Living with Chronic Pain
Eliza came to Eleusinia at a pivotal time in her life. At 59, she had been living with chronic migraines since her teenage years, carrying decades of tension, pain, and the frustration of countless treatments that never seemed to help. Traditional medicine had failed her, and she began searching for new possibilities. That search led her to psilocybin.
Choosing a Retreat with Her Partner
When she discovered Eleusinia’s retreat, one detail stood out: she could bring her partner, Bert. This mattered more than she could have imagined. Just weeks before the retreat, Bert received a throat cancer diagnosis. The timing made their choice clear, and together they stepped into the experience, not only for themselves but for each other.
A Journey Through Ancestral Love
In her podcast conversation, Eliza shares candidly about the weight of living with migraines and the deeper layers of her story—growing up in a family where love often felt absent, carrying old wounds that shaped her stress and her pain. She speaks about her openness to psilocybin after years of trying everything else, and the courage it took to trust in this path.
During her macrodose session, Eliza felt the presence of family, both past and present. Her late brother appeared to reassure her, saying, “You’ve got this, I’ll be right here for you.” Her beloved aunt guided her through the journey, bringing ancestors and even her late mother into view. She also reconnected with friends, both living and gone, who filled her space with laughter and love. “I realized I am blessed. I do have a lot of great friends… Just follow the light. Follow the love.”
Healing Together as a Couple
The retreat was also deeply shared. While Eliza processed visions and ancestral connections, Bert’s experience was lighter, filled with visual hallucinations. They laughed together later when he told her, “Boy, you were really busy, Eliza.”
Their connection deepened in small but powerful ways. One afternoon they sat side by side, each with headphones on, listening to the same music. Linked by sound and presence, they felt a quiet intimacy that words could not capture. Later, they moved into the grass and began to dance together under the fading light, swaying to songs full of love and joy. “We were probably out there over an hour,” Eliza recalled, “just dancing and feeling so connected.” These moments became a memory they carried home, strength for the road ahead as Bert began treatment.
More Than Personal Healing
Eliza’s story is more than one of personal healing. It is about resilience, love, and partnership. Her journey shows what can happen when psilocybin opens space for both individual and shared transformation.
This episode of the Eleusinia Podcast is a moving reminder that healing is never solitary. It is recorded weeks after her retreat, not on-site, and like many guests, Eliza shares under her chosen name. The Eleusinia Podcast is audio-only, offering a space for retreat participants to reflect in privacy and authenticity.
Listen to the Full Episode
Listen to Eliza’s full story to hear her describe her visions, her healing, and the way psilocybin helped her and Bert face a difficult chapter with more love and connection than ever.
