08/16/2022
Generally speaking, this is my personal opinion of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
As a note, although not actually a psychedelic drug, this opinion is also true of ketatime-assisted psychotherapy because the effect outlined below is also true for ketamine.
By the time we are adults, we are all programmed with a narrative of life. In a general sense, most of us have the “American Dream” narrative. College, marriage, children, career, 2 cars, 401k, etc. We mostly live our lives unconsciously in pursuit of that narrative as if it’s TRUE. Living as if it’s TRUE often causes enormous suffering. Either our lives don’t align with the narrative, or some inner voice is telling us that that narrative doesn’t fit for us. But as long as we think the narrative is TRUE, we have no choice but to live it or pursue it, no matter how much suffering we experience.
The first thing to consider is that the “American Dream” narrative is not TRUE. There is no truth to what life is supposed to look like.
What psychedelics often allow is a venue to experience the truth that there is no TRUTH. It allows the ego, fear, and current narratives to disappear for a while, which creates a realm of possibility for the creation of new paradigms or narratives. This same effect can also happen when one’s life “falls apart” from trying to maintain a narrative that either is not working externally or internally. When all coping mechanisms fail we are often forced into painful consciousness, left with an opportunity to question all we thought was TRUE.
Psychedelics can be a much more gentle and pleasant way to experience that realm of “nothing-ness”. But they are not in and of themselves enough. With that new consciousness or truth, it is still an incredible challenge to create a new narrative while living in a world so tied to the consensus narrative.
It requires enormous courage. Not to mention a protocol that acknowledges it’s necessity.
The problem I have with the current “therapeutic” use of psychedelics is that they generally offer the initial “narrative clearing experience”, but not facilitation of the work required after that. What that may mean is that we end up creating a lot more recreational drug users. Since the follow-up work isn’t often being done, psychedelics may just become another “escape” or coping mechanism. The "drug sessions" of psychedelic-assisted therapy are financially lucrative, often costing around $5000 for 5 or 6 sessions. The follow-up therapy not so much, so it is often not part of the protocol.
So if you’re interested in psychedelic-assisted therapy, just make sure you consider that the psychedelics are NOT THE THERAPY. What they may do is create a realm of possibility for therapy to happen. Right now people that are suffering are looking to them as a “magic pill”. They are not that. They are but a possible doorway (not the only one) to the beginning of your freedom.
My hope is that whatever door you choose… you choose one.
Peace,
