What to Do Before a Psychedelic Session: A Legal and Practical Preparation Guide

Last reviewed: August 2026 · Psychedelic law changes quickly — verify current status before relying on this page.

Who this is for: Adults who have decided to pursue a psilocybin session — through Oregon’s or Colorado’s licensed programs, a clinical trial, or another context — and want to understand what the preparation process involves legally, what the programs require, and what you should do before any session to protect yourself.

The short answer

Before any psilocybin session in a regulated US program, you are legally required to complete a preparation session with a licensed facilitator. That session exists to ensure you understand what you are consenting to, have disclosed relevant health information, and have a plan for getting home safely. Beyond satisfying the legal requirements of the program, practical preparation — reviewing your medications, understanding what forms you will sign, knowing your rights, and arranging your day — affects both your safety and your legal standing if something goes wrong later.

What the regulated programs require

Oregon

Oregon law mandates a preparation session before every administration session. The session must occur at least 24 hours — but no more than 90 days — before the administration session. It can be completed in person or by video conference.

During the preparation session, your licensed facilitator is required by Oregon administrative rules to:

Complete a Client Information Form with you that includes questions about your health history
Review the Informed Consent document with you
Review your Client Bill of Rights with you
Review product information for the psilocybin products you may consume
Review and document the fees you will be charged, including any cancellation policy
Complete a Safety and Support Plan with you
Complete a Transportation Plan with you

The Transportation Plan is legally required and explicitly prohibits you from operating a motor vehicle, bicycle, or other self-operated transportation after your administration session. You must arrange other transportation before the session begins.

The Client Information Form determines whether you are eligible for services. Under Oregon rules, a client is ineligible if they:

Are experiencing ideation of harm to self or others
Have taken lithium within the past 30 days
Have been diagnosed with active psychosis at any time

A facilitator who discovers any of these conditions must decline to proceed. Facilitators also retain the right to decline services to any client for any reason, regardless of eligibility under the formal criteria.

The preparation session is also when group session arrangements, consent for supportive touch, consent for audio or video recording, and arrangements involving multiple facilitators must be established in writing if they apply to your session.

After completing an initial preparation session, no additional preparation sessions are required for subsequent sessions with the same facilitator within 12 months — the facilitator confirms your information is still current before each subsequent session.

Colorado

Colorado’s licensing regulations similarly require a preparation session before any administration session at a licensed healing center. The specific requirements are set by the Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division. Like Oregon, Colorado requires informed consent, a safety plan, and a transportation plan. Colorado’s clinical facilitator track — available to licensed mental and medical health professionals — may involve more clinically integrated preparation given the provider’s existing relationship with the client.

What to prepare before your preparation session

The preparation session is not just a formality. Your facilitator is required to complete it with care, and what you disclose — or fail to disclose — affects both your safety and any later questions about whether you were properly screened. Arriving informed and prepared makes the process more useful.

Your medication list. Psilocybin interacts with serotonergic medications. Oregon explicitly prohibits participation if you have taken lithium in the past 30 days; other serotonergic agents including SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, and certain tricyclics can blunt effects or create unpredictable interactions. Facilitators are not required to be medical professionals and may not recognize all drug interactions by name. Bring a current list of every medication and supplement you take, and tell your prescribing physician — before the session — that you are planning to participate in a psilocybin program. If your physician recommends tapering off certain medications before the session, allow adequate time and medical supervision for that process.

Your psychiatric history. Oregon’s screening questions are brief, and the standard form asks about active psychosis and ideation of harm. They do not comprehensively screen for all conditions that carry elevated risk with psilocybin, including bipolar I disorder, a personal or family history of psychosis, or certain cardiovascular conditions. If you have a history of any of these conditions, discuss it with your prescribing physician and disclose it to your facilitator. The legal eligibility criteria are minimum floors, not a guarantee that a session is safe for your specific situation.

Your intentions and support system. Beyond the formal requirements, the preparation session is an opportunity to discuss what you are hoping to get out of the experience and any concerns you have. Your facilitator is required to give you the opportunity to discuss internal and external factors that could affect your session, including your intentions and expectations.

