Introducing Stephanie: Co-founder and Chief at Fungki

Hello there, welcome to Fungki! If you have found your way to our little corner of the internet, it means you have made the decision, or will soon make it, to give yourself a well-deserved boost of energy, productivity, creativity, and joy. Congratulations! This is the first of many inspiring and informative articles that will revolve around the practice of microdosing. Stay tuned for tips, tricks, stories, news, and information about all Fungki products.

We are starting off with a very special introduction. Allow us to introduce Stephanie Brugman: the co-founder and chief of Fungki! It was Stephanie’s personal journey that inspired the launch of Fungki, making it an integral part of our organization. Read all about her story below.

A Professional Shift

Stephanie was born in the Dutch province of Twente in 1989. As a true country girl, she dedicated a significant portion of her young adult life to competing in equestrian show jumping, embracing a life of discipline and good health. In addition to her demanding athletic pursuits, Stephanie pursued studies at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Dutch Law.

When Stephanie’s time as a professional athlete came to an end, she realized that a career in law, which seemed like the logical next step in her life, was not actually her aspiration. She said, “Law studies always played a secondary role in my life, so when the time came to retire from my equestrian career, I realized it just wasn’t me.” Instead, drawing upon her extensive knowledge of physical therapy and health, she took the opportunity to delve into the field of Integrative Nutrition. This study became a catalyst for significant changes in Stephanie’s life as she began educating herself about more holistic forms of healing. It was during this time that she met Nak, a devoted student of Andino Amazonian plant medicine and Shamanism from Peru, who would become both a dear friend and mentor.

One Month Off the Grid

“I was still grieving the loss of an all-encompassing career in sports and felt quite lost. That sense of emptiness grew into a strong desire to explore and discover more of the world. So, when I met Nak, who now leads our plant-knowledge department, I was immediately convinced to follow him to the Peruvian Amazon. This trip introduced me to the boundless potential of plant medicine, and it eventually laid the foundations for Fungki as a brand and a company!

I spent a total of two months living completely off the grid, side by side with the Shipibo tribes in the dense Peruvian jungle. During that time, I had no phone, no connection to the outside world, and adhered to a diet of indigenous plants, known as ‘dietta.’ Nak introduced me to the Shaman masters, the spiritual leaders of the tribe, whom he had been studying under for many years. I cannot begin to express the impact their ceremonies and knowledge had on my life. To this day, it remains one of my most cherished experiences.”

A New Practice

Upon returning to the Netherlands, Stephanie felt determined to build upon the teachings she encountered in Peru. “These experiences were truly life-changing and made me realize that I wanted to share this knowledge with the world. I began educating myself about various aspects of holistic healing, including therapeutic truffle ceremonies, microdosing, transformational breathwork, and other forms of bodywork. Eventually, I decided to establish my own practice in Amsterdam.

People approach me with a range of reasons and symptoms, with stress and trauma being the most common. I adopt a holistic, yet straightforward approach to healing, focusing on bodywork such as transformational breathwork and reiki.