviors from a fresh perspective. By fostering enhanced emotional processing and increasing openness to change, psilocybin therapy has been shown to help people break free from alcohol dependence, nicotine addiction, and even opioid use disorder when paired with structured therapy and integration support. Research also shows that it reduces cravings and increases motivation to quit.”

Neuroscientist from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dr. Scott Thompson is part of a study examining psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. In a recent article, he describes its unique impact on the brain:

“When you are in a state of heightened neuroplasticity and you are faced with something challenging from your past, it allows you to essentially reset the way your brain responds to things that might be triggering.” Through this process, psilocybin allows individuals to reframe trauma and adopt new, healthier coping mechanisms. More and more research is emerging to support these claims.

Tim Spalla

Veteran and founder of The Wounded Healer Project, Tim Spalla echoes these findings from his personal and professional experience working with veterans suffering from PTSD. “Many of us have tried everything, including evidence-based therapy approaches,” he says, “only to remain stuck in self-destructive patterns, isolation and despair. Psilocybin-assisted therapy has been a game-changer for many, just as it was for me.”

Spalla highlights compelling research that demonstrates the role psilocybin plays in promoting neuroplasticity. It is particularly effective by activating serotonin 2A (5- HT2A) receptors, essential for mood regulation and cognitive flexibility.

“Studies dating back to 2011 and earlier, have demonstrated that these neuroplastic effects may contribute to the reduction of symptoms across various conditions, including anxiety, addiction, and trauma-related disorders while simultaneously enhancing psychological flexibility, adaptability, and resilience.” Recent research suggests that psilocybin can help grief processing. Spalla notes how a 2024 study found that individuals who used psychedelics after a bereavement experienced significant reductions in grief symptoms, with self-reported emotional breakthroughs playing a key role in the healing process, particularly when taken in communal setting.

THE MICRODOSING MOVEMENT: A CONSCIOUS SHIFT TOWARD HEALING WITH A FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH

Microdosing involves taking sub- perceptual doses of psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin. In the context of microdosing psilocybin mushrooms, a sub-perceptual dose is typically one- tenth to one-twentieth of a standard psychedelic dose. “Sub-perceptual” refers to a dose of a substance that is too small to cause noticeable psychoactive effects, but can lead to subtle cognitive, emotional, or physiological benefits. By microdosing psychedelics, individuals can experience enhanced creativity, mood, and focus without entering an altered state.

Microdosing psilocybin has become an increasingly popular way to enhance cognitive function and overall emotional and mental well-being; all of which I can personally attest to. Microdosing consistently, I notice a significant boost in my mental focus and my ability to recall information, I approach problem-solving with more clarity, and navigate my emotions with greater awareness and ease.

In 2020, Forbes published an article about the microdosing boom in Silicon Valley, with tech professionals microdosing to elevate not just their cognitive abilities, but in turn their careers.

A more recent article from NPR called microdosing “a cultural phenomenon” and reports that the internet search history for “microdosing” has increased by 1,250% in the past decade. Approximately 8 million adults, or about 3% of the U.S. population, used psilocybin last year, making it the most widely used hallucinogen according to the nonprofit research organization RAND.

According to Felicia Mendes, the microdosing movement reflects a broader cultural shift toward self-care and emotional awareness. She says, “I believe a conscious shift is happening toward true healing. We are beginning to prioritize self-care, de-stigmatize mental health, and embrace all states of being. As the saying goes, ‘You have to feel it to heal it.’ Micro (and macro) dosing helps people accept emotions, recognize their impermanence, and move through them with greater ease.”

Unlike many pharmaceuticals, microdosing is not necessarily a long- term commitment. Mendes notes that most microdosing protocols encourage periodic breaks and, over time, may lead to discontinuing microdosing altogether as individuals cultivate sustainable emotional resilience.

“We are at an all-time high as a nation for addiction to stimulants and SSRI’s, which often numb emotions rather than addressing the root causes of distress. Many people who microdose report feeling more present in their everyday lives, resulting in greater overall happiness.”

Microdosing has gained traction in recent years as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. Mendes describes why: “I believe the movement is occurring due to a conscious effort to seek true healing outside of pharmaceuticals. Many people replace their ADHD or antidepressants with microdosing, as it’s shown to elevate mood and increase focus. Pharmaceuticals mask feelings and emotions, resulting in a band-aid instead of addressing the deeper issues.”

