Holding Both Curiosity and Caution

If you’re considering psychedelic-assisted or psycholytic therapy for the first time, it’s natural to feel a mixture of hope and hesitation.

Something in you senses the potential—but another part may be wondering:

• Will I be safe?
• What exactly happens in a session?
• What if it brings up more than I can handle?

These questions are not signs of doubt—they’re signs of care.
And in this kind of work, care is the beginning of everything.

Psychedelic therapy isn’t casual. It’s not rushed.
It’s a carefully structured process, grounded in ethics, clinical guidance, and the quiet presence of someone walking beside you.

Let’s take a slow, steady look at how the journey unfolds with Dr. Dan McKinnon—so you know, from the very beginning, that you’re not doing this alone.

Step 1: Medical Referral and Screening

A foundation of safety, not just a formality.

Before any session begins, we start with one essential question: Is this right for you—medically, emotionally, psychologically?

That answer comes through a thorough intake process, including:

• A referral from your GP, psychologist, or caseworker
• A nurse-led medical review of your full health history
• A 90-minute psychiatric screening to assess readiness and risk

“These medicines are powerful and must be used responsibly. Screening ensures we protect the client and create the best possible outcome.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

This phase isn’t just about eligibility. It’s about building relational trust.
It’s the beginning of being seen—not as a problem to solve, but as a person with a story, a history, and a capacity for healing.

For more on this screening process, visit → What to Expect in a Psychedelic Therapy Session.

Step 2: Preparation and Intention Setting

Therapy begins long before the medicine.

Once cleared to begin, your next step is preparation—and in many ways, this is the heart of the work.

In this phase, you and Dr. Dan McKinnon will:

• Explore what brings you here and what you’re hoping for
• Discuss the medicine you’ll be using, and how it tends to work
• Begin forming a therapeutic relationship based on presence, not performance

“If not more important than intention, the preparation phase is about helping the client feel safe with the therapist—like they’re not doing this alone.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

When preparation is relational—not just educational—it becomes the soil in which trust, insight, and change can grow.

Step 3: The Medicine Session

A supported inner experience, shaped by your needs.

This is where the journey deepens.

Held in a calm, clinic-style space, your medicine session is tailored to your needs. You may receive:

• A psychedelic-assisted session (full dose, inward-focused)
• Or a psycholytic session (low dose, conversational, co-processed)

You might recline in a comfortable chair, with eye shades and music—or stay in active dialogue throughout.
A therapist and clinical team are present at all times.

Session durations vary:

• Ketamine: 90–120 minutes
• MDMA: 3–4 hours
• Psilocybin: 5–8 hours
• Psycholytic therapy: ~2 hours

“In psycholytic therapy, you’re awake and engaged. The medicine allows you to explore emotions and memories that normally feel too heavy to reach.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

You are never alone in the room. And more importantly, you’re not alone in your experience.

Step 4: Integration Therapy

Making meaning of what emerged.

Within 24 to 48 hours of your session—sometimes even during the same session in psycholytic work—you’ll return to reflect, process, and begin the quiet work of integration.

Together with your therapist, you’ll:

• Name what surfaced—emotionally, cognitively, or relationally
• Explore insights or memories that arose
• Begin connecting the experience to your daily life and choices

“The journey opens the door. Integration is where you begin to walk through it—into a new way of being.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

Without integration, the experience risks fading. With it, it becomes something alive—something that changes how you meet yourself, others, and the world.

For more about the role of the therapeutic relationship in this phase, visit → Therapist-Client Relationship in Psychedelic Healing.

Step 5: Ongoing Support and Follow-Up

Healing unfolds in continuity—not in a single moment.

Most clients work within a 2–4 session protocol, especially with ketamine-based therapy.
But the rhythm of your process will always be shaped by your needs.

You may receive:

• Follow-up talk therapy with Dr. Dan McKinnon
• Clinical check-ins to monitor your emotional and physical well-being
• A steady, caring presence throughout the arc of your healing

You’re never expected to “get it all” in one session.
And you’re never left to carry what arises on your own.

You’re Not Alone in This

A common concern for new clients is: Will I be alone?
The answer, always, is no.

“You’re with someone who’s journeying beside you—not just in the room, but emotionally and therapeutically. I’m there before, during, and after.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

This work is not about being guided from a distance.
It’s about being accompanied. Gently. Consistently. Without pressure. With open curiosity.

A Structured, Supported Journey Toward Wholeness

Whether you’re new to psychedelic therapy or standing at a threshold after years of searching, this is a space where both hope and uncertainty are welcome.

What matters is not how ready you feel.
What matters is how you’re met.

“This work is about wholing—becoming more whole in mind and heart. And that takes structure, care, and support.”
— Dr. Dan McKinnon

🌿 Ready to Begin?

If you’re curious about this process—or ready to start preparing—Dr. Dan McKinnon offers no-pressure, clinically grounded consultations.

Learn more about our approach and our services, or contact us today to begin the conversation.

You don’t have to take the first step alone.
In fact, that’s the point. You won’t be.