You’ve booked it, or you’re about to. And now you’re lying awake with a stomach full of nerves. What if it’s too much? What if I’m not ready?
I’m a psychologist, and I help people prepare for and integrate psychedelic experiences, in person and online, in English, for people in Portugal and beyond. Here’s what I tell almost everyone before they go.
If you’d rather talk it through with someone, you can book a free 15-minute call here.
Nervous? That’s normal
Feeling nervous beforehand is normal. So are excitement, doubt, fear, even wanting to cancel at the last minute. Every feeling that shows up is welcome, and none of them mean you’re doing it wrong. Nerves often mean this matters to you. Notice them, say them out loud to someone you trust, and breathe.
If a feeling stays very strong, or turns into a clear “full-body no,” take it seriously. It’s always okay to wait.
What should I set as my intention?
Pick an intention, then loosen your grip. Let it be your inner compass. It shows you which way you’re facing and leaves the route to the experience itself.
Trouble starts when an intention hardens into an expectation. An intention sounds like “I’m curious how I carry my grief.” An expectation sounds like “I need a breakthrough.” The first leaves room for whatever shows up. The second sets you up to feel you’ve failed.
The research points the same way. In a study that followed 654 people planning to take a psychedelic, clear intentions predicted more meaningful, mystical-type experiences, and a more positive mindset made a distressing experience less likely (Haijen et al., 2018).
And you don’t need a huge experience for it to be meaningful. Some of the most insightful ones are quiet.
How do I stay calm when it gets uncomfortable?
Meditation is the best rehearsal I know. Even ten minutes a day helps, and it’s worth building up to twenty or thirty. Watch your thoughts go by. Notice the tightness in your chest or the itch in your leg, and leave them alone. You’re building a calm, friendly voice in your head, and you’ll be glad of it when things get intense.
People who’ve been through this agree. In an interview study of people who had attended a psilocybin retreat, meditation was the preparation practice they named most often as helpful, ahead of reading the research and journaling (McAlpine et al., 2024). In a survey of 123 experienced meditators who had also used psychedelics, loving-kindness practice was rated the most helpful preparation of all (McAlpine et al., 2026). A kind inner voice supports you more than you can imagine.
What if it gets too intense?
Whatever comes up, you are the one holding your emotions. They aren’t holding you. You have felt hard things before and you got through them. Remind yourself that you are safe in your body. If a moment gets overwhelming, stop fighting it. Resistance usually turns the volume up. Slow your breathing and let it move through you. Hard moments come and go.
That goes for every feeling, the comfortable ones and the hard ones. Joy, fear, sadness and anger all belong.
Does the room and the music really matter?
They do. The music. The fabric on your skin. A smell in the room. Thirst, hunger, a room that’s too warm. They sound minor, and they can change the whole day. Sort them out beforehand. Researchers call this “set and setting”: your mindset and your surroundings shape the experience far more than people expect (Carhart-Harris et al., 2018).
Is it safe for me? Medication and health
Some medications and health conditions don’t mix with psychedelics, and your mental health history matters too. Talk to a doctor or clinical psychologist before you decide anything, especially if you take regular medication or have a history of psychosis, bipolar disorder or heart problems. A good preparation session will go through this with you.
Who should be with me?
The best set-up is a person trained in psychedelic therapy with you the whole time. If that isn’t possible, make sure at least one trusted person knows what you’re planning and can come over or help you call for help if you need it. Look up the emergency numbers for where you are. Asking for help is powerful.
What should I do afterwards?
Clear your calendar for a day or two. Leave the big decisions for later. Decide now who you’ll talk to about it, and when. What you do afterwards is where an experience turns into something you can live with and use.
What does preparation with a therapist look like?
We go through your history, your health, what you hope for and what you’re afraid of, who is supporting you, and what happens afterwards. Most people leave feeling steadier, and less alone with it. Sessions can be arranged in person, near Ericeira, or online from anywhere.
If you’d like to talk it through, you can book a free 15-minute call here.
Questions people ask
Do I really need to prepare? Not everyone does. It’s one of the most helpful things you can do to feel safer and steadier going in.
How do I know if I’m ready? Feeling 100% sure is rare, and nerves are normal. Being ready means you’ve checked your health, you have support, you’ve set an intention you can hold loosely, and you know you’re allowed to say no.
What if it turns into a bad experience? Difficult moments are common, and they tend to pass. Slow your breathing, remind yourself you’re safe, and ask for help. Having a trusted person with you matters. Afterwards, talk it through with someone trained to support you.
Can I prepare online? Yes. We can arrange the sessions by video, so you can join from wherever you are.
How long should I prepare? Many people do well with a few weeks. We can work out what suits you on a call.
Do you provide or advise on substances? No. I work on the psychological side: preparation and integration.
This article is general information and not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, speak to a doctor first. If you are in crisis, contact your local emergency number.
Sources
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Haijen, E., Erritzoe, D., Watts, R., Branchi, I., & Kaelen, M. (2018). Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 32(7), 725–731.
Haijen, E. C. H. M., Kaelen, M., Roseman, L., Timmermann, C., Kettner, H., Russ, S., Nutt, D., Daws, R. E., Hampshire, A. D. G., Lorenz, R., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2018). Predicting responses to psychedelics: a prospective study. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, 897. doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00897
McAlpine, R. G., Sacchet, M. D., Simonsson, O., et al. (2024). Development of a digital intervention for psychedelic preparation (DIPP). Scientific Reports, 14, 4072. nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54642-4
McAlpine, R. G., Utanğaç, M., Kuc, J., et al. (2026). Perspectives on meditation-based preparation for psychedelic experiences: insights from practitioners with combined meditation and psychedelic experience. Mindfulness. doi.org/10.1007/s12671-026-02957-w
