Supporting the journey before and after transformative experiences
I offer one-to-one psychedelic preparation and integration sessions online and in Porto, creating a grounded and non-judgmental space to explore what arises before, during or after a psychedelic experience.
Throughout history, humans have explored expanded states of consciousness as a way of seeking meaning, connection, insight, and a deeper understanding of themselves.
My own exploration of consciousness has unfolded through yoga, contemplative traditions, psychology, and my experiences with plant medicine. At the heart of this journey has always been one question: How can we create the conditions for deeper self-understanding and meaningful transformation?
Every person’s relationship with psychedelic experiences is unique. The intention, context, personal history, and meaning of each journey are different. My role is not to define what an experience means, but to create a supportive space where you can explore your own relationship with what has emerged — with curiosity, awareness, and respect for your individual process.
Who are these sessions for?
Preperation and integration sessions with me may be supportive if you are preparing for a psychedelic experience and want to approach it with intention and awareness, or if you have already had an experience and are looking for space to reflect on what emerged.
You may be seeking integration after an ayahuasca, psilocybin, or other psychedelic experience, navigating a challenging or confusing experience, or simply wanting to explore how an experience relates to your everyday life.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
Marcel Proust
Preparation: Creating a conscious foundation
Preparation is an invitation to approach a psychedelic experience with intention and respect. Rather than entering an experience without reflection, preparation creates space to explore:
What is drawing you toward this experience?
What intentions, questions, or areas of curiosity are present?
How can you create a sense of inner and outer support?
How can you connect more deeply with your body, emotions, and intuition before entering an altered state?
Through self-inquiry, breath awareness, yoga and somatic practices, and reflection, preparation can help create a more grounded relationship with the journey ahead. And sometimes, through the process of preparation itself, we may begin to discover many of the answers, insights, or understandings we were hoping to find through the psychedelic experience.
Integration: Transforming insight into embodied understanding
A psychedelic experience may bring forward profound insights, emotions, memories, sensations, or new perspectives. Integration is the process of slowly building a relationship with what has emerged and exploring how it can become meaningful in everyday life. The experience may open a door, but integration is the ongoing process of learning how to walk through it. The focus of the integration is not only on understanding the experience intellectually, but on allowing it to become part of how we relate to ourselves and our lives.
Together, we explore:
Reflecting on the meaning and themes of the experience.
Understanding emotional and bodily responses.
Connecting insights with personal values and daily choices.
Bringing awareness from the experience into embodied action.
“You gotta have some practice. Otherwise, it’s just going to become a memory. And practice means daily, doing something that evokes something of that experience, connecting to what you saw there.” – Dr. Gabor Mate
I came to understand that expanded states of consciousness are only one part of the journey. The preparation beforehand and the integration afterward are often where the deepest reflection and learning take place.
I spent several years living in Peru and Colombia, including time in the Amazon region, where I had the opportunity to learn from different cultural perspectives, traditional practices, and ways of relating to plants and consciousness.
During this time, my connection with the Shipibo tradition in Peru deeply influenced my understanding of plants, nature, consciousness, and the many ways humans create meaning from their experiences. Their relationship with the natural world and their cosmology taught me the importance of approaching these spaces with humility and respect.
Alongside my own experiences, I supported others before, during, and after their journeys. These experiences showed me the importance of preparation, support, and integration — creating space for insights and experiences to become part of everyday life.
My approach is informed by yoga, somatic practices, depth psychology, and my ongoing studies in psychotherapy. I work from the understanding that transformation involves the whole person — body, mind, emotions, relationships, and lived experience.
“There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.” – Nietzche
The body is not separate from the journey. Sensations, emotions, and nervous system responses can offer important information and guidance during the integration process. Through embodiment and self-inquiry, we can develop a deeper relationship with what emerges and approach ourselves with greater awareness and compassion.
My training includes the Ayahuasca Safety Course with ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service), Mythopoetic Integration with Simon Yugler, Psychedelics and The Mind with BerkeleyX and ongoing training in Integration Psychotherapy. These formal trainings build upon the experience of working in plant medicine retreats and ceremonial settings, as well as my own personal experiences.
Being in an ayahuasca ceremony with Derya was very important for me. Her calming and loving energy allowed me to open up when I was struggling; she was always there when I reached out. You can tell that she has a lot of experience and wisdom, she feels what you need and knows the right words to say. It helped me back then and it’s still helping me now!
