You've Spent Years
Understanding The Pattern.
Have You Ever Released It?
You’ve done the work. Yet somehow, the same fears, self-doubt, anxiety, and emotional suffering keep returning.
For more than twenty years, Alan has sat with people who felt they had done everything they could to identify and make sense of their struggles, yet something still seemed unresolved.
That gap is exactly where Alan's practice begins. Because some things don't resolve through understanding alone.
He doesn't ask clients to take this on faith alone.
"There is one shaman healer I recommend in the United States; his name is Alan Waugh
Alan is the best shaman I have worked with anywhere."
—Graham Hancock, author, researcher & host of Ancient Apocalypse
20+ years of healing work
​500+ Ayahuasca ceremonies
1,000+ ceremony participants guided
Zoom clients across five continents
20 years as a bedside caregiver with
Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco
Trained directly under Shipibo and Andean lineage teachers in Peru
Author of Alchemical Ayahuasca
Amazon Best Seller, 4.9 rating (100+ reviews)
Why Clients Come To Alan After Everything Else
Some of the people Alan works with have already explored their histories in great depth.
What puzzles them is not a lack of understanding, but why understanding alone hasn't brought the change they expected.
Rather than focusing on the story, the reaction, or the pattern itself, the traditions he practices suggest there may be something beneath the story—an energetic imprint that continues to influence how we experience life in the present.
From Personal Experience To Published Book
.jpg)
Part memoir and part spiritual exploration, Alchemical Ayahuasca chronicles Alan's journey through depression, indigenous healing traditions, and the discoveries that led to the development of the Sweet Spot—the foundation of his healing practice today.
If you'd like to understand
the journey behind the practice,
the book is a good place to begin.
"I predict Alchemical Ayahuasca shall rapidly emerge as a vital resource
and significant guide among all dedicated to safeguarding the sanctity and healthful flourishing of life on Earth."
—Don Oscar Miro-Quesada, originator of the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition; OAS Fellow in Ethnopsychology; UN-invited observer, Permanent Forumon Indigenous Issues
Not sure where to begin?
Start with a complimentary 30-minute conversation.
My Own Search
Began With Suffering
I didn't come to this work
because I wanted to become a healer.
I came because I was struggling.
I had many periods of severe depression, uncertainty, and fear. For years, I searched for answers and wondered why life felt harder than it should have been.
That curiosity eventually led me to spend decades studying indigenous healing traditions and to share what I've found helpful with others.
One of the primary things that drew me to these traditions was a simple observation:
Understanding an experience
and being free from its effects
are not always the same thing.
"Alan helped me reconnect with my true nature and purpose in a way I never thought possible."
—Nichola De L., entrepreneur
The Lineage
Behind The Healing
Alan grounds his current practice in decades of training, drawing primarily from his time learning Shipibo shamanic traditions in Peru and Andean shamanic traditions with Oscar Miro-Quesada. Additionally, he trained in core shamanic methods under a recognized Western teacher.
Alan completed the Pachakuti Mesa tradition under Oscar Miro-Quesada (2010). He trained in Core Shamanism under Michael Harner, PhD starting in 1997.
Not only did he learn from master curanderos of these lineages, but also from the direct work he did with sacred plant medicines Ayahuasca and San Pedro.
After seven years, Ayahuasca herself made it clear he was ready to carry the healing work forward.
Out of that training came what Alan calls the Sweet Spot—the same concept at the heart of his book, and the state at the center of every session he offers.
He brings together multidisciplinary study with observation, and hands-on experience helping people navigate trauma, grief, emotional suffering, and major life transitions.
As Alan puts it:
“The body can still hold what the mind has already understood.”
Alongside his training in indigenous and Western healing traditions, he spent twenty years volunteering as a bedside caregiver for people at the end of life with the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco.
Zen Hospice Project is now known as: Zen Caregiving Project.
Why Understanding Alone Doesn't Always Lead to Change
Most methods focus on helping people understand what happened.
Shamanic extraction investigates what may still be carrying
an emotional charge.
Rather than analyzing the experience, Alan works directly with the energetic residue it left behind.
