Why Community is Essential for Psychedelic Integration with Amy Bartlett

Humans have always needed community to heal, grow, and make meaning in this life - something Indigenous and traditional healing practices have long incorporated alongside psychedelic medicine. Yet Western cultures, steeped in individualism, seem to be only recently rediscovering the importance of community. So, what should the true role of community be in psychedelic integration? More broadly, how does one effectively build community? In this episode of The Integration Session, we are joined by Amy Bartlett, a PhD candidate at the University of Ottawa whose research examines how community shapes psychedelic integration, spirituality, and healing. With nearly two decades of experience in law, social justice, and international work, Amy Bridges theory and practice: she co-coordinates the Ottawa Psychedelic Education Network (OPEN), facilitates bi-weekly community integration circles, and hosts the podcast My Psychedelic Roots, where diverse voices share how psychedelics have shaped their sense of self and world. This discussion covers why community may not just be helpful - but essential - for deep, lasting psychedelic integration; the urgent need to center lived experience in research and policy; practical lessons from years of real-world facilitation; and how storytelling and witnessing serve as powerful, legitimate tools of evidence in a field often dominated by metrics. More About Amy: Amy Bartlett is a curiosity enthusiast on the cusp of completing her PhD at the University of Ottawa. Her research explores the role that community and connection with others play in psychedelic integration, spirituality and healing. Bridging the realms of theory and practice, Amy also helps coordinate the Ottawa Psychedelic Education Network (OPEN) where she has been running community integration circles for several years, and hosts the My Psychedelic Roots podcast. She has a law degree from Queen's University as well as her Masters of Law from Dalhousie, and before returning to school for her PhD in 2020, Amy worked for over 15 years in human rights and social justice causes in Canada and around the world. You can find more information on her work and current research at https://www.psychedelication.com/