Cannabis-Assisted Therapy

Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind—it’s etched into the nervous system, keeping the body locked in cycles of fight, flight, freeze, or collapse. When the autonomic nervous system (ANS) remains stuck in survival mode, traditional talk therapy often struggles to reach the depths where true healing can unfold. This is where Cannabis-Assisted Therapy (CAT) offers a profound shift.

Unlike recreational or medicinal use, cannabis—when intentionally woven into a therapeutic setting—acts as a catalyst, gently disrupting the default mode network (DMN) of the brain. This shift creates an opportunity for the nervous system to unwind, allowing deeply held trauma to surface, process, and ultimately resolve.

Served in a mindful therapeutic container, cannabis amplifies awareness of thought patterns and has a unique ability to drop us into the body, guiding awareness to the sensations and emotional imprints stored in the ANS (autonomic nervous system). The unique effects of cannabis, such as a cascading sense of relaxation through the mind and body, cerebral creativity, time and ego distortion, and an embodied feeling of boundlessness, help create ripe conditions for clients to make contact with their present felt experience. This is somatic therapy comes into play—offering a grounded framework to explore dissociation, emotional blocks, anxiety, parts, or states of collapse with compassionate support. 

Cannabis-Assisted Therapy (CAT) offers a new doorway. By combining the healing potential of cannabis—a legal psychedelic medicine—with the safety and insight of psychotherapy, CAT supports individuals in moving through emotional stagnation and blocks, and trauma held in the body. This work happens in a trauma-informed, relational container that honors your pace and capacity, and supports the integration of any residue left in the body from trauma or chronic burnout while supporting deep self exploration that supports you in coming home to yourself.

Through this synergistic approach, the nervous system is invited to find its natural rhythm again, moving from chronic hyper-vigilance or shutdown into a state of equilibrium and balance. Conscious focus with cannabis helps guide awareness to the body’s unfinished physical response and loose ends from trauma. Utilizing somatic modalities such as IFS, Hakomi, Gestalt and more help bring visceral clarity to that trauma’s accompanying beliefs, stories, patterns of behavior and blockages. Research has shown that CAP can be particularly effective in helping individuals process and integrate trauma-induced dissociative states—offering a deeper, more embodied healing experience than traditional talk therapy alone.

As with all psychedelics, cannabis is not the magic bullet—but it is a powerful tool. With the support of a psychedelic and trauma informed therapist, cannabis can become a key to unlocking the body’s innate capacity to heal, transforming trauma from something we endure into something we transcend. 

What to Expect in a Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy Session?

Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy (CAP) can support deep transformation utilized with guided somatic therapy. This work unfolds over time, guided by intentional phases that support you in feeling grounded and resourced as you explore cannabis as an ally in nervous system repair, moving through emotional blocks, and inner exploration.

Here’s what that journey typically looks like:

  • The full arc of Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy is deeply personal and varies for each client, but here’s a general sense of what to expect:

    • Preparation phase: 4–10 weekly sessions (approx. 1–3 months)

    • Cannabis sessions: Often done in a series of 3 journeys (once a month, 3 hours each)

    • Integration phase: 4–10 sessions per journey or series (spanning several weeks or months)

    Therapy is not always linear, and the rhythm may adjust based on your needs. Many clients find that a three- to six-month commitment allows for meaningful preparation, embodied cannabis journeys, and the integration work necessary for lasting change.

    We begin with a thorough intake to explore your current needs, personal history, and overall readiness. Together, we assess whether CAP is an appropriate and supportive path for you based on your mental, physical, and emotional health. This is also a space for questions and for beginning to build trust and clarity about what to expect.

  • Before beginning cannabis sessions, we spend time cultivating a strong therapeutic container—one that supports safety, emotional regulation, and a clear foundation for deeper work. The preparation phase may include:

    • Clarifying your intentions for the journey

    • Exploring what to expect in altered states of consciousness

    • Identifying emotional and somatic patterns that may arise

    • Practicing grounding, mindfulness, or resourcing tools

    • Mapping your support systems for the integration phase

    This groundwork ensures that when you enter an altered state with cannabis, you feel supported and resourced to meet whatever arises with presence and care.

  • Cannabis is a legal medicine in Washington State and does not require a prescription. However, to safely utilize this medicine in therapy, you can obtain a medical authorization with Dr. Jenia Malysh, PMHNP, or another provider trained in cannabis education and psychiatric evaluation. This ensures the medicine supports your mental health needs, gives you access to the best-quality cannabis in your area, and allows for tax-free purchases.

