From Marine Officer to Medicine Woman: Susannah’s Journey of Transformation
Artem SmirnovSusannah Rose Stokes, a former Marine officer and co-founder of Metamorphosis Ventures, illustrates the power of psychedelic medicine through her own transformative journey. Her story begins in a world molded by trauma—personal, familial, and systemic—and evolves into one of deep healing and purpose.
Watch: I Was A Marine Officer, Then Psychedelics Transformed Me
“Plant medicine didn’t just heal my wounds—it showed me the roots of my pain and helped me pull them out. It gave me the tools to rebuild myself from the inside out.”
-Susannah
Read: Two Deployments in Afghanistan, Disilusionment & Post Traumatic Stress
As a Marine, Susannah was exposed to the harsh realities of war during two deployments in Afghanistan. She entered the military believing she could make a difference, but the devastating truths of conflict shattered her belief system, leaving her grappling with disillusionment, post-traumatic stress, and hypervigilance. She also witnessed her younger sister’s struggles with addiction, borderline personality disorder, and repeated suicide attempts, which deepened her sense of urgency to find a path toward healing.
Susannah’s journey shifted when she transitioned into the corporate world, where she encountered plant medicine through the Burning Man community. Despite initial fears and stigma, her first experience with LSD became a gateway to healing. Under its influence, she felt the interconnectedness of all life—an experience that opened her mind and heart to the possibilities of transformation.
The profound effects of that first trip ignited a drive for deeper exploration. Susannah worked with a range of plant medicines, including MDMA, psilocybin, ayahuasca, and Bufo. Each brought revelations, but it was Bufo—5-MeO-DMT—that initiated a life-altering ego death, pushing her to question her purpose and commit fully to her calling as a healer.
Plant medicine not only transformed Susannah’s life but also enabled her to help others, including her sister. After guiding her sister through two psilocybin ceremonies, Susannah witnessed an extraordinary shift. Her sister, who had once been trapped in darkness, began to embrace light and hope.
“After her journey, my sister—who had tried to end her life multiple times—looked at me and said, ‘For the first time, I choose life.’ It was the moment I knew she was finally free from the darkness that had consumed her.”
Inspired by these experiences, Susannah co-founded Metamorphosis Ventures, which has grown from a single retreat with nine participants to a full-fledged organization dedicated to combining ceremony, coaching, and community. Their approach, the Metamorphosis Method, emphasizes integration—ensuring that participants are supported in translating their psychedelic experiences into lasting change.
What led you to explore plant medicine as a healing modality?
Susannah: I started exploring plant medicine because I began noticing patterns of post-trauma in my own system and in my family. My time in the military, particularly during my deployments to Afghanistan, was a turning point.
I went into the Navy wanting to make a difference, but what I experienced in war caused me to question everything I thought I knew about life, religion, and even the existence of God.
Upon returning from my second deployment, I struggled with hypervigilance, nightmares, and a constant state of anxiety. At the same time, my younger sister was battling addiction and borderline personality disorder, which led to multiple suicide attempts. I realized there had to be another way to heal these invisible wounds. The traditional medical approach—pills and more pills—wasn’t working for me, and it certainly wasn’t working for my sister.
I knew I needed something different, something that could truly transform us on a deeper level.
How has your experience with plant medicine transformed your life?
Susannah: My experience with plant medicine has been nothing short of transformative. When I first tried LSD, I was terrified, like many people are, due to the stigma surrounding it. But my first trip was a profound experience—I felt a deep interconnectedness with the world around me. I saw myself as part of the earth, a living, breathing being connected to all things.
Over time, I worked with various plant medicines—LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, and Bufo—and each experience brought new insights. One of the most powerful moments was during a Bufo ceremony, where I experienced what felt like my own physical death. It forced me to confront everything about my life, my purpose, and the way I was living. That experience led me to realize that my true calling was to help others heal, to create space for people to transform from within.
Working with plant medicine gave me the tools to navigate my own trauma and ultimately led me to leave the corporate world to co-found Metamorphosis Ventures, where we now help facilitate human transformation through psychedelics.
How has this journey impacted your relationships, particularly with your sister and family?
This journey has had a profound impact on my relationships, especially with my sister.
After years of watching her struggle with addiction and suicidal tendencies, I knew plant medicine was the only way to help her.
I began serving her in ceremonial spaces, and after one particularly intense ceremony, she looked at me and said, “I choose life.” That moment was a turning point for both of us.
She stopped attempting suicide, and since then, we’ve been able to build a new kind of relationship—one rooted in healing, connection, and shared transformation. Plant medicine has also healed my family system as a whole. My mother, my team, and even our broader community have all experienced profound shifts.
We now have a deeper connection with each other and with the divine. I truly believe in decentralized spirituality and the power of individuals to heal themselves, because when we heal, we heal together.
Watch the full interview with Susannah Rose Stokes
About Normalize Psychedelics
Normalize Psychedelics is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working to transform public perception of psychedelic medicine through real stories of healing. Our mission is to collect 1,000 powerful testimonials from individuals whose lives have been transformed by psychedelic experiences. By sharing these authentic voices, we aim to reduce stigma, advance the conversation around mental health, and expand our understanding of wellness.
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