This isn’t to discredit the role that pharmaceuticals can play in supporting mental health for certain individuals, but rather to acknowledge the growing dissatisfaction with prescription drugs that has led many to explore alternative paths to healing and overall well-being.

MUSIC AS MEDICINE: HOW SOUND SHAPES THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE

Bodhi Calagna

For Bodhi Calagna, a trans facilitator and international DJ and producer who identifies as they/them, music is an essential tool in psychedelic healing. Over the course of their 30+ years as a DJ and music producer, they have come to understand the immense impact sound can have, especially in the context of a psychedelic journey.

“Music holds the potential to heal on many levels – emotionally, spiritually, and energetically. The frequencies we experience through music create space for deep reflection and self-discovery. When combined with psilocybin, music becomes a bridge that opens up new dimensions of perception.”

As Bodhi shares, many individuals report experiencing synesthesia – a state where sound is experienced visually. “This creates an almost cinematic effect during the journey, with music guiding you through a landscape of emotions, memories, and possibilities.”

They go on to describe how: “In ceremony, my goal is to provide a soundtrack that supports the inner journey – one that can trigger profound memories, invite healing, and inspire new possibilities. After decades of DJing, I’ve become a sonic alchemist, blending frequencies and energies to create transformative experiences.”

I have witnessed Bodhi hold ceremony. It’s incredible to watch them incorporate sound healing tools and live instruments to heighten the experience.

For Bodhi, “It’s not just about playing tracks. It’s about crafting a dynamic, shifting soundscape that enhances the journey and facilitates healing and expansion.”

HEALING TRAUMA & RECONNECTING WITH SELF THROUGH PSILOCYBIN

Bodhi observes psilocybin’s ability to heal deep emotional wounds, across individual and group healing journeys: “Even when someone comes seeking expansion or exploration old wounds surface. Sometimes these hidden or buried parts of themselves become the key to unlocking the very growth they’re seeking. The medicine brings up what we need to see, not necessarily what we think we want to address.”

For many, psilocybin is both a mirror and a teacher. It reveals what has been buried and illuminates the path forward. One of Bodhi’s most meaningful experiences was when they heard a client say, “I haven’t felt this kind of peace in 50 years.” Moments like these are reminders of psilocybin’s power to release long-held wounds and offer renewed clarity.

The LGBTQIA+ community-and trans individuals in particular-continues to face significant challenges in today’s political climate. I asked Bodhi to share how they as a trans individual see psilocybin playing a role in healing for this marginalized community. “As a trans facilitator, I deeply understand the weight of what the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans individuals, face in today’s world.

Many people come to me feeling disconnected-not just from society, but from themselves, from their bodies, and their soul’s truth. This disconnection can create trauma that lingers, making it hard to heal and move forward. Through psilocybin, I’ve seen this disconnection begin to soften, providing a path back to wholeness.”

Psilocybin helps trans and non-binary individuals reclaim their authenticity and explore their identity beyond societal limitations. “It creates a safe, expansive space,” Bodhi says, “where people can explore their gender identity and place in the world, free from judgment or expectation. This medicine helps us remember that we are whole and complete exactly as we are, and that we are more than what the world has told us we should be. What I have come to know through my own healing, and what I witness with others, is that psilocybin allows us to find our own rhythm, to return to ourselves in a way that is deeply empowering. It is a medicine of profound love and acceptance, and through it, we find the courage to embody all the aspects of who we are.” For Bodhi, this healing is not just individual, but collective:

“As we heal ourselves, we heal the world around us.”

INDIGENOUS WISDOM & THE SACRED RESPONSIBILITY OF PSILOCYBIN

For Indigenous healers like Vanessa Cruz, an Earth medicine guide and founder of The Awakened Body, psilocybin is a sacred teacher to be honored, not just consumed. She shares how, “Psilocybin has long been understood in Indigenous traditions as a doorway to deep communion with the earth, spirit, and the unseen realms. Among my ancestors, these medicines were never seen as substances to be consumed but as sentient teachers, guiding us toward remembrance and balance. They have been used in ceremony to bring clarity, to heal intergenerational wounds, to connect with ancestors, and to restore harmony between the body, mind, and spirit.

Today, as many feel the weight of disconnection-from land, lineage, and self-psilocybin offers a way back. It helps people remember their own wisdom, their ability to heal and their place within the great web of life. In my work, I see how this medicine facilitates profound personal and ancestral healing, allowing individuals to release colonial imprints, reclaim their truths, and walk with more reverence for the sacredness of existence. When held in a way that honors the medicine’s origins, psilocybin can guide people back to a state of wholeness that is not new, but deeply remembered.”

