Researchers just published the first review of research on how MDMA and psilocybin interact with other drugs. This is very important work as these drugs begin to have more and more use by the public and as they are likely to soon begin to be part of legal clinical practice. Here’s a link to the paper if you want to read through all the details. What’s the takeaway? The big one is that there isn’t a lot of good research, especially with people other than young, healthy adults. So, perhaps the biggest takeaway is that mixing MDMA and psilocybin with other drugs usually involves, at best, educate ..read more

As therapists, we depend on our clients to honestly share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with us so we can be of help to them. Yet, for a variety of reasons clients may not always feel able to be forthcoming with their therapists. While not all information may be relevant in therapy, if clients conceal particularly painful or central events in their past, they may ultimately feel less understood by and connected to their therapist, treatment plans may be incomplete or off track, and therapeutic progress may be negatively affected. We recently published a study (Lear, Luoma, & Ch ..read more

This blog post is a summary of the video “The Right to Drink of Ayahuasca in America: Current Status & What’s Next” from Sacred Plants in the Americas II, a virtual psychedelic summit by Chacruna. The speakers in the video are attorneys Martha Hartney and Sean McAllister. Martha Hartney is based in Colorado Therapies & Research Program, has published and presented on the art and science of death and dying, and is a member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. Sean McAllister is a member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants, a drug policy reform ..read more

Portland Psychotherapy joined with a team at OSU led by Dr. Alan Davis to conduct a survey of 366 psychologists from the U.S. about their attitudes and beliefs toward psychedelics. Here are the highlights: Our results show that stigma and misinformation about psychedelics persists among a sizable minority of psychologists. 21% of the surveyed psychologists said they would be “very” or “extremely” concerned about the safety of a client who just reported a psilocybin mushroom experience they perceived as therapeutic and transformative. 16% indicated that they wouldn’t believe this person’s repor ..read more

Altered States of Context is a new podcast about psychedelics and psychotherapy hosted by Nathan Gates and Brian Pilecki. Altered States of Context explores the uncertain fit between a medicalized view of individual mental illness and a psychedelic view of suffering and change, and explores the many possibilities, opportunities, and pitfalls that emerge from this union. Podcast guests include leaders within the field of psychedelic medicine who bring their expertise and perspective to help understand the past, present, and future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Whether you are new to psychede ..read more

On May 28th, 2021, Portland Psychotherapy hosted a moderated panel discussion with leading advocates, psychedelic therapy researchers, and psychedelic therapist training providers on creating legal, equitable access to psilocybin therapy in Oregon after the passing of Measure-109. Presenters gave an update on the status of the Oregon Psilocybin initiative, particularly as it relates to the training of facilitators, and discussed ways that local therapists can get training in the practice of psilocybin-assisted therapy. Watch the recording below. The post Psilocybin Therapy and Mental Health ..read more

Psychedelics are growing more popular for treating mental health problems and public demand for integration services is growing in sync with this demand. Many therapists have begun offering psychedelic integration therapy for clients who are already using or experimenting with psychedelics, but also have questions about legal and ethical risks involved in doing this kind of work. Psychedelic integration work is a relatively new practice and guidelines are still developing. Practicing in any new areas entail risk, so it’s important to think about how to manage it. A common question is, “What wi ..read more

Measure 109 in Oregon was recently approved by voters, making Oregon the very first state in the U.S.A. to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy. While many are eager to begin providing or receiving this breakthrough service, psilocybin-assisted therapy will not be officially available until sometime in 2023. This is because the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will be in charge of creating a program that establishes training requirements for facilitators and suppliers which will begin in January of 2021. It will take two full years to implement before psilocybin-assisted therapy is available. Whe ..read more

In recent years, psychedelics have reemerged as a popular topic in cultural, political, and scientific discourse. From Michael Pollen’s best-selling book How To Change Your Mind to legalizing psilocybin-assisted therapy through Measure 109 in Oregon, people are curious about how and why these substances may be powerful tools in psychological healing. Additional data, especially on common problems like depression, is particularly important as psilocybin therapy starts to become more widely used.  Until now, psilocybin therapy for depression has never been studied in randomized clinical tri ..read more

You may have noticed that the buzz around psychedelic assisted therapy has grown by leaps and bounds within the last several years. Many therapists are eager to become involved in this newer form of mental health treatment, though psychedelics remain largely illegal. Using a harm reduction approach, some therapists have begun to incorporate client’s personal use of psychedelics into therapy by offering a safe space to prepare for or integrate psychedelic experiences. However, many therapists may be cautious to practice in this area due lack of clarity about potential risks for themselves. Here ..read more