The concept for the camp first came to me at the 2019 burn. I had recently decided to leave the world of marketing behind and become a psychedelic therapist. I shared with a friend that I thought it would be fun to provide counseling at Burning Man. I told her that I would call the camp Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (MYSTTS). Then life intervened, COVID happened, I didn’t know where to start, and the idea got tabled.

In late 2024, that spark of an idea came to life when my dear friend Alannah, aka Grandma, gave me the courage to start the camp. I just needed one person to believe in my vision, and she provided that in spades. I knew I couldn’t make this camp a reality without other people who were aligned with what the idea of a counseling camp. So one of my first steps in forming the camp was asking Alannah if she would be my co-lead, which she graciously accepted.

In the spring of 2025, a few weeks before I found out that our camp application had been accepted, I met Richard, aka Precious. He was nearing his 40th birthday and wanted to celebrate this milestone at the burn. During our second conversation, he offered to help me solve my power problem by bringing a solar array and answer my transportation questions by letting me borrow his trailer. He also became instrumental in solving all of my building challenges by bringing his patience, expertise, and So. Many. Tools.

And that was how our leadership team was formed.

Like many of our neighbors, when the windstorm blew through our camp on Saturday, August 23, 2025, 90% of our infrastructure was damaged or outright destroyed in just a couple of hours. I was devastated. I had selected, created, sewn, and packed every inch of the camp infrastructure. It felt personal, and initially, I was too heartbroken to think about how to rebuild. But my campmates rallied around me, and we rebuilt. As a result, we were able to provide the support to our fellow burners that we had committed to.

As we go into our second year, I have reflected and come to understand that this camp is the deepest expression of love for me. I get to take people I deeply care about and love to a place I love to do the things I love. It is with deep humility and joy that I get to not only help my fellow burners navigate a sometimes difficult emotional landscape, but also lead a group of people dedicated to the same vision.

With love,

Rae, aka Poppins