What does it really take to prepare for your first psilocybin mushroom experience? In this episode of The High Guide, host April Pride breaks down everything women need to know to start their psychedelic journey with intention. Joined by seasoned guide Natasha Lannerd and three “sister trippers,” April covers where to find mushrooms, how to choose the right strain, and what to consider when dosing solo. Whether you're curious about the mysterious blue bruises on shrooms or wondering if body weight affects your dose (spoiler: it doesn’t), this episode offers grounded, science-backed advice—plus a few irreverent laughs. Expect cultural context, emotional insight, and real talk on the road to transformation.
🔵 Key Takeaways
Psilocybin dosage isn’t body-weight dependent—a fixed dose works across body types, says the science and the guides.
Golden Teacher is ideal for beginners with its gentle, introspective effects and shorter trip duration.
Albino Penis Envy delivers intensity, favored by experienced users or those microdosing with tolerance.
Blue mushrooms aren’t more potent—that discoloration is degradation, not strength.
Lemon tekking enhances onset and intensity, offering a faster route to insight with the same dose.
🔵 Timestamps
[00:20] April introduces the season theme: mushroom journeys for women
[02:41] Word of the week: psilocin explained
[04:09] Benefits and risks of psilocybin
[05:04] Where magic mushrooms are decriminalized
[06:38] Golden Teacher vs. Albino Penis Envy
[08:10] Visual and emotional effects of Golden Teacher
[09:45] Microdosing benefits of Golden Teacher
[10:49] Sister trippers share their mushroom journeys
[12:15] Do you need to dose by weight? No.
[13:21] Microdosing with APE for creative weekends
[14:19] Debunking the myth of blue mushrooms
[16:18] Dosing tips: avoid heroic doses alone
[17:41] Lemon tekking for deeper experiences
[19:22] Tea vs. tek shot: how to consume your dose
[20:37] Final trip tips and prep guide download
🔵 Featured Guests
Adelia Carrillo | @missadelia
Lalin St. Juste | @lalin_music | lalinstjuste.com
Natasha Lannerd | @breathe_with_natasha
Maria Prieto
🔵 Additional Resources
SetSet Blog: “The Science and Safety of Microdosing Mushrooms for Women”
SetSet Blog: “Golden Teacher Mushroom”
SetSet Blog: “Albino Penis Envy”
🎙️SetSet Podcast: “How to Identify Psychedelic Mushrooms”
🎙️SetSet Podcast: “Psilocybin Mushrooms 101: Effects, Dosing & Tips”
How did you decide your first psilocybin dose? Did you start low—or dive deep? 👇 Let’s talk about it in the comments after the transcript below.
🔵 Transcript
[00:00] Natasha Lannerd:
For me, personally, I could have a deep experience off of like a quarter of a gram at this point in my life, just because I'm so experienced with what it means to go on that inward journey.
[00:20] April Pride:
Hey, I'm April Pride, your host on The High Guide podcast. This is the show for women who have an open and curious mind, and this is a show all about women changing their lives thanks to altered states. On this episode, do you ever struggle with the first step in your [psilocybin mushroom dosage] journey—finding psychedelics? Today we'll review how to source [psilocybe cubensis mushrooms] specifically, including choosing the right [mushroom strain] and dose. We start every episode with our word of the week and end every episode with trip tips, and after I sign off, keep listening because we'll close out each episode this season with a 10-minute excerpt from The High Guide's psyched audio series last season, produced in partnership with Patchworks. These exclusive soundscapes are 30–60-minute guided [psychedelic audio journeys]. The sounds throughout the episode you're about to hear are sampled from The High Guide's Journey Number One, episode 22 of this podcast.
[01:30] April Pride:
If there are two words that I've heard the most in the last year, whenever I tell anyone that I work in weed, one is gummies and the second is Delta-8. So put them together and what have you got? I would suggest you check out DankeSuper's Blood Orange 2:1 gummies. They contain 30 milligrams of Delta-8, which gets you high like THC, but it's derived from CBD.
