Steph Tzanetis: PRISM trip sitting and psychedelic harm reduction

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Synopsis
The principles for psychedelic support (otherwise known as ‘trip sitting’) that are promoted by international groups like MAPS Zendo Project and Kosmicare Association, as well as PRISM. Psychedelic support in music event settings is different from psychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP) in many ways. For example, with PAP a sitter is with a person when they set an intention and take a psychedelic. But for PRISM, trip sitters a person comes into care once they’re under the influence, present in need of support, and polydrug use or other needs commonly influence the trajectory of the experience. Expanding on this latter example, a varied approach to trip sitting may be applied by PRISM from one event setting to another. Different resources are available when trip sitting at a multi-day regional camping event, compared to a single-day event in a metropolitan area.
This presentation draws on PRISM’s Care Intervention service delivery data from recent years at multi-day regional camping events where a challenging psychedelic experience was the main reason for the presentation, highlighting the kind of interventions commonly applied by PRISM trip sitters working in such an environment. Examples include encouraging the person in care to remove their shoes and stand on the earth, which seems a highly effective intervention to alleviate anxiety during a psychedelic experience.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:43 What is trip sitting?
00:02:37 Psychedelic Research in Science and Medicine (PRISM)
00:03:21 DanceWize
00:05:32 DanceWize harm reduction training
00:06:42 DanceWize service data
00:13:16 DanceWize psychedelic care training
00:16:04 The PRISM DanceWize partnership
00:24:55 Volunteer to be a trip sitter
00:27:04 Q&A
Bio
Steph has close to a decade’s experience providing formalised psychedelic support at music festivals in Australia and overseas, including in Portugal and North America. Steph has qualifications in law, humanities, alcohol and other drugs, and addictive behaviours, is a director of Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine (PRISM) and was previously the DanceWize Program Director at Harm Reduction Victoria. Steph promotes psychedelic support that is based on the trip sit principles taught by comparable international programs, like MAPS Zendo Project and Kosmicare Association. Psychedelic support in event settings is different from psychedelic assisted psychotherapy in many ways, which will be catalogued throughout the presentation, and focus will be given to the respective opportunity to trip sit or deliver PAP in the outdoors.
About PRISM
Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine (PRISM) is a DGR-1 charity, established in 2011 to initiate, coordinate, and support formal research into the applications of medicinal psychedelics and related technologies. PRISM provides scientific expertise for clinical trial and technology development for medicinal psychedelics and consciousness research. PRISM supports clinical research for the treatment and prevention of conditions for which current therapies provide limited relief. Connect via www.prism.org.au
About DanceWize
DanceWize (formerly known as RaveSafe)is a program of HRVic that utilises a peer education model to reduce drug and alcohol-related harm at Victorian dance parties, festivals, nightclubs and events.
Volunteer Key Peer Educators (KPEs) attend music events and festivals, host a chill-out space for festival goers; provide a quiet, low stimulus, relaxation space where patrons can take time out, discuss safer alcohol and other drug use with peers and receive or be referred to different health resources.
The DanceWize goal is to provide our peers with accurate, credible information through face-to-face discussion or through the provision of resources (which always include information about the potential harms associated with illicit and licit drug use).
Our KPEs are recruited from the dance party, festival, and nightclub communities, and are trained by experts in the field to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to engage with and refer peers to other services where appropriate.
While DanceWize team members undergo first aid training, the DanceWize chill-out space is not a first-aid facility. We use this area to engage our peers and to look after patrons who might need care and support. DanceWize KPEs use their lived experience and knowledge to provide space for peers having challenging experiences. Anyone needing medical attention is referred to the onsite health provider, which we work closely with. Connect via - www.hrvic.org.au/dancewize
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