Facilitator Spotlight
Melinda Halpern
Melinda has been an Oregon Psilocybin facilitator since 2023 when she graduated from the Integrative Psychiatry Institute in Boulder CO. She was part of the first cohort legally licensed in Oregon and has been facilitating journeys ever since. Besides individual journeys, Melinda is co-owner of MyceliaBend, a group that facilitates women’s group journeys in Bend, OR. Melinda’s work with groups goes back to her days as an experiential educator with Pacific Crest Outward Bound, as well as a coach of different sports (rowing, swimming and skiing). She has a Masters in Public Administration (which she has never used!) and a Masters in Counseling (which she uses daily) from Oregon State University. Her experiences have always provided her with a strong foundation of understanding all ages of human beings and the deep respect she has for people wanting more out of life. Melinda tends to have a direct style with a good dose of humor built in, as she knows we need to be able to laugh at the ridiculousness of life and the beauty that comes with this acceptance.
Melinda is a firm believer that all people want relief from suffering even when they don't always know the path to get there. Melinda has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in Bend OR for 25 years, specializing in trauma, child development, neurodivergency and couples work. She believes that psilocybin facilitation, like therapy, is a partnership where her role is to provide safety and support during the journey. Melinda trusts in the path of the medicine and considers herself a follower, not a guide, in psychedelic work - she understands that people come to journeys with the inner knowledge of what they need and the medicine is the catalyst to help them get there.
