Speaker

Svea Nielson

Lessons from the “Manual of Psychedelic Support”

This presentation will cover 3 aspects. First, the “Manual of Psychedelic Support,” a handbook for setting up care services at festivals and other events, as well as content from this context which can be relevant for ibogaine therapy. Finally, I will talk about case studies from private practice. The “Manual of Psychedelic Support” has been written by the core team of Boom and Burning Man psychedelic sitters, as well as many other authors and artists who contributed to make this book a true piece of art. Working as a sitter over many years has helped me to shape an attitude which is quite different from the western psychology approach, and which has proven helpful in private practice. As sitters, we learn to facilitate and not guide, to focus on being and not doing or talking, to stay grounded in the body and not wander off in the mind, to create a safe and sacred environment. We learn to embrace fear instead of trying to repress it. The case studies I will share from my young practice with the wood will describe a few people’s paths, ranging from quitting substance abuse to developing a healthier lifestyle, and also opening up to the idea of a guide, providing a broader connection to the sacred.