B.S. Bioengineering
“I believe everyone deserves a safe space to heal and find their way back to themselves. I strive to be that safe space and show up for you with compassion and understanding. You are not alone in this journey.”
Direct inquiries can be sent to aaron@ayeterra.com. To set up a phone call with Aaron, contact the clinic at (503)498-8862
What are your professional interests?
I work most closely with people carrying trauma, anxiety, or depression. Having family who served in the military, I have a deep respect for veterans and first responders. I am also a Level 1 Certified Recovery Coach, so I support people navigating addiction, whether that is substance use, behavioral patterns, or impulsivity. Coming from a background of personal anxiety and TBIs, I have found a healthy relationship with anxiety and freedom from its negative voice. I love to help clients find this freedom in their own life.
My foundation is in science. I hold a B.S. in Bioengineering from Oregon State University and have contributed to peer-reviewed work in health and wellness. Alongside that, I have spent fifteen years in holistic wellness practice and draw on both eastern and western approaches in how I work. I came to psilocybin first through my own experience with it, and then through the research and the people I have worked with. I have seen how it can act as a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change, and that is what keeps me in this work.
How Do You Approach Sessions with Clients?
My approach is unhurried and client-led. My own life, including recovering from traumatic brain injuries and an assault, taught me that this work cannot be rushed and that diligence and forgiveness matter as much as any technique. I bring that to every client.
I believe in the science behind this work, and I also know that meditation, yoga, and breathwork can be essential for grounding the mind and easing the anxiety of stepping into something unknown. I want clients to feel supported, respected, and confident at every step, from the first preparation meeting through integration and beyond. My job is not to direct your experience but to help create the conditions where you feel safe enough to let go.
Describe Your Preparation Process
Preparation usually begins with one or two sessions in the one to two weeks before the journey, and I am always glad to add more if a client wants them. I would rather someone feel fully ready than rushed.
Preparation has two sides. The first is getting ready for the experience itself, so that when the day comes you are able to settle in and let go as fully as possible. The second is starting the change before the journey rather than waiting until after it. Together we begin putting a few small, manageable practices in place, the ones that tend to matter most during integration. Beginning that work early gives the whole process a head start and makes those changes more likely to hold.
How Do You Support Clients During Journeys?
During the session itself, my role is to give each client the support that fits the moment. That may mean staying close through a difficult moment. Sometimes it means helping someone find the source of what they are carrying and begin to release it. And sometimes the most helpful thing I can do is step back and let a client explore and move through the experience on their own. I stay attentive to what each person needs and adjust to it, rather than imposing one way through.
Describe Your Integration Process!
I see integration as one of the most important parts of this work, and often where the lasting change actually takes root. An integration session is offered after the journey, most commonly within three to five days, while the experience is still fresh.
I also offer ongoing integration for clients who want it. Turning insight into durable change takes time, and I am glad to keep supporting that work for as long as it is useful.
What Do You Enjoy in Your Free Time?
Most of my free time is spent outdoors or with the people and dog I love. You will usually find me hiking, spending time with our dog Biscuit, or hanging out with friends.