Integration for Psychedelic‑Assisted Therapy

Integration: Support to process, ground, and apply your experience.

Important: Flowstate Therapy provides preparation and integration psychotherapy.

If you’re receiving (or considering) psychedelic‑assisted treatment through a licensed prescriber, clinical trial, or authorized program, we can help you prepare well and integrate the experience safely and meaningfully.

What is Integration?

Psychedelic experiences — whether in therapy or personal healing work — can open new perspectives, feelings, and insights. Integration is the process of making sense of those experiences and weaving them into your daily life in a safe, supportive way. Without integration, the benefits of a session may fade or feel overwhelming. With integration, those insights can become lasting tools for growth, resilience, and well-being.

Why Integration Matters (and how it fits with Preperation)

Ground the Experience — translate insights into words, actions, and meaning.

  1. Create Lasting Change — move from “momentary shift” to sustainable growth.

  2. Build Support & Resilience — process challenges or difficult material with a professional.

  3. Deepen Healing — continue uncovering patterns, strengths, and new possibilities.

Most people benefit from 1–3 preparation sessions before any medicine day and 1–3 integration sessions afterward. (Many choose additional support to deepen growth.) If you’re ready to learn about integration next, visit our Integration page (link in navigation) after you finish here.

Who This Page Is For?

People preparing for ketamine‑assisted psychotherapy (KAP) with a qualified prescriber

  • Individuals entering or returning to psilocybin, MDMA‑assisted, or other psychedelic‑adjacent programs (e.g., approved research or care in another jurisdiction)

  • Loved ones and supporters (“trip sitters”) wanting to help someone prepare safely

  • Clinicians and community partners seeking an ethical, trauma‑informed framework for preparation and integration

Our Approach to Integration

At Flowstate Therapy, integration sessions are designed to:

  • Provide a safe, non-judgmental space to explore your experience.

  • Use evidence-based therapeutic approaches (psychodynamic, somatic, mindfulness, CBT, IFS-inspired work, and more).

  • Support both the emotional and practical application of psychedelic insights.

  • Help clients develop tools and practices (journaling, mindfulness, bodywork, community) that reinforce healing.

Reflection, Connection, and Application: Foundations of IntegrationTrio

Reflection:

Journal, talk, or meditate on your experience. Notice themes, emotions, and insights as they arise. Allow space for both clarity and uncertainty.

Connection:

A calm, low‑clutter space with comfortable temperature, adjustable light/sound, tissues, water, and easy access to the washroom. Prepare a comfort kit (eye mask, blanket, soft sweater, lip balm, ginger tea, journal, pen).

Identify small, meaningful actions that align with your insights. Shift daily habits, set intentions, and practice new ways of being to anchor lasting change.

Application:

Brief, Educational Overview of Common Substances

Educational context only. Access, medical screening, and dosing are determined by your prescriber or authorized program. Timeframes vary by individual and route of administration.

Ketamine (prescription dissociative)

  • Primary action: NMDA receptor antagonism with downstream glutamatergic and neuroplasticity effects.

  • Onset & duration (typical): Minutes to onset; many sessions unfold over 45–90 minutes depending on route. A reflective, quieter period often follows.

  • Common themes: Altered body perception, relief from ruminative loops, expanded perspective, compassion toward self; sometimes nausea or dizziness.

  • Preparation notes: Clarify intentions; create a minimal‑input environment (eye mask optional); line up transportation; follow prescriber guidance on food/medication.

Psilocybin (classic psychedelic)

  • Primary action: 5‑HT2A receptor agonism; transient increases in neural flexibility and altered default mode network activity.

  • Onset & duration: 20–60 min to onset; 4–6 hours total (varies by dose/form).

  • Common themes: Emotional access, imagery, meaning‑making, awe; possible waves of anxiety or nausea.

  • Preparation notes: Emphasize trust, acceptance, and non‑striving. Plan a quiet recovery window the same day and next morning.

MDMA (empathogen/entactogen)

  • Primary action: Increases monoamine release and oxytocin; supports fear extinction and memory reconsolidation processes when paired with therapy.

