You’ve made it.
Built the business.
Got the house you wanted.
Ticked all the boxes that were supposed to bring fulfilment.
On paper, things look good, maybe even great.
But deep down, something feels… incomplete.
There’s a quiet restlessness that success doesn’t calm.
A longing for something more real, more meaningful, more you.
This is the moment many of my clients find themselves in before they reach out.
Sometimes it comes gently, like an inner whisper.
But more often, it arrives like a rupture.
A breakup that shatters your sense of direction.
The death of someone close to you that leaves you questioning everything.
A wave of grief or emptiness that no amount of achievement can outrun.
Something has broken open.
You may feel lost, even desperate.
You’ve reached the threshold—that raw, undeniable place where the old ways no longer work.
And that is the opening.
Not to another strategy.
But to the deeper work.
To go deeply within.
A meeting with the parts of you that have been too long buried.
A turning toward truth.
This is where psychedelic-assisted therapy enters, not as a trend or a quick fix, but as a powerful doorway.
A way of meeting yourself with honesty, depth, and care.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through what psychedelic therapy is, why Portugal has become a hub for this work, and how to navigate it with integrity.
Whether you’re simply curious or already feeling the call, this is for you.
Because what you’re seeking… isn’t out there.
It’s waiting within.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is a structured and supported process that combines the use of consciousness-expanding substances with therapeutic guidance before, during, and after the experience. It’s not about the medicine. It’s about what the journey reveals, and how you relate to it.
Unlike recreational use, which often lacks intentional context, psychedelic therapy is held in a container of safety and care. There’s a clear beginning, middle, and integration phase. You’re not just dropped into the deep end. You’re guided, prepared, and supported to make meaning of what emerges.
At its heart, this work is about connection.
Connection to your body.
To your emotions.
To the parts of you that were exiled long ago.
To the inner guide that has always been quietly waiting beneath the noise.
Whether working with psilocybin, MDMA, or other medicines, the experience itself often brings what is unconscious into the light. This might look like:
But it’s not always blissful. Psychedelic therapy can be challenging because it asks you to face yourself honestly. What rises is rarely random: it’s what you’re ready to experience fully.
That’s why the role of the therapist or guide is so important. Not to fix or interpret, but to hold a steady presence as you explore the terrain of your inner world.
And when done well, with skill and care, this work can become a turning point.
A reset.
A homecoming.
The short answer? It’s a grey zone.
Portugal is often seen as progressive in its drug policy, and for good reason. In 2001, the country decriminalised the possession and use of all drugs for personal use. That doesn’t mean they’re legal, but it does mean you won’t be criminally prosecuted for possessing small amounts of substances like psilocybin mushrooms.
So, where does that leave therapeutic use?
While psilocybin and MDMA are not legalised or medically approved, personal use in private settings, especially when done with care, intention, and therapeutic support, is generally tolerated. Many practitioners (myself included) operate in this space of decriminalised, intentional healing. We do not sell or provide substances; instead, we support clients who feel called to explore this work with full responsibility.
This is one of the reasons Portugal has become a quiet hub for transformational work. There’s cultural openness, a spirit of exploration, and a deep connection to nature, making it an ideal place to step outside the noise and listen inward.
But with freedom comes responsibility.
Because the industry isn’t regulated, anyone can call themselves a facilitator. And not all who offer psychedelic experiences are trained to hold the psychological, emotional, or spiritual depth that these journeys can open.
That’s why I always encourage people to ask:
Legalities matter. But so does ethics.
And in this work, integrity is everything.
Each medicine has its personality, rhythm, and intelligence.
Choosing the right one isn’t about chasing the most intense experience. It’s about listening to what your system needs at this point in your journey.
Here are the two most commonly used substances in psychedelic-assisted therapy in Portugal, and how they tend to work:
For emotional healing, reconnection, and Soul alignment
Psilocybin tends to open the heart and soften the mind. It often brings people into contact with repressed emotions, inner truth, and forgotten parts of themselves. Many describe it as a remembering of who they were before the masks, before the armour, before the need to be someone.
It’s a deeply embodied experience. You may cry, laugh, tremble, or simply rest in a field of peaceful awareness. The mushrooms tend to show you what you need, not necessarily what you want. And when approached with humility, they can offer profound insight and healing.
Many clients choose psilocybin therapy in Portugal for its safe, beautiful natural environment and the depth of emotional healing it allows.
