Mindful Microdosing — 10 ways psilocybin changed my life (& can change yours too)

// turns out the cure to my postpartum depression can be found in the forest.

Hello my friends!

Been a minute since I popped onto Substack to share a bit of me, my life, my thoughts & my feelings. & while I wish I could expand on why that is… it’s a topic for another day.

Because today we are chatting about mindful microdosing (yes, I’m talking about psilocybin) & how it has served me in many phases of my life & more recently — saved me the depths of my postpartum depression & helped me help myself.

Let me preface this by saying: I’m not a doctor. I’m not a scientist.

However, I am a woman, a mother, a creative & a deeply curious human who is passionate about health, wellness, holistic living & is doing her best to feel good in a chaotic world.

And lately?

Microdosing psilocybin has been one of the most supportive & nourishing tools in my wellness toolkit — spiritually, emotionally, mentally.

Back in 2021 I started exploring microdosing because I was soooo eager to explore plant medicine. To see what it could do for me, what it could show me, reveal to me. I saw so many people claiming that the power of mushrooms fueled their success in business & their manifestations & that was all I needed to know. I began microdosing & macrodosing as a way to deepen my connection to source, to spirit, to my own soul with the hopes that it would propel me & my life forward.

& it did. Big time.

But then I got pregnant, had my sweet baby boy & while I without a doubt struggled mentally, physically, emotionally & spiritually — I chose not to use the plant medicine during that delicate time.

But around 8 months postpartum my PPD was something I couldn’t seem to shake. I felt empty. I was disconnected from my sense of self, from my self worth, from who I am at my core — from the light that is me.

I felt uninspired, lonely & hopeless.

It was time to get back to work but every morning when I woke up I would say a silent prayer that someone would show up to take care of Bennett so I could stay in bed all day.

I had no drive, no fuel, no purpose outside of caring for my sweet Benny bean.

It got to the point where my friends & family were gently encouraging me to seek help. Get a therapist, get some medication — get something.

Because seeing me in that way was as hard for them as it felt for me.

& I did not resist their push to find help. To seek out a solution. To find something or someone to help me emerge from the darkness that PPD had cast over me.

But if you know me, you know that heading to the doctors office is almost always going to be my last resort. It’s not that western medicine is bad or wrong — it certainly has its place & has helped many.

It is just not something that is in alignment with my own body, beliefs & desires.

& also, I knew that I had a holistic option at my disposal.

I knew that at any moment in time I could head into my office, stand on my tip toes, pull the big red box off the top shelf & pluck a small but mighty capsule from the tiny white S35 pouch.

I knew that I could start a new microdosing regimen & that I could start to feel better within days or weeks.

& so I sat with the decision. I sat with the choice.

Because, I am still breastfeeding. & what would people say? What would people think?

I had spent countless hours searching the internet hoping to find testimonials from other breastfeeding mothers who struggled with PPD & turned to plant medicine over pharmaceuticals, but came up empty every time.

Because it is taboo. Because it is woo woo. Because the stigma around psilocybin is still extremely prevalent despite all the new science + research that shows the truly life changing benefits.

I was seeking permission to say yes to myself, my health, my happiness. I was looking for just ONE woman to say “yes, I microdosed while breastfeeding & me & my baby are thriving.”

& then I realized, if I was searching for the permission, maybe others were too.

& maybe, just maybe, I am here to BE the permission.

Which is why I am here sharing this with all of you.

At 9 months postpartum I took a life changing trip — just down to Florida to see my sister. But it was on that trip I realized just how much my spark had been suffocated. Zapped. Diminished.

I was so… empty.

I cried to my sister one night & opened up about the true depths of my depression. How scared it made me feel as someone who had become so accustomed to being the optimist, the light, the love.

& it was on that trip we decided it was time to reclaim my passion for living again.

When I got back from that trip I chose to begin my microdosing protocol with Schedule35 (the only brand I use & recommend).

But this time around — I didn’t care about how cool it was, how on brand it was as a holistic health coach & spiritual guide. I didn’t care about the creativity or inspiration or potential success of my business.

I didn’t start this protocol to be trendy or “biohack” my way to productivity (although the productivity boost is real).

I started because I needed support. For my anxiety. My depression. My ADHD brain. My spiritual disconnection. My nervous system. My motherhood. My healing.

