In this episode of The Psychedelic Skeptic, we speak with Dori Lewis and Dr. Shannon Hughes, co-founders of Elemental Psychedelics, one of Colorado's first state-approved psilocybin facilitator training programs.

Key Topics:

• Colorado's regulated psilocybin access model following the passage of Prop 122
• The tension between medicalization and honoring the whole-mushroom experience
• What to expect from a psilocybin session in a licensed healing center
• The unique approach of their facilitator training program
• Transitioning from underground practice to the regulated space
• Pricing and accessibility concerns in the regulated model
• The importance of developing a relationship with the medicine before becoming a facilitator

About Our Guests:Dori Lewis, MA, MEd, LPC-S, brings her expertise as a therapist and owns Reflective Healing, recently approved as Colorado's second licensed healing center. Dr. Shannon Hughes, MSW, PhD, contributed to Colorado's rulemaking process as a participant in the training and licensing subcommittee and previously researched underground practitioners as a faculty member at Colorado State University.

Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction05:15 - Concerns about extractivist approaches to psilocybin08:30 - Overview of Colorado's regulated access program14:45 - What makes their facilitator training program unique18:20 - What to expect as a client seeking psilocybin services23:45 - Anticipated demand and accessibility issues28:15 - The underground community's response to regulation34:30 - Looking ahead: Milestones to watch for37:15 - What's missing from psychedelic discourse: Decolonial perspectives and drug exceptionalism

Resources:

• Elemental Psychedelics: https://www.elementalpsychedelics.com/
• Reflective Healing: https://www.reflectivehealing.com/
• Colorado Natural Medicine Health

This episode was recorded in April 2025, shortly before the launch of Colorado's first licensed psilocybin healing centers.