Financial Gatekeeping: The Problem of Who Gets to Be Well, and the Import of Regenerative Practices
In recent years, Washington, D.C. has emerged as a hub for psychedelic exploration, especially following the passage of Initiative 81 in 2020. This initiative decriminalized the non-commercial cultivation, distribution, possession, and use of entheogenic plants and fungi, including psilocybin mushrooms, making their enforcement one of the lowest priorities for law enforcement agencies.
However, as the legal landscape has shifted, so has the economic one. With a growing number of entheogenic churches and spiritual organizations in D.C. now offering psilocybin experiences — with some charging upwards of $2,000 for a single four-hour microdosing session — the issue of financial gatekeeping is a timely one.
The High Cost of Access
These premium-priced sessions often include guided meditations, integration circles, and ceremonial settings designed to facilitate personal growth and healing. While the intention behind these offerings may be rooted in genuine spiritual practice, the steep costs raise concerns about accessibility and equity, as well as the overall intentions of the facilitators and leaders of these experiences.
For many residents—especially those from marginalized communities who have historically faced barriers to mental health resources—such prices are prohibitive. The commercialization of these sacred, potentially therapeutic experiences risks creating an exclusive environment where only the affluent can afford to participate.
The Scramble to Monetize the Sacred
What’s more, the rush to commoditize psilocybin has encouraged a wave of facilitators and organizations to bypass two critical components of this work:
indigenous inclusion
doing their own deep healing before supporting others
In many cases, sacred medicines—rooted in centuries of Indigenous practice—are being divorced from their cultural origins and sold as luxury wellness experiences, much of the time lacking the research-supported therapeutic practices shown to be not only effective but necessary in wellbeing improvement. This not only perpetuates cultural extraction but also strips the medicine of the grounded, lineage-informed care it requires.
At the same time, some facilitators enter this practice with business savvy but little self-reflection. Without doing their own shadow work and trauma integration, they risk becoming triggered themselves, potentially projecting unprocessed material onto others or reinforcing power dynamics that undermine healing. This is counterproductive to the healing experience, and can cause further harm if the practitioner fails to recognize how their actions can impede the experience for their clients/patients.
Balancing Spirituality and Commerce*
The intersection of spirituality and commerce is not new, but in the context of psychedelic medicine, it presents unique challenges. Psilocybin has shown promise in treating various mental health conditions, including depression and PTSD. Yet, when access to these therapies is limited by high costs and stripped of cultural responsibility, it undermines the potential for widespread and responsible healing.
Moreover, the lack of standardized regulations for these entheogenic services means that consumers may not always receive the quality or safety assurances they might expect from such significant financial investments.
Moving Towards Inclusive Healing
To ensure that the benefits of psychedelic therapies are accessible, ethical, and effective, it’s time we take a harder look at the structures being built—and who they serve. A few possible steps:
Sliding Scale Pricing: Encouraging organizations to adopt income-based models to accommodate a broader range of participants.
Community-Based Programs: Supporting initiatives that offer low-cost or donation-based sessions, especially in underserved communities.
Indigenous Partnership & Education: Centering Indigenous voices and ensuring cultural lineage is honored—not co-opted.
Inner Work for Facilitators: Requiring deeper self-inquiry, training, and trauma-informed practices before holding space for others.
Regulatory Oversight (in process): Implementing guidelines to ensure transparency, integrity, and safety in psychedelic offerings.
As D.C.‘s psychedelic landscape continues to evolve, the question is no longer just what these experiences offer—but who gets to access them, how they’re facilitated, and why they’re being offered in the first place. If you are considering working with these medicines, we offer a complimentary consultation to answer your questions in an effort to normalize, destigmatize and make safe the use of psychedelic medicine.
*EXPANDED Women’s Health and Wellness was designed as a regenerative, matriarchal practice. This means that a portion of net proceeds are re-invested back into the community through scholarships or reduced fees for the BIOPC community.