And what I got from this divine plant medicine was SO much more than I expected.

So without further ado, I’m sharing the 10 reasons microdosing psilocybin has been a life-shifting experience for me — and why I think it could be supportive for you too.

I also recorded an entire podcast episode on this exact topic if you want to hear me share more about this in a very raw, unscripted way, including how I microdose, what a typical day looks like, & my favorite brand to use (plus a discount code!) — you can listen here.

If you’ve been microdose-curious but haven’t quite known where to begin, this is your invitation to lean in.

Whether you are a struggling Mama or not — this has the power to change your fcking life.

10 ways microdosing can change your life (like it did mine)

1. Deepens the connection to Spirit

Microdosing gently quiets the mental noise so you can actually hear yourself again. Not just your thoughts — but your intuition. Your inner knowing. The whispers from something greater. It doesn’t force a spiritual awakening; it simply invites you to remember who you are underneath the stress, the doubt, the hustle.

& that is because it opens the channel between you & something greater — whether you call it God, Source, the Universe, or your own intuition. It brings you back into alignment with your truth.

2. Quiets the ego

You know that voice that tells you you're not doing enough? Not being enough? Or that you'll never figure it out? Never find success? That’s the ego — & microdosing doesn’t shut it down entirely, it just turns the volume wayyy down. & before you know it — you have space to breathe, observe, & choose differently. You stop reacting, & start responding.

There is less anger, less fear.
& more compassion, more love.

3. Soothes anxiety + overthinking

There’s a lightness that enters the room when you microdose — like someone cracked a window & let fresh air into your brain. There is less worry. Less do or die. Your nervous system isn’t on high alert. For me, this has meant less spiraling & more presence. More calm. More exhaling. More being.

What I love most is that not only do I feel less anxious, but whatever it is that I typically ruminate about, I find answers for.

There is a kind of clarity while microdosing that allows you to zoom out, take a breath & see the bigger picture. All the small things I would spin out about wouldn’t feel so heavy. They just became simple parts of life that required simple solutions.

Laundry is piling up? Let me just take 5 minutes & change it over, fold a bit & put the clean clothes away.

Simple. Easeful. Exhale.

4. Supports neurodivergent minds (hello, ADHD!)

Microdosing helps with focus, follow-through, & staying anchored in the present — especially for those of us who have big, creative, beautifully nonlinear brains.

I have ADHD & am also a Manifesting Generator in Human Design AKA I have lots of energy, ideas & things pulling at my attention in any given moment which can make it really hard to complete the work I so badly want to check off my to-do list.

You can read more about Human Design & the energy of Manifesting Generators here.

Or discover your own Human Design chart here.

When I microdose with the intention to have a kick ass work day I opt for the 100mg S35 capsule because it is the perfect dose for me to stay grounded while also activating my creativity & work flow!

5. Enhances creativity + flow

Speaking of creativity & flow…

Whether you're a writer, artist, coach, or just someone who wants to live life more awake, microdosing can reignite creative flow & bring a playful energy to your everyday rituals.

When I microdose I feel like I cannot be stopped. The downloads & pings & ideas start pouring in. Before I became a Mom I was able to act on all these ideas in the moment where as now — I have a journal filled with notes & scribbles of all the things I want to say, to do, to share & to BE.

6. Rewires the brain + reprograms the subconscious mind

Okay here is my FAVORITE thing about microdosing that should get you feeling excited too — one of the most powerful aspects of psilocybin is its ability to support neuroplasticity AKA your brain’s natural capacity to change & form new pathways.

When you microdose, you’re not just managing symptoms (even though it us a huge perk) — you’re creating actual shifts in your inner wiring. This opens the door for healing long-held thought patterns & reprogramming the limiting beliefs that have you feeling stuck in the past, blocked from your manifestations & truly living in your truth.

Which is why pairing microdosing with intention setting, journaling, somatic work, or any self care is SO important. Because your subconscious is more pliable, & more open to new stories, you can create new ones — rooted in self-trust, presence, love & infinite possibility.

7. Helps regulate emotions (especially as an overstimulated mama)

Motherhood cracks you wide open — & sometimes, it invites in a lot more than your body can handle. Microdosing has helped me ride the waves with more grace. I feel more grounded. Less reactive. & when the big feelings come, I meet them with compassion instead of resistance. It’s like having an inner anchor that keeps me tethered. Grounded & dare I say… resilient???

