My Psilocybin Backstory

Like mycelium weaving through the earth, psilocybin reconnected me to myself.

I have been exploring psilocybin with intention for over 15 years—seeking healing, connection, and a deeper understanding of myself. Every journey has been significant. Some filled me with awe, others cracked me open in ways I wasn’t expecting. Some were gentle and restorative, others raw, intense, and life-altering. But each one has helped me grow into someone freer, more whole, and more at home in myself.

Unlike many who experiment in their teens, I wasn’t drawn to psychedelics at first. I grew up in a small Midwest city where drugs and gang violence were everywhere, and I had no interest in getting caught up in that world. I had bigger plans—escape my hometown, go to college, see the world. I won a scholarship to study in Germany, got into college, and set my sights on becoming a Couples & Family Therapist.

Then life threw me a curveball. While abroad in 2003, I got a severe case of mononucleosis. It wrecked my body, leaving me with lingering fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and what would later be diagnosed as multiple autoimmune conditions. At the same time, the PMDD (originally misdiagnosed as Major Depression) I had struggled with since high school became unbearable. Pharmaceuticals didn’t help. I barely made it through my first year of college. Stuck in bed, exhausted and in pain, I had nothing but time to sit with the weight of my past trauma.

Like many, I turned to alcohol to cope. When I moved to Portland in 2006, I hoped a fresh start would heal me. Instead, I just found new ways to escape. I worked in nightlife—cocktail serving, singing backup in bands—living what felt like a rockstar life by night and dragging myself through school by day. I was deeply unwell, but no one could tell. Doctors prescribed SSRIs. I underplayed how much I was drinking. The alcohol, the pills, the painkillers—it all made things worse. There were nights that scared me.

Something had to change. A close friend, someone I trusted completely, suggested I try a magic mushroom trip.

That was over 15 years ago. It was a turning point. Psilocybin didn’t erase my struggles overnight, but it gave me something nothing else had—clarity, self-compassion, and a way forward. My body, my mind, my relationships—they all began to heal. I no longer meet the criteria for Fibromyalgia. I stopped needing opioids. I only drink on rare occasions now, free from the numbing cycle I was once trapped in.

Psilocybin has been a teacher, a mirror, and a guide. Paired with IFS (parts work) and somatic therapy, it helped me unravel my CPTSD in ways years of traditional counseling never did. It showed me where I was stuck, helped me release what I was carrying, and opened me to a sense of self-love I never thought possible.

Not everyone’s journey will look like mine, but I know firsthand how transformative this medicine can be. Psilocybin isn’t a shortcut, and it isn’t a magic fix—but for those willing to do the work, it can be a profound catalyst for change.



I am honored to hold space for others on this path, to offer guidance, safety, and support as they step into their own healing. If you feel called to explore this journey, I am here to help.