Intro to Therapeutic Uses of Psychedelics

Over the past decade, interest in psychedelic medications and psychedelic plant and fungal medicines has steadily increased, as has their use in a growing number of clinical settings. While many of these substances are illegal in the United States, some are currently being researched for their potential benefit in mental healthcare and at end of life.

The Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine has created this psychedelic course to give clinicians a broad overview of this topic and the current state-of-affairs. This is not a primer on how to prescribe or recommend psychedelic substances. This course will cover a variety of psychedelic substances that have been and/or are currently being investigated for their potential therapeutic value.

Course objectives:

Describe the historical and cultural origins of psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine, and ayahuasca.
Define the potential mechanisms of action of psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, ibogaine, and ayahuasca.
Review the clinical evidence for effectiveness of MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, ibogaine, and ayahuasca for mental health issues and end of life care.
Describe the legality (including experimental use) of psychedelic medicines and substances, including MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, ibogaine, and ayahuasca in the US.
Review the role of set and setting, integration and the critical window theory within the context of therapeutic psychedelics.