I have been manifesting more resilience postpartum & feel as though I am channeling this more each day since starting my S35 protocol.

When my baby has big emotions, when the house is a fcking mess & I have to clean it for the 110th time that day, or when my dogs come in from the yard & track in all the mud from a rainy spring day — I am able to breathe so much deeper.

So deeply that it is almost like I am breathing down into the core of the earth. Letting Gaia take away my fury & replace it with love & acceptance.

8. Brings you into deeper presence with your body

As someone who has spent years living in my head & struggled with eating disorders, self abuse through movement & nutrition — & has more recently been thrown into the deep end of body image issues after birthing her baby via c-section — microdosing has helped me reconnect to my physical body in the most loving & nurturing way.

Movement has begun to feel far better because I am not moving to punish or manipulate or make myself smaller. Movement when microdosing is truly a spiritual experience. Every breath brings you deeper into the present moment. Every move, rep or step is infused with such love. It is like I move to HONOR my body instead of moving to change my body.

& combine this with the knowing that microdosing helps to create NEW neural pathways & beliefs?

Within weeks of microdosing & showing up for my movement practice I without a doubt fell back in love with this physical vessel of mine. Stretch marks, saggy skin (& boobies) & all.

9. Reconnects you with nature + the natural rhythms of life

Everything feels more alive, more beautiful. The way the trees sway. The way your baby breathes. The way your dogs play in the hard. Everything around you feels like magic. It feels divine. It feels like being alive is a miracle in itself.

You remember you are nature, not separate from it.

10. It is a natural medicine (& a sacred one too)

It’s a plant. It’s Earth medicine. & when used intentionally & with respect, it reminds you that healing doesn’t always have to come in a pill bottle — sometimes it grows in the forest.

As I mentioned before it is not that I am 100% against western medicine & using pharmaceuticals to help support your mental health.

It was just not the path that felt most aligned for me — especially knowing what I know about the power of psilocybin.

If you have been following me since the start of my career as a holistic health caoch & sharing my life online, then may remember the times I shared about my relationship to cannabis & how I have used that to heal in so many ways as well. Because that is also plant medicine — but only when used with that intention.

Nature (but really, God) has provided us with so many healing herbs, plants & tools that can literally be found right outside our window. It is not to say that these are always the best for all purposes, but I think the more we can go to nature first, the more we will learn that healing can be more simple than we were lead to believe.

I never in a million years thought my postpartum journey would lead me into such a deep portal of healing — but it did.

Just like I never imagined having an emergency C-section, a physically brutal pregnancy, & a baby who still hasn’t consistently slept through the night.

Motherhood has been the ultimate initiation.

It has pushed me, stretched me, & broken me open in ways I could have never prepared for. & somehow, I know this is only the beginning.

I will continue to rise. I will prove to myself — again & again — that I am limitless. That my capacity to expand knows no bounds.

& while not every postpartum journey leads to microdosing, I’m so grateful that mine did.

Because since opening up about my choice to use this plant medicine, I’ve had so many women reach out. Some have also microdosed but felt too afraid to speak about it. Others are deeply curious but don’t know where to begin.

Here’s the thing: motherhood is hard enough — why add shame to the mix?

If you’re a mother deep in the throes of postpartum (or just navigating the gritty, tender mess of life), let this be your sign to explore the power of psilocybin.

However this finds you — whether you're deep in your healing, newly curious, or simply here to learn — I’m grateful you’re here.

Xx, Emma

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This post is in collaboration with my favorite microdosing brand Schedule35.co — the only brand I trust and personally use. Their capsules are precisely dosed, ship discreetly, and come with a guide so you know exactly what you’re doing. (You can also get 15% off with my code RWE at checkout.)

If you want to explore Schedule35.co, their mission & their FAQ’s — head here.

Want to go deeper into the science of this plant medicine? Check out these resources:

• John Hopkins University – Study on Depression⁠

• Harvard News – The Future of Psychedelics⁠

• National Library of Medicine⁠

• The New England Journal of Medicine

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LISTEN TO THE LATEST:

Episode 86: Microdosing for the body, mind & soul: 10 reasons why psilocybin will change your life