🍄 Is Psychedelic Therapy Legal in Colorado? What You Need to Know
If you’ve been wondering whether psychedelic therapy is legal in Colorado, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common questions people ask as interest in these medicines continues to grow.
The short answer is: yes, psilocybin services are legal in Colorado. Other psychedelic medicines, such as mescaline and ibogaine, are not yet included under the regulated framework but are decriminalized for personal use.
What matters most is understanding what’s allowed, what the experience is actually like, and how to choose a safe, ethical practitioner.
So…is psychedelic therapy legal in Colorado?
Colorado has legalized access to psilocybin through a state-regulated natural medicine program. Adults 21 and older can legally participate in supervised psilocybin experiences with lab-tested mushrooms when they take place in licensed healing centers with licensed facilitators.
Psilocybin mushrooms are not sold in stores or prescribed at pharmacies. Instead, they’re offered in a structured, supervised setting designed to prioritize safety, preparation, and integration.
It is legal to possess and consume psilocybin mushrooms for personal use if you grow them or they are shared with you. At this time, commercial sales are still outlawed.
What does a legal psilocybin experience actually involve?
Most people are surprised to learn that the experience is not just about the session itself.
A legal psilocybin process typically includes:
Screening: to determine whether this modality is right for you at this time, assessing for any contraindications or “red flags” that might make it unsafe
Preparation: conversations to get a thorough health history, understand your intentions, and make sure you’re ready for the experience
Administration session: sometimes known as a “journey” or “ceremony,” this is a guided, supported psilocybin experience in a safe setting with a licensed facilitator
Integration: support afterward to help you make sense of what you experienced and apply insights to daily life
There’s no one-size-fits-all outcome. People pursue this work for many reasons, such as emotional healing, mental health support, personal growth, life transitions, spiritual exploration, or a desire for greater clarity.
What it feels like (and what it’s not)
Psychedelic experiences are often portrayed dramatically in the media, but most people describe them as deeply internal, reflective, and meaningful rather than chaotic or overwhelming.
With the right support, most people don’t lose control or get “taken somewhere.” Instead, they are usually able to turn inward and create new ways of thinking or being.
Psychedelic work is not about being fixed or diagnosed. It’s about creating space for insight, perspective, and connection with yourself and with what matters most to you.
Why working with the right guide matters
Because psilocybin is powerful, who you work with matters just as much as the medicine itself.
A qualified, licensed facilitator provides:
Screening and preparation
A safe, grounded presence during the experience
Support afterward to help integrate insights
This isn’t something to rush into or do without support, especially if it’s your first time or you’re navigating something challenging.
Ethical facilitators are transparent, grounded, and clear about what they offer. But most importantly, you want to be able to trust your facilitator and feel comfortable with them. Ask yourself:
How do you feel when you speak with them?
How do they hold space for you?
Are they present with you?
Do they listen to you deeply?
Do you feel heard, respected, and safe?
Does your nervous system relax around them, or do you feel activated?
Ultimately, these are the questions to ask rather than, “Which program did they get certified through?” The facilitator with the most degrees or certificates may not necessarily be the right facilitator for you.
My role as a nurse
As an integrative RN and board-certified holistic nurse, I approach this work with a whole-person lens.
That means:
Respect for the body and nervous system
Attention to safety and readiness
Accounting for health history and medications
An understanding of how physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health intersect
My role isn’t to interpret your experience for you or tell you what it means. It’s to hold a safe, supportive container and create the conditions for your own insight to emerge and to help you integrate what you discover in a way that’s practical and sustainable.
Is this right for everyone?
No — and that’s an important thing to say out loud.
Psilocybin isn’t a shortcut or a cure-all. It’s a tool that works best when approached with intention, support, and respect. Some people decide it’s not the right time, and that’s okay.
For some people, especially those with psychotic disorders, it may even be contraindicated.
A good practitioner will help you determine whether this path makes sense for you, without pressure.
Learn more about legal psilocybin services in Colorado
If you’re curious to learn more about what legal psilocybin work looks like and whether it may be a fit for you, you can explore my approach here:
👉 annadesmarais.com/psilocybin-facilitation-colorado
Clear, accurate information, ethical care, and thoughtful support matter, especially in this space.
