Choosing a Life That Feels True: My Journey with Psilocybin

During the height of the COVID pandemic, something became impossible to ignore.

On paper, my life looked great. I had an impressive title. I made good money. I had the house, the family, the version of success I’d worked very hard to build.

And yet I felt profoundly misaligned.

I was working too much. Living on adrenaline. Moving from one achievement to the next without ever feeling settled or fulfilled. There was a quiet but persistent sense that I wasn’t living into my full potential, though I couldn’t have articulated what that potential even was.

What I did know was that the way I was living wasn’t working anymore.

So I slowed down where I could. I started therapy. I journaled. I meditated. I started learning the piano. I began paying attention to my mental health in a way I never had before- not because I was in crisis, but because something inside me was asking for more honesty.

That’s when psilocybin started showing up everywhere: articles about mental health, research, conversations I kept overhearing. It was odd, because psychedelics had never interested me. Aside from far too many nights of drinking (especially during that early part of the pandemic- oh and in my younger years) and the occasional recreational dose of marijuana, I wasn’t someone who “dabbled.” Unknown substances didn’t appeal to me.

I read everything I could about safety, dosage, contraindications, and responsible use. I wasn’t rushing. I wasn’t chasing an experience. I wanted to be informed.

My first journey was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.

It wasn’t trippy or chaotic. It was pure presence. Deep joy. A sense of love and connection that felt steady, grounded, and profoundly real. Just a felt sense of being here in a way I hadn’t realized was missipsing. I sobbed with joy for 6 hours straight and became besties with the overhead light in the room.

But, seriously, It changed me.

No other journey has replicated that first experience- and I don’t think it was meant to. What has followed isn't a series of blissful highs, but something far more meaningful. Over time, psilocybin gently opened doors to parts of myself I hadn’t fully examined: generational patterns, early conditioning, the ways my childhood and adult experiences shaped how I moved through the world.

Journeys aren't always comfortable, but they are ALWAYS clarifying.

Importantly, psilocybin was never the work. It is one modality, used alongside therapy, reflection, and intentional integration. Together, those tools have changed my life in ways I couldn’t have predicted.

Over time, this work has reshaped my life in quiet but profound ways. It has made me a more patient and present parent: less reactive, more attuned, and better able to meet the moment instead of rushing past it. My self-esteem and self-worth are no longer tied to productivity, titles, or external validation; they come from a steadier sense of who I am and what matters to me. I feel more grounded in my body, more intentional with my time and energy, and far less compelled by consumerism or the pressure to constantly do more, earn more, or prove myself. Psilocybin helped me clarify what I actually want from my life- not what I was taught to want, and has given me permission to slow down, choose deliberately, and build a life that feels genuinely aligned rather than impressive on paper.

One of the clearest insights to emerge was this: My career in corporate marketing while lucrative, stimulating, and something I remain deeply grateful for, was no longer the right path. That realization led me to consulting. Consulting led me to coaching. And eventually, something even deeper emerged: a calling to help create safe, grounded environments for others who feel curious about this work but don’t want to navigate it alone.

With legalization expanding in places like Oregon, Colorado, and New Mexico, I chose to pursue formal training. I attended InnerTrek in Portland to become a formally licensed facilitator and continue learning alongside experienced mentors and coaches who have helped me deepen my understanding of this work, not just experientially, but ethically and responsibly.

The perspective, learning, and growth this work has offered me has been life-changing. It’s work I feel honored to bring into the world.

Reframing the Conversation Around Psilocybin Safety

We’ve been conditioned to believe that psychedelic mushrooms are inherently dangerous.

And to be clear: psilocybin is not for everyone. Certain medical histories, medications, and mental health conditions require caution or exclusion altogether.

That said, when used responsibly at appropriate doses, in safe environments, with attention to preparation and integration, psilocybin has been shown to be remarkably safe, especially when compared to many culturally accepted substances.

Alcohol, for example, is legal, widely normalized, and deeply embedded in our social fabric despite its well-documented physical, psychological, and societal harms.

By contrast, large-scale population studies and clinical research consistently rank psilocybin among the lowest-risk psychoactive substances, with minimal toxicity and low potential for dependence when used appropriately.

Research has demonstrated promising outcomes in areas such as:

• Depression and anxiety

• End-of-life distress

• Existential meaning and well-being

• Emotional flexibility and psychological insight

For me, this work has never been about escaping life or chasing peak experiences. It’s been about meeting myself more honestly, living more intentionally, and creating a life that actually feels aligned.

That’s the work I believe in.And it’s the work I’m here to offer: thoughtfully, responsibly, and with deep respect for each person’s path.

Want to learn more? I'd love to have a conversation with you.