Krista Meinert, BA, NMIT
Where Curiosity Meets Evidence
Psychedelic science is developing rapidly.
Whether you are exploring psychedelic services for yourself, considering a professional referral, or simply interested in the science, this page is a place to begin.
Let’s Build Bridges.
If you are a University, physician, therapist, counselor, social worker, nurse, or other healthcare professional interested in learning more about Colorado’s regulated natural medicine framework and the role of preparation, journey support and integration, or discussing a potential professional relationship, I’d welcome the conversation.
My intention is to create thoughtful bridges between providers, facilitators/guides, and clients.
Professional collaboration may include:
This makes for a Unique Kind of Referral
When someone enters psychedelic work, the experience does not exist in isolation. There may be a therapist who has known them for years, a physician who understands their medical history, trusted support person who knows their story.
I encourage appropriate communication and collaboration with a client’s existing healthcare team rather than treating psychedelic support as a standalone experience.
Bring Your Questions.
You don’t have to arrive with certainty.
You can arrive curious.
Before beginning psychedelic services, I encourage you to discuss your plans with appropriate healthcare professionals and to consider your individual medical, psychological, and medication history.
Preparation is part of the journey.
The Science Is Still Being Written
Research into psilocybin and other psychedelics has expanded significantly over the past two decades.
Major academic and medical institutions are investigating questions involving mood, addiction, trauma, consciousness, brain function, and psychological wellbeing.
The research is promising and also ongoing.
I do not present emerging research as settled medical fact.
I encourage you to read the research, ask questions, and make informed decisions.
Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
Johns Hopkins has been a major contributor to the modern resurgence of psychedelic research. Its researchers study how psychedelics can affect behavior, mood, cognition, brain function, and biological markers of health.
Research areas have included depression, addiction, anxiety associated with serious illness, PTSD, consciousness, and other areas of mental health.
Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
Johns Hopkins also emphasizes the importance of understanding both potential benefits and potential risks associated with psychedelics.
NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine
NYU Langone’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine conducts research spanning psychiatry, medicine, preclinical science, clinical trials, and psychedelic medicine training.
Its research has included psilocybin and areas such as addiction, depression, PTSD, and psychological distress associated with serious illness. (NYU Langone Health)
Depression & Anxiety
Researchers are investigating whether psilocybin-assisted approaches may have therapeutic potential for depression and anxiety when administered in carefully controlled research settings.
Johns Hopkins research has reported significant reductions in depressive symptoms in controlled studies, while emphasizing the need for continued research.
Addiction
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and NYU have studied psychedelic-assisted approaches for substance use disorders, including tobacco and alcohol use.
NYU researchers reported significant reductions in heavy drinking in one controlled study involving psilocybin combined with psychotherapy. (NYU Langone Health)
Trauma & PTSD
Researchers are continuing to investigate whether psilocybin may have a role in addressing PTSD and related psychological outcomes.
Clinical research should not be interpreted as evidence that psilocybin is an established treatment for PTSD outside approved research or regulated contexts.
Grief, Existential Distress & Serious Illness
Academic research has explored psychedelic experiences in people facing serious illness and associated anxiety, depression, and existential distress.
This area of research is particularly relevant to Awareness Peak’s interest in the human experience of loss, meaning, transition, and transformation.
Consciousness & Meaning
Psychedelic research also extends beyond conventional symptom reduction.
Researchers are studying altered states of consciousness, mystical-type experiences, changes in beliefs, meaning-making, and how psychedelic experiences may influence a person’s relationship with themselves and the world around them. (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
Psychedelic Science
Learn about the history, current research, potential applications, limitations, and risks of psychedelic medicines.
Clinical Trials
Explore ongoing and completed studies through reputable academic and medical institutions.
Safety Research
Understand why screening, preparation, appropriate support, and integration are important components of psychedelic services.
Integration
Explore emerging research and professional perspectives on how people make meaning from and incorporate experiences into everyday life.
What we know matters.
What we don’t know matters, too.
Psychedelic research is exciting but excitement should never replace critical thinking.
Research findings may come from small samples, highly screened participants environments, or specific therapeutic protocols that do not necessarily translate directly to every individual or every setting.
I do not guarantee therapeutic outcomes.
I do not claim that psychedelics can cure mental-health conditions, replace medication, or replace medical or psychological treatment.
My approach is grounded in curiosity, safety, and respect for the limits of current knowledge.
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