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

As the founder and host of the Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit, I want to be transparent about the curation process, and why, despite my best intentions, not every lived experience is represented in this first edition.

This summit was born from a deep belief: that lived experience deserves to be heard, centered, and valued in conversations about psychedelic research, treatment, and policy. I care deeply about the diversity, validity, and complexity of these stories. Still, as with any grassroots project, certain limitations shape what is possible right now.

There are three main reasons why this first summit can’t hold every voice:

1. Time

As a work-from-home parent and solo organizer, time is a finite resource. Coordinating dozens of speakers, scheduling interviews, preparing materials, and building this from scratch has required every spare hour I have. I simply haven’t had the capacity to reach out to everyone I’d hoped to or hold as many conversations as I would in a more resourced setting. This isn’t about whose story is “worthy”, it’s about what’s logistically possible when you’re doing this between school pickups, dinner prep, and midnight editing sessions.

2. Resources

This is a grassroots, self-funded initiative with no institutional support or external funding. I’ve chosen to offer the summit for free and keep it accessible, which has meant making trade-offs around capacity. Without a team, a budget, or admin support, I’ve had to be intentional and limited in who I could invite and follow up with. This doesn’t reflect the value of anyone’s experience, only the constraints of a humble, passionate beginning.

3. Mental Health

Perhaps most personally, I’ve made decisions based on my own emotional capacity. Some past interactions, both direct and observed, have had an impact on my nervous system. Based on those experiences, I made the choice to set certain boundaries to protect my mental health. These were not easy decisions, and they are not a judgment on anyone’s legitimacy or importance. They’re about sustainability. Without these boundaries, I wouldn’t have been able to show up for the work at all. These are choices made from self-care, not exclusion.

The voices featured in this summit are not just stories of healing or harm, but also the complex and nuanced experiences in between, stories that don’t always fit into headlines, but speak to the depth of real-world psychedelic care.

This summit is not a campaign for or against any model of treatment. It’s not promotional or oppositional. It’s an offering: an attempt to explore how these treatments are actually lived, and how we might create more honest, accountable, and inclusive systems going forward.

This is just one step in a larger conversation. I hope it grows. I hope others create their own spaces. And I hope we continue to expand the circle—together.

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