Dedicated to deepening our shared understanding of the wondrous world of psychedelia.
This website is meant to act as a guide and a bridge between psychonauts and their parents. It can be difficult and emotionally fraught to speak about compounds like psilocybin, LSD, ketamine, DMT, MDMA, and more in the context of the parent-child relationship, but just because the process can be challenging doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. It is our hope that by sparking curiosity and expanding empathy, we can foster deeper connections with our family members and live more openly and honestly with the people we love.
Read Eli’s story
I first took mushrooms in Central Park when I was 24 years old. It was a beautiful August day, and I was with my two friends, one of whom had generously agreed to guide me on my maiden voyage. After a few minutes of not feeling anything, I began to see and hear things in a different way. I kept on thinking of myself as a baby, toddling around and drooling, wanting to put everything in my mouth. I distinctly remember my friend telling me not to eat the grass and lick the trees, though I did sneak a taste or two when he wasn't looking. We found a secluded area of the park and settled in, and almost immediately after lying down, I felt an overwhelming sense of love in my heart. Emanating and outpouring and uncontainable love projecting out of me in all directions. I had to tell someone, and of course that person had to be my mom.
Read George’s story
I had my first psychedelic experience in my mid 20s. The only drugs I grew up around / encountered in college were alcohol, tobacco, and weed so I did not have a frame of reference on what to expect. It was an incredible experience that led to a lot of personal growth - at the time, I described it as if I was in a log jam, and my trip was like a gentle shake that unstuck everything all at once.
To start, I wasn’t sure what to say to my parents. We had never discussed drug use outside of alcohol, and I was worried about how they would react. I was relatively sure my Dad has used LSD decades ago..but also probably recreationally instead of as a tool for reflection. Ultimately, I decided it was too hard to not be honest about my life experiences and brought it up proactively.
At first, they were a bit worried - but did a good job of remaining open minded and curious. After several months, and now years, where I have continued to make progress by the metrics they are most familiar with (career, dating, etc.), they have relaxed into the idea that I do make choices - in particular around drugs - that they would not and do their best to understand how I come to different conclusions than them. Honestly, it’s led to them treating me more like an adult and peer than their child because I am doing things differently than they would, which has been wonderful for the maturity of our relationships.