    In session, cannabis is taken in a mindful way to help shift your state of consciousness. These sessions are held in a safe, private therapeutic container with your therapist present throughout. You may be invited to use an eye mask and headphones with music to deepen your inward focus, or to engage more actively in processing emotions and sensations.

    During the session, you may experience:

    • Heightened awareness of body sensations

    • Emotional release or memory recall

    • Symbolic imagery or dreamlike states

    • A deep sense of relaxation, timelessness, or spaciousness

    Each journey is unique. Some may feel quiet and reflective, while others involve more expression, movement, or dialogue. With compassionate guidance, these states become opportunities to process trauma, soften defenses, and connect with the body’s innate capacity to heal.

  • 4. Integration Sessions (4–10 sessions)

    After each cannabis journey, we move into integration—where transformation takes root. Integration helps you reflect on the material that came to light in your cannabis journey, process lingering emotions, and begin weaving your insights into daily life and relationships.

    Integration sessions may include:

    • Emotional and somatic processing

    • Nervous system regulation practices

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS), Hakomi, or Gestalt work

    • Creative reflection, dreamwork, or journaling

    • Exploring shifts in relationships, behaviors, or meaning-making

    Integration ensures that the insights from your session do not fade as a passing experience, but instead become embodied changes that support resilience, balance, and deeper self-understanding.

    ✨ With professional support, cannabis becomes more than a medicine—it becomes a doorway to embodied transformation and a deeper self-knowing.

Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy: Exploring the Inner Landscape

A Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy (CAP) session is a guided journey into deep self-exploration, where the intentional use of cannabis enhances therapeutic work in a profound and embodied way.  

The process begins by entering a gentle altered state of consciousness with the support of cannabis, while remaining present and engaged. Under the guidance of an experienced therapist, the session unfolds as an active and introspective exploration of thoughts, emotions, and somatic sensations. Participants are invited to wear an eye mask during some or most of their sessions so they can focus on their inner experience, and soft music is often played to support a deepening into the senses and emotions.

Cannabis can disrupt the Default Mode Network (DMN), helping to soften habitual thought patterns and lower the defenses of the conscious mind. As rational filters relax, the psyche gains access to deeper layers of unconscious material, repressed emotions, and intergenerational trauma.

Emerging research in epigenetics suggests that trauma is not only a psychological experience but can be biologically inherited, altering how the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responds to stress in future generations. Experiences such as war, displacement, famine, systemic oppression, or familial abuse can leave biochemical imprints that shape nervous system regulation, often manifesting as chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, emotional detachment, or nervous system shutdown. Through CAP, individuals can access, process, and release these inherited patterns, allowing the nervous system to shift from survival mode into a more balanced and regulated state.  

Sessions typically last 3 hours, allowing ample time for exploration and therapeutic engagement. Following the session, a structured integration process helps the individual make sense of their experience—translating insights into lasting emotional, psychological, and somatic healing. With professional support, these breakthroughs can be woven into daily life, fostering a deeper sense of balance, resilience, and self-awareness.


Medical Recommendation:
Cannabis is a legal substance in WA State, it does not need to be prescribed.
However, to safely utilize this medicine in therapy, please make an appointment with Jenia Malysh PMHMP , or find your own doctors at Psychedelic Support for a medical recommendation to ensure this medicine can support your current mental health needs. Through a medical recommendation, you can also get the best medical cannabis available in your area. Your purchases will also be tax free with a medical recommendation.

Disclaimer Notice for Cannabis-Assisted Therapy

Cannabis has the potential for addiction; according to the CDC, approximately 3 in 10 individuals who use cannabis may develop cannabis use disorder. Individuals currently experiencing a dependency on cannabis are not eligible for Cannabis-Assisted Psychotherapy (CAP). Research indicates that breaking the cycle of cannabis addiction can take several weeks to months, depending on individual circumstances. For clients engaged in CAP, we ask that you refrain from frequent cannabis use outside of designated therapeutic sessions to ensure a focused and supportive environment for deep emotional work.

If you feel you may need assistance in addressing cannabis addiction, therapy support is available to help you through this process. As a plant medicine, we encourage you to view CAP as an opportunity to cultivate a healthier relationship with cannabis—one that supports your overall wellness rather than detracts from it.