| Date & Time: | Sunday, May 25, 2008
more on this date
10:00 AM |
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Hi all - we are hosting this event in Calgary...the purpose of this training is to get more people in our community aware of how to help others at festivals or even at smaller gatherings, as well as see if there are people who would like to do a shift or two at either Motion Notion and/or Shamb.
Thanks!
;) tarzie (questions/rsvp's - please send to tarzie@shaw.ca)
Psy-crisis/Peer Support/Harm Reduction/Psychedelic First Aid
TRAINING OFFERED on Sunday, May 25th, 2008
We are looking for people interested in learning more about how to help others navigate difficult psychedelic experience. Many of us have directly experienced or have been with friends who have experienced a time where the use of a drug led to feelings of anxiety, discomfort, self-doubt, being overwhelmed, or other intense emotions. Sometimes people encounter a “spiritual emergency” where information coming in to the Self and system is challenging to process and integrate.
In our community it is important to learn how to offer assistance to each other and take care of others who may be in need of help in trying to sort out what is happening, or what has happened to them. We know that people are going to experiment and use recreationally, so why not be as prepared as possible to help hold space for each other when needed? This is the idea of harm reduction – to provide a supportive resource when we know that using substances can have some adverse effects.
At larger festivals and parties, there is a space run by trained helpers, usually called the Sanctuary, where people can come in and take a break from the rush, noise and intensity of the music and chaos and have a “time out” if their experience or trip becomes a bit overwhelming. Helpers at the Sanctuary space can assist with providing a calm, quiet space to sit down or lay down in, and if needed, can talk to the guest about how they are doing, or what they are feeling. This is not “trip-sitting” or providing any kind of guided experience, but offering a helpful presence and a kind of ‘psychedelic first aid’ to guests in the Sanctuary.
We are excited to have the first ever full day of training offered in Calgary to people interested in this work. You don’t have to commit to doing any volunteering at this point, but we are looking for people who might like to do a shift or two at Motion Notion (July 17-20, near Drayton Valley, west of Edmonton) or at Shambhala (August 7-11 near Salmo, BC) at the Sanctuary spaces. So even if you would just like to get more info and learn skills on how to help, please come anyway!
The main trainer/presenter will be Warren Michelow, who runs the Sanctuary space at Shambhala. He works at the Centre for Addictions Research through the University of Victoria and is extremely knowledgeable about psy-crisis work, harm reduction, and drug effects. Warren is currently completing his Doctorate at UBC with the Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, with a focus on drug use epidemiology, health promotion and prevention education.
Tarzie is also helping to put together this training – she is from Calgary, is completing her Masters in Counselling Psychology, and is very interested in transpersonal psychology, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and the transformative potential of psychedelic experience. She has done psy-crisis support work for five years, at Burning Man, Shambhala, and Motion Notion. She has been participating in electronic music events and festivals for over twelve years.
The only cost of attending this training is to chip in a bit for the cost of Warren's flight - maybe $10 or $15 each.
Location is TBA, as well as exact start and end times, but it will be a full day – so mark your calendars! If you are interested, or have any questions, please email tarzie@shaw.ca – we are compiling an RSVP list and will be sending out more details and some resources to read before the day of the training.
Looking forward to meeting with you and learning more about how to help our community!
Thanks!
;) tarzie (questions/rsvp's - please send to tarzie@shaw.ca)
Psy-crisis/Peer Support/Harm Reduction/Psychedelic First Aid
TRAINING OFFERED on Sunday, May 25th, 2008
We are looking for people interested in learning more about how to help others navigate difficult psychedelic experience. Many of us have directly experienced or have been with friends who have experienced a time where the use of a drug led to feelings of anxiety, discomfort, self-doubt, being overwhelmed, or other intense emotions. Sometimes people encounter a “spiritual emergency” where information coming in to the Self and system is challenging to process and integrate.
In our community it is important to learn how to offer assistance to each other and take care of others who may be in need of help in trying to sort out what is happening, or what has happened to them. We know that people are going to experiment and use recreationally, so why not be as prepared as possible to help hold space for each other when needed? This is the idea of harm reduction – to provide a supportive resource when we know that using substances can have some adverse effects.
At larger festivals and parties, there is a space run by trained helpers, usually called the Sanctuary, where people can come in and take a break from the rush, noise and intensity of the music and chaos and have a “time out” if their experience or trip becomes a bit overwhelming. Helpers at the Sanctuary space can assist with providing a calm, quiet space to sit down or lay down in, and if needed, can talk to the guest about how they are doing, or what they are feeling. This is not “trip-sitting” or providing any kind of guided experience, but offering a helpful presence and a kind of ‘psychedelic first aid’ to guests in the Sanctuary.
We are excited to have the first ever full day of training offered in Calgary to people interested in this work. You don’t have to commit to doing any volunteering at this point, but we are looking for people who might like to do a shift or two at Motion Notion (July 17-20, near Drayton Valley, west of Edmonton) or at Shambhala (August 7-11 near Salmo, BC) at the Sanctuary spaces. So even if you would just like to get more info and learn skills on how to help, please come anyway!
The main trainer/presenter will be Warren Michelow, who runs the Sanctuary space at Shambhala. He works at the Centre for Addictions Research through the University of Victoria and is extremely knowledgeable about psy-crisis work, harm reduction, and drug effects. Warren is currently completing his Doctorate at UBC with the Department of Health Care and Epidemiology, with a focus on drug use epidemiology, health promotion and prevention education.
Tarzie is also helping to put together this training – she is from Calgary, is completing her Masters in Counselling Psychology, and is very interested in transpersonal psychology, non-ordinary states of consciousness, and the transformative potential of psychedelic experience. She has done psy-crisis support work for five years, at Burning Man, Shambhala, and Motion Notion. She has been participating in electronic music events and festivals for over twelve years.
The only cost of attending this training is to chip in a bit for the cost of Warren's flight - maybe $10 or $15 each.
Location is TBA, as well as exact start and end times, but it will be a full day – so mark your calendars! If you are interested, or have any questions, please email tarzie@shaw.ca – we are compiling an RSVP list and will be sending out more details and some resources to read before the day of the training.
Looking forward to meeting with you and learning more about how to help our community!
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Canada
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