Home | Jim van Os on psychedelics
Jim van Os on psychedelics
Psilocybin also has much to offer you
Professor Jim van Os is one of the most influential psychiatrists in the Netherlands and internationally respected for his innovative view of mental health. He is professor of psychiatry at UMC Utrecht and is known for his progressive vision in which the person is the focus, not the diagnosis. With decades of experience in research, clinical practice and teaching, Van Os advocates an approach to mental suffering that is not only medical, but also social, emotional and existential. His work has great impact in the mental health community and contributes to a movement toward more humanity, recovery-oriented work and awareness around our inner world.
A new look at mental health
In recent years, there has been increasing attention worldwide to psychedelics as a tool for personal growth and mental health. In the Netherlands, Professor Jim van Os plays an important role in this renewed thinking. Van Os is professor of psychiatry, affiliated with UMC Utrecht, and is internationally among the most influential voices in modern mental health care.
Listen now to VPRO’s postcast Never Again Sleep with Jim van Os.
A human-centered view of psychological suffering
Jim van Os is known for his critical view of the traditional way of thinking within psychiatry. Instead of reducing people to diagnoses such as depression or schizophrenia, he advocates an approach based on the person behind the symptoms. According to him, mental pain is not a disease you “have,” but a manifestation of the life you have experienced – with traumas, relationships, stress and circumstances that have repercussions on the nervous system.
His take on psychedelics
In his work, Van Os emphasizes that psychedelics are not just “drugs,” but powerful experiences that can facilitate profound insights and changes. He describes that psychedelics in the right setting:
be able to expand awareness
Be able to break stuck patterns
be able to speed up emotional processing
Be able to open a new perspective on life
At the same time, he is clear: psychedelics are not a panacea. Context, guidance and integration determine the effect. Not the drug alone, but the entire process surrounding it – the intention, safety and aftercare – determines whether a person truly benefits.
This is exactly the framework within which we too work at Truffle-ceremony.com: professional guidance, personal attention and integration after the experience.
"Understanding Psychedelics" - the book
In his book Understanding Psychedelics Jim van Os shows how psychedelics can contribute to mental well-being when used within a knowledgeable and careful environment. The book is not a promotion of substances, but an invitation to see psychedelics as an opportunity for change – when used safely, guided and with respect for the human psyche.
His vision is fully consistent with the main tenets of responsible psilocybin truffle work:
Safety
Expert guidance
Integration into daily life
A personal process, not a quick fix
Het boek “Psychedelica Begrijpen”
In zijn boek Psychedelica Begrijpen laat Jim van Os zien hoe psychedelica kunnen bijdragen aan mentaal welzijn, wanneer ze worden ingezet binnen een deskundige en zorgvuldige omgeving. Het boek is geen promotie van middelen, maar een uitnodiging om psychedelica te zien als een kans voor verandering. Mits dit veilig begeleid wordt en met respect voor de menselijke psyche.
Zijn visie sluit volledig aan bij de belangrijkste uitgangspunten van verantwoord werken met psilocybine-truffels:
Veiligheid
Deskundige begeleiding
Integratie in het dagelijks leven
Een persoonlijk proces, geen snelle oplossing
Why are insights important to our work?
At Truffle-ceremony.com, we now guide thousands of people looking for:
healing
direction and meaning
emotional processing
personal and spiritual development
breakthrough with patterns, traumas or stuck life themes
Our ceremonies focus not on the means, but on the person – exactly as Jim van Os advocates. We combine knowledge, experience, psychology, body wisdom and integration guidance to facilitate a safe and impactful journey.
A new way of looking at mental health
Van Os’ vision shows what many already intuitively felt: growth, recovery and transformation do not come from medication or diagnostic labels alone. Sometimes real change comes precisely from an experience that opens your consciousness and allows you to reconnect with who you really are.
Invitation
Want to discover if a truffle ceremony or the Program for Transformation is right for you?
We are happy to help you move forward – in a safe, professional and warm way.
📍 Sc hedule a no-obligation phone consultation
📩 Download the free eBook on transformation with truffle ceremonies
🌱 Read participants’ experiences
Together, we make inner growth accessible, safe and meaningful.