  • Onset & duration: 30–60 min to onset; 4–6 hours total with an afterglow period.

  • Common themes: Warmth, openness, connectedness, emotional processing; may include jaw tension, temperature sensitivity.

  • Preparation notes: Hydration guidance and temperature awareness per program; align on relational boundaries and communication preferences.

LSD (classic psychedelic)

  • Onset & duration: 45–90 min to onset; 8–12 hours total. Requires full‑day planning and extended integration space.

  • Preparation notes: Extra attention to pacing, nourishment, and support person availability.

DMT / Ayahuasca

  • Smoked/vaporized DMT: Rapid onset; 5–20 minutes of intense effects.

  • Ayahuasca (brew): 30–60 min to onset; 4–6+ hours with potential purgative effects.

  • Preparation notes: Strong emphasis on facilitator qualifications, medical screening, and next‑day recovery time.

Mescaline (peyote/san pedro)

  • Onset & duration: 60–120 min to onset; 8–12+ hours.

  • Preparation notes: Plan for a long day and gentle next‑day schedule.

Legal access in Canada: Some substances may only be available through authorized medical programs, clinical trials, or other regulated pathways. We provide psychotherapy for preparation and integration.

View from inside a dark sea cave looking out towards a sandy beach and ocean, with footprints on the cave floor and moss on the rocks.

Consideration for: Preparation for Ketamine Therapy


Whether you are receiving Ketamine IV, Ketamine Intramuscular, or Ketamine Intranasal, thorough preparation can make a profound difference in your Ketamine Therapy experience and outcome. Ketamine is unique among psychedelic-adjacent medicines—it is a dissociative anesthetic that works primarily by blocking NMDA receptors in the brain, leading to changes in glutamate signaling and promoting neuroplasticity. This means Ketamine Treatment can temporarily “loosen” rigid patterns of thought, open new neural pathways, and help you see problems from a fresh perspective. During a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy session, people often describe sensations such as floating, time distortion, visual imagery, or a sense of observing their thoughts from a distance. Emotional content may arise in unexpected ways—sometimes gently, sometimes more vividly. As the effects of Ketamine Therapy wear off (typically within 45–90 minutes depending on the route), there is often a window of clarity, calm, or openness that can be used for therapeutic processing. Preparing for Ketamine Therapy in Ottawa or via our virtual sessions across Ontario means clarifying your intentions in advance, setting up a safe and calming physical environment, arranging transportation home (you must not drive for the rest of the day), and planning gentle self-care afterward. We can help you anticipate what the Ketamine experience might feel like, establish grounding tools you can use during your treatment, and map out your post-session integration so that insights gained while on ketamine have the best chance of becoming meaningful, lasting change.

Safety, Contraindications & Scope

Medical screening and dosing are the responsibility of your prescriber or program. Share your full medical/medication history with them.

Some substances may interact with SSRIs/SNRIs, MAOIs, benzodiazepines, stimulants, antipsychotics, and other medications. Do not alter medications without medical advice.

Discuss cardiovascular history, seizure history, pregnancy, and any past manic or psychotic episodes with your prescriber.

If you’re in acute crisis (e.g., unsafe to yourself or others), please access emergency care or crisis lines first.

Our role is psychotherapy: preparation, integration, emotional processing, and skills—not medical directives.

Special Considerations by Population

Veterans & First Responders: Address moral injury, hypervigilance, trauma triggers.

LGBTQ+ Clients: Affirming space; address minority stress.

Chronic Pain Clients: Prep for body awareness shifts.

Rural Ontario Clients: Virtual prep strategies, local aftercare referrals.

Your Integration Checklist

First 24–72 Hours

  • Prioritize rest, hydration, and gentle movement.

  • Capture images, words, or feelings from the experience through journaling, drawing, or voice notes.

  • Avoid making major life decisions — let the experience settle.

  • Schedule or attend your first integration session (ideally within 1–3 days).

First Week

  • Share reflections with a trusted therapist, friend, or community member.

