I share this story with permission, reverence, respect, and the deepest sense of responsibility. It’s a privilege to walk alongside others on their healing journeys, and I’m honored to be supporting Anna through hers.
To listen or watch this complete one month follow up integration session
CLICK HERE.
A Family in Crisis
Just over a year ago, my wife and I were invited to dinner by a couple we knew. As we sat on their patio, we began to share our personal and professional experiences working with psychedelic-assisted therapy. At the time, we had been immersed in this work for three years. The couple listened closely—especially the wife, Amy—who had spent over 20 years in and out of traditional therapy, struggling with depression and anxiety. She had made some progress, but always felt stuck.
After hearing our stories, Amy and her husband became curious. Within the year, both had participated in their own guided MDMA sessions, followed by a powerful couple’s journey. Their transformation was undeniable.
But they weren’t the only ones impacted.
Introducing Anna
Anna is their daughter-in-law. She had been quietly struggling for years—seen, but not fully understood by her in-laws. They were aware something was wrong in Anna and their son’s relationship, but they didn’t know what. Anna was terrified to share. Fear, shame, and unresolved trauma held her voice hostage.
Amy knew that Anna had been through years of traditional and even court-mandated therapy, largely in response to a traumatic family history. But Amy had also personally experienced more healing in one year of psychedelic-assisted therapy and integration than she had in two decades of conventional treatment. That insight led her to insist—with love and urgency—that Anna consider a different path.
The Intake and Preparation
When I first met with Anna, she was clear about one thing: traditional therapy hadn’t helped. In her words, it “felt like a sentence.” She described how every time she tried to speak about her experience, her voice would disappear. A powerful energy would rise in her chest and choke the words before they could be formed.
We moved slowly and respectfully. Together, we completed a thorough intake which took the better part of two months. We clarified her intentions and co-created a ceremonial plan. Unlike many sessions I facilitate virtually, this one would take place in person, in the safe space of her home.
The Ceremony Begins
After opening the ceremonial space and navigating the onset of the medicine, we opened with chakra-based vocal toning, a meditative process designed to align the body’s energy centers through sound. Anna engaged deeply with the process. When the medicine took effect, it became clear that something profound was unfolding.
Her arms extended upward, and she lay back with a sense of liberation. “I’m a bird,” she said. She described flying over the coastline of Mexico—sky, ocean, and mountains—soaring alongside her husband and his family, playing, laughing, and connected.
But her mother and sister weren’t flying. They were on the ground—too afraid.
Reconnection and Repair
Anna was drawn to land beside her mother.. There, she offered long-held words of appreciation and pain. She named needs that were never met. And she forgave.
In this sacred space, Anna gave voice to long-silenced needs and unspoken desires—ones she had carried for years beneath the surface. She turned to her mother and shared what she had never been able to say: “I needed you to believe me. I needed you to protect me.” She spoke of the yearning for softness, warmth, and emotional safety—qualities absent from her childhood. Her mother had often shown up in a hardened, masculine, and emotionally guarded way, unintentionally creating distance where Anna longed for closeness. And yet, in this moment of profound vulnerability and clarity, Anna saw her mother through new eyes. She didn’t just name the pain—she released it. She offered her mother forgiveness, not as an excuse for the past, but as a reclamation of her own freedom.
Next, she faced her sister, who also appeared in bird form but remained scared to fly. Anna carried guilt. Years earlier, she had left the family home after trauma and abuse. She had to save herself—but it meant leaving her little sister behind. In this space, Anna offered compassion, reconnection, and a gentle invitation: “You can fly, too.”
We used breathwork to help her release the deep guilt and remorse she held about her sister. She visualized handing the energy over to the ocean. With that release, her sister—shaky but willing—began to lift off. Together, they flew with their family.
Inner Child Healing
After a short break to connect with nature, Anna returned and took a booster dose. Her 12-year-old self appeared—the part of her carrying the greatest burden of abuse. Anna embraced that young girl with love and tenderness, showing her the beauty of her current life: her loving partner, her meaningful work, her safe home. She reassured her younger self that she was no longer alone.
Then, her 18-year-old self emerged—confused, vulnerable, uncertain. Anna told her: “It’s okay to be lost. You don’t have to figure it all out alone anymore. I’ve got you now.”
Both inner parts—the 12- and 18-year-old—were finally able to release their burdens and entrust them to Anna, the adult. They were safe now. And still a part of her.
Confronting Her Father
In the final segment of the journey, her father appeared. Immediately, Anna was overwhelmed with fear, resentment, and stomach-wrenching anger. She couldn’t form words. Her body began to shake violently. It was a deep, primal release.
We returned to toning and breathwork to help the energy move. At first, her jaw was clenched. Her voice trapped. But with patience, coaching, and courage, she began to vocalize. The sound rose—stronger, louder, longer.
It was like emotional childbirth—waves of sound and trembling, lasting nearly 5 minutes. Then came stillness.
I gently asked if she had anything she wanted to say to her father.
She said: “There’s nothing left to say.”
When I asked if she wanted him to leave, she said yes—but he wouldn't go. So I invited her to visualize me and her husband standing beside her. Together, we escorted him out.
Even after he left, more waves came—louder, deeper, and more freeing. Anna had the option to pause the work, but she looked at me and said:
“No. I need to finish this. I need to do this now.”
And she did.
After the Storm
At the end of the process, Anna lay back and whispered: “I can breathe for the first time.”
Her entire body, which had trembled and released so much, was finally at peace. She rested in silence and recovery, allowing the integration to begin.
We closed the ceremony in prayer and gratitude.
Closing Reflections
Anna’s story is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, even after years of silence, fear, and stagnation. The medicine didn’t do the work for her. It opened a doorway. She walked through with courage, grit, and an open heart.
This journey was not just about releasing trauma—it was about reclaiming her voice, her wholeness, and her right to fly.
To listen or watch this complete one month follow up integration session
CLICK HERE.
If you or someone you know is navigating unresolved trauma and looking for an alternative path toward healing, integration coaching and psychedelic-assisted therapy may offer a powerful resource. Reach out when you're ready. Healing is not only possible—it’s within reach.
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