He begins by drawing the material to the surface—talking through the high-impact experiences of a client's life, looking for the emotional reactions that signal something is ready to release.
Once that surface layer clears, it creates access to the deeper work.
Using his condor feather and traditional tools, Alan guides clients into the Sweet Spot: the plateau state where the body enters a natural homeostasis and its own intelligence knows how to use the opportunity for healing.
In traditional ceremony, this state follows the peak intensity
of the medicine's effect.
What Alan has developed allows clients to access the Sweet Spot
directly—through guided imagery, conversation, and the shamanic space he holds—without needing to go through the peak first.
It is from within that state that the extraction itself happens.
Through private Zoom sessions, he guides clients to discover and release those influences in a safe and individualised setting.
"I pride myself on meditation, exercise, healthy habits, and personal growth. In my case, that wasn't enough to break free from what I was experiencing.
My sessions with Alan became a pivotal moment."
—Brenda Montes, immigration attorney
Sara Wanted Something
Most People Avoid
“Sara” came to Alan after years of carrying the effects of a deeply traumatic relationship.
When asked what she wanted most from the healing,
her answer surprised him:
"I want to experience vulnerability."
Sara thought she was afraid of life.
However, she soon discovered
she was actually afraid of her own feelings.
The vulnerability she had spent years avoiding didn't feel dangerous at all.
It felt beautiful.
About a year later, she told him about the changes in her life.
She felt happier, more confident, more connected to herself, and able to experience her emotions without fear for the first time in years.
Sara’s story isn’t unusual. Alan has witnessed similar shifts in many clients—some who felt they'd exhausted every avenue, others who simply wanted to explore something different (and what they received actually surprised them).
Curious whether this applies to you?
"Alan is the most extraordinary healer I have ever worked with. Each session has shifted something. The anxiety and depression that used to run my life don't have the same hold anymore."
—Ricardo H. F., professional painter, Los Angeles
"A lot of deep work in a short amount of time. Alan is highly skilled, intuitive, and a true healer."
—Chelli, MA, LPC, author of Insight is 20/20
Names used with permission; some details have been adjusted to protect client privacy. Client experiences are individual and not guaranteed.
Can Healing Really Happen Over Zoom?
Clients have sat with Alan remotely from North America, South Africa, Australia, Paraguay, the Middle East, the United Kingdom, and dozens of other locations around the world.
With travel halted during the pandemic, Alan began offering this work over Zoom for the first time. He wasn't sure if conducting the full sessions remotely would translate. What he found surprised him: he could read a client's energy just as clearly through a screen and guide the work with the same intensity. Clients reported feeling just as connected as they did in person.
The tools he uses—his condor feather, Shipibo rattle, and Agua de Florida (floral water)—align his body with the extraction state the same way they do in person.
Heal Where Your Life
Actually Happens
Your patterns don't live in a remote jungle or on a tropical island. They live in your home, your relationships, and your daily environment. Healing in the same space where those patterns occur often creates a more immediate sense of integration.
There are no flights, no hotels, and no jarring transitions back to "real life". You can experience this from the comfort of your own home.
Alan remains available to support clients as new insights emerge.
"I had a very deep experience with Alan through Zoom from Paraguay. In the two weeks that followed, amazing, profound, and beautiful things happened."
—Pablo Magee, investigative journalist, screenwriter, playwright, and author of Opération Condor
What Clients Describe
While every person's experience is unique, many clients describe a surprising shift:
The patterns that once seemed to run their lives begin to lose their grip.
Clients frequently report:
-
Feeling less consumed by anxiety that had felt persistent.
-
A release of physical tension or heaviness in the body that other approaches hadn't reached.
-
Finding it easier to step out of patterns that once felt automatic.
-
A greater sense of ease in situations that once felt overwhelming.
-
Reconnection with purpose and direction.
-
Deep integration of Ayahuasca and plant medicine experiences.
-
A feeling of finally becoming themselves again.
These are personal experiences shared by clients, not guaranteed outcomes. Shamanic healing is a complementary practice and does not diagnose, treat, or cure any medical or mental health condition.
