Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

the exploration of consciousness and self actualization

Psychedelic-assisted therapy involves the use of psychedelic substances in conjunction with psychotherapy to facilitate therapeutic experiences and promote psychological healing.

The goal is to enhance the effectiveness of traditional psychotherapy by leveraging the unique properties of psychedelics to induce altered states of consciousness, leading to increased introspection, emotional release, and potentially transformative insights.

Benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy

There is immense potential with Ketamine for patients who are depressed, anxious and suffering from PTSD. MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapy is promising because these medicines have other potentials that Ketamine may not offer.

Ketamine soothes the brain stem and amygdala and works on the NMDA receptor system. Ketamine is a medicine that soothes the nervous system and stimulates insight and spiritual awakenings. Psilocybin works on the 5HT2A receptor sites and the “default mode network”. MDMA also works in the 5HT2A receptor sites but also involves other neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and serotonin. Both of these substances create opportunities for deep insights and curiosity. The mystical and visionary experience with high doses highly correlates to patients gaining a greater meaning to their suffering. With appropriate assistance from a mental health provider trained specifically in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, the client may gain significant relief from trauma, depression, and anxiety.

Sunny Strasburg, LMFT is certified in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy

She has received training in psilocybin therapy, MDMA, and ketamine therapy. She also serves as a consultant for licensed practitioners and has given presentations for various organizations in the field of trauma and therapy. Mrs Strasburg is a graduate of the Pacifica Graduate Institute and the California Institute of Integral Studies; she holds certifications in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and Research. She has also completed training in Ketamine, MDMA through MAPS, and Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapies through Synthesis Institute and Compass Pathways.

What to expect during psychedelic-assisted therapy

✦ Guided Sessions: Psychedelic-assisted therapy sessions are conducted in a controlled and supportive environment, often with trained therapists or facilitators. These professionals guide the individual through the psychedelic experience, providing emotional support and facilitating exploration of thoughts and emotions.

✦ Music: Music guided experiences are an integral part of therapy with psychedelics. The mind and body are more sensitive to music so it’s important to listen to music created specifically for the protocols. Using certain keys, scales, modes, tempo, and sequence is essential for guided psychotherapy with psychedelics. The combination of organic instruments, virtual instruments, analog synths, and nature sounds is used to balance the mind for a harmonious journey. Brain entrainment using binaural beats is also used, which in this study, shows that using binaural beats can calm the mind and guide the patient to a relaxing state of mind.

✦ Meditations: The meditations and invocations are designed to enhance and supplement psychedelic journeys. Each meditation presents an opportunity for deeper introspection and self-reflection in support of personal growth.

You can get even more out of your ketamine therapy sessions by listening to the meditations between sessions. This will help you reflect on and process your experiences during your sessions. I have written and recorded meditations with music by composer David Starfire that cover a broad spectrum of topics. 

✦ Integration: The integration phase is a crucial aspect of psychedelic-assisted therapy. It involves processing and making sense of the experiences during the psychedelic session. Therapists help individuals integrate insights gained from the altered state into their daily lives, fostering long-term positive changes.

A Deeper look into psychedelic-Assisted therapy

In the lecture, “How Do Psychedelics Work in the Brain?” from the Breaking Convention Convention in 2013, research using fMRI presented by Robin Carhart-Harris and others asserts the classical psychedelics, such as psilocybin, down regulate the default mode network and creates new, expansive ways of self reflection. The posterior cingulate cortex is the central controller of the brain for global brain function and relates to sense of self. The higher the client reports disintegration of ego, the more down regulated the default mode network and posterior cingulate cortex. In the study by Roland Griffiths et al, Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial according to one of the researchers, William Richards, mystical experiences correlated to higher dose, i.e; “Becoming the Divine”, rather than the lower dose, visionary experience,“ Being at the foot of the Divine in awe”. This tends to induce a sense of meaning to the suffering that accompanies cancer. I suspect the same would apply to any kind of suffering, including that which accompanies complex and single episode PTSD.

In addition to psilocybin, in the study, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD; study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials, and additionally by the live trainings at MAPS Part B by Annie and Michael Mithoefer details the reduction of distress from PTSD in MDMA assisted therapy sessions. A fascinating lecture offered by Dr. Ben Sessa from the Psychedelic Science 2017 conference titled, MDMA Therapy- A Child Psychiatrist’s Perspective spoke about how childhood trauma creates a heightened fear response. Dr. Sessa asserts that MDMA is the antithesis of trauma, soothing the amygdala and creating insight. He is currently studying the use of MDMA in the treatment of addiction through the lens of treating the underlying childhood trauma which drove the addiction in the first place. Studies are published almost daily about the positive impact psychedelics have on mental health.

Frequently asked questions

  • Legal restrictions in the United States exist outside of the narrow availability of use in Phase 3 FDA trials. Some states and cities have decriminalized the use of plant medicines. Llegal underground use is not recommended not only because there are potential criminal and legal consequences, but additionally, many “guides” offering these options are not psychologically trained to pre-screen inappropriate candidates, support people if trauma comes up while under the influence of these substances, nor able to help clients integrate what occurred during the journey.

    Psychedelic medicines may be used in other countries, like Costa Rica, Jamaica, and the Netherlands.

  • Ketamine is already established as a remarkably safe anesthetic. It is listed as an essential medicine by the World Health Organization. a growing body of research and practice is showing great promise for the mental health-enhancing effects of sub-anesthetic Ketamine alone. Additionally, with psychological and ritual support, the pharmacological benefit can expand greatly. What is referred to as the “psycholytic dose” (low dose so the patient can usually talk during the experience) or “shamanic dose” (mid-dose where the body is relaxed and the journeyer feels as if their mind is lucid and out of body) enables powerful psychedelic exploration and integration.

    Ketamine is a legal prescription drug (Schedule 3) in the USA used off-label to treat diagnoses such as PTSD, anxiety and depression. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is supported by integration, and individual and group therapeutic processing utilizing the techniques of EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Ego State, healing of patterns of attachment as well as Jungian archetypal psychology.

  • Psychedelic therapy is typically conducted in a supportive and controlled environment under the guidance of trained therapists. The sessions may involve the administration of a psychedelic substance, and patients are encouraged to explore their thoughts and emotions.

  • Research suggests that psychedelic therapy may be effective in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and existential distress in patients with life-threatening illnesses. Ongoing research is exploring additional applications.

  • Sessions can vary in duration but often last several hours. The length allows individuals to explore their experiences deeply. Integration sessions, which involve discussing and processing the psychedelic experience, are typically conducted in the days or weeks following the session.

Videos & Podcasts

Sunny Strasburg is recognized as a thought leader in psychedelic assisted therapy, offering valuable insights and contributing to the advancement of this innovative approach to mental health treatment.