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Psilocybin is the naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. Patients have seen improvements to their mental health after treatment.
Drop Thesis is a new therapy center in Bend that treats its patients with psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. The center just recently held its first therapy sessions earlier this month.
“I was on a larger dose of mushrooms going inward. I had an eye mask on and some headphones and I started to feel anxious. I started to feel a tightness in my chest and I just explored that feeling,” patient Alexander Banks said.
Banks says he started psilocybin therapy because of his severe anxiety.
“The first panic attack I had, I thought I was having a heart attack. So I went to the hospital and, lo and behold, I find out that i had anxiety. So the choice was to go on a SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or to try something rogue like micro-dosing, and I chose micro-dosing,” Banks said.
During his session, Banks said he uncovered a childhood memory that he believes is the root cause of his anxiety.
“We came back from church and our house was burnt to the ground. On the conscious level, I knew that this had happened. But what it actually felt like for a two-year-old to come home and have everything burnt down, and how that actually impacted my life and my anxiety, I had no idea,” Banks said.
Every session pairs a patient with a licensed facilitator who is highly trained and has passed a year-long state mandated curriculum.
“The facilitators are there to support unconditionally and whatever comes up, they’re there in a safe environment to be doing this,” said David Naftalin, Drop Thesis Director of Services.
Patients must also go through a consultation period with their facilitator before the dosing session.
Eve Porcello says her treatment has helped her navigate grief and isolation.
“My dad and grandmother passed away during the pandemic, which was already a period of isolation and stress on everyone,” Porcello said. “That led me to seeking out some of these alternative treatments, and I feel like I have gotten a ton of help from that.”
Drop Thesis holds weekly informational meetings every Wednesday at 6 p.m., where the public is invited to come in and learn more about its services
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Currently in Bend
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