How This Work Evolved
Over the years, Alan noticed that different traditions seemed to offer different pieces of the puzzle.
Some helped people gain insight.
Some helped people release emotion.
Some seemed to create shifts that lasted.
Eventually, this became the Sweet Spot, the path he writes about in his book. Through hundreds of client sessions, he refined this journey into a structured progression:
release → discovery → reconnection
Alan’s practice is designed to create meaningful change in a small number of sessions, rather than build an ongoing dependency.
What to Expect
During Your Session
If you've never experienced shamanic healing before, you may be wondering what a session actually looks like.
The process is much simpler than most people expect.
1
The Conversation
We begin with a complimentary 30-minute healing assessment. This is not a sales pitch. It is an opportunity for Alan to listen to what you are carrying and give you an honest assessment of whether this is the right fit for you.
2
The Preparation
If you choose to move forward, you will book your session. You do not need a perfect retreat environment—you simply need a private, quiet room at home, a comfortable place to sit or lie down, and a reliable internet connection.
3
The Healing
At the scheduled time, you will join Alan via a secure Zoom link. He will open sacred space using the traditional practices of his lineage—with the same attention and care he uses in person—and the shamanic healing will begin.
4
The Integration
The healing doesn’t end when the screen goes dark. Shamanic shifts often unfold in the days and weeks that follow. Alan remains available to offer guidance, answer questions, and help you integrate the energetic changes into your daily life.
Is This Work For You?
This may be a fit if:
✓
You've done therapy, coaching, retreats, or personal development work yet still feel stuck.
✓
Anxiety, depression, or emotional suffering keep returning.
✓
You feel disconnected from your purpose, power, or authentic self.
✓
You want deeper integration after plant medicine experiences.
✓
You sense there's an underlying weight or energetic imprint connected to what you're experiencing, and you're ready to explore releasing it.
✓
You're ready to consider healing beyond the limits of conventional methods.
This work may not be a fit if you're looking for a quick fix or someone to solve your problems.
If you're currently in an acute crisis, recently diagnosed and stabilizing, or experiencing a mental health emergency, please reach out to a licensed provider or crisis service. This work is not designed to replace that care.
Top 10 FAQs
How can healing work over Zoom?
This is one of the most common questions Alan receives—and one he was skeptical about himself, before trying it. The short answer: the medium matters less than people expect. What matters more is the depth of presence in the session, and that translates through a screen more easily than most people assume. If you'd like the longer version of how he came to that conclusion, see "Can Healing Really Happen Over Zoom?" above.
How is this different from therapy or coaching?
Therapy and coaching often focus on understanding thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and life experiences. Those methods often explore why a pattern exists. This work asks a different question: What, if anything, may still be holding it in place? This process focuses on the removal of these energetic imprints. Many clients who’ve sat with Alan have already spent years in therapy, coaching, or personal development and are curious about exploring a complementary approach.
What if I'm not sure this will help?
That is a reasonable concern. No healer, therapist, coach, or practitioner can honestly guarantee a specific outcome. The purpose of the assessment is to determine if this approach appears relevant to your situation and whether it feels like a good fit at this time. If Alan believes you are not ready yet for his level of work, he will guide you on how to prepare. It happens more than people expect. Sometimes the right next step is a specific therapist, a different modality, or simply more time before this kind of work makes sense.
Will I need to take any plant medicine?
No. This is shamanic extraction and energy work—no substances are involved. Most sessions are conducted entirely through conversation, energetic healing practices, and guided exploration. Some clients have previous experience with plant medicines, while many do not.
What kinds of issues do people usually seek help with?
People come to Alan for many different reasons, but most share a common thread: something that's persisted despite real effort to resolve it. Common themes include recurring emotional patterns, anxiety, grief, relationship challenges, major life transitions, and integration following plant medicine experiences. For some, this also opens into questions of purpose and spiritual growth, but it's rarely the starting point.
How many sessions do people typically need?
