Every psychedelic journey will be different.
And not all medicines lead to the same kind of healing—each one carries a different consciousness, with its way of teaching, revealing, and supporting you.
Some take you into the depths to feel what’s long been buried. Others lift the fog so you can finally see clearly. Some expand your consciousness into the cosmos, others help you feel safe enough to begin.
Psilocybin and MDMA are two of the most well-known and widely used substances in therapeutic settings today. Especially here in Portugal, where personal use in intentional, private containers is decriminalised and increasingly supported.
But while both medicines can open powerful doors, they do so in very different ways.
Psilocybin invites you into the wild terrain of your inner world, filled with visions, feelings, and profound emotional release.
MDMA brings warmth, connection, and emotional safety, like being wrapped in a soft cocoon made of pure love.
Choosing between them is about choosing what will best support where you are at.
Are you ready to meet what’s been buried?
Or do you need to feel safe enough to soften first?
In this post, we’ll explore the key differences between psilocybin and MDMA, what each medicine is best for, how they’re used in therapeutic settings in Portugal, and how to choose what’s right for your journey.
In the end, it’s not about the substance.
It’s about what best supports you in your journey.
Let’s dive in.
Psilocybin is the active compound found in what many call “magic mushrooms.” But those who’ve sat with it in ceremony know it’s less about magic and more about truth.
This is a medicine that comes from the earth. It carries the intelligence of nature, the cycles of death and rebirth, the invitation to surrender and let go. The mushrooms often meet you exactly where you need to be met, whether that’s in grief, awe, fear, beauty, or stillness.
A psilocybin journey is rarely linear.
It can be gentle or intense. Blissful or challenging.
You may experience:
It’s less of a conversation, more of a revelation.
Like looking into a mirror that reflects something essential about who you are, where you’re currently at in life, and how you relate to people, purpose, work, and yourself.
It can also offer glimpses of your full potential.
Many of my clients in Portugal who feel stuck, numb, or disconnected are drawn to psilocybin because it helps them to feel again.
It brings the hidden to the surface. Sometimes painfully, often beautifully.
But always with an intelligence that knows what you’re ready to see.
If you sense that something inside you needs to liberated, or remembered, psilocybin may be the teacher you’re looking for.
If psilocybin is like meeting the wild mystery of the forest,
MDMA is like being wrapped in a warm blanket by someone who sees you fully and loves you unconditionally.
MDMA isn’t a classic psychedelic. It doesn’t distort your perception or take you away from your sense of self. Instead, it brings you closer to your feelings, your truth, and others.
MDMA is an empathogen, meaning it enhances empathy, connection, and emotional insight. In therapeutic settings, it’s known for creating the safety needed to explore painful material, without being overwhelmed by it.
The MDMA state is clear, grounded, heart-centred, and at times ecstatic.
You’re completely conscious and aware, while feeling more open and emotionally available.
You may experience:
This journey is about coming home to yourself, while learning to love aspects of yourself in the process.
In my practice in Portugal, many clients who feel fragile, anxious, or unable to connect with their bodies or emotions find MDMA-assisted therapy to be a gentle but powerful opening.
It allows them to feel what was once too painful to touch, and to do so with love and safety. For couples, it creates a container where deep truths can be shared without blame or fear.
If your heart feel blockeds, or if you long to feel safe enough to be seen, MDMA might be the medicine for you.
While both medicines can facilitate deep healing, they work in fundamentally different ways.
The choice isn’t about which one is better. It’s about which one supports you where you are.
Here’s a simple breakdown to help clarify the distinction:
Reflection Questions:
There are no right or wrong answers.
Just a need for honesty about where you are right now.
Portugal has become a quiet hub for transformational work, not because psychedelics are legal, but because the environment supports depth, slowness, and presence.
Since 2001, Portugal has decriminalised the personal use of all substances. This means that while psilocybin and MDMA are not legal, personal use in intentional, private therapeutic settings is generally tolerated, especially when done with care and respect.
If you’re considering doing this work here in Portugal, you have access to:
Whether you’re choosing MDMA or psilocybin, Portugal offers more than just safety. The kind of space that allows you to turn inward, slow down, and listen.
Ethical practitioners in Portugal (myself included) do not sell or provide the medicine. Instead, we hold space for individuals who feel called and have access to the medicine themselves.
Feeling safe, both within yourself and in your environment, is the number one priority for this work to unfold. That’s why it’s essential to choose a guide who brings full transparency, therapeutic training, and deep respect for the process.
Real transformation begins with safety. With trust. Listening to your body when it says, “this is enough for now.”
Most high performers, entrepreneurs, and leaders have spent much of their lives living in their heads—because that’s where it felt safest.
Thinking, solving, analysing. It served a purpose. It built success.
But it often came at a cost: disconnection from the body, the emotions, the deeper truth within.
And for many, the only way to keep going has been to numb.
More caffeine to get through the day.
More alcohol to wind down at night.
More stimulants, more distractions, more hustle—just to hold it all together.
But this work isn’t about pushing through.
This work invites something different.
Not more performance, but presence.
Not more doing, but feeling.
Not thinking your way through, but softening enough to feel safe inside your body.
Because that’s where the real healing begins.
The body holds what the mind couldn’t process.
And when we start to feel safe in the body, we begin to unlock what has long been suppressed or repressed.
That’s how we find the gold hidden within.
If you’re not sure which medicine to begin with, or whether you’re even ready,it’s okay to slow down.
Sometimes the best first step isn’t a journey at all.
→ You can also read Is Psychedelic Therapy Right for Me? 5 Signs You’re Ready
There’s no rush.
No checklist you need to complete before you’re “ready.”
Trust you’ll know when you’re ready.
Choosing the right psychedelic medicine is less about finding the “best” option—and more about listening to what’s true for you in this moment.
This work isn’t a trend or a shortcut to healing. It’s a path of remembering, releasing, and returning to wholeness. Whether through the wild mystery of psilocybin or the compassionate holding of MDMA, what matters most is that you feel supported, safe, and ready.
There’s no rush. No checklist to complete. Just an invitation to meet yourself fully, honestly, and with care.
Next Steps
Still unsure where to begin? Start with what feels like the natural next step.
→ Curious about working together? Explore private sessions and retreats.
→ Learn more about psilocybin-assisted therapy for clarity and higher purpose work.
→ Learn more about MDMA-assisted therapy for emotional healing and couples work.
If you feel called, I invite you to explore a deeper conversation.
→ Book a free clarity call here
This journey is yours. I’m here if and when you’re ready.
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