As people face their issues, Vasquez is there to call out trauma responses so they know to soothe those reactions and keep working through it. While the cannabis, journaling, and talk therapy work helps soothe and process triggers, the psychedelic element can allow you to go deeper into the cause of that trigger.
“In small amounts, on a controlled schedule, you can process a lot of trauma very quickly with psychedelics,” says Vasquez. “Even those small amounts can shine a light on dark corners of your memory. You don’t always know what you will find in those corners. I just let my clients know that they are safe and that I am here for them on the other side of it. When they come back for our next session, we unpack it together.”
One thing Vasquez is clear about is that there is no one perfect dose. And there is often trial and error when first laying down dosing guidelines and a schedule. But that’s why the communication and journaling are as important an element as the treatments themselves.
Oftentimes, her clients are on the right track when she meets them. They are on their way to getting to the root of their issues, and what she does can help expedite that process by lifting some of the barriers halting their progress. She explains how unresolved trauma can be a distracting burden in this internal work. How living with trauma is like trying unsuccessfully to sleep soundly every night and going through days half exhausted and half awake.
“When you acknowledge what triggers your reactions and the feelings that are rooted in trauma, it can free up space in your life,” says Vasquez.
“One of my clients is a medium and a mom,” she continues. “Mediums already kind of live on two planes, and you have to make a LOT of boundaries with ghosts. It can take a lot of energy. She came to me because she was having problems being fully present in both her day-to-day life and her spirit work.”
After six weeks of work with Vasquez, on a regimen that included microdosing mushrooms and CBD with low doses of THC on a controlled schedule, the client reported an enormous difference in her day-to-day clarity. In that case, her client just needed help utilizing her time on both planes more efficiently. And Vasquez helped her do so.
Right now, we’re all doing more internal work during quarantine. If you’re experimenting with different modes of wellness, Vasquez recommending everyone start by journaling every step of the way.
“When you’re starting any new journey in plant-based medicine, or even a new diet, you must be gentle with yourself,” explains Vasquez. “Start by microdosing once a month, and listen to your mind and your body as you go. Cannabis and psychedelics can affect your psyche so it is important to note your observations and effects in order to make those judgment calls about dose and schedule.”
Vasquez also highly recommends having someone to talk to. As a sort of “safety net” that helps you process the experience, the talk therapy is as important as the substances themselves. Her favorite part of her work is being that perspective; that ally at her clients’ side as they work through those triggers.
“Helping others with trauma helps me understand my own trauma,” she says. “When you live with PTSD, and help people with PTSD, there is just no feeling like it. It’s validating. I feel like I have truly stepped into my power.”
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