psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy

 

 

Last summer while I was attending a writing workshop at Omega Institute, a MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) group was also on campus for the week, so I had the opportunity to speak to a number of psychiatrists and therapists who are beginning to integrate the use of psychedelics into their practices. 

"With psychedelics, 

if you’re fortunate and break through, 

you understand what is truly of value in life.

 Material, power, dominance, and territory 

have no value. 

People wouldn’t fight wars, 

and the whole system we have currently 

would fall apart. 

People would become peaceful, loving citizens, 

not robots marching around in the dark 

with all their lights off.”

~Gary Fisher~

I especially like the part about no more wars.

The therapeutic use of psychedelic substances, including LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA ("ecstasy") to modulate certain aspects of consciousness has attracted renewed interest and enthusiasm in recent years. Clinical investigations have targeted depression and anxiety, alcoholism and other addictive disorders, and PTSD, among others, with unprecedented success. LSD has demonstrated palliative effects on the anxiety, fear, and dread experienced by patients with terminal illness as they approach death. Many people experience a mystical or spiritual awakening that leaves them calmer, gentler, and more loving. And it sticks. As long as it's done correctly.

"Patients reported that their psychedelic sessions

 were an invaluable experiential training for dying.”

~Stanislav Grof~

The problem is that research into the use of psychedelics has a stormy history. Research protocols are notoriously difficult to design and to control when the end-point is subjective. Because these drugs are illegal, they are difficult to procure. And there are reports of adverse experiences. Entire departments have been shut down out of fear that their work may be more harmful than helpful. This has forced dedicated scientists and doctors to continue their research underground, jeopardizing their reputations and the results of their studies. 

"By banning psychedelic research 

we have not only given up the study 

of an interesting drug or group of substances, 

but also abandoned 

one of the most promising approaches 

to the understanding 

of the human mind and consciousness.”

~Stanislav Grof~

From those clandestine efforts, however, there eventually emerged a systematic plan and therapeutic process that addressed some of the concerns raised by the naysayers. A code of ethics emerged, and a charter was established. Questionnaires were developed, and guidelines for therapists were published. With this new sense of order and accountability, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is finding its way into mainstream practice...although it has a long way to go.

The history of psychedelic use in psychotherapy is fascinating, and it spans many decades. If you read up on it, you'll encounter names you may recognize but not associate with psychology or scientific studies: Aldous Huxley, Andrew Weil, Allen Ginsberg, Walt Whitman, Ken Kesey, and of course, Ram Dass and Timothy Leary...names we associate with literature, art, and the search for enlightenment, all of them curious about consciousness and creativity. 

Experts in the field and proponents of the practice suggest that it provides a new perspective on consciousness and the role of the ego in accessing memory, emotional response, and learning. Its potential is literally mind-boggling. If you'd like to know more, I recommend you start with this book:

Or, you can attend the largest gathering of psychedelic researchers and practitioners ever assembled next summer in Denver at the 2023 Psychedelic Science Conference: https://maps.org/

Seriously...I'm thinking about it.

jan