Stories of Guests from MycoMeditations Psilocybin Retreat
By MycoMeditations
This interview series brings you inside the experiences of people who joined us at our psychedelic retreat to heal with psilocybin therapy.
We asked Damon, a man in his 50s from Florida, six questions to share about his experiences during his retreat week. Below you will read about Damon’s journey to heal the grief following the death of his first wife 10 years prior, as well as letting go of the damage left behind from his years of strict religious upbringing, which still lingered in his life.
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What kind of support network did you have, and how did they react to your challenges before you sought psychedelic therapy?
My primary support has been my wife who recognized that the upcoming 10-year anniversary of my first wife’s death might need special attention and encouraged me to practice self-care through travel. When I expressed interest in psilocybin therapy instead, she was completely supportive and continued to be encouraging throughout my experience, genuinely happy for the healing I was experiencing. One of my sons with psilocybin experience was also very supportive, advising me to "surrender and let go" during the mushroom experience. After leaving the high-demand religion that stole my identity for fifty years, I've been rebuilding my support network with people who accept me authentically, without judgment.
What advice, insight, or experience sealed your decision to try psilocybin therapy?
The therapeutic benefits of psilocybin had interested me for several years as I studied the research on processing grief and trauma. What truly moved me were the healing stories from both people I knew personally and others who had shared their experiences publicly. As the 10-year anniversary of my first wife’s death approached, I felt a deep need for profound healing rather than just distraction. It took tremendous courage to overcome decades of indoctrination against psychedelics and my fear of losing control, but I trusted in the professional guidance, therapeutic environment, and careful dosing approach at MycoMeditations. Ultimately, I knew this challenging work needed to be done before the anniversary milestone.
What metaphors or imagery came to you during your therapy that helped you understand your life's journey better?
During my second session, I was invited to "see my home" and traveled through an undulating tunnel to a peaceful, warm space that looked like being inside a large jellyfish. As my body shook, I sensed fifty years of high-demand religion being cleansed from my system—all the toxic shame, control, and identity theft leaving my body. I experienced my heart expanding with infinite space to fully love everyone in my circle, including myself, which was a profound and powerful experience. In my third session, I found myself back in the womb, feeling both protected and yet absorbing the strife from outside, which was a powerful metaphor for how I've carried others' burdens. The shedding of these layers revealed the truths that I don't need to be perfect, things don't have to make sense, and I'm not responsible for others' emotions.
Can you describe a fond moment that you shared with another guest or a facilitator?
A particularly meaningful moment was when Chris, my facilitator, sat with me during my third session as I narrated the painful experiences surrounding my wife’s death. I shared how hard it was watching her suffer with our daughter's drug addiction, the stress of chartering a jet to get her to our son's wedding across the country days before she died from cancer, and the trauma of being beside her as she died at 1am while fireworks celebrated the new year. Throughout my difficult sharing, Chris remained present and supportive, creating a safe space for my healing. Later, as the intensity began to wane, we sat together by the water, talking and reflecting on the experience. That human connection after such profound vulnerability was incredibly valuable and taught me so much about the importance of our connections with others.
How do you incorporate the lessons from the retreat into your everyday life?
I'm continuing to discover who I am underneath all the high-demand religious programming and trauma, approaching this exploration with curiosity rather than fear. I practice trusting that others can manage their own emotions and comfort, which has lifted an enormous weight from my shoulders. I no longer feel the compulsion to make sense of everything or the terror of being wrong. Most importantly, I'm learning to fully love and accept myself as I am—something I've struggled with my entire life. I'm committed to giving others the same gift of total acceptance without judgment that I experienced at the retreat. The lightness I feel in my body and the clarity in my mind remind me daily of the healing that took place, and I remain grateful to the brave version of myself who chose to be vulnerability to experience this healing.
In one sentence, what can you say about this experience to somebody considering psychedelic/psilocybin therapy?
If you're seeking profound healing and are willing to surrender, trust the process, and face your fears, psilocybin therapy in a safe, supportive environment at MycoMeditations can accomplish years of healing in a remarkably short time.
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If Damon's story inspires you to embark on your own healing experience with psilocybin therapy at MycoMeditations, we invite you to
apply for one of our retreats!