That depends entirely on what the work reveals. The healing journey is structured as a progression—release, discovery, reconnection—each stage working at a deeper level than the one before it. Some clients need only the first stage. The Anaconda session addresses what's ready to be released, and for some people, that's the work that needed to happen. Others find that clearing the first layer opens something they want to continue exploring, and move naturally into the Jaguar and Condor sessions. The full Healing Series is there for those who want to move through the complete progression in a structured way from the start. The healing assessment will help clarify which entry point makes most sense for your situation.
Why does this cost what it does?
Each session reflects two decades of training, the depth of one-on-one attention involved, and the time Alan remains available to you afterward for integration support. He would rather work with fewer clients at a depth that creates real change than take on more than he can give full presence to.
Is it appropriate for a Western practitioner to offer this kind of work?
This is a fair question, and Alan takes it seriously. He trained for more than two decades under recognized teachers and lineages, including Shipibo healers in Peru, Don Oscar Miro-Quesada, and—in keeping with the tradition—Ayahuasca and San Pedro themselves. He does not claim to represent any single tradition, and he is open with clients about where his training comes from and where his own synthesis—what he calls the Sweet Spot—begins. (See "The Lineage Behind The Healing" above for more on how that approach came together.)
What if I'm skeptical?
Many clients begin that way. You do not need to believe anything for the conversation to be worthwhile. The purpose of the complimentary healing assessment is simply to understand what you're experiencing, ask questions, and determine if this feels right for you at this time.
Do you still offer in-person retreats?
Yes. While this website focuses on foundational healing and shamanic extraction conducted via Zoom, Alan also offers private plant medicine retreats in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. If you are specifically interested in an immersive, in-person experience, you can learn more at: www.SacredValleySpiritualRetreat.com
What Working Together Looks Like
Each stage below draws on a different animal guide from Alan's training, reflecting one part of the structured healing journey. The sequence matters. He describes it as a stairway: each session works at a deeper level than the one before it, and the foundation has to be laid first. You can't skip to the upper floors before the ground floor is clear.
The sessions are specifically designed—the Anaconda session for what needs to be released first, the Jaguar for what drives the pattern beneath that, and the Condor for what becomes possible once those layers have cleared.
1
Release What You've Been Carrying
The Anaconda session: for people feeling weighed down by trauma, anxiety, grief, hypervigilance, emotional heaviness, or experiences that still feel active despite years of inner work.
​2 Hours • $444
2
Discover What's Been Driving The Pattern
The Jaguar session: for recurring reactions, relationship patterns, deep-seated fears, and self-limiting behaviors that seem to repeat even when you understand them intellectually.
90 Minutes • $333
3
Reconnect With Who You’ve Always Been Beneath It
The Condor session: for reconnecting with confidence, clarity, personal power, perspective, purpose, and the parts of yourself that may have become disconnected over time.
60 Minutes • $222
â—¯
Complete Healing Series
For clients seeking the full progression from
→ Release (Anaconda)
→ Discovery (Jaguar)
→ Reconnection (Condor)
$999
($888 if paid in full)
You’ve Tried To Understand The Pattern.
What If There's Another Way?
Not a different theory about what happened, but a different way of engaging with what your body is still holding onto.
If you're curious whether this work might be relevant to your own experience, a conversation is a good place to begin.
You don't need to know exactly what's wrong.
You don't need to know if this is right for you.
All that's required is a willingness and readiness to explore.
During your complimentary 30-minute healing assessment, you'll speak directly with Alan about what you're experiencing, ask any questions, and determine whether it feels like the right next step.
There is no pressure to book a session.
Only an opportunity to discover whether a different perspective may be helpful and whether it feels aligned with where you are today.
Understanding got you this far. Perhaps it's time to find out whether this can help you too.
Recommended by Graham Hancock. Trained directly under Don Oscar Miro-Quesada.
Most healing assessments are 30 minutes; occasionally a second conversation is more appropriate.
Alan Waugh is not a physician or psychotherapist. Shamanic healing is offered as a complementary practice and is not a substitute for licensed medical or mental health care.
Explore Alan's In-Person Immersions: SacredValleySpiritualRetreat