We at 7 Gates Sanctuary are honored to share a heartfelt interview with Dr. Kara Crisp, a dedicated practitioner offering legal psilocybin therapy at 7 Gates Sanctuary. Dr. Crisp is deeply passionate about working with veterans, a population close to her heart. In this interview, we explore the transformative power of psilocybin for veterans and Dr. Crisp's commitment to making this healing modality financially accessible.
During Dr. Crisp’s healthcare training, she learned about the profound challenges veterans face, including higher risks of suicide and lack of comprehensive healthcare resources. "The resources they have available are not treating them like they're human," Dr. Crisp says. This realization fueled her desire to offer compassionate care to this underserved population.
One of her early experiences was through the Returning Veterans Project, where she provided free healthcare to veterans. This work was a pivotal moment for Dr. Crisp, shaping her mission to ensure that all individuals, especially marginalized populations, feel safe and respected in their healthcare experiences. "I just made it my mission to get more training to work with these different populations so that they feel welcome and taken care of, and treated like they matter," she shares.
The Transformative Power of Psilocybin for Veterans
Psilocybin therapy offers a unique opportunity for deep healing, particularly for veterans who often struggle with complex emotional and psychological wounds. Dr. Crisp highlights the profound impact of psilocybin macrodoses, which allow individuals to explore the root causes of their suffering. "These large dose journeys get so far down to some kind of beginning point, often the start of the pain, that something finally releases in the present," she explains, underscoring the potential for profound emotional release and healing.
One particularly moving story involves a Vietnam veteran who was deeply touched by the extra financial support he received to make his journey possible. "There was a Vietnam veteran who said, 'I can't believe you all did anything special for me.' It just put me in tears," Dr. Crisp recalls. The veteran, who had faced disdain and ostracism upon returning home, found solace and validation in the care and attention provided by Dr Crisp, and her genuine longing to be of service in his healing. Another veteran who said he hadn't felt good since before entering the military, described his psilocybin session as "the most profound experience of my life." The transformative potential of psilocybin is not only in alleviating emotional pain but also in restoring a sense of worth and belonging, of receiving attuned support and attention to journey through a profound restoration of self, to not be alone in that.
The Neuroscience Behind Psilocybin Macrodoses
Psilocybin affects the brain's default mode network (DMN), a group of interconnected brain regions that can become self-attacking after traumatic experiences. During a macrodose experience, the DMN's activity decreases, allowing for a temporary dissolution of the ego, which can lead to a sense of unity and interconnectedness, and a re-consideration of identity.
Macrodoses also have the potential to address the root causes of deep-seated emotional and psychological issues by expanding connectivity in the brain, getting parts that haven’t been talking to each other to reconnect. Psilocybin has been shown to re-open critical periods of development that have been halted due to traumatic experiences, fostering new and healthier connections in areas related to emotion, memory, motivation, thinking, and attention.
Dr. Crisp explains that this "ego dissolution" and increased connectivity can help veterans gain new perspectives on their lives and experiences, often leading to a profound shift in how they relate to themselves and others. The resulting state of heightened neural connectivity also enables the brain to form new pathways, which can facilitate changes in perception, behavior, and emotional regulation. This neuroplasticity is a key factor in the long-term benefits reported by many individuals undergoing psilocybin-assisted healing processes.
Accessibility and Affordability
Dr. Crisp is committed to making psilocybin journeys accessible to those who need it most. She has worked hard to develop affordable and flexible pricing tiers, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent veterans from accessing this powerful medicine. "Accessibility is a huge priority for me," she emphasizes. This commitment stems from a collective realization among practitioners that the high costs associated with psilocybin services could exclude those who would benefit most.
To support this mission, 7 Gates Sanctuary and Dr. Crisp, are collaborating on offering scholarship rates each month of $650, plus the cost of psilocybin. Dr. Crisp already offers a profoundly generous sliding scale for those facing financial hardship, but in these special scholarship sessions, the cost is only $650 TOTAL, plus psilocybin, as opposed to the normal range of $1800-$3,000+.
This initiative ensures that some veterans, and other marginalized populations can access the care they need without the incurring exorbitant financial strain. Scroll down for more information on how to apply for this scholarship discount.
A Commitment to Care
Dr. Crisp's dedication to working with veterans is deeply rooted in her desire to provide holistic and compassionate care. She strives to create a welcoming and safe environment where veterans can heal and find community. We are grateful for Dr. Crisp’s tireless efforts to support veterans and other marginalized communities through psilocybin journeys. Her work not only helps to heal emotional and psychological wounds but also restores a sense of dignity and respect to those who have given so much. Read more about Dr. Crisp on her bio page HERE.
How to Work with Dr. Crisp at a Scholarship Rate
Dr. Crisp believes in psilocybin accessibility and offers a sliding scale for those experiencing financial hardship. She has agreed to take on two clients each month at a significantly discounted rate, for those who qualify.
The 7 Gates Scholarship Program is available to everyone who 21 years or older who medically qualifies for legal psilocybin, who is in financial need. We give priority to individuals from underserved communities (e.g. geography, race, ethnicity, cultural barriers, occupation, physical and/or cognitive ability, age, gender, etc).
Steps to Apply for Trade or Financial Scholarship:
Explore Dr Crisp’s profile to see if she would be a good fit for your journey.
Complete our medical + legal eligibility survey. if you haven’t already.
Schedule a 15-minute phone consultation with our office manager, Jenna, who is also a trained facilitator. Book here.
Optionally, attend a Wednesday Q&A Zoom session (Scroll down for the link!)
Submit your Trade or Scholarship application.
Complete intake paperwork and register in our client portal.
Curious? Join our Wednesday Online Open House!
If you’re curious about how 7 Gates Sanctuary approaches psilocybin, how to access the scholarship, and to see if psilocybin is right for you, join us Wednesday night for our open house!
DR. DOUG WINGATE, DTCM, FMHC, L.Ac.
Dr. Wingate is a highly sought-after presenter, neuroscience PhD, integrative medicine practitioner and psilocybin facilitator who’s spent the last 15 years working in the realm of traumatic brain injury, stroke, PTSD and complex trauma.This is a free opportunity to ask Doug all things neuro-optimization and psilocybin!
MARS AQUEOUS
Mars is an activist, trauma educator, and ritualist who teaches and counsels on unlearning modern Western mental health frameworks in favor of more imaginative futures. This is a free opportunity to ask Mars about sacred plants, ancestral healing and psilocybin as a tool of transformation!
Please share this post with anyone who might like to learn about legal psilocybin services in Oregon.
We hope to see you this week, or another Wednesday soon!
Warm regards,
The 7 Gates Sanctuary Team
P.S. If you are a veteran or know someone who could benefit from our services, please reach out to us, or forward along this post. We want this medicine in the hands of those who need it the most
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