Reflections on my psychedelic therapy training and the future of the Aotearoa landscape
Written by Grace Cooper
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is still being drawn—like a map in progress, with each of us holding a pen. Those of us in this community are co-creating a therapeutic terrain that ideally honours the clinical, cultural, and mystical dimensions of healing. My own journey began in nursing and counselling, followed by two decades in corporate risk management. As a mature woman, after reaching a personal crossroads (aka crisis), it was PAT—supported by thoughtful, skilled integration—that helped me reconnect with my truest self and become more me- finally. For that I am truly grateful.
My PAT transformation allowed me to make several pivotal changes including walking away from a 20-year career that no longer served me, and back to my roots in the caring professions. Through a 14-month training with Sound Mind Institute to become a psychedelic assisted therapist, I’ve come to appreciate the depth and breadth of skills and knowledge required to hold space for others using psychedelics to heal and transform. We have been taught the delicate balance of clinical rigour, ethical grounding, practical considerations, respect and reverence for the ceremonial roots of natural psychedelics and so much more. As I complete the training, I remain committed to the evolving landscape in New Zealand and Australia in ways that are inclusive, safe, and respectful.
While attending a retreat in Peru, involving working with local curanderos and medicines in ceremony. One of the many highlights of my PAT journey work and training.
Embarking on a psychedelic journey can be profoundly transformative, revealing new perspectives and deep inner truths – if we are willing to trust, surrender, receive. Yet the true magic lies not just in the experience with the medicine itself, but in how we integrate it into our daily lives. Integration is the bridge between momentary revelation and lasting change—transforming fleeting insights into embodied wisdom. As practitioners, our responsibility is to offer support that is educated, ethical, attuned, and skilled, helping individuals navigate this terrain with care and clarity. One of the many things I have come to appreciate about this training is that the medicine sessions are only half of the story, the meaning making and application of the insights during integration and beyond are equally important.
I myself, have found the training intense, much like medicine journeys can be. Emotional, educational, thought provoking, challenging the status quo and illuminating focus on topics and considerations that are at the edge of awareness, it required me to dig deep look at myself and how I show up. As a journey’s integration is a must, in training, application is a must. Because of the Sound Mind Institute training I don’t just have knowledge… I have an inner knowing and feel better able to bridge the gap between knowing and doing. The inner knowing I refer to comes from not just the information provided across the course, but the practical session and the practicums, where we are required to facilitate and demonstrate application, competence and embody the learning.
As interest in psychedelics grows, so too does the need for thoughtful, educated guidance. The rise in self-treatment and untrained sitting is a concern, given the altered and therefore vulnerable state of the client. This, to me highlights the importance of education, cultural competence, and harm reduction. This is not just a medical/therapeutic innovation—it is a collective act of navigation and creation, for those of us poised with pen in hand. It is an honour, a privilege and an absolute delight to support people to experience their own transformative journeys and support their integration, and to be a part of shaping the map for PAT here in Aotearoa. The map is still being drawn, but with every step, every journey, every integration, we are helping to chart a course toward a more connected, conscious, and compassionate Aotearoa. Tread carefully.