Your emergency contact and transportation. The Transportation Plan is mandatory and legally binding under Oregon rules. Arrive at your preparation session having already identified who will pick you up or otherwise transport you after the administration session.

What the forms you will sign actually mean

Several documents require your signature before a session proceeds. Understanding what you are agreeing to matters — especially if something goes wrong later.

Informed Consent. This document confirms that you understand the potential effects of psilocybin, the nature of the services being provided, and your right to stop at any time. Oregon’s OHA-template consent form discloses that psilocybin can cause tachycardia, hypertension, paranoia, perceptual changes, altered thought patterns, reduced inhibitions, recovery of repressed memories, and altered perception of time and surroundings, and acknowledges that psilocybin is “not fully understood.” You are agreeing that you have been told these things, not that they will not happen to you. Signing informed consent does not waive all legal claims — it documents disclosure — but it is legally significant evidence about what you knew before proceeding.

Client Bill of Rights. This document, required by Oregon law (OAR 333-333-4520), specifies your rights as a participant, including rights related to consensual touch, confidentiality, and how to file a complaint. Read it. It describes what you can expect from a licensed facilitator and what recourse exists if they fail to meet those standards.

Safety and Support Plan. This document, completed with your facilitator, identifies your coping strategies and support systems in case the session is challenging. It is individualized to you. It also serves as evidence of the planning that preceded your session, which matters if there is later a dispute about the adequacy of preparation.

Fee Documentation. Oregon rules require written documentation of all fees before any money changes hands. This includes the cost of psilocybin products (paid to the service center), service fees (paid to the facilitator or service center depending on their arrangement), any cancellation fees, and refund policies. If a provider asks you to pay before completing this paperwork, that is a violation of Oregon program rules.

Verifying your provider before you show up

Not every person or business claiming to offer psilocybin services in Oregon or Colorado is licensed. Using an unlicensed provider means you have no legal protections, the substance has not been tested or regulated, and the facilitator has not met any training standard. It also means you are participating in an illegal transaction under state law.

Oregon: The Oregon Health Authority publishes the OPS Licensee Directory at its website. You can search by license type — filter for “Service Center” — and verify that the service center you are working with holds a valid, current license. You can also verify facilitator licenses through the same system.

Colorado: The Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division publish license registries for healing centers and facilitators. Verify both the healing center and the facilitator before your session.

If a provider cannot or will not give you their license number, or if they are not in the official directory, do not proceed.

What you are not required to disclose — and what protects you

Oregon’s psilocybin program includes a provision, added January 1, 2025, allowing you to request that data related to your services be withheld from OHA data submissions. Before your session, your facilitator is required to confirm in writing that you had an opportunity to make this election. If privacy is a concern — particularly for those in licensed professions, with security clearances, or in other sensitive employment — ask about this before your preparation session so you can exercise that option if you want to.

Your participation in a licensed Oregon or Colorado session is protected from state prosecution under each state’s program rules. It provides no federal protection and no protection under the laws of any other state you return to.

When public information may be enough

If your questions are about what the programs legally require before a session, this article covers that. For what the session itself involves, What does the participant intake and session process actually look like? goes through each phase in detail. For what rights you hold as a participant, What rights should I expect before a psychedelic session? covers those specifically. For the consent forms and disclosure documents themselves, What disclosures and consent forms should I receive before a session? explains what each document is, what it means, and what to look for. For how to find a licensed provider, How do I find a licensed psychedelic facilitator or service center? covers the verification process.

When you should speak with a lawyer

You should speak with a lawyer if:

You hold a professional license, a security clearance, or federal employment and want to think through the privacy and disclosure implications before participating
You have a complex medical or psychiatric history and want guidance on how to document your decisions and protect yourself legally
You experienced harm during or after a session and want to understand your rights before deciding whether to take any action
You participated in a session and later learned the provider was not licensed, and want to understand the implications

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This article is public legal education, not legal advice. If your situation is specific, speak with a lawyer who practices in this area.