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Back Page: A “Trip” Through Time

The changing perceptions of psychedelics

Multiple copies of a vintage "Seattle" magazine cover featuring a blurred, colorful image of a person and the headline "LSD: Intimate Journal of a First Trip" capture a psychedelic trip through time—like flipping through the back page of history.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.

In 1967, psychedelics were vilified and effectively banned during the height of the counterculture movement. Daytrippers and hippies embraced LSD and psilocybin for consciousness expansion, spiritual exploration, or just pure escape.

Nowadays, we find substances such as LSD, psilocybin and MDMA being seriously studied in clinical settings and reevaluated as powerful therapeutic tools. Microdosing has even emerged amongst the “suburban soccer mom” set as a promising practice for enhancing mental health, creativity, and productivity without dangerous hallucinogenic effects.

Studies at Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University have shown that microdosing can indeed alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even chronic pain. Subjects further reported enhanced cognitive function and a greater “sense of presence.” And still recent studies suggest they can even promote neuroplasticity and mental flexibility, supporting long-term mental wellness with fewer side effects than conventional antidepressants.

Now decriminalized in cities like Seattle, what was once taboo is now on the cusp of mainstream integration into wellness and mental health regiments. In 2025, this same cover would likely not be of a daytripper, but your neighbor.

K9s For Warriors Helps a Whidbey Island Veteran Get Back Out Into the World

K9s For Warriors Helps a Whidbey Island Veteran Get Back Out Into the World

With his service dog Atlas beside him, Navy veteran Justin Hughes is finding his workdays—and everyday outings—easier to navigate.

When Justin Hughes gets frustrated while on his computer at work, a nose sometimes appears between the armrest and the back of his chair. It belongs to Atlas, his service dog, who has been resting on a bed behind him. Hughes runs simulators for the military, and irritation can build before he recognizes what’s happening….

Seattle Sauna Festival Returns to Ballard for Another Round

Seattle Sauna Festival Returns to Ballard for Another Round

Mobile saunas from around the Northwest will gather at the National Nordic Museum November 7-8.

In Seattle, November is usually something to face in a raincoat. At the National Nordic Museum, you can meet it in a bathing suit. The Seattle Sauna Festival returns to Ballard November 7-8 for its second year, bringing mobile saunas from around the Northwest onto the museum grounds. Visitors can try several, cool off in…

Seattle Is Changing the Conversation Around Death
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Seattle Is Changing the Conversation Around Death

Death is one of life’s few certainties, yet it remains remarkably difficult to talk about. Across Seattle, a growing network of practitioners, advocates, and entrepreneurs is trying to change that. From grief walks to death doulas, Seattle is building a new language around loss, and one woman wants to bring more of that conversation into…

AI is in the Building

AI is in the Building

How emerging technologies are reshaping the future of healthcare design.

AI is in the building. See how emerging technologies, smart building systems, and adaptive architecture are transforming healthcare design in Seattle.