Create a Community of Compassionate Care
Help Fund Psychedelic Peer Counseling
Transforming Challenging Psychedelic Experiences
Difficult psychedelic experiences, often referred to as “bad trips,” are common, especially in recreational environments. Many people find themselves unprepared for the full spectrum of experiences that can arise from psychedelic use.
The Zendo Project is a psychedelic harm reduction service that provides peer support services in a comfortable setting for individuals experiencing challenging psychedelic experiences at international festivals and events.
We model alternative methods of working with overwhelming experiences, based in a compassionate, humane approach with an understanding of the mental and emotional effects of psychedelic substances like LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin mushrooms.
Creating Safer, More Compassionate Spaces
The Zendo Project provides a safe space and specialized care for individuals who are having challenging psychedelic or emotional experiences, substance-induced or otherwise. We are able de-escalate challenging situations, preventing unnecessary psychiatric hospitalization, arrest, and trauma.
We also strengthen communities by providing public education, training, and outreach focused on addressing difficult psychedelic experiences.
Our new $130,000 stretch goal will fully fund the Zendo Project’s services, infrastructure, education, and outreach needs for the entire year of 2018.
Our stretch goal of $100,000 is allowing us to further develop our outreach and education initiatives, bringing Zendo Project workshops and events to other countries as well as underrepresented communities here in the U.S. It is also allowing us the opportunity to purchase a beautiful new structure for our U.S.-based events, which will provide an additional safe space for our guests for years to come.
We have fulfilled the $8,000 matching grant provided by the Riverstyx Foundation.
We have fulfilled the $22,200 matching grant provided by Ethan Devine, Sir Ivan with The Peaceman Foundation, DanceSafe, Tyler Norris, Nick Sullivan, Ben Williamson with Kapany Applied Research, Inc., Joel Dietz, and an anonymous donor.
We were quickly able to meet our goal, thanks in large part to Tim Ferriss, a New York Times best-selling author who donated $24,000 to help us expand psychedelic peer support services and education.
Furthering Our Mission
The Zendo Project provides resources and support for guests free of charge.
By supporting the Zendo Project, you’re helping:
- Provide essential infrastructure for community-based psychedelic peer support at Burning Man, Envision, Lightning in a Bottle, and beyond.
- Train volunteers, grassroots organizations, medical providers, security personnel, and event producers and develop new resources for training and education.
- Expand our capacity for outreach, helping us support harm reduction initiatives to communities and populations that might otherwise be unable to access our program.
By raising $70,000, we will further develop our services and continue to educate organizations and communities in our approach.
In order to provide compassionate care for thousands of people this year, we need your support.
Psycheedelic Harm Reduction
There is a growing need for more informed interventions for those who choose to use psychedelic substances.
Psychedelics have risks, which can be exacerbated by dosage issues, adulteration, environment, dehydration, and strenuous activities. Negative or traumatic experiences due to psychedelic use are more likely in recreational settings.
The Zendo Project was developed in 2012 through the professional expertise of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), one of the world’s largest psychedelic research organizations.
To thank you for your gift, we’re offering unique perks only for supporters of this campaign. Contributors will be eligible to receive all perks up to the level of their donation.
Perks
To thank you for your gift, we’re offering unique perks only for supporters of this campaign. Contributors will be eligible to receive all perks up to the level of their donation.
Interactive Webinar
$500
Participate with a live video conference with Zendo Project Staff. An overview of the history and philosophy of the project, principles of harm reduction, strategies and tools for sitters, Q&A. Hoodie, Manual of Psychedelic Support, Sticker, Patch, and Digital Collection included.
Altar Recognition
$1,000
Proudly display your name on the new Zendo Project altar, an exclusively-designed art piece that will serve as an intentional spot for guests and volunteers to build upon. Interactive Webinar, Hoodie, Manual of Psychedelic Support, Sticker, Patch, and Digital Collection included.
Every gift — no matter the size — helps us provide community-based compassionate care to people having a difficult psychedelic experience.
The Zendo Project’s Impact
The Zendo Project is an industry leader in the harm reduction movement. There is an increasing demand and appreciation for these services from the community and festival producers.
The Zendo Project is unique in its scope and sphere of influence. We are a leader in the field of psychedelic harm reduction.
These are some of the ways in which the Zendo Project is unique and has made an impact:
- Compassionately supports guests to help mitigate potential trauma
- Since 2012, over 4,000 individuals have received support from the Zendo Project
- Since 2012, the Zendo Project has trained over 3,000 volunteers
- Reached over 100,000 with our videos and educational materials.
- Strengthened international communities and has providing outreach and services in the United States, Costa Rica, Africa, Portugal
- Provided training and consultation to organizations interested in forming psychedelic peer support organizations in their communities.
Our current impact in the transformational festival circuit is only addressing a fraction of the individuals and communities that could potentially benefit from our services, education, and outreach.
Donate now to support psychedelic safe spaces and harm-reduction education
The Zendo Project at Burning Man 2018
The Zendo Project began at Burning Man in 2012. This year, we will provide services for the seventh year. We will be centrally located, near Center Camp, and will be open 24/7 during the event. We will also offer our public training workshop.
In 2017, we provided assistance to 667 guests and education to hundreds more at this approximately 70,000-person event.
Burning Man is our biggest event of the year. With your help, we can continue to have an impact on all who attend this transformational gathering.
Our team, volunteers, and the guests we serve have a deep appreciation for the work we provide. Those who have witnessed these transformations first-hand are inspired to share this work with the world.
Let’s build a model for a post-prohibition world.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the Zendo Project is being part of a community of individuals dedicated to the care and well-being of others. We provide an environment where volunteers can really have a positive impact on the quality of life of another person.”
— Sara Gael
Director of Harm Reduction, MAPS Zendo Project
Festivals and Events Zendo Project Serves
About MAPS
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana.
Since our founding in 1986, MAPS has raised over $43.8 million for psychedelic and medical marijuana research and education. Every dollar has come from visionary donors committed to our mission. For now, the continued expansion of psychedelic research and education relies on the generosity of individual donors.
