Psychedelics
Preemptive disclaimer: I cannot & do not assist clients to access illegal substances, nor can I connect clients with those who do. As a licensed mental health clinician, I abide by all relevant laws and statutes concerning the use of substances.
Mental health treatment is in the midst of a revolution thanks to the “rediscovery” and increasing availability of a class of medicines known as psychedelics. Decades from now, we’ll look back on the criminalization of these medicines as one of the biggest mistakes in the history of mental health. Unfortunately, making psychedelics unavailable for research and treatment was just one of many failures of the War on Drugs.
There is a ton of information available about psychedelics, but for me the bottom line is that these medicines (e.g., LSD, MDMA and psilocybin) are plant-derived, non-toxic in their pure forms, and effective in treating a variety of psychological, emotional and spiritual problems.
Ultimately, my goal as a therapist is to combine my work with couples with the use of MDMA - but the legal frameworks are not yet in place to support this type of work. Happily, the FDA recently announced its intention to make both MDMA and psilocybin available for medical use within two years.
Psychedelics are not a panacea, and care must be taken with their use. Available research makes clear that the proper “set and setting” - i.e., mindset, intention and environment - are essential ingredients for a productive psychedelic experience. Nor are psychedelics appropriate for every individual - medical and psychiatric contraindications may be present and should be respected.
Services I Offer
Therapy is helpful prior to a psychedelic experience, known as “preparation.” This consists of identifying appropriate goals, managing expectations, reducing the risk of harm and making a plan to enhance safety. Preparation typically lasts for one to three sessions.
After the medicinal experience, therapy can be useful for “integration” - making sense of what the psychedelic experience revealed or uncovered, and figuring out how to integrate this wisdom into daily life. Like preparation, integration may last up to three sessions.
For both preparation & integration, I use a style of therapy known as Internal Family Systems (IFS). Within the psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy community, the processes of preparation and integration are understood to be as important as the use of the medicine itself. I have found this to be true in my own experiences with psychedelics.
Services I Do Not Offer
I do not & cannot assist individuals seeking to access psychedelic medicines - this is illegal. Further, I do not & cannot make connections between clients and individuals who sell or use these medicines - also illegal.
I do not offer services as a psychedelic guide or trip sitter.
Harm Reduction Resources
MAPS - the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies - offers this page of information about the safe and effective use of psychedelic medicines.
The Fireside Project is an excellent, free peer-to-peer psychedelic support hotline. Their web page also has great resources about how to make the best use of psychedelic medicines.