As an Indigenous Earth medicine guide working with psilocybin, Cruz speaks on navigating the intersection of ancestral wisdom and the growing mainstream interest in psychedelics. How can we approach psilocybin as a tool for healing while honoring its sacred roots? Vanessa emphasizes that psilocybin must be approached as the sacred medicine that it is, with reverence and responsibility. “There is a deep responsibility in working with these medicines, especially as they are increasingly commodified and extracted from the communities that have carried them for generations.

Indigenous knowledge keepers are not new to these ways- many of us have been raised in traditions where working with plant medicines is a lifelong path of learning, one that requires humility, commitment, and deep listening. These are not “substances” to be used casually, nor are they a quick fix for deeper wounds that require time, rematriation and community care. What is most important is reverence. If someone is approaching psilocybin for wholeness, they must do so with respect for where it comes from, for the traditions that have safeguarded its wisdom, and for the responsibility it carries. This means supporting Indigenous-led spaces, learning from those who have carried these ways for generations, and understanding that healing is not transactional – it is relational. These medicines are teachers, not trends. They must be honored as such.”

HOPE, DEATH, AND REBIRTH: THE TRANSFORMATIONAL POWER OF PSILOCYBIN

As a death doula, Cruz sees psilocybin as a tool for letting go – of old identities, fears, and of the past. “In Indigenous ways of knowing,” she explains, “death is not an end but a transformation. It is the shedding of what no longer serves, the return to the essence of what has always been. This is true in physical death, and it is true in the medicine space.

Psilocybin brings people to the threshold of their own becoming-it asks them to let go of identities, fears, and attachments that have kept them small. In that surrender, there is grief, but there is also liberation.

Hope is not about clinging to what was, but about trusting in what can be. It is the knowing that after the darkness of the cocoon, there is emergence.

In ceremony, as people face the parts of themselves they have buried, hope is the steady voice that reminds them: ‘You are not alone. You are held. You are returning to yourself.’ It is in the trust that after every ending, there is a new way of being waiting to be born.”

For veterans, this theme of death and rebirth is particularly relevant. Tim Spalla recalls a story about one of the veterans he worked with who was experiencing overwhelmingly and debilitating PTSD. Reading this account gave me full-body chills.

Eventually, everything in his life began to fall apart, and that’s when he made a choice that very likely saved his life.

When he began exploring psilocybin as a treatment option, it wasn’t for an easy fix, it was because nothing else he had tried was working. “Over the course of many months, Spalla explains, “he was forced to face everything he had spent years avoiding. The memories came back in full detail, but this time, instead of trying to push them away, he would stay with them long enough to learn what they were trying to communicate. He could see himself as he was back during his deployments, not as a monster, but as a young soldier doing what he believed was right. For the first time, he felt the fear and regret he had been avoiding.

And he learned how to mourn, not just for all the tragedy and loss he had experienced in his life, but for the parts of himself he had abandoned along the way because of it.

Psilocybin didn’t erase what he had done. It didn’t absolve him of responsibility. What it did was provide him with a safe space to finally process it, to sit in his past in a way that wasn’t overwhelmed by guilt and shame for things that, in reality, were always out of his control. And in that space of acceptance, he discovered a voice within himself, one that had always been present but unheard, offering him the forgiveness he had been seeking all along.

This is what healing actually looks like. This is not about forgetting. It is not about moving on. It is about learning to carry what we have lived through in a way that doesn’t destroy us or destroy the things we love. It is about finding meaning, connection, and a reason to keep going. And in those moments, when I see a veteran finally reach that place, I am reminded why I do this work.”

Through this safe processing of trauma, healing becomes possible – not through forgetting, but through finding meaning, connection, and the hope to keep moving forward.

NAVIGATING THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE OF PSILOCYBIN

As psilocybin gains traction in therapeutic and ceremonial settings, its legal status remains a complex and evolving issue. In Colorado, the passage of Proposition 122 decriminalized personal use, cultivation, and sharing of psilocybin and other entheogens, while also creating a regulated framework for facilitated psychedelic healing. Despite Colorado’s decriminalization, and states like Oregon legalizing its use in supervised therapeutic settings, psilocybin remains illegal on the federal level.