[01:53] April Pride:
If you don't live in a legal state, you can order these and you can still get high. The effects for me were after 45 minutes, there was a tightening around my temples, like when I smoke Headband, which is a strain of cannabis, and I also was heavy behind my eyes as if I had smoked an Indica-leaning hybrid, which Headband is not. So it was a really, really cool high and allowed both my body and my mind to relax. I would suggest this gummy on Friday night, if you wanna forget the week, but you don't wanna wake up with anxiety the next morning because you had too much to drink. Go to dankesuper.co and check out their gummies—their Delta-8 gummies or D8 gummies—and enter code "GUIDE" at checkout for 20% off your purchase.
[02:41] April Pride:
If you haven't listened to our 10-minute episode number 40 on [psilocybin], please go back and check it out. In that episode, we learned that [psilocybin] is a naturally occurring compound found in hundreds of species of [psilocybe cubensis mushrooms] around the world. What we didn't mention is that there's another naturally occurring compound found in these same species, [psilocin], and that is our word of the week. We're about to get kind of science-y, but it's kind of fun to know what's behind our high, right?
[03:15] April Pride:
[Psilocin] is what the body converts [psilocybin] into once we ingest [magic mushrooms], because [psilocybin] is inactive—it’s not what gets you high—[psilocin] is. The chemical conversion is analogous to what happens in cannabis with THCA, which like [psilocybin] in mushrooms is the most abundant non-psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. Similar to heating THCA to create THC, the body’s metabolic process converts [psilocybin] into [psilocin]. So if [psilocin] is the stuff that gets you high and we take [psilocybin mushrooms] to get high, then why do we call them [psilocybin mushrooms]? Perhaps because there's simply more [psilocybin] present in mushrooms—roughly a 3:1 ratio of [psilocybin] to [psilocin].
[04:09] April Pride:
Since we're going all-in on [magic mushrooms] this season, let's take a moment and review the effects and benefits of this truly natural wonder. [Psilocybin mushroom dosage] plays a vital role in these effects. [Psilocybin]’s chemical structure resembles serotonin and binds to serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is associated with mood, feelings of well-being, which is why [psilocybin mushrooms] can increase an overall sense of connection. Although feelings of connection and elation are likely, these [psychedelic mushrooms] can also invoke fear, sadness, and anxiety. Here's the good news: physiological changes that occur in the brain as a result of [psilocybin] and [psilocin] are permanent, as they carve out new neural pathways. This is why many people are finding success in overcoming treatment-resistant depression—sometimes permanently. Similarly, those afflicted with alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder have been able to abstain from these life-plaguing choices.
[05:04] April Pride:
Obviously, the most important decision you can make when preparing for your [psilocybin mushroom dosage] is choosing the right medicine at the right dose to support the intention you've set for the experience. So what does that mean? Okay, let's start with sourcing mushrooms—how to do this. Firstly, did you know that [magic mushrooms] are either decriminalized or legal in certain parts of the US, like right here in Seattle, home of The High Guide? It's the largest US city to decriminalize [psilocybin mushrooms] as well as Ayahuasca, Ibogaine, and non-peyote derived Mescaline. Similarly, Denver, Colorado, Santa Cruz and Oakland in California, Washington DC, as well as Ann Arbor, Michigan and Somerville, Cambridge, and North Hampton, Massachusetts have all decriminalized possession and deprioritized enforcement and/or prosecution of offenses related to [psilocybin mushrooms].
[05:55] April Pride:
Oregon as a state has both legalized and decriminalized [psychedelics] collectively. Go Oregon or go to Oregon. So can you walk into a store and buy mushrooms in any of these jurisdictions? Not exactly. Kind of. In Oakland, for instance, to stay within the law, private organizations labeled as churches require a paid membership to have access to their private [mushroom dispensaries]. Your girl is a member of Zide Door. You can check out our show notes for this episode for more information on sourcing [magic mushrooms], including where to find Zide Door in Oakland.
[06:38] April Pride:
Now you have a better idea of finding [psychedelic mushrooms]. There's more—like cannabis, [psilocybe cubensis] have hundreds of strains from which to choose. When choosing a strain of [magic mushrooms], the most important factor is strength or potency. Some strains are considered stronger than others, but overall, the effects are more or less the same in these species. There is an expression: a cube is a cube is a cube, meaning with few exceptions, the various strains of [psilocybe cubensis mushrooms] have very little differences in their potency and effect. On this episode, we're going to discuss only two strains—[Golden Teacher] and [Albino Penis Envy]—just 'cause I wanted to say the last one. I'm just kidding. It's also called APE, which is what I'm going to refer to it pretty much for the rest of the show. So why did I choose these two? [Golden Teacher] is, as I like to say, Fisher-Price, my first [mushroom trip] type of strain. And APE, at three to four times [Golden Teacher]’s potency, is favored by well-traveled trippers.
