Integration is the process that occurs both before and after psychedelic treatment therapy. During a psychedelic experience, you will likely have ideas and insights that arise. Integration is how you make sense of them and “integrate” these new thoughts and feelings into your life.

Integration is a crucial part of the psychedelic treatment experience, allowing you to evaluate and process the meaningful breakthroughs you’ve made during your treatment. Integration increases the benefits of psychedelic treatment.

Integration can also help to minimize negative reactions that may arise as a result of an unpleasant encounter with psychoactive substances. Sometimes, the expectation of the psychedelic experience differs from reality—and integration therapy can help to alleviate those concerns.

What Does Integration Involve?
Self-led integration
Some people choose to lead themselves through integration. Typically, a person who is about to have a psychedelic experience will decide on questions to ask themselves before and after a psychedelic experience and think through insights—either on their own, or by discussing with a trusted friend.

Self-led integration can involve any range of activities including thinking about the experience, talking through the experience, journaling, meditating, or even expressing through art.

While self-led integration can be effective, everyone has blind spots and knowledge gaps that could be rounded out by a qualified third party leading you through the integration process.

Professional Integration
Professional integration is overseen by a qualified professional. An integration therapist facilitates the healing process that results when you analyze and integrate the insights gained from your psychedelic experience.

Integration therapy that precedes or follows a medically supervised psychedelic treatment is conducted in a controlled environment with a trained therapist.

An integration therapist can help to properly prepare you before you embark on a psychedelic journey. Integration therapy can help manage expectations and set intentions for your interaction with a psychoactive substance — making the process that much more effective.

Integration therapy may include some of the following practices:

Yoga
Meditation
Talk therapy
Somatic therapy
Visual arts therapy