It’s really important that when people join courses, they have a sufficient support network in place that is appropriate to their needs. This is because working with the plants—like any meditative or deep inner work—can bring up anything that our being or body is holding within it. All students need to have the tools and support available that are commensurate with their needs.

The tricky part here is sometimes knowing what your needs are! For this reason, we have a gradual lead-in process with the school (Intro Class, Immersion, Foundation), which helps both us and you gauge the level of support you might need.

To give an example—if you know that you have some abandonment or violation trauma in your history but you’ve never had support to explore this, nor do you have meditation tools or a practice to navigate these realms, it’s possible that you might feel overwhelmed in response to some of the plants and be unable to journey deeper with them. As facilitators, if we feel you might not have a sufficient support foundation for this work, we will make time to discuss this with you and help guide you on how you might build this support.

However, if you are familiar with inner work, process work, or shadow work (there are many names and variations for this!) and have a therapist you know you can talk to, as well as friends with whom you can communicate at this level, or perhaps even a sharing circle, you would likely have enough support to dive deeply with the plants.

Examples of statements that indicate a good support network and self-care foundation—see how many of these feel true for you:

• I have experience doing deeper inner work and feel comfortable navigating my own inner landscapes.

• I know where to access additional support (talk-based, body-based, or group) and have the time and means to do so.

• I am confident in taking care of myself regarding basics such as eating well, exercising sufficiently, and ensuring I get enough rest. I might slip with some of these, but I’m generally good at getting back on track.

• I have friends, family, or a community (e.g. talking circles) where I feel I can share and be heard authentically.

• I am aware of projection—how I might project my own shadow and unconscious onto others—and although I won’t always notice it, I’m willing to recognise and engage with it when I realise it might be happening.

• I’ve already explored some of what my being and body hold in terms of childhood and ancestral trauma and feel comfortable getting to know these realms within myself.

• I have some form of somatic, body-centred practice that enables me to deepen my listening to and care for my body.

To work with the school, there should be some familiarity with all of these. It’s not that they all need to be at an advanced level, but there must be a sufficient foundation that you are willing to build on and develop, in line with the degree of challenge that the plants and this work present to you.

Personally, I receive some form of somatic therapy almost every week and have done so for 22 years. We all need a support network—healthy interdependence in the human realm is just as important as the support we receive from the plants.