Conscious Co-Parenting Institute and the Church of Soul Illumination

Dorcy Pruter, founder of the Conscious Co-Parenting Institute and the Church of Soul Illumination, discussed her journey and work with host Richard Zwicky on the podcast High and Healthy . Pruter shared that her work began in 2006, motivated by personal experiences of parental alienation during her divorce and childhood. This led her to establish the Institute to address complex family dynamics. About five years ago, she founded the Church of Soul Illumination in Los Angeles, focusing on psychedelic-assisted healing, particularly with sacred mushrooms, to facilitate deeper psychological and spiritual transformation. Pruter emphasized the importance of integration over the ceremonial use of psychedelics. While ceremonies provide profound experiences, true healing occurs through integrating these insights into daily life. Her approach combines psychological and spiritual perspectives, addressing unresolved childhood traumas—micro or macro—that hinder personal growth. She views psychedelics as a tool to rewire neural pathways, helping individuals shift perspectives on past traumas, such as abuse, and move from a victim mindset to empowerment. This process involves understanding root causes of emotional and relational "stuckness" rather than treating surface-level behaviors. She highlighted the risks of unprepared psychedelic use, such as retraumatization or overwhelming experiences, particularly without trauma-informed guidance. Pruter’s work includes thorough preparation, including online coursework and pre-ceremony communication with the medicine, to ensure participants are ready. Post-ceremony integration is equally critical, as insights may unfold over months or years. Her organization, accessible via soulumination.org, offers a free survey to identify one’s "soul healing archetype" and a guided activation to anchor personal healing.