Most psilocybin services follow a similar structure: preparation sessions, an administration day, and one or two integration sessions afterward. This model works. The research supporting it is strong, and I use it for much of my practice.

But it has a limitation. The psilocybin experience opens a window—neurobiologically and psychologically—but that window doesn't stay open forever. Within a few weeks, the heightened neuroplasticity begins to fade. The insights that seemed so clear start to feel distant. Old patterns reassert themselves. Many people describe a curve: profound shift, gradual return toward baseline, frustration that the experience didn't "stick."

The Liberation Intensive is my attempt to address this limitation by embedding the medicine work within a structured contemplative container that spans five weeks.

The Core Idea

Rather than treating psilocybin as a standalone intervention with meditation as optional support, this program inverts the relationship. Daily meditation practice is the spine. The psilocybin sessions are peaks within an ongoing process of awareness cultivation.

This approach is supported by research I've written about elsewhere (see Compass and Vehicle: How Meditation and Psilocybin Inform Each Other). Studies show that participants who combine psilocybin with structured contemplative practice experience greater mystical experience quality, higher meditation depth, and—crucially—larger sustained improvements at follow-up compared to those who receive psilocybin alone.

The research suggests genuine synergy. The Liberation Intensive is designed to capture it.

Program Structure

The intensive runs five weeks and includes three components: daily morning meditation, weekly evening sessions, and a four-day residential retreat.

Daily morning meditation runs Monday through Saturday, 7:00–8:00 AM Pacific, online via Zoom. These are live, facilitated sessions—not recordings. You practice together with your cohort, six days a week, for five weeks. The first sessions teach the core techniques: focused attention meditation (using the breath as anchor) and open monitoring meditation (awareness of whatever arises). Once you have the basics, the remaining sessions are practice—building the skill through repetition, with opportunities to ask questions and get support.

Weekly Tuesday evening sessions are 90 minutes each, also online. These sessions cover the conceptual foundation and do the psychological work: how the Default Mode Network relates to psychological flexibility, what to expect during the psychedelic experience, how to work with difficult material, setting intention, clarifying values, and translating insight into committed action.

The four-day residential retreat happens Thursday through Sunday of Week 3. This is the heart of the program: two psilocybin administrations with a full day of meditation and integration between them. The group has been practicing together for nearly three weeks by this point. The container is established. You know each other. The retreat includes structured integration circles, time in nature, and preparation for re-entry.

After the retreat, you return to daily practice for two more weeks—now within the neuroplasticity window that opened with your first administration. This is when practice matters most, and when you have the most support.

The Cohort Model

You move through the entire program with 4–6 other participants. Same group for daily practice, evening sessions, and retreat.

This creates something different from individual work. You witness each other's process. You're accountable to show up because others are expecting you. During the retreat, you share space with people who understand what you're going through because they're going through it too.

The cohort model isn't for everyone. If you need highly individualized attention, or if group settings feel uncomfortable, individual work may be a better fit. But for people who thrive in community, who find that being witnessed supports their process, the cohort structure adds something that individual sessions can't replicate.

Who This Is For

This program requires significant commitment. Before expressing interest, consider honestly whether you can meet these requirements:

Schedule commitment. Daily sessions at 7 AM Pacific, six days a week, for five weeks. Tuesday evenings. A four-day retreat that requires travel and time away from regular life. If your schedule doesn't allow this, this isn't the right time.

Practice motivation. You should be genuinely interested in developing a meditation practice—not just tolerating it as a prerequisite for psilocybin. The daily sessions aren't preparation for the retreat; they're half the program. If you're seeking psilocybin without interest in contemplative practice, individual sessions would serve you better.

Group readiness. You'll share your experience with others and witness theirs. If you have strong aversion to group work or find it difficult to be present with others' emotional material, consider whether this format suits you.

Psychological stability. Two psilocybin sessions in four days, embedded in an intensive daily practice schedule, requires resilience. This program isn't appropriate for anyone in acute mental health crisis or who needs highly structured therapeutic support. If you have significant trauma history that requires processing, working with a therapist alongside—or instead of—this program may be more appropriate.

Realistic expectations. This is a transformation process, not a quick fix. You're committing five weeks to daily practice, group process, and deep inner work. The program provides structure and support, but the work is yours.

What This Is Not

I'm a psilocybin facilitator and life coach, not a therapist. This program uses an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy framework for its psychological model, but it's not therapy. I don't diagnose or treat mental health conditions. If you have a diagnosed condition or significant trauma history, I encourage you to work with a therapist in parallel—and I'm happy to coordinate with your provider.

The program is also not a meditation retreat in the traditional sense. We're not sitting in noble silence for ten days. There's teaching, discussion, and group process throughout. The contemplative practice is genuine, but the container is designed for people who are integrating practice into a full life, not monastics.

Current Status

I'm planning to run the first Liberation Intensive cohort in early 2026. Dates aren't finalized yet, but I'm currently gauging interest and beginning conversations with potential participants.

If this program resonates with you, I'd like to hear from you. Complete the intake form below and select "Liberation Intensive" as your area of interest. This isn't a commitment—it begins a conversation about whether this program might be a good fit.

Complete the Intake Form

Michael Kelly is a licensed psilocybin facilitator in Oregon and founder of Mindstream Wellness. He maintains a longtime Zen practice with deepening interest in the Thai Forest tradition.