Trip Sitter Guidance

Why Is a Trip Sitter Recommended?

Psychedelic experiences can be awe-inspiring, emotional, and at times deeply challenging. Whether you're using psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, or simply exploring altered states through breathwork or meditation, a trip sitter acts as a gentle guardian of your safety and space.

The idea is not that you need someone to fix or guide your experience—only that you deserve to feel completely safe. The presence of a calm, grounded sitter can:

  • Reduce fear and anxiety

  • Help the journeyer surrender to the process

  • Intervene if safety becomes a concern

  • Provide peace of mind beforehand, allowing deeper relaxation

Even seasoned explorers benefit from being held in safe space. The deeper the work, the more essential the support.

Who Can Be a Trip Sitter?

A sitter doesn’t need to be a therapist or healer. What matters most is trust, stability, and compassion.

A good trip sitter is:

  • Sober and grounded – Present and clear-minded for the duration of the journey

  • Emotionally mature – Able to hold space without panicking or projecting

  • Nonjudgmental – Respects your experience without analyzing or interrupting

  • Calm under pressure – Able to respond softly if the journey becomes difficult

  • Respectful of boundaries – Knows when to lean in and when to step back

If your sitter has personal experience with psychedelics, it can help—but it’s not required. What matters most is that they understand this is your journey, and their job is to keep the container steady, not to influence what arises.

What Does a Trip Sitter Do?

Trip sitting involves two essential roles:

1. The Practical Caretaker

The person in the room who tends to physical comfort and environmental needs:

  • Lighting: adjusts brightness, closes curtains, or lights candles

  • Music: queues or changes playlists, turns sound off if needed

  • Temperature: brings blankets, opens windows, adjusts fans

  • Nourishment: offers water, tea, light snacks if appropriate

  • Privacy: keeps the space quiet and distraction-free

  • Safety: gently supports bathroom trips or body discomfort

  • Boundaries: protects from phone calls, interruptions, or overstimulation

They’re your behind-the-scenes support so you can drop fully inward.

2. The Emotional Anchor

When things get intense, a sitter offers presence without pressure.

  • Sits nearby or offers a hand to hold

  • Responds with phrases like “You’re safe,” “It’s okay to feel this,” or “Breathe with me”

  • Notices signs of looping thoughts or distress and gently redirects

  • Provides calm, attuned energy to co-regulate the nervous system

  • Never pushes you to talk or explain—just remains a calm witness

Presence is the medicine. You don’t have to fix anything—just stay, breathe, and be kind.

Three Levels of Trip Sitter Options

Level 1: Trusted, Caring Friend

Someone grounded, compassionate, and willing to be sober for the full duration.

  • Ideal for beginners or low-to-moderate doses

  • Can be trained in advance using this guide

  • Make agreements beforehand: how to offer support, when to give space, how to handle discomfort

Ask: “Do you feel safe and open being fully vulnerable around this person?”

Level 2: Experienced Journeyer

Someone who’s explored altered states before and knows how to hold non-ordinary space.

  • Great for medium-to-high doses

  • Can recognize patterns like looping, anxiety, or ego dissolution

  • May help you prepare beforehand and debrief afterward

Ask about their approach: Are they grounded? Do they trust your autonomy? Do they have experience with integration?

Level 3: Professional Trip Sitting or Facilitation

For those seeking a deeper layer of expertise or therapeutic support.

Options may include:

  • Integration coaches with harm-reduction training

  • Ketamine-assisted therapy (available in many legal settings)

  • Ceremonial facilitators (from vetted retreat centers or lineages)

  • Therapists with psychedelic training (MAPS, Journey Clinical, etc.)

  • Psychedelic peer support networks (see resources below)

Always vet professionals carefully. Ask about training, safety protocols, trauma awareness, and their approach to consent and care.

How to Prepare as a Trip Sitter

Even if you’re not a “healer,” you can be a wonderful sitter. Preparation matters.

Before the Journey:

  • Talk with the journeyer about their intention

  • Agree on music, lighting, boundaries, and what to do if discomfort arises

  • Turn off your phone, clear your schedule, and prepare to be fully present

During the Journey:

  • Stay sober, relaxed, and close by (without hovering)

  • Watch for physical discomfort or signs of emotional overwhelm

  • Speak only when needed. Stillness is often the greatest gift.

After the Journey:

  • Offer snacks, grounding, and space for reflection

  • Listen without interrupting, interpreting, or fixing

  • Support integration over time if asked

Resources to Learn More

  • Fireside Project – Psychedelic Peer Support Line: 623-473-7433

  • Zendo Project – MAPS harm-reduction model for sitting

Closing Thoughts

You don’t need to be an expert to hold space. You just need to be present, calm, and caring. Whether you're preparing to sit or be sat for, the quality of connection and trust in the space is the medicine.

Your presence can change everything.
Your calm can help someone find themselves again.
Your silence can hold more than words ever could.