  • Begin grounding practices: meditation, breathwork, nature walks, or somatic exercises.

  • Notice emotional waves or new perspectives — welcome them without judgment.

  • Journal prompts: What surprised me? How do I want to relate to this insight? Where do I feel it in my body?

Weeks 2–4

  • Identify small, meaningful lifestyle shifts that align with your insights.

  • Incorporate supportive routines (mindfulness, movement, creative expression).

  • Revisit your compassionate mantra or intention, adjusting as needed.

  • Continue integration sessions to deepen understanding and sustain momentum.

Ongoing

  • Build a support system — therapy, peer groups, trusted relationships.

  • Re-engage with practices that keep you grounded and connected.

  • Treat insights as seeds: water them through action, patience, and self-compassion.

  • Remember integration is a process — growth unfolds over time.

What Integration with Flowstate Looks Like

Session Length: Usually 50–60 minutes (virtual or in‑person).

What we cover:

  • Reflection on your experience (images, emotions, insights)

  • Meaning-making and narrative integration

  • Processing difficult or unresolved material safely

  • Connecting insights to relationships, work, and daily life

  • Exploring grounding practices and body-based awareness

  • Developing practical applications and ongoing rituals (journaling, mindfulness, movement)

  • Planning next steps in therapy, self-care, or community support

  • Client-Centered Care:

    Your needs, goals, and preferences come first.

  • Accessibility:

    We work to reduce barriers—financial, emotional, or logistical—so more people can access care.

  • Transparency:

    We’re open about what we do, how it works, and why we recommend it.

  • Collaboration:

    Healing is a team effort—and we’re stronger when we work together.

  • Community:

    We’re building more than a clinic—we’re building connection.

  • Ongoing Learning:

    We stay curious, informed, and committed to growing with the field.

Hear From Our Clients

  • “It’s rare to find a team this professional while still feeling so genuinely human. You can tell they’re not just following protocols; they’re deeply invested in the work they do and the people they support. The care feels personalized rather than one-size-fits-all. ”

    D.R.

  • “Nothing but positive things to say about FlowState Therapy. Ben and his team are incredible and are so knowledgeable. I am very happy with the services they have provided for me.”

    D.M

  • “My overall experience in the serene Flowstate office was fantastic. I had really positive interactions with all the staff, particularly Jaimie for providing such a safe, welcoming, and comfortable environment. And Yamina, whose presence and support on my intense and beautiful KAP journey has been life-changing to say the least!”

    A.D.

Schedule a free initial call

We offer free 15-minute consultations to help you learn more about our treatments here.

Just give us call
613 - 670 - 6629

or send us an email
hello@
flowstatetherapy.ca

Frequently Asked Questions – Psychedelic Preparation

  • Yes. We offer preparation for a range of psychedelic-assisted therapies, including Ketamine Therapy, psilocybin-assisted therapy, MDMA-assisted therapy, and other authorized or research-based approaches. The principles of preparation—intention-setting, set and setting, safety planning—apply across medicines.

  • We offer in-person sessions in Ottawa and secure virtual sessions across Ontario. If you live outside Ontario, we can help you find reputable preparation and integration providers in your area.

  • Most clients benefit from 1–3 sessions before their medicine day. If you have limited time, we can condense the process into one extended session.

  • Preparation sessions are psychotherapy and may be eligible under your mental health benefits. Check with your provider for coverage details.

  • Yes—if it’s helpful, we can involve your support person in the planning process. We’ll set clear boundaries so the focus stays on your needs.

  • It’s common to feel anxious before a psychedelic session. In preparation, we’ll practice grounding techniques and create a clear safety plan so you feel supported and ready.

  • Yes—integration therapy is the next step after preparation. We recommend scheduling your first integration session within 24–72 hours after your medicine day.

  • Definitely. Neurofeedback works beautifully alongside psychotherapy, mindfulness practices, and medical care. It’s a great tool to regulate your nervous system, which can make talk therapy more effective and help you feel more grounded between sessions.