Severance and Psychedelic Therapy: Reintegration vs Integration

This is a fantastic write-up from MAPS that I wanted to share here.

Hi friend,

With the rise in popularity of Apple TV’s Severance, we couldn’t help but notice the striking parallels between the show’s concept of reintegration and the very real process of integration within the psychedelic community and psychedelic-assisted therapy. While Severance explores the unsettling and often traumatic experience of merging two artificially separated selves, psychedelic integration is about consciously weaving insights from altered states into everyday life for healing and growth. The show raises fascinating questions about memory, identity, and selfhood — questions that also arise in the psychedelic experience. Let’s dive into the connections.

Reintegration in Severance

In Severance, reintegration is the process of undoing the effects of the severance procedure, which splits a person’s consciousness into two separate existences: the “innie” (work self) and the “outie” (personal life self). When reintegration happens, the walls between these selves break down, and the person must reconcile the memories, emotions, and experiences of both identities into one continuous self. This process is often traumatic because the “innie” suddenly gains access to a lifetime of memories, responsibilities, and emotions they were never prepared for. It raises deep questions about selfhood, consent, work/life balance, and whether a person is still the same when fragmented parts are forced back together.

Integration in Psychedelics and Psychedelic Assisted-Therapy

Psychedelic integration is the process of making sense of and incorporating the insights, emotions, and experiences gained during a psychedelic experience into one’s everyday life. The goal is to bridge altered states of consciousness with a person’s usual waking self, allowing for personal growth, healing, and a deeper understanding of one’s past and present. For psychedelic integration to not be jarring like the reintegration depicted in Severance, one must approach it with intention and care, have an adequate support system, and be supported by therapy or reflection. The key challenge in both cases is merging seemingly separate identities or perspectives without losing the core sense of self.

The Parallels and Differences Between Reintegration and Integration

• Memory and Identity: Both deal with memory as a crucial part of selfhood. In Severance, reintegration floods the subject with suppressed memories, whereas psychedelic therapy often helps people uncover and process buried memories or past emotions.

• Fragmentation and Wholeness: Severance portrays reintegration as a literal unification of two artificially separated selves, while psychedelic integration is about synthesizing different perspectives on one’s life, often leading to a greater sense of wholeness.

• Trauma and Discomfort: Reintegration in Severance is shown as painful and overwhelming, similar to how some people struggle with the intensity of psychedelic experiences when they bring up unresolved trauma. Both require careful handling to avoid psychological distress.

• Agency and Consent: In psychedelic-assisted therapy, integration is usually done with full agency and choice, whereas in Severance, reintegration is often forced upon the subject, making it feel more like an existential shock rather than a healing journey.

Now, imagine if the Severance universe had an integration therapy for reintegrated Lumon employees; it might involve helping them process their two lives, much like how psychedelic integration helps people make sense of altered states of consciousness.

Helping to integrate your innie with your outie,

Kevin Cranford, Jr.Communications Officer

P.S. Want more integration? Bring your innie and your outie to Psychedelic Science 2025: The Integration, June 16-20 in Denver, Colorado. 

Check Out MAPS Integration Resources!