Orienting Principles
May 19, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003541639-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive reframing Space punctuation Process computing Therapeutic relationship Epistemology Psychotherapist |
| Key points | Argues that a therapeutic approach to psychedelic integration should be grounded in mindfulness, unconditional positive regard, curiosity, systemic thinking, and honoring the client as the expert with inner resources. |
Abstract
This chapter introduces six foundational principles that support a therapeutic approach to psychedelic integration: mindfulness, unconditional positive regard, curiosity, systemic thinking, and the belief that the client is the expert and already possesses the inner resources that they need to heal. Through personal reflections, clinical stories, and spiritual insight, I hope to reframe therapy as a process of remembering rather than fixing. In this chapter, I propose the notion of therapy as a co-created space in which the client’s own wisdom is to be honored, not overridden. Drawing from traditions in systemic therapy, indigenous medicine, and mindfulness practice, I submit these principles as a way of being with clients that is both relational and transformative. Before working with psychedelic substances, therapists must first anchor in these deeper truths, because who you are in the room is more powerful than any tool you use.