[07:45] April Pride:
And I see you out there in the audience—those of you who like to get high AF—and we’ll make sure you're just as taken care of as our listeners who are just setting out on their [psychedelic journey]. Obviously, the most direct way to intensify a [mushroom trip] is to choose one of the most potent [mushroom strains], like [Albino Penis Envy]. But before we go there, Natasha shares her thoughts on [Golden Teacher].
[08:10] Natasha Lannerd:
I feel like the [Golden Teachers] are like the tried and true. They can have more of a visual feeling, euphoric, spiritually in tune.
[08:19] April Pride:
[Golden Teacher], also known as Golden Emperor, is perhaps the most well-known [psilocybe cubensis strain], consistently in the top five of most recommended and desired strains. [Golden Teacher] again, or GT, was first classified in the 1980s, but the specifics around its discovery are shrouded in mystery. Some believe a specimen of [Golden Teacher] was found growing in the wild in Florida. Often referred to as GT, this strain’s golden moniker is inspired by its bell-shaped caps that resemble tanned leather-like skin atop medium to large size fruiting bodies—that’s what we call these whole mushrooms—they are whole fruit bodies. Although [Golden Teachers] have average potency, it produces trips that are very calm and relaxing with mild visuals and strong body sensations. GT trips are often shorter than average—only two to four hours—which is an advantage for beginners. In line with the expected effects of a standard [psilocybin mushroom dosage]—two to three and a half grams, what many consider to be a classic [psychedelic mushroom] trip dose—[Golden Teachers] produce a high characterized by visual distortions, enhanced colors, lightness or giddiness, powerful emotions including feelings of euphoria, and enhanced spiritual connection.
[09:45] April Pride:
Macrodosing, which is not microdosing, can both be done with strong and weaker strains. But you might want to consider a mushroom like [Golden Teacher] for [microdosing]. Feedback among those who microdose with [Golden Teacher] includes the following results: introspection, reflection, grounding, awareness, lightness, emotional clearing, and happy cries. Although not by design, Natasha prescribed two grams of [Golden Teacher] for each of the sister trippers, and while Natasha doesn't always start with this [psilocybin mushroom dosage], this was the right strain and the right potency for these women to support their stated intention—which we'll discover in next week's episode, when we get to know our sister trippers better. As for today, let's learn more about their experience with [magic mushrooms]. While this is the first time they've each taken a solo journey, each woman has had experience tripping on [shrooms].
[10:49] Adelia Carrillo:
When COVID happened, I started researching [psychedelics], and then I ended up treating myself for about a year, on and off. I was doing either two times a week or three times a week. I made my own tea, and I was just tracking everything down—not even just how it made me feel—but would kind of try to process certain things in my life, whether it was past trauma or bring up certain things that I wanted to dive into and just kind of change my way of thinking. I called it my mindset reset journey.
[11:20] April Pride:
Sister tripper Maria Prieto has also been experimenting with [mushrooms] in the recent past.
[11:27] Maria Prieto:
Yeah, I would say it’s been about a year since I started the process of experimenting with them, and it has been extremely pleasant. The experience overall has always been positive. It really has felt like opening doors within myself and seeing myself in a different light. So yeah, overall the experience has been really... I've been really grateful for it. When I take it for recreational purposes, I take very, very, very small doses.
[11:58] April Pride:
Like Maria, sister tripper Lalin St. Juste keeps her [psilocybin mushroom dosage] manageable.
[12:03] Lalin St. Juste:
I’ve done [shrooms] a few times, quite a few times, but I don’t tend to usually go beyond maybe two grams.
