Ep22: A gregarious childhood, a dark night of the soul, and explorations with set and setting to find safety and love

Trigger Warning: discussions of suicidality

Robert Décarie is a local certified Holotropic Breathwork facilitator, a former counselor and wildlife management specialist, and a delightful human being. As we explore in our conversation together, after having a gregarious but dissociated childhood in Montreal and experiencing a dark night of the soul in his early twenties, he pivoted to study environmental sciences (M.Sc.) and had a 25-year career in wildlife management. In the mid-2000s, he readjusted the course of his life to deepen its meaning and chose to study to become a counselor, and in 2008, he started practicing Holotropic Breathwork, eventually completing his training to become a certified facilitator which he has been offering to the Ottawa community since 2015. In our conversation together, we walk through several decades of psychedelic roots, from visiting Mexico in the 1970s, to experimenting with ayahuasca in a couple of different settings, to finally experiencing what he considers to be his first true psychedelic experience in a well-supported set and setting that allowed him to connect deeply with himself and to love. It was a pleasure to wend our way through Robert’s psychedelic roots, or what he calls his holotropic life!

A reminder that this episode contains mentions of suicidality. This warning is meant to empower you with the knowledge you need to make healthy decisions about how and if you should consume this podcast content. We invite you to practice self-care and do what feels right for you. And if you need support, please connect with someone who can help: family and friends, professionals, or a crisis line. There are both Canadian and international recommendations in the show notes below. You are not alone-- not in your pain, nor in your healing.

Shownotes

• Robert’s holotropic breathwork website: https://ottawaholotropic.ca/en/
• Favourite song from Sgt. Pepper album: A Day in the Life, but the entire album surging from nowhere, colorful, creative, joyful, and alive.
• First Carlos Castenada book read: A Separate Reality
• Current precious inner exploring and integration tool, Focusing (Eugene T. Gendlin, 1982, Bantam Books) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtYGnwwGzdA

Below are some Canadian and international mental health resources to access if you are in distress or need support:

• • Crisis Services Canada: https://988.ca/
  • Befrienders Worldwide (crisis lines serving 32 countries): https://befrienders.org/
  • International Directory of Mental Health Helplines: https://www.helpguide.org/find-help.htm
  • The Fireside Project (US-only psychedelic-specific support): https://firesideproject.org/
  • Psychology Today (to find a therapist in North America): https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/therapists

Music credit: Music by Mass X Audio from Pixabay

#psychedelics #podcast #tripreport