Case Study: Client Z
Coaching Period: January 2025 – May 2025
Primary Focus Areas: Emotional Regulation, Career Transition, Psychedelic Integration, Personal Growth, Creative Reconnection
Initial Goals and Presenting Concerns
At the start of the coaching relationship, Client Z presented with the following primary concerns:
Frequent anxiety and panic attacks
Difficulty recovering from a recent breakup
Career dissatisfaction after over 10 years in the same role
Disconnection from creativity, purpose, and community
Stated Goals
Restore emotional balance and reduce panic symptoms
Process grief and release guilt related to breakup
Explore new professional pathways and values
Reconnect with creativity, music, and community engagement
Evaluate and engage with psychedelic-assisted healing
Coaching Approach and Interventions
Methodologies Applied:
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Psychedelic Preparation and Integration Coaching
Values Clarification and Narrative Reflection
Creative Expression Exercises (Journaling, Storytelling)
Somatic Awareness and Grounding Techniques
Lifestyle Design and Wellness Planning
Tools and Techniques Used:
Weekly integration calls and check-ins
Intention-setting and post-session reflections
Ritual development for morning routines
Emotional tracking and mood regulation tools
Music and storytelling as integration aids
Milestones and Key Developments
January 2025:
Intake and rapport building
Identified core emotional blocks
Completed first psilocybin session: reflected on letting go, internal pressure, and emotional awareness
February 2025:
Second psychedelic journey with focus on self-forgiveness and identity rebuilding
Began creative journaling and explored yoga/community spaces
Greater emotional insight and regulation
March 2025:
Established morning routine and self-care practices
Third psychedelic session deepened awareness and internal clarity
Practiced presence through walks, music, and mindful activities
April–May 2025:
Finished 3 scheduled post-experience integration sessions and then a month of
individual processingNoted reduction in panic and increased self-trust
Reflected on career changes and social re-engagement
Final feedback session showed strong internal shifts and forward-looking perspective
Measurable Shifts and Outcomes
Emotional & Mental Health:
Reduced frequency of panic episodes
Improved ability to pause, reflect, and self-soothe
Capacity to be present and catch old habits/patterns as they are resurfacing
Increased emotional awareness and acceptance
Cognitive & Narrative Shift:
Moved from self-blame to self-compassion
Internal language became more supportive and values-aligned
Behavioral Changes:
Daily journaling and somatic practices, regular exercise routine
Reengaged with music and outdoor activities
Initiated conversations with community and began exploring dating
Psychedelic Integration:
Successfully completed three macro-dose psilocybin sessions
Practiced structured integration with reflection and creativity
Expressed interest in future microdosing with a support plan
Client Reflections (Direct Quotes)
“I just feel stuck. I want to find my way back to a version of myself I recognize.” (January 2025)
“It’s absolutely okay that I’m enjoying this.” (February 2025)
“I’m noticing the wonder in everyday things again.” (February 2025)
“I'm not saying everything’s fixed. But I’m more equipped. I actually want to engage with life again.” (May 2025)
A Journey of Growth and Reflection
Z began working with Alva Dean Consulting in January 2025 during a period of transition and personal challenge. He was navigating the emotional aftermath of a breakup, dealing with heightened anxiety, and reevaluating his long-term career. Through a four-month coaching relationship that included psychedelic preparation and integration, Z explored new ways to manage stress, highlight strengths, reconnect with personal values, and clarify his goals.
This case study offers an overview of Z's experiences and reflections during his time with ADC, interwoven with his own words captured in integration calls and feedback sessions.
Starting Point: January 2025
Z came into the process experiencing regular anxiety and moments of panic that impacted his daily functioning. He was unsure about his career direction and carried self-blame following a breakup. Our initial work focused on identifying core concerns, exploring support systems, and beginning to clarify his intentions for potential psychedelic work.
In his own words: “I just feel stuck. I want to find my way back to a version of myself I recognize.” (Initial Intake, January 2025)
He also shared, “I know I need something to change—I just don’t know how yet.” (Initial Intake, January 2025)
He expressed interest in using psilocybin as a tool for healing and insight. We discussed set, setting, and integration, and laid the groundwork for intentional use alongside other wellness strategies.
Themes and Progression
January: First Macro-Dose and Early Reflections
Z’s first macro-dose experience brought awareness to recurring patterns of overthinking, perfectionism, and emotional holding. He began incorporating grounding practices such as daily journaling and light physical activity like walking his dog, stretching, and breathing exercises in the morning.
Session insights included: “Mostly just peeing and crying today” (First Psilocybin Journey, January 2025), showing levity and awareness of how he is 'letting go' of things and purging in different ways, and “I feel tense and relaxed at the same time” (First Psilocybin Journey, January 2025), holding this paradox between his body, mind, and heart.
He began noticing his internal dialogue more clearly: “Why do I have to make everything work?” (First Psilocybin Journey, January 2025) and “Not everything I say has to be profound.” (First Psilocybin Journey, January 2025)
February to March: Adjustments and Small Wins
With more integration support and a second medicine session, Z explored forgiveness, emotional release, and creative practices. He discarded letters from his ex with a mix of relief and sadness. He also expressed greater emotional autonomy:
“It’s absolutely okay that I’m enjoying this.” (Second Psilocybin Journey, February 2025)
“I don’t get to tell her how to feel.” (Second Psilocybin Journey, February 2025)
In reflection, Z noted, “I’m noticing the wonder in everyday things again.” (Post-Session Integration, February 2025)
March: Continued Psychedelic Work and Integration
He maintained new practices such as daily journaling, exercise, and creating a morning ritual and routine to begin his day. Movement and creativity became forms of integration. He also began to express increased self-awareness and confidence.
Spring Reflections and Shifts
By late March and into April, Z spoke about feeling more balanced and willing to explore new steps in life, including reengaging socially and attending events with less fear. His past anxiety regarding driving on the highway to work had remained manageable, showing a sharp contrast to earlier in the year when he would have panic attacks and have to stop on the side of the road. In his final review, he shared:
“I'm not saying everything’s fixed. But I’m more equipped. I actually want to engage with life again. That’s a big shift.” (Feedback Review, May 2025)
He expressed openness to continuing psychedelic work, potentially through microdosing, and emphasized that integration had helped him feel more grounded. Z expressed the benefits of working with a multi-disciplinary team, regularly engaging with therapy as well as coaching/integration work with ADC.
Final Reflections and Feedback Review
During the final feedback review, Z reflected on his initial goals and the tangible shifts he experienced over the four months. He described moving from a state of emotional disconnection and overthinking into one of greater presence and openness. Where he once experienced daily panic and emotional paralysis, he now reported an ability to engage more fully with life and manage moments of uncertainty with greater ease.
The feedback also highlighted key changes:
Before: Overwhelmed by anxiety and uncertainty; caught in cycles of guilt and over-responsibility
After: Greater emotional regulation, ability to pause and reflect, increased self-compassion
Before: Disconnected from creativity and pleasure
After: Reconnected with music, journaling, and storytelling as expressions of meaning and joy
Before: Fearful of what others thought, hesitant in social spaces
After: Willing to show up more authentically, including exploring dating again and rejoining community spaces
Z expressed interest in continuing this kind of work in the future, including experimenting with a microdosing protocol and deepening his creative practices. He now views integration as a long-term process, not a quick fix, and has adopted a more sustainable and kind relationship with himself. Z’s coaching journey with ADC supported him in managing a difficult life transition while building tools for future resilience. The process helped clarify his direction, highlight his values, strengthen his ability to reflect, and increase his confidence in navigating change.