Participation
Safety is part of the design
Not hidden in fine print, and not a form to sign on the way in. Different practices and technologies carry different participation considerations, and some of them are genuinely important.
Screening happens before booking
Before any experience, there is a conversation about what is involved and anything relevant to your taking part. This is not a formality, and it sometimes ends with us saying that a particular experience is not available to you. That is a reasonable outcome and we would rather reach it early.
Light
Flickering and stroboscopic light is not appropriate for everyone. Photosensitive epilepsy is the most widely known consideration and it is not the only one. Any experience that uses rhythmic light requires specific screening beforehand, and where a particular device is used we follow that manufacturer's current safety guidance.
We do not publish our own list of medical contraindications, because a homemade list would be both incomplete and inappropriate. If you have a medical question about whether light-based experiences are suitable for you, please consult an appropriate healthcare professional.
Breath
Breath practices are gentle by default. More intensive breath practices can affect people strongly and may require screening, modification or omission. We make no physiological or medical claims about them, and no experience requires you to do anything with your breath that you do not want to do.
Sound and vibration
Volume is always set with you rather than for you, and can be changed at any point. Please tell us in advance about hearing conditions, tinnitus, sound sensitivity or recent ear surgery. Where vibroacoustic equipment is used, the manufacturer's guidance applies.
Your agency
You can speak at any time, ask for a change, pause, or stop completely, without needing to explain yourself. Nothing here requires you to push through discomfort, and nothing is done to you without your knowing what it is.
What this is not
Other Way In does not provide medical care, psychiatric care, psychotherapy, counselling, addiction treatment or diagnosis, and makes no claim to treat, cure, prevent or alleviate any condition. Experiences are offered as guided exploration and accompaniment.
Not emergency care
Other Way In is not a crisis service and cannot respond to emergencies. If you are in immediate danger, or worried about your own safety or someone else's, please contact your local emergency number. In the United States you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which operates 24 hours a day.
If you are in acute distress, an experience of this kind is not the right resource right now, and we will say so.
Questions are welcome
If you are unsure whether something is appropriate for you, ask before booking. Start a conversation, or read the frequently asked questions.