A Message from Daniel McQueen

Thank you for your interest in working with me. I consider the work I do to be a spiritual practice and a true privilege and honor. While I’ve been an “out” professional psychedelic therapist and guide for over 6 years now, I have a 22-year intentional relationship with psychedelic medicines. Please see my LinkedIn profile to review the story of my professional training and experience.

WHY I’M NOT A PSYCHOTHERAPIST (even though I have a Master’s Degree in counseling)

I tried to fit in that box, but it just didn’t adequately describe what I do. I also feel there is a legitimate point of view that states these medicines are for all of us, and shouldn’t require a monopolized gatekeeper of one modality. When I first started working with Psychedelic Cannabis as a therapeutic tool, I was actively fulfilling the requirements to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. I completed all of the required supervision and hours and all I had left was to take the test. However, the work was so new that it seemed more appropriate for my own path to not become licensed at that time. (We protect a counselor’s professional license by working with our amazing medical doctors. With this medical support, we can legally call what we do “Psychedelic Therapy.”)  I’ve also used the term “Psychedelic Guide” and I have stepped into the professional title of “Psychedelic Specialist,” especially for trauma resolution.

I refer clients who are seeking ongoing psychotherapy support to members of our team. And because I don’t have a license, I do not provide ongoing support, but work instead with my clients’ psychotherapists or medical professionals to ensure each client receives the support they need. Also, as an activist, and educator, I believe this reduces unnecessary dual relationships. A retreat can go a long way in jumpstarting ongoing therapy and taking it to a new place.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, I primarily practice as a spiritual guide and I generally imbibe cannabis with my clients. Our counselors are prohibited from doing this to comply with their licenses. Before any medicine is taken, I chat with my clients about this, and am disclosing it here. I always make my imbibing optional and not required, and so far in 6 years, no one has asked me not to take the medicine. They actually feel more comfortable with me doing so, and I find it to be a deeply meaningful experience. I have enough experience and training to guarantee that I will be fully present with you throughout the journey. There are many traditional psychedelic practices where it is commonplace for the practitioner to “be on the journey” with the person they are working with. While I work with a generally non-traditional psychedelic, I feel drawn to work in this type of lineage as well.

WHO MY CLIENTS ARE

A majority of my clients fly in from out of state. Their psychedelic experience ranges from being a complete novice to being psychedelic guides themselves. Many are entrepreneurs or highly-skilled professionals. But they also come from all walks of life. About half of my clients are people of color. I work with people who are looking to heal severe trauma, and with people stepping into their greatest calling. Sometimes both. A lot of my clients have an existing mindfulness practice or are interested in learning more about incorporating mindfulness into their lives. I also work with a lot of people who have retired. I am deeply honored to work with the people I do.

WHAT THE PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCES ARE LIKE

The cannabis medicines we work with are very unique spirits, and part of their uniqueness comes from the ability to “shapeshift” into other medicine experiences. We often describe it as a morphing psilocybin and MDMA experience, or an ayahuasca experience with the emotional support of MDMA. But there is also something that just lives within cannabis. We call it the “somatic psychedelic” because it is so healing for our bodies as well.

A full session is generally 5-6 hours for psychedelic cannabis with about a 3.5 hour journey experience, or 3-4 hours for ketamine with a 1.5-2 hour journey experience. If we work with ketamine, we’ll have a doctor with us to administer the medicine. Our doctors are amazing human beings. We may also have an assistant practitioner present, especially with groups, to provide extra support for you, and to also train the next generation of psychedelic therapists and guides.

We recommend a two to three session series to get the most out of the retreat. The process from one day to the next doesn’t repeat, it continues, often to full resolution. It is difficult to describe how powerful these experiences can be. Visit these pages on Psychedelic Cannabis and Ketamine to learn more about what to expect.

YOUR BODY AND PSYCHE ARE SAFE WITH ME

Holding appropriate professional boundaries is part of the healing experience and I take this seriously. Touch is always non-sexual and only provided if requested. I have training as a Reiki practitioner and I’m conscious of what appropriate touch really means. I will also keep you physically safe and be with you during the entire experience. I know how to handle mental health crises and unruly spiritual awakenings. I am a cisgendered man. You can request an assistant at the time of scheduling of any gender you are most comfortable with. They will be part of the entire process with us.

MUSIC TO SUPPORT THE PSYCHEDELIC CANNABIS AND KETAMINE EXPERIENCEMusic is extremely important in these experiences. I have the skill to DJ a music set that is specifically made for you in the journey to match the needs of your experience.We have a few samples of these online and I can provide the playlist for you to go back to any time after your experience with me.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES – ASK QUESTIONSMy goal is to make myself obsolete. This time is your time and you are invited to ask questions and to share your experiences. We can talk about microdosing, preparation, intention, integration, and general psychedelic journeywork skill sets so you can take the experience back home with you. I’ll teach you exactly how to make the cannabis blends if you are interested, and how to set up your own space for healing and transformation. With my book, and a direct experience of what is possible, you’ll be set to do your own healing and waking up work in the comfort of your own home. We can continue the practice through video sessions as we’ve found these to be quite potent.These are difficult times for many of us. The world is getting pretty wild and a lot of people are waking up to the fact that something needs to shift. These experiences help us heal our old wounds, so that we can be resilient and persevere, and even enjoy these radical times and future tribulations ahead. When you are ready, we’ll help you set up your first consultation. Hope you can come for a visit soon!

Daniel