Prior to my experience with Iboga I had never heard of integration coaching. In fact, I only learned about it on the last day of my journey, when the proprietor of the facility I attended suggested that I look into it. He gave me the names of a few people he knew personally, and also a link to BTTY. 

It sounded good when he described it to me. But after I went home, the idea of spending more money (after already having spent so much going to Costa Rica in the first place) made me hesitant. But I figured, in for a penny in for a pound. I wanted to make a change, and after my experience with Iboga, I was more committed to the idea than ever.

I wasn’t sure what I was looking for when I started scrolling through the various coaches on the BTTY website. Many of them seemed a little… californicated, if you know what I mean. But when I read Erika’s profile she sounded like just a regular average person who happened to have had a profound life-changing experience with plant medicine. 

Basically, she sounded like me, but with the important distinction that (unlike me) she has an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience with many different plant medicines. Iboga, ayahuasca, psilocybin, San Pedro, and others. On top of which she’s also a talented musician with a ton of knowledge about ceremonial music, and experience playing in ceremonies. 

Once we’d had our first conversation, I knew she was someone who could understand what I’d been through. I have a supportive therapist and a loving family as well, but none of them was able to help me make the kind of lasting changes in my life that Erika did. 

She helped me to set and meet achievable short and long term goals, both through our conversations and through the incredibly thoughtful emails she’d send afterwards that would review our conversation, and provide guidance for what I could work on before our next meeting. All of that really helped me get the most out of my relationships with a number of different plant medicines, not just Iboga. 

But we didn’t just talk about my relationship with plants. She helped me work through difficult issues with people too— family, friends, coworkers. She helped me to use the insights I gained from plants to heal and repair my human relationships. 

When I first signed up for coaching I thought we’d have maybe six sessions at the most. But instead I ended up talking to Erika for a year and a half. I wish I could put into words what our relationship has come to mean to me. But it’s too profound. 

However, if pressed, I’d say that meeting Iboga gave me the courage to change my life. And that the thoughtful and intuitive coaching that Erika provided after my encounter gave me the vision, support, and commitment to make that change happen, and thereby honor the incredible gift I was given by the medicine. She’s my coach, my teacher, my friend. I feel incredibly lucky to have had Erika as a guide in my healing journey.

– Robert Houghton