Blog

May 06, 2023

Five Lessons From a Mental Health and Psychedelic Entrepreneur

By Sonia Singh At a time when mental health awareness has become

By Sonia Singh

At a time when mental health awareness has become more prevalent in common topics of conversation, and concurrently at a time in history where the prohibition against mind-altering ancient medicines such as cannabis and psilocybin (magic mushrooms) has begun to end throughout different regions of the world, I started a private mental health treatment agency that supported and fully incorporated cannabis and psychedelic natural medicines as an alternative treatment route.

During the first six years of executively leading The Happy Clinic at the Center of Inner Transformations, I had to constantly learn, adapt and take in all the lessons and the mindsets I am sharing with you. I needed these to stay at the forefront of this movement and to maintain a relevant, successful and newsworthy business. It was with these five core lessons that I am able to achieve my agency's missions and goals and lead as a mental health and psychedelic entrepreneur.

The history behind the century-long prohibition has led to many misconceptions and a popular negative stigma, or misunderstanding against the true value and clinical potential of what these natural medicines consist of. Modern society has slowly begun to legalize marijuana and certain psychedelics, but then certain segments of our society still struggle with many negative misconceptions related to these substances. As a substance abuse and mental health professional, being able to communicate and educate people who challenged my work was important for me to strategically address their concerns, as well show the efficacy of my treatment strategies.

Mental health treatments are constantly evolving and so is the fast-growing newly legalized cannabis and psychedelic field. With the fight against the stigma, as well as the increasing interest and legalization of these recently prohibited medicines, innovation and change is constant. My cannabis treatment program has evolved over and over again since its conception, in order to meet the sophisticated needs of my clients but also to adjust to the evolving landscape of this emerging field. This means staying connected to resources that enhance and center my involvement in this industry. By attending conventions, conferences, workshops, seminars and researching the latest evidenced-based methods and strategies for cannabis and psychedelic inclusion in mental health treatments, you can stay on the cutting edge as a practitioner and leader in the industry.

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As a licensed healthcare professional, my work has certain ethical and legal standards that assist me in best serving those I serve or help at my clinic. The legal landscape of the cannabis and psychedelic industries has changed and varied across different regions and during different time periods while its medical and recreational use has been legalized. Staying compliant and knowledgeable of these changes as they occur is a good way to operate your business within the legal boundaries to be successful.

As a business owner, you wear many hats. Several of my roles as a psychotherapist who incorporates cannabis and psychedelics into her practice are psychotherapist, administrator, supervisor, educator, researcher and chief executive officer (CEO). These roles require me to be an educated, qualified and skilled healthcare professional, as well as an innovative entrepreneur. I’m passionate about mental health and making a difference with these cutting-edge treatments, but I also need to have a thriving business. By creating a true-to-intention mission statement, and integrating ethical standards, maintaining my social responsibility and community engagement, I can ensure that my business is creating a positive and healthy impact. For practitioners who are also business owners, it is crucial to bring balance to your business.

There is no way I can learn and manage every aspect of my clinic alone, and my work does require that I acquire specialists or professionals with skills and experiences that can contribute to the success of my business. Having a team that is competent, skilled and qualified with the right knowledge and experience is important. In my niche, I need to have professional expertise in comprehensive mental health and psychology, cannabis science and all the related regulatory and compliance standards for both, as well as all aspects of business management. There is no way anyone can be an expert in all this alone, so having a talented network or team can help you in your business growth and lessen your stress and workload too, which is also essential for growth.

In the emerging era of a psychedelic revolution, mental health providers are presented with opportunities to expand their insight and become trained as psychedelic therapists. Being at the forefront of this shift in the way people perceive and use these consciousness-enhancing ancient medicines has been nothing less of a challenge and an adventure. Other practitioners and business owners have a chance to find their own place in this field by consistently learning, growing, and adapting to the needs of the people they serve and the realities of owning a business.