Hello I’m Jesse (she/her). I am a white, cis, queer woman living in Toronto, traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki, Huron-Wendat, and Haudenosaunee. 

Psychedelics and plant medicines have been powerful allies and teachers in my life for many years now. I am so grateful to have found my way into this world and can tell you that my life and relationship to Self has become so much deeper and more rich through the development of my practice. I have long been what many would call a ‘psychonaut’ - someone who experiments with altered states of consciousness for the sake of spiritual or intrapersonal exploration. I prefer psychedelics witch. 

What began in my teens as experimentations with pleasure, escapism, and a love of deep conversation and giggles, has grown into a spiritual practice and ceremonial communion. I have come to learn that it can be both and all of these, and it’s all valuable. 

I do not work in the psychedelics sphere. I am not a researcher or scientist or clinical psychologist. I’m just a gal with an endless love of learning and a deep well of compassion and understanding for the human condition. I went to school for theatre. I am an ex plus-size model and now work in the film industry as a production designer. I am also an empath and a healer, but we can talk about that later. I feel very fortunate to be a working artist whose career will not be jeopardized by speaking freely about these experiences and practices. I also have the privileges of race, education, socioeconomic status, health and location in the world (Canada) that afford me a relatively high level of safety in speaking about what are all still currently seen in the eyes of the law and the culture at large as dangerous, illegal drugs.

I believe with all of my being in the power of plant medicines and psychedelics to heal us individually, as a culture and as a species. I wake up with the weight of the world and I can feel the growing hopelessness as power is continuously seized by deeply wounded and destructive hands. The brutal realities we face daily with opioid addition, mental health, loneliness and climate is a constant trauma. Even on our best days these cultural crisis loom over us and can paralyze us in a feeling of powerlessness. We need as much hope and love and connection in the world as we can find and there is no single greater source of generating all of these essential resources that I know of than psychedelics and plant medicines. There is so much good work being done in this field right now to bring this to the fore. Science is confirming what spiritual healers the world over have known for centuries and in many cases, millennia. Activists are putting their bodies on the line for drug policy reform. Our materialist western society is finally coming into the knowledge and practice of these incredibly powerful substances and we are currently in negotiation with how we can move forward, merging the science and the spiritual. 

When I look out into the landscape, however, it is difficult not to notice how the loudest and most visible voices are those of white men. And in no way do I aim to tear down the incredible, powerful, essential work that is being done and the voices that are speaking, and have been, for decades. I honour, respect and wish to deeply thank these people. And of course there are many, many others whose work I want to honour and note.  With this in mind, what I believe is so important at this time, in the midst of this ‘psychedelic renaissance’, is finding ways in which we can continue to be more welcoming of all bodies into this space, ways that we can amplify the 'other' voices. How can we make this space more accessible to all? I want young women, non-binary, trans, queer and POC - the marginalized people who are disproportionated affected by cultural traumatization - to be able to look into this world and see themselves represented. That they are welcome. That it is safe. That this healing is accessible to them and for them. That they are needed and necessary for the development of these modalities to be in right relationship with their full potential. We are currently creating containers for this work and we need to hear all voices. If I can play even a tiny role in this by providing a platform and a microphone for open conversation, I will feel that I am at least beginning to give back a small piece of what this magic has given to me. 

I am not an expert on psychedelics (I don’t know that those exist). What I am is a relatively knowledgable and enthusiastic student, who is always looking for opportunities to deepen my practice and understanding, and to share what I have learned with others. I want to bring as much honour and justice and reverence to these conversations as they deserve. I also want to have some fun. I hope you will join me.