Speaker: Sianna-Rose “Pixie” Miller, Psychedelically Aware (The PATCH)
About: The psychedelic experience is heavily influenced by the cultural frameworks they are used in. As we enter a new era of psychedelics being more broadly used in both clinical settings and by underground facilitators, there are many social and ethical considerations that must be addressed. Due to the prolonged stigmatisation of using psychedelics in Western societies, we need to build a new cultural framework. There are many deep-seated issues of colonialism which include intellectual property theft, environmental impacts, psychedelic tourism and the use of “cultural wisdom” from Indigenous peoples. This permeates through the history of psychoactive species being patented for commercialisation in the pharmaceutical industry to the new age psychedelic facilitators and now psychedelic assisted therapy. The way in which people historically took psychoactive plants and fungi was rooted within community, where integration was supported by those who knew us intimately. Capitalism has fuelled a lucrative legal and illegal market for psychedelics to be taken with strangers for the purpose of healing or exploration. The hype surrounding psychedelics can lead to devastating outcomes if we are not careful in how this unfolds. For many the costs of legal psychedelic assisted therapy is currently out of reach, further driving the underground market. This also raises the important matter of the need for decriminalisation of psychedelics which can aid in creating safer environments for people to take them. As such, how the emerging frameworks for psychedelic use take shape is a discussion we should all participate in.
Bio: Sianna-Rose “Pixie” Miller is the founder of Psychedelically Aware, a harm minimisation group and The PATCH – The Psychedelically Aware Talking Circle Hub. Having studied psychology and health science with a focus on neuroscience, she has a broad understanding of how entheogens affect both the body and mind. Pixie is passionate about research and how entheogens could be used in therapeutic models. Currently, her pursuit of harm minimisation through Psychedelically Aware and The PATCH has led to ongoing community discussions and education. The PATCH holds regular online talking circles on harm minimisation strategies within the psychedelic community. Psychedelically Aware draws upon interdisciplinary knowledge to collaborate on community-led initiatives and create of educational resources which allows the potential of entheogens to shine in safer ways.