[12:15] April Pride:
It’s important to note that the women are different heights and presumably vary in weight, yet Natasha kept the [psilocybin mushroom dosage] consistent. So do you need to factor body weight to determine [mushroom dosage]? Based on a 2021 report published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the answer is no—optimal [psilocybin mushroom dosage] doesn’t require body-weight-adjusted dosing. The simpler fixed dose yields consistent results among a range of body weights. Experts like Natasha agree that [Golden Teacher] is the strain to begin with when stepping into [psychedelic mushrooms] for the first time. The more experienced psychonauts turn to the strain [Albino Penis Envy], which is on the order of three to four times stronger than other strains, including [Golden Teacher]. Aside from the guaranteed blast-off, choosing a super-potent strain of [medicinal mushrooms] is also good for those who microdose and may develop a mushroom tolerance. Yes, you can develop a tolerance to [psilocybin mushrooms], so keeping a consistent dosage with a higher potency strain may prove helpful as your regimen plays out.
[13:21] April Pride:
Another benefit to a high-potency [magic mushroom] taken at 100–500 milligrams in a single [microdose]—it’s perfect for day tripping. I’ve heard this described as a museum dose. One capsule is great for being social, going to the museum to be lost in the art, going outside to embrace nature. Again, if you're [microdosing] at a dosage that supports a high-functioning work week and want to tap into a more creative weekend experience, take an [Albino Penis Envy] microdose as an alternative to your weekday [Golden Teacher] [microdose]. And for anyone looking to go there with [Albino Penis Envy], remember—the effects are amplified three to four times, so a dose of one gram or more will produce vivid visual stimulation, intense feelings of euphoria, uncontrollable laughter, joy, cosmic visuals, along with periods of deep introspection and philosophical thoughts. Please do not get kicked out of a museum.
[14:19] April Pride:
Okay, so we know-ish where to source [mushrooms], we know what strain we can start with-ish. Before we get into dosing, let’s be catty and talk about the look of these natural freaks. Starting with—why are some [mushrooms] covered with more blue than others? The blue found on the whole fruit bodies are essentially bruises that result from the degradation of [psilocybin] and [psilocin], among other compounds found in the [mushrooms]. One hypothesis is that the blue might be a repellent against predators. I guess we’re not predators because we eat it blue and all. And a fun fact is that the color—the blue color—is the physical form of the same compounds responsible for the color indigo, which we use to dye our blue jeans. For real.
[15:08] April Pride:
But why the blue? What does it mean? I have several friends who always go for the bluest stems in the bag believing that they're the most potent—but it’s not true. It is true that the presence of blue is an indication that [psilocin] and/or [psilocybin] is, or at least was, at one time present in the [mushroom]. Here’s the conundrum: the more blue, the more [psilocin] has degraded—and that means there is less of the psychoactive compound that will be ingested. Less of the stuff that gets you high. The more blue means that at one time, these whole fruit bodies contained a super high amount of psychoactive compounds, but the presence of blue can indicate the absence of the stuff that gets you high. Handle your [mushrooms] with care and trust that you’ll get what you get, and trust you’ll get the trip that you need. It’s also important to note that blueing is different from blackening, which—along with an unpleasant smell—can indicate your [shrooms] are no longer safe for consumption. Remember, fungi are inherently a poison, so don’t mess with poisonous poison.
[16:18] April Pride:
Now that The High Guide has effectively saved your life, we also want to save your ass by getting you properly dosed. As I mentioned earlier, a classic [psilocybin mushroom dosage] is two to three and a half grams. If you are like our sister trippers taking a solo trip, then Natasha recommends steering clear of a heroic dose—over five grams by weight of whole fruit body [medicinal mushrooms]. Natasha reminds us that solo tripping also amplifies the effects of your trip no matter which [psychedelic substance] you choose.
[16:49] Natasha Lannerd:
When you take the sensory out—like you're not in a group, you're not talking, you're not trying to keep your shit together when you're out and about doing whatever it is—in this instance, when you take that attention and you turn it inwards, the [psilocybin mushroom dosage] becomes a lot more potent because all there is, is you.
[17:14] April Pride:
This is an important point. When choosing to journey on your own, the [psilocybin mushroom dosage] itself may feel more potent because there are no distractions. Yet another way to intensify a [mushroom trip]? Remove stimuli. Although I would not forgo an audio experience to complement the medicine. Not into going it alone, but into intensifying your [mushroom trip]? Natasha instructs Lalin on [lemon tekking].