For trauma resolution, emotional safety, and couples work
MDMA isn’t traditionally psychedelic in the visual sense, but it is profoundly healing. It opens the heart while reducing fear, making it especially effective for working through relational wounds, childhood trauma, and blocked emotions.
Because it softens the inner critic and increases trust, MDMA is powerful in 1:1 sessions and even more so in couples work. It helps people say what’s been unsaid, without shutting down or lashing out. Walls come down, tenderness emerges, and love gets a chance to be felt and expressed in real time.
Choosing the right medicine isn’t about hype or hearsay. It’s about readiness, intention, and the kind of healing your soul is asking for. In the work I do, we explore this together before ever stepping into the ceremony.
Because your transformation isn’t about what you take.
It’s about how well you’re able to experience fully what arises.
Let’s be honest, psychedelics are not a magic fix.
But in the right hands, with the right preparation, they can catalyse breakthroughs that years of talk therapy alone often can’t reach.
Many of my clients come to this work feeling stuck. They’re successful on the outside, but inside, something’s blocked: grief they’ve never faced, anger they’ve been taught to suppress, or a quiet but relentless sense of disconnection.
When held in a safe, therapeutic space, psychedelic-assisted therapy can help you:
These aren’t guaranteed outcomes. But they are real possibilities when the inner conditions are ripe.
This work can be destabilising if rushed or poorly held. Psychedelics amplify what’s inside: so if someone is unprepared, unsupported, or has a history of mental health challenges (like anxiety, depression, or panic attacks), it can trigger overwhelm, confusion, or disorientation.
Other risks include:
This is why integration matters as much, if not more, than the journey itself.
It’s also why I take the time to assess each person’s readiness before working together.
Psychedelics can open the door.
But walking through it? That’s your work.
And if you’re willing, it can be some of the most liberating work you’ll ever do.
The journey doesn’t begin in the ceremony.
It begins the moment you say yes.
Preparation is where the transformation starts, because it sets the tone for everything that follows. When you take the time to prepare intentionally, you’re not just getting ready for a psychedelic experience. You’re beginning to create a relationship with yourself that’s rooted in honesty, courage, and care.
It’s also where you begin building trust with your guide.
This relationship is essential, not just for safety, but for depth.
When you feel held and understood, you can surrender more fully.
You can go deeper.
At the same time, preparation helps you make friends with your inner experience.
Instead of resisting or escaping what arises, you begin to listen.
This is one of the most important skills for safe and transformational journeys:
learning to stay present with what’s true, moment by moment.
Here’s five ways I invite clients to prepare, both practically and energetically:
Not what you want, but what you need.
The best intentions are open-ended, humble, and curious.
They sound like:
An intention isn’t a goal or a set outcome. It’s a directional prayer.
The more you can quiet the external noise: emails, social media, caffeine, alcohol, the more clearly you’ll hear what’s within.
I often suggest people take 3–5 days of slowing down before a journey.
That might look like:
Often, the medicine starts “working” before you’ve even taken it.
You might feel more emotional. Old memories may rise. You might have vivid dreams or sudden insights. This is part of the process's intelligence. Let it come. Lean in. Be curious.
Here are a few simple but powerful ways to prepare:
The quality of your experience begins with how you care for your body.
Ask yourself:
Sometimes, the most powerful preparation is having one honest conversation you’ve been avoiding. Or setting a boundary. Or forgiving yourself.
This is not about controlling the journey. It’s about meeting it with reverence.
And the more you prepare, the more you can surrender, because you’ll trust the foundation you’ve laid.
Want a deeper checklist and step-by-step guide?
→ [Read: How to Prepare for a Psychedelic Journey]
The journey doesn’t end when the effects wear off.
In many ways, that’s when it truly begins.
People often expect the ceremony to change everything, and sometimes, it does initiate a huge shift. But real transformation doesn’t come from what you experience in the journey. It comes from what you do with it after.
This is where integration comes in, which is the most essential aspect of the work.
Integration means taking the insights from your journey and weaving them into your actual life. Not just as ideas, but as embodied truths.
Forgetting what you felt.
Forgetting what you saw.
Forgetting what matters most.
You go back to your inbox. Your routines. Your habits. And the window closes.
You start making different choices.
You speak from a deeper place.
You become more honest in your relationships.
You move from alignment, not fear.
Integration is not a checklist.
It’s a practice.
And for leaders, entrepreneurs, and high performers, it often means learning to:
This can be confronting. It can be humbling. It can feel like your old self is dissolving.
Because in many ways, it is.
