Psychedelic Psychotherapy

In this talk, we'll cover the promise, practice, and pitfalls of conducting psychotherapy with psychedelic medicines such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine. (1) We'll cover the key findings in scientific research in psychedelic science in the last fifteen years. We'll discuss the broad implications of this new paradigm for the treatment of depression, suicidality, anxiety, trauma, etc. (2) We'll discuss the various approaches to psychedelic psychotherapy, with a focus on the role of the clinician, pathways of healing, and spiritual and mystical experience. (3) We'll outline common pitfalls, from the complications of “integration” to the “therapeutic bends,” and we will also critique the influence of money and ownership in psychedelic practice.