Psilocybin Therapy in Ontario is home to major urban centers that are at the forefront of the conversation about mental health and innovative therapeutic approaches, like psychedelic-assisted therapy. But the state’s smaller communities and rural areas face barriers that make it difficult to access these emerging treatments.
One such barrier is the stigma surrounding psilocybin, which is currently illegal in Canada for therapeutic purposes. Another is the challenge of finding a therapist trained to support patients through a psychedelic experience, a process that can last 5-8 hours.
Legal Status of Psychedelic Therapy in Your Area
Despite these challenges, some healthcare professionals are already beginning to explore this treatment. This summer, a Hamilton psychiatrist named Cheryl Willsie spent nearly a week in training to become a facilitator of a psilocybin therapy session. During this training at Energy Tap, she and two other healthcare providers learned how to prepare a patient for a therapeutic experience using the drug that is found in so-called magic mushrooms.
The group focuses on creating a safe and empowering container to facilitate the healing effects of psilocybin. The four session group includes three preparation counselling sessions, the medicine journey itself, and then integration sessions to help support integration into daily life. The cost of the experience is typically covered by extended health benefits.
Another option available in the GTA is ketamine, which is also used for treating depression and anxiety. Specialty ketamine clinics are medically led and are often found in hospitals and community health centres. Some of these clinics also collaborate with psychotherapy services that offer psilocybin-enhanced therapies.