Journey Therapeutics Marriage & Family Therapy, Inc.

07/11/2025

🧠

Psychedelics for Chronic Pain: A New Threat to Big Pharma’s Opioid Revenues

💡Recent insights from Psychology Today highlight a growing body of evidence that psychedelics—such as psilocybin, L*D, ketamine, and ayahuasca—may reduce chronic pain and curb opioid dependency by reframing how the brain processes pain and emotional distress

While still in early clinical and observational phases, the implications are profound. As these non-pharmacological treatments gain regulatory approval, they may erode a slice of the opioid market, which currently underpins much of psychiatric and pain management pharmaceutical revenue.

Why it matters to investors and industry leaders:

The global pharmaceutical industry generated approximately $1.59 trillion in 2024 BioSpace. The U.S. market alone brought in about $639 billion in 2024, with a projected rise to over $1 trillion by 2033.

A growing preference for psychedelic-based pain therapies could reduce demand for opioid analgesics, threatening a crucial revenue stream currently supported by billions in annual sales.

The potential shift from traditionally prescribed opioids to approved psychedelic therapies may represent the next major disruption in the pain management space.

Read more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/some-assembly-required/202504/psychedelics-may-reduce-chronic-pain-and-related-opioid-use

Recent research indicates that the use of psychedelics has the potential to significantly reduce the experience of chronic pain, as well as associated substance use.

07/10/2025

🧠 Surprising—and promising—news from Indiana:
The Indiana House Public Health Committee recently approved a proposal to fund psilocybin research for mental health treatment. This marks a striking move in a traditionally conservative state, signaling a broader bipartisan shift toward science-based psychedelic research.

🔬 The testimony that moved lawmakers:
Caroline Hagedorn, an Indiana nurse suffering from severe, treatment-resistant OCD, described how psilocybin therapy transformed her life. She had once avoided parts of her home due to obsessive fears. After receiving guided psilocybin treatment, her symptoms diminished significantly (Indiana Capital Chronicle, 2024).

🧠 How it works:
Psilocybin affects the brain’s default mode network, which governs patterns of rumination, fear, and rigid thinking. By disrupting this network, a single psilocybin session under medical supervision can induce long-lasting neuroplastic changes, helping patients break out of dysfunctional mental loops (Carhart-Harris et al., 2012, PNAS).

💊 The FDA has designated psilocybin as a “Breakthrough Therapy” twice: once in 2018 for treatment-resistant depression and again in 2019 for major depressive disorder, due to its rapid and durable effects (FDA, 2019).

🎖️ Potential to reduce veteran su***des:
With U.S. veterans dying by su***de at more than 17 per day (VA, 2023), psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining attention as a viable intervention. Early-phase clinical trials suggest psilocybin may significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, depression, and suicidal ideation in veterans and first responders (Davis et al., 2021, JAMA Psychiatry).

📌 Why Indiana’s move matters:
This is not about legalization. It’s about rigorous research—offering hope to those for whom conventional treatments haven’t worked. It reflects a growing understanding that neuroscience and compassion can align even in the most unexpected places.

References:

Indiana Capital Chronicle (2024). Magic mushrooms or psilocybin research gets OK from House committee

Carhart-Harris, R. L., et al. (2012). Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. PNAS

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2023). Veteran Su***de Prevention Annual Report

Davis, A. K., et al. (2021). Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder. JAMA Psychiatry

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2019). FDA designates Psilocybin as Breakthrough Therapy

***dePrevention

07/08/2025

Why Is Psilocybin Still Illegal?

Psilocybin—the active compound in “magic mushrooms”—was made a Schedule I drug in 1970 under President Nixon’s Controlled Substances Act. This label means it supposedly has “no accepted medical use” and a high potential for abuse. But research today says otherwise.

Nixon’s War on Drugs wasn’t really about public health—it was about control. His aide, John Ehrlichman, later admitted: “We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or Black... but by getting the public to associate the hippies with ma*****na and Blacks with he**in, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities” (Baum, 2016).

Now, over 50 years later, psilocybin remains Schedule I—even though clinical trials show it may help treat depression, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety (Carhart-Harris et al., 2021; Davis et al., 2021).

Why is it still illegal? Powerful interests (aka drug companies), political inertia, and decades of stigma. But change is coming.

Lawmakers like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Dan Crenshaw, and Sens. Cory Booker and Ron Wyden, are pushing for psychedelic research funding and efforts to reschedule or decriminalize psilocybin at the federal level (S.514 / H.R.3684, 2023).

It’s time to move beyond outdated politics—and put science first.



Read more at these links:

https://journeytherapeuticsmarriageandfamilytherapy.com/psilocybin-and-mental-health/

Baum, D. (2016). Legalize It All. Harper’s Magazine. https://harpers.org/archive/2016/04/legalize-it-all/

Carhart-Harris, R. L., et al. (2021). Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression. NEJM, 384(15), 1402–1411. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032994

Davis, A. K., et al. (2021). Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(5), 481–489. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3285

U.S. Congress. (2023). