Minimum Safety Standards for Transformational and Therapeutic Work with Entheogens
(ICEERS-Inspired Framework Adapted for Transcendent Psychology)
Overview
The Participant Journey Protocol defines a structured and ethical process for everyone involved in transformational plant-based or entheogenic work — participants, facilitators, and students.
It is adapted from the ICEERS Dandelion Model of Minimum Safety Standards, aligning with the mission of Transcendent Psychology: integrating modern psychotherapy, neuroscience, and ancestral wisdom.
The journey unfolds in three essential phases — Before, During, and After the Session — supported by validated forms, conversations, and ethical commitments.
Use the navigation menu below to explore each stage.
Quick Navigation
Before the Session
During the Session
After the Session
Ethical Foundations
Facilitator Training
Resources & Licensing
1. Before the Session — Preparation & Screening
This first stage ensures that participants arrive informed, prepared, and safe to engage in deep work.
It establishes the trust, consent, and medical evaluation that form the ethical foundation of any therapeutic or ceremonial process.
Guides and Forms
Guide for New Participants
Introduces participants to what to expect, the preparatory dieta, and the principles of self-care and respect.
Health & Safety Questionnaire
Collects relevant medical and psychological information. This form is confidential and essential for assessing potential contraindications.
Comprehensive Screening Interview Guide
A structured interview to evaluate motivation, readiness, and psychological stability.
It provides the facilitator with a holistic view of each participant’s background, expectations, and support systems.
Honor Pledge & Informed Consent
An ethical and legal agreement defining rights and responsibilities between facilitator and participant — establishing informed consent, confidentiality, and mutual respect.
Key Outcomes
- Participant is informed and voluntarily committed.
- Facilitator confirms health and psychological suitability.
- Emergency contact and data confidentiality are established.
📘 Continue to → During the Session — Facilitation & Safety
2. During the Session — Facilitation & Safety
During the ceremony or therapeutic session, the focus is on maintaining physical safety, psychological stability, and ethical boundaries.
Core Practices
Safe Environment & Ethical Presence
Facilitators and assistants ensure a space that is safe, inclusive, and free from interference.
Every participant receives continuous care and supervision throughout the experience.
Emergency Protocols
A practical manual adapted from the AyaSafe5 document, detailing how to manage physical and psychological emergencies (fainting, convulsions, anxiety crises, aggression, dissociative states).
Each team must include a first-aid–trained member and maintain contact with local emergency services.
Facilitator Role & Boundaries
Facilitators are not interpreters of others’ experiences.
Their responsibility is containment, support, and ethical decision-making — never psychological direction or projection.
Key Outcomes
- Continuous safety monitoring and non-interference.
- Ethical presence maintained throughout the process.
- Clear documentation of any incidents or interventions.
📗 Continue to → After the Session — Integration & Follow-Up
3. After the Session — Integration & Follow-Up
Integration transforms insight into sustainable growth.
It is the phase where meaning is constructed, emotions are digested, and the experience is anchored into everyday life.
Integration Pathways
Sharing Circles
Held the day after the session to process experiences collectively.
Facilitators guide the group using principles of confidentiality, empathy, and non-judgment.
Integration Guidelines & Pitfalls
This resource identifies common misinterpretations — such as believing “the plant gave me an order” — and offers safe ways to interpret symbolic material.
Feedback & Continuous Improvement
A digital or paper form that allows participants to provide reflections anonymously, helping facilitators refine their practice and reduce isolation.
Future link: /participant-journey-protocol/feedback/
Key Outcomes
- Participants complete at least one sharing or integration session.
- Feedback collected for facilitator supervision and learning.
- Personal insights translated into daily life actions.
📙 Explore Related Resource: Core Influences in the Development of Transcendent Psychology
Ethical Foundations
Every stage of this process is guided by three fundamental principles:
- Informed Consent — Participation is a conscious and voluntary act.
- Non-Interference — Facilitators support, never impose interpretation.
- Integration as Continuation — Healing deepens through reflection and daily embodiment.
These principles align Transcendent Psychology with global ethical frameworks in psychotherapy, somatic work, and harm-reduction practices.
Facilitator Training and Supervision
The Participant Journey Protocol forms the backbone of our Facilitator Training Program, which develops competencies in:
- Screening and contraindication assessment
- Crisis management and ethical facilitation
- Integration and group process guidance
Students learn how to apply each phase of the protocol in real retreat and therapeutic settings, following ICEERS safety standards and Transcendent Psychology’s integrative model.
📚 Learn more about Facilitator Training →
Resources & Licensing
All reference documents are adaptations of the ICEERS AyaSafe (Dandelion Model), shared under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 International License, allowing free educational use with proper attribution.
Downloadable Resources (coming soon):
- Participant Guide
- Health Questionnaire
- Screening Interview
- Honor Pledge & Consent
- Emergency Protocols
- Integration & Feedback Templates