Altered Mates is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding and thoughtful integration of altered states of consciousness. We unite researchers, clinicians, educators, policymakers, and communities to expand the frontiers of consciousness science, translate discovery into informed practice, and cultivate trusted frameworks for ethical, and autonomous engagement. Our vision is a future in which a deeper understanding of altered states contributes to human flourishing, planetary health, and the evolution of society.
Throughout human history, altered states of consciousness have shaped our understanding of the mind and body, inspired cultural transformation, and informed practices of healing, creativity, and meaning-making. Today, advances in neuroscience, psychology, and medicine are opening new opportunities to study these experiences with scientific rigor and explore their potential applications. Yet as this field rapidly evolves, there remains a critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration, accessible education, and ethical frameworks that center safety, autonomy, human dignity, and deep ecology. Altered Mates exists to help bridge this gap.
Rather than operating as a single program, we serve as an infrastructure that enables collaboration across disciplines while making knowledge accessible, trustworthy, and socially meaningful. Our framework is built around four interconnected pillars.
We support the advancement of rigorous, interdisciplinary research into altered states of consciousness by fostering collaboration between researchers, clinicians, educators, institutions, and lived-experience communities.
This includes
Our goal is to strengthen the scientific foundation upon which responsible policy, education, and practice can be built.
Knowledge should not remain confined to academic journals or specialist communities.We develop accessible, evidence-informed resources that help individuals, practitioners, educators, families, and organizations understand altered states of consciousness from scientific, psychological, ethical, and social perspectives.
This includes
Accessibility means creating resources that are understandable, inclusive, and freely available whenever possible.
Advancing consciousness science requires participation from many disciplines and perspectives. We seek to create opportunities for researchers, students, clinicians, creatives, policy professionals, volunteers, and community members to contribute meaningfully to this growing field.
This includes
By lowering barriers to participation, we aim to cultivate a diverse community committed to responsible innovation.
Scientific progress must be accompanied by ethical responsibility. Altered states can increase openness, suggestibility, and vulnerability. As these experiences become more widely studied and practiced, there is an urgent need for ethical frameworks that prioritize autonomy, informed consent, psychological safety, and accountability.
We work to
Public trust is built not only through scientific evidence, but through transparent, ethical, and compassionate engagement.
Autonomy. We provide evidence-based resources people can trust, alongside practices built on clear ethical foundations, so each person can access a sense of autonomy within themselves. The capacity to engage safely and meaningfully with an altered state belongs to the individual. It does not depend on access to a special person who claims to grant it.
Companionship. We decentre the gatekeeper. The insights and experiences that arise in altered states reflect a shared human capacity for knowing, not a gift that must be bought with money, sex, or power. No one should have to surrender their autonomy to access or deepen their own experience.
Study. We create and support academic initiatives that ask how altered state abuse happens, what protects against it, and how those affected can recover. Rigorous understanding is the foundation for both prevention and care.
“We are at the very initial stages of building this organisation, so any contribution is deeply appreciated. Your contribution will go towards promoting research, raising awareness, and providing evidence-based resources to support the psychological safety of those partaking in altered states of consciousness. At this moment, these initiatives will be in the form of hosting community-based events and creating accessible resources. We value transparency, so all impact statistics stemming from budget use will be displayed here once the resources are allocated.”
Contact us at hello@alteredmates.org for collaboration and support enquiries.