[17:41] Natasha Lannerd:
If you want to see what it looks like to keep your dose and increase the potency, have you ever [lemon tekked] before?
[17:48] Lalin St. Juste:
No.
[17:50] Natasha Lannerd:
Essentially what that is, is you grind up the [psilocybin] and you add full lemon juice to it, and you let it sit for 15 minutes. It definitely comes on faster. It definitely comes on stronger. It says that it comes down sooner. That has not been my experience. It's just right to the glitter—no putzing around. So if you want to take that [psilocybin mushroom dosage] and maybe have a deeper experience with that same dose... When I first did my initial pilot study with it, I did it with one gram—and upped the ante.
[18:27] Lalin St. Juste:
I don’t know. I think there’s still a certain amount of control that I feel, even though it’s definitely still an experience. But I think the apprehension comes with going beyond that and just feeling like, oh wow, I’m really out here.
[18:47] Natasha Lannerd:
Yeah. My advice to people always is—what is the rush, right? If you’re feeling apprehensive, instead of [lemon tekking] two grams at one time, break it up and do two. If you’re feeling good about it, you feel like you’re set up, you’re ready to roll… Go for it.
[19:03] April Pride:
What about any of you listening—are you ready to go for it? Remember to dose based on the intention you’ve set for your [psilocybin mushroom dosage], and we’ll go into that in next week’s episode. Natasha continues with variations on the [lemon tek] method as she walks Lalin through her options to consume the [magic mushrooms].
[19:22] Natasha Lannerd:
I added a little bit of sparkling water to the lemon juice, so it’s easier to drink than just the acid in your throat—that could be a little aggressive. So I added a little bit of water and almost made like a little [lemon tek] cocktail.
[19:36] Lalin St. Juste:
Oh.
[19:36] Natasha Lannerd:
Which turned out really well. And then what I did like about that too, is there’s kind of this slower… and now we’re there. It was like… and blast off. I was in it within less than 30 minutes. I would say 15 minutes, I was really seeing the effects, feeling the effects.
[20:00] Lalin St. Juste:
Wow. Okay. And so this means that you’re grinding it up super fine to be able to just drink it.
[20:07] Natasha Lannerd:
Yeah. If you have a coffee grinder, great. If you don’t, it’s not the end of the world. I would find something that’s helpful. The opposite of maybe [lemon tekking] would be doing a tea. You can mix it with other herbs if you want to. The reason that I say that’s the opposite is because it’s a lot easier to titrate your experience. Maybe you have a mug of it, give yourself a little bit of time, see how you’re feeling, and then you can just sip on it. Versus a [lemon tek], which is a blast-off type of thing.
[20:37] April Pride:
Whether you want to blast off or lean back, in this episode there are lots of ways to determine your [psilocybin mushroom dosage]. For today’s trip tips, let’s review. Number one, consider the natural potency of your [mushroom strain] selection. Number two, more blue doesn’t signify more potency. Number three, up the potency by starting your [trip] with a [tek shot]. Number four, slow roll your [trip] by sipping on tea. Number five, if you have a weekly [microdose] regimen, keep an eye on your [mushroom tolerance]. And number six, don’t worry about your personal human size—just consult The High Guide to [psilocybin], which includes how to prepare [psychedelic mushrooms], like making the [tek shot] and tea. You can visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, to receive your free download.
[21:32] April Pride:
Thank you for listening to this episode of The High Guide. I'm your host, April Pride. Tune in next week when we get to know our sister trippers and learn more about preparing for your [mushroom journey] by reading your mind in consideration for setting an intention. Please check out our website, thehigh.guide, for more information on The High Guide and for this episode’s show notes. And remember to please rate and review the show on Apple Podcast or give us a heart on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts—it really does help more people find the show. I leave you with a 10-minute sample from The High Guide psyched audio series. You’re listening to the [psychedelic audio journey] number one, featured in episode 24 and produced in partnership with Patchwerks. Titled Trick and Treat Your Mind, and composed specifically as a soundtrack for an urban stroll while on [shrooms]. The weather’s better and it’s light later. So consider this your homework. See you on the other side.
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