But if you have support, community, and the right practices, what emerges is more real, more rooted, and more powerful than you ever imagined.
In my work, integration isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of the process from the very beginning. We explore:
Because a peak experience means little if it doesn’t change the way you live, love, and lead.
→ [Read: 12 Integration Practices for Leaders and Entrepreneurs]
There’s a reason every great journey has a guide.
Not because you can’t walk the path alone, but because some landscapes are too vast and too unfamiliar to navigate without support.
Psychedelic therapy isn’t about taking a substance and hoping for the best.
You’ll be entering a deep inner process. One that can stir up childhood wounds, unresolved grief, existential questions, and untapped potential.
In that space, the presence of someone who’s walked the terrain before can make all the difference.
🌀 Safety — Emotional, psychological, and energetic containment. When you feel safe, your nervous system can relax. And only then can true healing begin.
🌀 Structure — A clear arc of preparation, journey, and integration. This isn’t a random experience. It’s a process with intention and depth.
🌀 Experience — Someone who knows the terrain of trauma, shadow work, spiritual emergence, and the subtle dynamics that show up in altered states. Not just theoretically, but through lived experience and profound intimacy with the medicines they offer.
🌀 Support — When you feel lost, overwhelmed, or cracked open, you won’t be alone. A guide helps you make sense of the chaos and stay anchored in truth.
🌀 Witnessing — Sometimes what we need most is not advice, but someone who can see us fully without judgment.
In my work, I blend multiple disciplines:
Whether you’re navigating grief, burnout, spiritual awakening, or feel ready to meet yourself at the deepest level, I’m here to support.
The medicine opens the door.
But it’s the relationship, the container, that helps you walk through it with courage, clarity, and grace.
Every person who comes to this work brings a unique story: different wounds, longings, thresholds, and callings. That’s why I don’t offer cookie-cutter programmes. I offer presence. Process. Partnership.
This is deep work and I meet it with deep care.
Whether you’re preparing for your first psychedelic experience or you’re a psychonaut, my approach is designed to support lasting, embodied transformation, not just peak experiences.
Here’s what working together typically looks like:
This is deep, transformational work.
It’s for those navigating a crisis of meaning, a turning point, or a quiet knowing that something has to change.
Together, we may explore:
The preparation phase lays the foundation. It creates trust, safety, and alignment.
Whether we’re working with psilocybin or MDMA, I create a structured, grounded, and sacred space for the experience.
I usually work alongside my wife, Beáta Alföldi, a highly experienced facilitator and shamanic practitioner.
Together, we bring both masculine and feminine presence to the space. Something I consider essential for safety, balance, and depth.
This dual holding supports a wider range of emotional, somatic, and energetic processes. Especially when working with trauma, attachment material, or spiritual emergence, the polarity of male and female presence creates a powerful field of containment and trust.
Beyond psychological support, we also offer intuitive guidance, providing energetic, somatic, and shamanic support as needed.
This multidimensional approach enables the experience to unfold in a safe, integrated, grounded, and sacred manner.
During the journey:
What comes is no accident.
You’ll always receive what you need, even if it’s not what you expected.
And whatever it is, you are supported every step of the way.
This is where the real work begins.
We help you make sense of what happened, anchor it in your life, and support you in moving forward with clarity and strength.
Integration often includes:
This phase is where you begin to live the transformation.
To speak differently. Lead differently. Relate differently.
Not because you’ve added something new, but because you’re remembering who you are.
We live in a world that’s hungry for quick fixes.
Biohacks. Performance upgrades. Peak states.
But this work?
It’s not a shortcut. It’s a pathway to presence, embodiment and long-lasting authentic change.
One that asks for your full presence, your humility, and your willingness to feel what’s real.
Psychedelic therapy isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering who you are beneath the armour, the roles, the noise.
It’s about learning to trust your inner compass.
To live not from fear, but from alignment.
Not from proving, but from truth.
If something in you has been whispering, there’s more.
If you feel the ache of disconnection, or the gentle pull of readiness.
You’re not alone. And you’re not broken.
You may simply be standing at the edge of a threshold.
And if you’re ready to step through, I’d be honoured to walk beside you.
→ [Curious about working together? Explore 1:1 Psychedelic Therapy & Integration here]
→ [Want to start preparing? Read: How to Prepare for a Psychedelic Journey]
→ [Learn more about Integration: 12 Integration Practices for Leaders and Entrepreneurs]
Read the latest insights and stories on the power of psychedelic-assisted therapy and holistic personal development for leaders and entrepreneurs.
