Monthly News — January
In this newsletter you will find: my new year’s musings on the current state of mental health and burnout in our fast-culture, the review of the month, and another call to share your personal healing stories as a guest on Beyond the Dose, my new podcast launching this month. Keep reading!
New Year, New Pace: Why Slowing Down is the Best Resolution
First, the facts: according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 80% of all doctor’s visits have a major stress component. 57% of U.S. workers experience negative impacts due to work-related stress associated with burnout, including emotional exhaustion, irritability, and anger according to the American Psychology Association’s 2023 Work in America Survey. Chronic burnout increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety and burnout disproportionately affects the personal lives of women compared to men (Forbes). Finally, 57 million Americans struggled with mental illness in the last year - that’s 23% of the country! As alarming as these statistics are, none are that surprising. Collectively, I think it’s fair to say that we all feel the weight of these alarming numbers every single day. Whether they impact your life directly or indirectly, 90% of us believe mental health is a public crisis. Clearly, change is needed. So, where do we start? As always, it starts with awareness.
What is burnout and how do you know if you have it?
Simply put, burnout is chronic, unmanaged stress. While we often think of burnout as a work-related symptom, it actually impacts all parts of our lives - from our relationships, our spirituality, and our physical health. Typically, the first signs of burnout are subtle, often impacting things like your sleep & digestion, causing insomnia, GI issues, headaches, irritability, low energy levels and lack of focus. Another sure fire sign that you may need a break is when your typical coping mechanisms no longer deliver the rest and rejuvenation that they normally do. Pay attention to these early physical cues and let them guide you to solutions that are right for you.
Our culture, lifestyle and current solutions are not working.
Collectively, we have bought into the idea that faster is better, productivity is king, and sleep is for the weak. Our hustle & grind culture, FOMO and fake it till you make it attitudes are literally killing us. The pressure to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ fuels fast culture and burnout, pushing us to chase lifestyles that may not align with our values. Yet, we are not wired to always be ON. Our biology and our spirits require REST and STILLNESS.
Additionally, many of us are taught to run from conflict and things that drain us. We’re taught that if we just work harder and longer we will succeed. We’re taught to look outside ourselves for approval and self-worth. We learn to ignore our instincts, boundaries and physical cues in favor of conforming and maintaining the status quo. We don’t like feeling “bad” - whether emotionally, mentally or physically and many of us do everything we can to compartmentalize, numb and distract from dealing with what we find difficult, uncomfortable or scary. Burnout isn’t just about overworking; it’s also about the quiet exhaustion that comes from silencing your truth to fit in and keep going - even when our bodies tell us to slow down.
Beyond the symptoms: treating wellness as a whole.
Often our sick care systems encourage us to “fix” ourselves with temporary solutions rather than doing the hard work of exploring the root causes. We even compartmentalize our symptoms and cures, treating one ailment with one solution that may in fact create a new problem or challenge in another area of our lives. Many of our current “solutions” are designed to mask or numb symptoms so that we can get back to producing as quickly as possible - even at the expense of our longterm health and wellbeing. Long-term health and healing require a slower pace and a longer timeline, which is often very inconvenient in our fast-paced, attention deficient world.
Many tools available to us are actually quite simple and backed by scientific research and data. We know for example, that spending just 2 hours a week in nature is associated with significantly better physical and mental health (Nature, 2019). We know exercise reduces the risk of depression by 26% and is as effective as some medications for mild-to-moderate depression (JAMA Psychiatry, 2018). We know that practicing mindfulness or stillness techniques lowers the risk of stress-related illnesses by 43% (Psychosomatic Medicine, 2020). So why don’t so many of us just do these things? Simply put - our actions and priorities are misaligned. We have subconsciously (and sometimes consciously) bought into this idea that we don’t have the time. But what if I told you that true peace and true joy demands that you slow down, surrender and get still? Until we accept our current circumstances and the fact that true growth and healing does not happen overnight or with a pill or potion, we will continue to see chronic disease, addiction and poor mental health symptoms climb. When it comes to managing our mental health, slowing down, practicing stillness and prayer, and finding community are the only solutions that lead to growth, healing & transformation. There are no short-cuts. It’s time we accept this truth (for more on acceptance, check out my December blog). In 2025, let’s shift the narrative to one of stillness, connection, and authenticity. Embrace the season, light some candles, slow down and just breathe.
How Psilocybin May Support Your Healing.
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us live in constant motion, avoiding the deeper emotions and truths that reside just beneath the surface. Psilocybin, the active compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, offers a unique opportunity to step outside this hurried existence and engage in profound self-reflection. Here’s how it can support slowing down, facing challenges, and fostering transformation:
Slowing Down the Mind and Body
Psilocybin works by quieting the default mode network (DMN), the brain’s “autopilot” responsible for habitual thinking and self-criticism. This allows for:
Presence: By silencing mental noise, psilocybin fosters a state of deep mindfulness, encouraging individuals to fully inhabit the present moment.
Clarity: With fewer mental distractions, users often feel a heightened sense of awareness, making it easier to reflect on their lives without judgment or overwhelm.
Facing Difficult Emotions and Events
Rather than numbing or bypassing pain, psilocybin gently brings unresolved emotions or past traumas into focus, offering an opportunity for healing:
Emotional Processing: Psilocybin can enhance emotional openness, allowing individuals to explore grief, fear, or anger in a safe, non-threatening way.
Shifting Perspective: Under its influence, people often view painful memories from a new angle, reducing the emotional charge and fostering acceptance.
Deep Connection: Many report feeling a profound connection to themselves, others, or a higher power, which helps them make peace with difficult experiences.
While this can feel intense, the process is often described as cathartic, creating space for emotional release and resolution.
Mindset Shifts and New Behaviors
Psilocybin doesn’t just help people process emotions—it also fosters lasting changes in mindset and behavior:
Breaking Patterns: By disrupting rigid thought patterns, psilocybin can help individuals identify unhealthy habits and beliefs that no longer serve them.
Increased Creativity: It opens the door to creative problem-solving, helping people envision new ways of approaching challenges or relationships.
Boosting Empathy: Many users report feeling greater compassion for themselves and others, which can improve communication and foster healthier relationships.
Sustained Growth: Studies show that psilocybin can create enduring positive changes in personality traits like openness and emotional resilience.
Psilocybin serves as a mirror, reflecting back the beauty, pain, and truth within us. By slowing down, facing what we often avoid, and envisioning new paths forward, it becomes a catalyst for profound growth and transformation.
If you are interested in exploring whether or not psilocybin may be right for you, I’m happy to offer support and answers to your questions. Book a free consultation to get started and let’s explore options that may work best for you!
Review of the Month
“Such a respite [Purple City Retreats] to welcome me after my psilocybin journey yesterday. Love, light, and compassion. Thank you, Michelle for sharing your gifts with the world. XO.”
I am beyond excited (you see what I did there) to announce BEYOND THE DOSE: A podcast exploring the intersection of mental health, spirituality, and psychedelic therapy. One of my goals with the new podcast (launching this month) is to be able to share personal stories of healing, with or without psychedelics. It’s my personal belief that changing the culture and stigma often attached to psychedelics is through the telling of authentic healing testimonies. My hope is to inspire and educate those who may be in need of alternative solutions, so that we all can collectively begin to heal ourselves and combat the growing mental health, suicide and addiction crisis we are facing today.
If you have a story you’d like to share, know someone who does, or if you are an expert voice in wellness practices and are interested to share your knowledge in an upcoming episode, please reach out below!
