The Science and Ethics of Psychedelic Therapy: What Every Therapist Needs to Know, with Dori Lewis

A 19-year-old client sits on his couch staring at a wall for 8 hours a day. He's been in therapy for two years. He's planned his suicide for his 20th birthday. Traditional therapy isn't working.

Three ketamine sessions later, he's dating someone, has a job, and is learning to snowboard.

This isn't a miracle story. It's Tuesday for Dori Lewis.

In this eye-opening conversation, I sit down with Dori Lewis — licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor, and co-founder of Elemental Psychedelics, one of Colorado's first DORA-approved psychedelic training programs.

Dori's journey began with her own psychedelic trauma — being given DMT without consent, then spending four months in Asia integrating the experience. That traumatic weekend forged her into one of the most ethically-grounded voices in psychedelic medicine.

From facilitating nearly 100 ketamine sessions to training psilocybin facilitators, Dori lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern therapy. She's not here to sell you on psychedelics — she's here to give you the unfiltered truth about what this work really entails.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The client case that changed everything: 2 years of stalled therapy to breakthrough in 3 ketamine sessions
• Dori's trauma story: DMT without consent and the Asia integration journey that birthed her practice
• What happens in an 8-hour psilocybin session (the real, unfiltered process)
• Why mushrooms "amplify everything in the unseen realm" and what that means for training
• Cultural appropriation: how to honor spirituality without crossing ethical lines
• Australia vs. America: $25,000 psychiatrist-only model vs. Colorado's $800-2000 sliding scale
• Screening criteria: who should (and shouldn't) do psychedelic therapy
• The dark side: narcissism amplification and harm from unskilled facilitators
• Colorado's personal use model: grow, gift, and consume mushrooms legally

Bottom Line: Psychedelic therapy isn't replacing traditional therapy — it's amplifying it. But only with proper training, ethical foundations, and deep respect for holding altered states.

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🔗 Links & Mentions

🍄 Connect with Dori Lewis:
Website: reflectivehealing.com
Training: elementalpsychedelics.com
FREE Webinar: "Myths and Misconceptions About Psilocybin" — July 7th, Register here.

📲 Follow me: @dr.hayleykelly
🎙 Past episodes: therapistsrising.com/podcast

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