As Sean T. McAllister, Esq. and Pioneering Attorney in Psychedelic Law in Colorado explains: “In 2022, Colorado decriminalized psilocybin (along with three other psychedelics: mescaline, DMT, and iboga). State law allows adults ages 21 and over to possess, cultivate, and share psilocybin in limited contexts (providing these substances to minors under 21 remains a criminal offense). While personal use is decriminalized, public consumption or display is still illegal.

The Natural Medicine Health Act created a program for state-licensed healing centers, where adults can obtain psilocybin therapy in a regulated environment.

Licensing for this program has begun, and healing centers are expected to open in the Spring or Summer of 2025.

Beyond Colorado, Oregon was the first to legalize psilocybin for supervised therapeutic use. Cities like Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Washington, D.C., have decriminalized it to varying degrees, but laws differ widely across the U.S. and psilocybin remains illegal under federal law.”

Despite current legal complexities, the growing recognition of psilocybin’s healing potential continues to spark conversation, research, and advocacy. What was once dismissed as countercultural is now being validated by scientific studies, Indigenous wisdom, and lived experience.

THE FUTURE OF HOPE AND HEALING WITH PSILOCYBIN

Across all these stories-whether from veterans, Indigenous healers, psychologists and scientific research, or a trans facilitator and music guide-an underlying truth emerges: healing is a return. A return to Self, to authenticity, to connection, and to the deeper knowing that we are not alone in our struggles.

From Vanessa Cruz, we learn that psilocybin is not just a medicine-it is a teacher. She reminds us that it is a tool that allows people to shed colonial imprints, reclaim ancestral wisdom, and reconnect with the sacredness of existence. “One of the greatest teachings from my lineage is that we are never separate,” she says. “In Indigenous traditions, we understand that everything is in relationship. The Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth. Wholeness is not just personal; it is communal. What we heal in ourselves, we heal in our lineage. What we tend to in our communities, we tend to in the world.”

From Tim Spalla, we see how veterans, many of whom suffer immensely from PTSD, are finding a new mission: healing themselves so they no longer carry pain as their only identity.

Through psilocybin, they are rewriting their stories, releasing the burdens of war, and stepping into forgiveness, purpose, belonging, and meaningful healing.

From Bodhi Calagna, we witness the profound way psilocybin serves as the mirror that uncovers hidden truths and reveals new possibilities for healing. We see how it creates a safe space for exploration, self-acceptance, and immense emotional healing from cultural and societal trauma. We also learn how music can play a powerful role in the healing journey, particularly when paired with a psychedelic experience.

From Felicia Mendes, we gain insight into the science behind psilocybin’s impact on neuroplasticity, mental health, and addiction recovery. Her work highlights the intersection of clinical research and ancient wisdom, emphasizing healing at the root rather than masking symptoms, to reshape how we navigate our emotions, behaviors and lives.

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION: THE PRESENT OF HOPE AND FUTURE OF HEALING WITH PSILOCYBIN

If there is one thing these conversations affirm, it is that hope is not passive-it is a practice. It is the willingness to face the discomfort of healing, to sit with our pain rather than run from it, and to trust that transformation is possible. Hope is more than just a feeling-it is a force, a tether to possibility, and a reminder that healing can happen even in our darkest moments. Psilocybin is a powerful guide for those seeking relief from suffering, reconnection with self, and ultimately transformation. It is not a magical cure and it is not for everyone. But for those who feel called to it, and approach it with care, guidance, and integration, it can be a catalyst for a profound shift.

As the conversation around psychedelics continues to evolve, we are being asked to engage ethically, intentionally, and with reverence-to listen to those who have carried this knowledge for generations, to protect the sacred, and to ensure that accessibility does not come at the cost of cultural erasure or irresponsible use.

For those considering a journey with psilocybin, the path begins long before ingestion. It starts with education, preparation, and choosing a supportive environment.

It continues with integration-how we take what we learn in those altered states and apply it to our daily lives.

At its core, healing with psilocybin is not about escaping reality. It is about stepping more fully into it-with intention and clarity, with courage, and with hope. In the words of Vanessa Cruz,

“Hope, or esperanza, is not about clinging to what was, but about trusting in what can be.”

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice. Psilocybin therapy may not be suitable for everyone, and its effects can vary based on individual circumstances. Anyone considering psilocybin for therapeutic purposes should consult with a qualified healthcare professional and seek guidance from trained professionals in a safe, legal, supervised setting.