D – Germany
I went to an ayahuasca retreat in Colombia, and Derya was truly the heart of the experience. Her calm presence and understanding made me feel safe from the start. Before the ceremony, she guided us with such care, helping each of us prepare emotionally and mentally. During the ceremony, her soothing voice and intuitive support felt like an anchor; I knew I was in good hands. She checked in with us afterward, making sure we felt grounded and supported. Derya’s wisdom and warmth were as transformative as the ceremony itself. I’m incredibly grateful and will carry this experience with me forever.
A – France
Thank you for holding space for me and my family on the two beautiful psylocibin ceremonies we had recently. Amazing experience, your music and energy made it really special and helped us connect and open up. Can’t thank you enough.
J – Australia
The mushroom ceremony was a truly beautiful and meaningful experience for me. It helped me release so much of what I had been carrying within me, and I left feeling renewed and deeply transformed. I’m incredibly grateful to Derya for creating such a beautiful and meaningful experience. It was truly a special moment that I will always remember. Thank you so much once again for this beautiful experience.
D – Colombia
Derya, who leads our women’s psychedelic integration circle, is truly amazing. Her guidance as a facilitator and space holder is grounded in deep wisdom and compassion. She is a rock of support and love for us all, creating an environment where transformation and growth can flourish. I’m so grateful for her presence and excited to see how this journey within the circle continues to unfold.
S – Canada
Being part of a women’s psychedelic integration circle has widened my support network for both my integration process and also for my need to be in space with sisterhood. It provides a level of softness and intimacy that I don’t feel in mixed groups, and I look forward to how the journey in the group will develop.
L – England
A Note on Scope and Care: Honouring each person’s unique journey
Psychedelic preparation and integration is a space for reflection, self-inquiry, and meaning-making around transformative experiences. My role is to offer a supportive and grounded space where you can explore your experience with greater awareness and curiosity. I do not provide medical advice or prescribe substances. This work is not a replacement for psychotherapy, psychiatric care, or other forms of professional healthcare. If you are currently receiving mental health support or have specific medical considerations, it is important to continue working with appropriate qualified professionals.
I approach this work with respect for each person’s autonomy, individual process, and lived experience. Every journey is different, and there is no single way to understand or integrate what emerges. The intention is to develop a deeper relationship with ourselves and bring greater awareness into the way we live and move through the world, rather than chasing extraordinary experiences.
Not necessarily. You can come to this work at different points in your relationship with psychedelics — whether you are simply curious and want to learn more, wondering whether a psychedelic experience might be right for you, considering an experience, preparing for one, or reflecting on something you have already experienced.
You don’t need to have a specific experience planned, or even know whether you want to have one. Sometimes, simply exploring your questions, intentions, and relationship with psychedelics can be a meaningful place to begin.
Preparation is an opportunity to explore your intentions, expectations, questions and concerns before an experience. We may also work with practices that support awareness, grounding and your capacity to stay present with whatever may arise.
Integration is the process of exploring what an experience means to you and how it might relate to the way you live, relate and make choices afterwards. Rather than deciding what an experience “means”, we create space for you to develop your own understanding of it.
Yes. Integration can be valuable long after an experience has taken place. You may be trying to understand something that emerged, make sense of a difficult experience, or explore how an insight might translate into your everyday life.
No. I am currently training in psychotherapy, and in these sessions I am not treating you as a psychotherapy client. They are focused on preparation, self-inquiry, and integration support. My psychotherapy training naturally informs the way I hold these sessions, and I draw on what I am learning where it can be helpful to the process. However, they are not a substitute for psychological or medical treatment when that is needed.
Yes. Preparation and integration work can sit alongside other forms of professional support. With appropriate boundaries, different approaches can complement one another.
Every person and process is different, so there is no fixed number of sessions. Our first 20-minute call is free, and this is a chance for us to talk about what you are looking for, what kind of support you might need, and what timeframe would feel appropriate for you.
The length of the process will naturally affect the overall cost. My approach, however, is not about making the process as long or costly as possible. I want to offer the support that is genuinely useful to you.
If cost is a concern or you feel that paying for the sessions may be difficult for you, please let me know. I will do my best to find an arrangement that feels accessible.
In places where the use of related subtancess is legal, yes — I can support and facilitate experiences within the boundaries of local law.
I do not provide or supply psychedelics, and I only work with substances and practices that are legal where the work takes place.
