Jul 19 2022
Ketamine, Cannabis and Death
This episode of The Psychedelic Therapist Seraphim interviews nurse Vanessa Cruz who is a warrior in the psychedelic space volunteering for the Fire side Project, Nowak Society while working as a cannabis nurse and holding Cannabis and Death Discussions live on social media. You don't want to miss this as we discuss getting into the legal space as a medical professional, the lack of services to underserved an indigenous populations, and how to join her for a cannabis guided discussion about death.BIO:Vanessa Cruz, LPN II, RYT 200, CHWCLicensed Practical Nurse, End of Life Doula, and Psychedelic Guide Vanessa began learning about plant medicines from her grandmother and great grandmother in the mountains of New Mexico at 9 years old. Since that time, she has been immersed in various healing paths through herbalism, curanderismo, meditation, nursing and psychedelic medicine to reconnect to her indigenous roots. As a member of marginalized communities, Vanessa is devoted to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the psychedelic space, and passionately supports individual’s direct experience of the sacred through psychedelic healing and transformational life and death coaching. Receiving her practical nursing education through Concord Career Institute in Denver, CO, she has taken advanced nursing courses through Colorado State University – Pueblo. Vanessa completed MAPS MDMA Therapy Training Program, Ketamine Nurse Guide Training through KetaMD, and advanced training in Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy through the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, and Kundalini Yoga training with Kia Miller of Radiant Body Yoga which included trauma informed and racial justice with Nikki Meyers and is a RYT 200. Vanessa is also a certified health and wellness coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Vanessa volunteers for Fireside Project, a psychedelic peer support line, and is certified in emotional CPR (eCPR), Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), and NADA ear acupuncture. She has completed 40 plus continuing education hours as a Cannabis Nurse educator supporting individuals exploring Cannabis as medicine. Her primary focus is guiding individuals in death care through her work as a death doula. She believes we all have an innate ability to care for our dead, and advocates for bringing death care back to the home. She co-created and co-facilitates a monthly group-Herb & Bones encouraging conversations about death and psychedelics. She provides education on home funerals and alternative body deposition such as eco burials and supports families through spiritual and ceremonial space holding during transition and after. She supports individuals wishing to utilize medical aid in dying as Colorado is one of only 11 states that allow death with dignity. She specializes in using Psychedelics to ease end of life fear and pain, and aids in psychedelic guidance through legacy work and ceremonial story telling.Links from show.Herb and Bones free tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/306006231877The Nowak Society Events: https://www.thenowaksociety.org/eventsCenter for Medicinal Mindfulness - Clinic in Boulder: https://medicinalmindfulness.org/Psychedelic Sitter School - Boulder: https://psychedelicsittersschool.org/Fireside Project Psychedelic Peer Support line: https://firesideproject.org/Dance Safe Drug Testing Kits: https://dancesafe.org/KetaMD, At home Ketamine treat
