Opening Oregon’s First Psilocybin Service Center: EPIC’s June 2023 Update
From the archive: this video and summary describe EPIC Healing Eugene’s opening process in June 2023. For current services and availability, visit our Services page or contact us.
The journey is the reward.
In this June 2023 video, Cathy Rosewell Jonas shares a behind-the-scenes account of opening EPIC Healing Eugene after its announcement as Oregon’s first licensed psilocybin service center. Speaking from the center’s courtyard, she reflects on the practical work of getting a small service center ready, the challenges of sustaining the business, and the personal care she hoped the team would bring to each visitor’s experience.
Creating a small, welcoming setting
Cathy describes EPIC’s original setting as two offices, a small hallway, a bathroom, and a courtyard filled with flowers. A bench, birdbath, and water feature were part of the effort to make the space feel welcoming. She explains that staff had been experiencing the setting from a client’s perspective to better understand the environment and prepare for their roles.
Turning plans into daily practice
Much of the opening work happened outside the session rooms. Cathy discusses the time and expense involved in staffing, insurance, professional advice, licensing, and organizational planning. Writing policies and procedures was only the first step; the team also had to work out how to put them into practice and coordinate the responsibilities of facilitators and service-center staff.
Balancing access and sustainability
The update also addresses the tension between the costs of operating a small center and the wish to make services more accessible. Cathy describes the early Pay It Forward fund and her hopes for supporting sliding-scale services and scholarships as resources grew. These reflections capture the business’s early development, rather than a statement of present-day prices or financial assistance.
The heart of facilitation
Cathy emphasizes the non-medical model described in the video and the importance of a supportive, attentive presence. She explains her approach as listening, helping people feel comfortable, and allowing them to explore their own experience without directing what they should think. She also cautions against treating psilocybin as a quick fix.
The video closes with gratitude for the people connecting with EPIC and a hope to continue sharing the center’s development through future updates.
Watch the full June 2023 update on YouTube (16 minutes).
Update video on EPIC Healing Eugene’s process on becoming the First Service Center in Oregon.