Why aren’t all lived experiences represented at the summit?

As the founder and host of the Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit, I want to share openly about the curation process, especially why some voices are not included in this first edition.

From the beginning, this initiative has been rooted in my deep belief that lived experience deserves to be heard, valued, and centered in conversations around psychedelic research, treatment, and policy. 

I care deeply about the diversity and validity of all lived experiences, and I carry that responsibility seriously.

At the same time, I’ve had to make some very difficult choices to protect my own mental health and emotional capacity. Based on past experiences and the emotional toll of certain interactions, both directly and as a witness, I made the personal decision not to invite every voice at this stage. 

These decisions are not a reflection of the value or legitimacy of anyone’s lived experience. They are boundaries I’ve had to set in order to stay well enough to continue doing this work at all. These are choices grounded in self-care, not exclusion.

This summit is a grassroots, self-funded effort with limited resources and no institutional backing or grant funding. 

As someone who participated in a psychedelic therapy clinical trial, I know how important it is to protect my nervous system while carrying the emotional labor of holding space for others. 

Without doing that, I would not be able to show up with the thoughtfulness, energy, and integrity this work requires.

I truly hope that in the future, with more support and greater capacity, the circle can expand. For now, I ask for understanding and compassion around the limits of this moment. These decisions are not about shutting anyone out. They are about honoring the reality of what I can sustain right now.

Just as curators in other platforms make decisions based on mission and capacity, I’ve had to make selections based on what I believe will best serve this summit’s goals and what I can realistically hold as one person. 

This does not mean that other voices are any less important. In fact, many who are not included in this edition have already contributed greatly to the field through public testimony, podcasts, writing, speaking, and advocacy.

The voices you will hear in this summit are not only those of success or crisis, but also those in between. These are the complex, layered stories that often go unheard:

• people who felt both helped and challenged 
• those with experiences that don’t fit a clear narrative
• those left out of healed or harmed headlines 
• those still carrying truths that deserve to be heard

This is not a campaign for or against any model of care. This isn’t a watchdog effort, nor an advocacy push for medicalization. It is not meant to promote or condemn. 

It is a lived-experience-led attempt to explore how these treatments actually feel in real life, and how we might co-create better, safer, and more accountable systems from the inside out.

Of course, others may choose to create their own events and initiatives, and I support that fully. There is room and need for many perspectives, and the more opportunities for lived experience to be shared, the better.

This summit is one offering within a much broader and evolving conversation. Like any early-stage effort, it cannot hold every voice at once, nor does it claim to represent all lived experiences. But it is a beginning, rooted in care, grounded in humility, and committed to growing over time.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for recognizing the importance of lived experience. And thank you for honoring the care and complexity behind each step of building this space.

With respect and care,
Pedram Dara
Founder and Director, Psychedelic Lived Experiences