The Overly Biased Integration CoachI've gotta be honest with you all. I'm super biased. I've got very strong ideas about how people should live their lives. I have opinions about how people should use plant medicines. I have opinions about how they should conduct their relationships and manage their money. Don't even get me started on my ideas about spiritual growth and metaphysics. You might wonder why I feel so comfortable being so vulnerable about these despicable judgements I have. It's because we all have them. We see the world through our lenses, our biases, all day long. In our coaching training program this weekend, we discussed this topic. We spoke about our unconscious biases, and how they can impact the way that we coach. We acknowedged that if we're not careful, our baggage can negatively impact the people in our care. We can fall out of right relationship with them, and find ourselves in an ethical dilema. It's not a good scene. If we want to remain in integrity in our client work, we've got to find ways to be more self aware. And because it's sometimes painful to admit that we've got hang ups, bad ideas, and old trauma responses running our ceremonies, we've also got to find ways to get around our blind spots and defense mechanisms. This often requires support from community, mentorship, and/or supervision. We also have to simply learn good practices for having professional, creative conversations in a way that keeps our stuff out of the equasion. I figure these are the three main things:
So, we're not perfect, just good looking. That's ok. Perfection is not required to do this work. But we train in coaching methodologies. we practice asking thought provoking questions from a nuetral space, and how to offer reflections and guidance based on our client's desired outcomes, not our own agenda. We talk to our mentors, and run things by our communities. And we meditate and journal. Sitting in meditation helps us to become intimate with our foibles. Breathing helps us to de-energize them. For me, meditation is required to stay centered and present for my clients. It enables me to stay calm when things get weird. It allows me to keep things in perspective, and remember what I'm actually trying to do. Meditation shows me my own mind, so I'm not tripped up by the parts of it that prefer to remain shadowy. It keeps my mind agile, so i can follow along and really listen to what my clients are saying. Teaching meditation is one of my favorite things about teaching coaching. It's one of the most useful too. That's why I've added another 'Meditation for the Journey' class to the schedule. Starting July 7th, let's practice being clear, let's practice observing and dismantling out bias. Meditation for the Journey 3.0 !!!A new variation of Meditation for the Journey is launching this summer! Starting in 2019, I've taught Meditation for the Journey about 18 times to several hundred enthusiastic spiritual explorers. After a few cohorts, I extended it to six weeks. And now, It's evolved again. I've changed a lot since It first launched, and so has my personal and professional practice. The world has changed a lot, too, and so has the psychedelic community. People who were just considering putting a proverbial toe into psychedelic waters are now exploring the depths. The slightly curious have become guides. Coaching and psychedelic-informed therapy proliferate. People are out of the closet, and the movement is in motion. Folks are showing up with different problems and questions, too. People who once wondered, "Can I do this? What would it mean if I followed my calling?" now wonder, "How can I do better? How can I show up fully for this? How do I deal with my blocks so I can help my clients deal with theirs?" The honeymoon, in some ways, is over, and the people who haven't run for the hills back to corporate are ready to roll up the sleeves of their heart-mind and recommit to clearing out the caves of their karma. So that's what we're going to do. A more practitioner-focused class. Deeper conversations. More training of the mind. More clarification of our values and more exploration of what guides our practice. So, I invite you to have these conversations with me. I think it's going to be awesome. It starts July 7th and runs for six weeks. The classes are from 4 to 6 pm pacific, and 7 to 9 pm Eastern. They are all recorded. Classes are two hours, for a total of 12 hours of class time with several additional video recordings. You'll have a group chat so you can share with your people. We'll also meet for two 30-minute meditations to deepen your practice and have some group accountability. Those are Monday and Wednesday at 9 am Pacific, Noon Eastern It's $450 through June 15th, and then the price raises to $600. So, you're cordially invited to join this special group, and I look forward to seeing you there. Training Info SessionIf you’ve been feeling the pull to support others in psychedelic work, but want to do it in a way that’s grounded, thoughtful, and actually responsible, this is a good place to start. I’m hosting a live info session for the Psychedelic Integration Coach Training. I’ll discuss how we approach integration as a real discipline rooted in mindfulness, somatics, and spiritual practice, not just intuition or good intentions. We’ll talk about what makes someone effective in this role, how the training is structured, who it’s for, and what people actually do with it in their lives and work. There will be time for questions. It’s not a pitch-heavy call. Just a chance to get a clear feel for the training and see if it’s aligned for you. If this is something you’ve been circling, it's worth a conversation. Wednesday May 27th at 8pm Eastern time: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mt-tam-psychedelic-integration-coaching-training-info-call-tickets-1989170998002?aff=oddtdtcreator The Golden Road - Mentorship, Peer Support, Supervision, and Skill Building for Serious Psychonauts and Healing ProfessionalsThe Golden Road has evolved into a wonderful group of practitioners. We meet every Thursday at noon eastern, and there are monthly masterclasses as well. There is also a large archive (over 200 hours) of psychedelic education and past talks. The wonderful people who show up share not only their journeys, but the journeys of those they steward. It's become a place of learning, support, accountability, and peer review. Folks are learning some things from me, but they are also learning from each other. We all face unique challenges as we work in this space, and it's great to have a place where we can bring them for non-judgmental feedback and reflection. You're invited. Click here to join The Tam Integration Coaching Training Program - Fall CohortThis cohort is full, and we're now interviewing for the fall session. If you're interested, fill out this form, and we'll reach out soon: https://forms.gle/oB9Xk6RrkDE6xtsV9 Learn More Here: https://tamintegration.com/psychedelic-coach-training/ Info Session, Wednesday May 6th at 8pm Eastern time: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mt-tam-psychedelic-integration-coaching-training-info-call-tickets-1987960210504?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true DisclaimerNothing in this email should be considered medical or legal advice. We're not suggesting that you break any laws or do anything dangerous. This email is offered as education and entertainment in the spirit of harm reduction. Consult medical and legal professionals if you have questions. Sometimes, there are affiliate links in this email. It helps support this project. Thank you! |
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