Episode 030: Breaking Through with Plant Medicine Integration with Amanda Rae
Plant medicine isn't just about the experience - it's about what happens after. I am so excited to share this conversation with Amanda Rae, a psychedelic integration coach who's transforming how we approach healing from addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges through the power of plant medicine.
This episode dives deep into something I've been exploring more and more on my own healing journey as a neurodivergent woman entrepreneur. Amanda's story from addiction recovery to becoming a medicine woman herself is absolutely captivating, and her insights on neuroplasticity and transformation will blow your mind.
The Real Work Happens After the Journey
Here's what I love about Amanda's approach - she doesn't just focus on the psychedelic experience itself. The magic happens in integration, and that's where most people stumble. Amanda learned this the hard way after her own transformative experience with Ibogaine nine years ago.
"I didn't really have anybody to talk to that had been through what I had experienced," Amanda shared. "I had to spend a really long time as an experiential learner doing the wrong things to learn the right things to do."
This is why she now works with medicine retreats, Ibogaine clinics in Mexico, and ketamine infusion clinics here in the US. She's creating the support system she wished she'd had - helping people integrate these profound experiences so they don't have to stumble and fall the same way she did.
Why Psychedelics Work So Well for Neuroplasticity
Listen, I geek out about neuroplasticity all the time with my clients. We talk about how 90% of the decisions you make every day are the exact same ones you made yesterday (thanks Dr. Joe Dispenza for that reality check). As someone with autism and ADHD, I can tell you that 50% of me wants sameness and 50% of me is like "bitch it better be different today because I'm gonna get bored and then bad decisions are going to be made."
But here's where plant medicine gets fascinating - it removes that physical resistance in your brain. Those well-worn pathways that keep us stuck? Psychedelics help create new neural pathways, making real change possible in ways that traditional therapy alone sometimes can't achieve.
Amanda works with people who've often tried everything else - therapy, medication, rehab programs - but still feel stuck in patterns they can't break. The plant medicine work she facilitates helps people access parts of themselves they couldn't reach before.
The Integration Process
When someone comes to work with Amanda, they're usually dealing with addiction, trauma, or feeling completely stuck in their life patterns. Here's what makes her approach so effective:
Before the Journey: Extensive preparation work to ensure people are mentally, emotionally, and spiritually ready for the experience. This isn't something you just jump into.
During the Medicine Work: Amanda serves as both guide and medicine woman, holding space for people as they navigate their inner landscapes.
After - The Real Work: This is where the transformation happens. Integration coaching helps people make sense of their experiences and implement real changes in their daily lives.
"The real work happens after," Amanda emphasized. "People have these profound insights and healing moments, but then they go back to their regular life. Without proper integration, those insights can just become nice memories instead of lasting change."
My Own Journey with Substances and Healing
I want to share something personal here. I haven't had alcohol since November of last year, and it literally just happened overnight. I woke up hungover after a night out with my husband and best friend - nothing crazy, but I couldn't remember parts of the night. My body was telling me "we don't want this anymore."
I realized alcohol was my way of lowering my fences enough to be that cool, loud, dancey girl who says whatever's on her mind. It helped me hang out with people who overstimulate me in places that overstimulate me. But I also realized this was escapism from unhealed trauma.
Now I'm exploring natural plant medicines like kava kava and learning about options like kratom (the real stuff, not gas station nonsense). The difference? These support healing and connection rather than disconnection and escape.
The Neurodivergent Connection
What really excited me about talking with Amanda is how her work intersects with neurodivergent experiences. So many of us are dealing with executive function challenges, sensory issues, trauma responses, and the exhaustion of masking.
I shared with Amanda my realization about masking being emotional manipulation - we're pretending to be something we're not to take care of somebody else's emotional needs. That's not our fucking responsibility!
Plant medicine work can help us access our authentic selves without the masks we've worn for survival. It's about honoring our trauma responses as appreciation responses - recognizing that these patterns served us and got us through difficult times.
Trust Your Gut Above All Else
One thing Amanda and I completely agree on: you have to trust your motherfucking gut. I always tell people I'd rather trust my gut and be wrong (though that's never happened yet) than ignore my intuition and have something blow up in my face.
As entrepreneurs, we have to make quick decisions. We can't agonize over everything. Amanda's work helps people strengthen that connection with their intuition, their higher self, their inner knowing - whatever you want to call it.
I shared a story about one of my clients who intuitively knew to take oatmeal baths for what she thought was a breakout. When she got to the doctor, it was poison ivy, and her intuition had guided her to exactly the right treatment. Our bodies know things our minds haven't figured out yet.
Breaking Patterns and Creating Change
Here's what Amanda sees consistently in her work: people come to her after trying traditional approaches that didn't create lasting change. They're ready for something different, something that can help them break patterns at a deeper level.
The plant medicine experience combined with integration coaching creates rapid transformation. People report major shifts in just days or weeks that might have taken years in traditional therapy alone.
But Amanda is clear - this isn't a magic bullet. It's deep work that requires commitment, proper guidance, and ongoing integration support. The medicine opens doors, but you still have to walk through them.
The Importance of Proper Guidance
One thing that really impressed me about Amanda is her emphasis on safety and proper preparation. She's not someone who takes this work lightly. She's connected with legitimate clinics and retreat centers, and she provides comprehensive support throughout the entire process.
This matters because plant medicine work can be profound and sometimes challenging. Having someone who's been through it themselves and knows how to hold space for others makes all the difference.
Final Thoughts
I am so grateful Amanda shared her wisdom with us. Her journey from addiction to becoming a medicine woman who helps others heal is absolutely inspiring. The work she's doing is changing lives in ways that traditional approaches sometimes can't reach.
If you're curious about plant medicine integration or feeling stuck in patterns you can't break on your own, I encourage you to explore Amanda's work. And remember - there are no failures if you're focused on learning and moving forward. Failure just means you didn't go according to the plan, and sometimes that's exactly what needs to happen.
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