Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alix Kirshner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alix , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

There were many defining moments that led me to where I am now, but one in particular that profoundly altered the course of my life and work. It’s a moment that underscores the power of vulnerability, resilience, and the human spirit.

In December 2019, I had just graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a degree in Social Psychology. At that time, my life was incredibly hectic, divided between school and managing liquor events around the bustling city of Boston. I was constantly on the move, navigating through traffic from one event to another. When I wasn’t studying or working, I often found myself at home, feeling unwell, with symptoms like constant nausea, fatigue, night sweats, and a pervasive sense of malaise. These symptoms had been worsening over a year and a half.

Strangely, these debilitating signs had almost become normalized in my life. I had seen three different doctors, and I even started to doubt myself, questioning whether I was just being overly sensitive and making a fuss about everyday discomfort.

Then, in January, a gift arrived in an unexpected form – a painless lump in my neck. This ‘gift,’ as I’ve come to call it, turned out to be a lifeline. Had it not been for that lump, I might not be here to share this story today. I went to yet another doctor who advised me to keep an eye on it and return in six weeks if it hadn’t disappeared.

Three months passed, and not only was the lump still there, but it had grown. An intense intuition took hold of me, telling me that something serious was happening within my body. That week, I managed to secure an appointment with a new primary care physician who, within a mere 20 minutes, had me scheduled to visit the Oncology floor of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center the very next day.

As I walked onto that floor, the memory is still vivid, it felt as though control over my own life had slipped away. Everything was unfolding around me, and I had no say in what would happen next. In just moments, I transitioned from being a 26-year-old recent college graduate with my whole life ahead of me to a 26-year-old facing a cancer diagnosis.

This was the defining moment of my life. It reshaped the trajectory of my career and my purpose. It taught me the profound value of resilience and vulnerability. It’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit, and the wisdom I’ve gained from this experience is the importance of listening to our bodies, trusting our intuition, and embracing the vulnerability that life presents to us. Through it all, I’ve learned that in the midst of adversity, we can discover our most authentic selves, and that the power of vulnerability can be our greatest strength.

Alix , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My path into this industry was shaped by a profound personal experience. It was my own cancer diagnosis that led me down this extraordinary road. During my six months of chemotherapy, I turned to psychedelics as a means of support. The healing and insights I experienced during two profound psychedelic sessions were impossible to ignore. These experiences allowed me to navigate the complex landscape of my emotions, meeting them with love and compassion, rather than anger and resentment. It was as if I had been handed a new lens through which to view the world.

After completing my chemotherapy, I felt a strong calling to support other women in their journeys through cancer diagnoses, chemotherapy, and remission. It became clear to me that I was meant to alchemize my own cancer experience into a mission of helping people navigate their darkest moments using the profound tools of psychedelics. I was meant to be a bridge to healing.

I work with a diverse range of clients who have experienced various forms of trauma, including sexual abuse, addiction, grief, and disease. What sets me apart from others in this field is my unique combination of direct experience with disease, death, and the spiritual realm, along with professional training. I was fortunate to learn from exceptional healers at the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness in Boulder, Colorado, who have dedicated over a decade to this work. Their training not only validated what I had learned through my personal journey but also provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the psychedelic landscape. This training allows me to navigate the emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of healing and to work with different forms of trauma in ways that release them from the body.

In my practice, I offer both remote and in-person sessions, although currently, I only provide remote sessions with cannabis. I work with several different medicines, including, but not limited to, cannabis and psilocybin.

What I’m most proud of is my resilience and perseverance in a field that is just beginning to gain momentum. I take pride in being a pioneer in the emerging psychedelic healing movement, and I’m deeply committed to helping people find healing, growth, and transformation through these powerful medicines. My work is grounded in the belief that, when used responsibly and with the right support, psychedelics have the potential to heal even the deepest wounds and bring awareness to aspects of ourselves that we may not even know exist. I want potential clients and followers to know that I’m here to guide them on their journey towards healing and self-discovery, offering a unique blend of personal experience and professional training that sets my work apart in the realm of psychedelic healing.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn many things on my journey, but one of the most significant pieces I had to unlearn was the societal programming that insisted on a traditional path to success. It told me that I had to be a conventional therapist to make a meaningful impact in this world. It wasn’t easy, resisting the doubts that echoed in my mind and pushing aside the inner voices that questioned my sanity for pursuing this unconventional path.

The external voices were just as challenging to navigate. Many couldn’t see the transformative power of psychedelic medicines, and their skepticism only added to the struggle. The process of unlearning was, and at times still is, incredibly demanding. The moments of doubt were like heavy burdens that I had to carry, requiring immense strength to push through.

What always brings me back is the unshakable belief that I am meant to do this work. I’ve come to understand that every twist and turn in my life’s journey, from the loss of my sister at the tender age of 19, to my struggle with addiction, and finally facing cancer, has uniquely prepared me for my role today. Each of these experiences was a necessary step on my path, leading me to where I stand now: helping people navigate and heal from some of the darkest moments and chapters of their lives.

I emerged from the depths of darkness with a purpose, to illuminate the way for others. That’s the essence of why I’m on this journey, and it’s the only thing that truly matters. When you’ve stared death in the face as I have, you don’t come back without a profound purpose, and this is mine.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience, to me, is a journey filled with moments that have carved their way into the deepest parts of my soul. I remember the first time I learned about resilience back when I was a college freshman, just a few months before my sister’s passing. Little did I know that it would soon become one of the most integral aspects of my being.

As I began to navigate my grief, resilience entered my life ever so subtly. In the ten years following my sister’s death, as well as during my battles with addiction and cancer, there were countless moments where I consciously chose the path of self-destruction. I chose to immerse myself in a puddle of my own pain and let it consume me.

However, amidst those moments of darkness, there were contrasting moments where I consciously chose resilience over pain, acceptance over resentment. It’s these moments that have proven to be far more powerful and have guided me to where I stand today.

Resilience, I’ve come to understand, is ultimately a choice. It’s a choice that remains available to us, regardless of how many times we might have chosen the opposite. We can always make a different choice. It’s this recognition that has transformed my journey and helped me navigate the most challenging chapters of my life with compassion, love and understanding for myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://curativepsychedelictherapy.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alix-kirshner-167a7b73/
• Youtube: @inspiredbyremy92 (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwhfA75kbGH61pndRKUXtOw)
• Other: Email: [email protected]