Safety Checklist

Psychedelics have the potential to unlock deep emotional insight, catalyze healing, and shift long-held patterns, but they are also powerful tools that deserve respect. A transformational experience can turn chaotic or unsettling without the right foundation. That’s why seasoned guides and researchers emphasize three core pillars: Set, Setting, and Sitter. These are what make up the framework that can turn a psychedelic journey into a safe and meaningful one.

Whether you’re microdosing, taking a therapeutic dose, or simply curious about best practices, this guide will help you prepare with care.

What Matters Most

Psychedelics are powerful amplifiers. They magnify what’s already present in your inner and outer worlds. That’s why context is crucial.

• Set is your mindset: the emotional and mental state you bring to the experience.
  
• Setting is your environment: where you are physically and energetically.
  
• Sitter is your support: the person holding space for you, even silently.
  

Together, they create a container for your experience: safe, grounded, and spacious enough for healing—no matter where the trip takes you.

Set: Your Inner Landscape

A thoughtful internal check-in is your first layer of preparation. Your thoughts, feelings, and expectations can shape the direction of your journey more than you might expect. Here’s how to prepare your inner world:

Check in with Your Current Mindset

Before you take any dose, pause. Notice what’s moving through you. You may be experiencing curiosity, anxiety, excitement, uncertainty, or even a sense of pressure to heal. You don’t have to fix or change it. Just name it. Honoring your emotional state, as it is, helps you meet the moment with honesty and softness. When we acknowledge what’s already alive within us, we make more space for ease, safety, and trust.

Clarify Your Intention

Intentions aren’t expectations. They’re invitations. They gently anchor us in the “why.” Whether you’re seeking healing, connection, or curiosity, taking a moment to name your intention helps shape the experience with care and purpose. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just honest. Whisper it to yourself, write it in your journal, hold it in your heart. Your intention is sacred. Let it be your compass.

Release Control and Expectations

Psychedelics rarely follow a script; they take us where we need to go, not always where we expect. You might enter with questions about your work and leave with memories from childhood. That’s part of the medicine. Stay open. Let go of rigid outcomes. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up; it means trusting the process, even when it unfolds in ways you didn’t plan. What shows up may not be what you want, but it might be exactly what you need.

Setting: Your External Environment

Once your inner landscape is grounded, turn your attention outward. Your setting is the container that holds your experience. With care and intention, you can shape it into a supportive space that feels safe, calm, and nurturing. Whether it’s soft lighting, comforting textures, or simply a sense of quiet, your environment becomes part of the medicine.

Choose a Safe, Comfortable Space

Choose a space that feels private, quiet, and comforting. Whether it’s a room, garden, or tucked-away corner, soften the edges with cushions, blankets, or gentle lighting. Add a candle, a grounding object, or anything meaningful to you. This is where your psyche can rest, open, and explore with ease.

Minimize Distractions

This is sacred time. Turn off notifications or switch your phone to airplane mode if you're using it for music. Let anyone nearby know you won’t be available. Choose a gentle playlist if it helps you like something instrumental or ambient. This moment is yours, so free yourself from distractions, and devote yourself to inner work.

Set the Sensory Mood

Your senses are powerful allies. Invite them in with intention. Light incense or diffuse essential oils like sage or lavender. Let in natural light if you can. Keep a comforting object close: a crystal, a photo, a journal, or even your favorite mug. These small, sacred touches can gently anchor you if the experience begins to feel overwhelming. Let your space reflect care and support.

Sitter: Your Human Anchor

Even in the most carefully prepared space, the presence of someone you trust can offer deep reassurance, especially for journeys that go beyond macrodosing. A sitter isn’t there to lead or fix anything; they’re simply a calm, grounded presence who holds the space with care. Their role is to witness, to gently anchor you if things feel intense, and to remind you that you’re not alone.

Choose Someone Trustworthy

Your sitter doesn’t need to be a professional. You will just need someone steady, kind, and fully present. They should be sober, emotionally grounded, and able to hold space without trying to control it. Their role is simple but sacred: to support, not direct. Especially if you’re exploring higher doses, having a calm witness nearby, or even in the next room, can offer a powerful sense of safety.

Brief Them on Your Needs

Before you begin, take time to connect with your sitter. Share your intention, dosage, and anything important about your emotional landscape, such as past experiences, triggers, or grounding tools that help. Set clear agreements together: when to check in, when to hold silence, and how they can best support you. A shared understanding builds the trust that anchors the space.

Sitter Optional for Microdoses, Essential for Journeys

If you're microdosing or taking a very low dose, a sitter may not be necessary, though it can still be helpful to let a friend know your plan. For average to high doses, especially if you're new to the experience, having a sitter nearby, or even just in another room, can provide peace of mind and security. It’s always about having that sense of support, even from a distance.

Bonus Safety Add-Ons

Want to go the extra mile with preparation? These little details can go a long way in supporting your journey before, during, and after:

Have Water and Light Snacks Nearby

Hydration helps maintain steady energy, and light snacks like fruit, nuts, or tea can be grounding as you return to baseline after the journey. Avoid anything heavy or processed to keep the experience gentle on your body.

Journal and Art Supplies

Creative tools, like a journal or art supplies, can help anchor insights as they arise. Even if you don't use them, simply knowing they're there affirms that this space is yours to express, reflect, and explore. Sometimes, the best insights come in whispers, subtle and fleeting, so having a journal nearby can help you capture thoughts or feelings as they emerge. No pressure to be creative; just give yourself the option.

Emergency Plan (Just in Case)

It’s helpful to create a mini safety net of grounding tools: deep breathing, gentle music, a loved one to call, or a calming mantra. You may not need it, but just knowing it’s there can help you relax more deeply. Having a list of grounding techniques or support numbers can offer peace of mind, and often, simply knowing they’re available means you won’t have to use them.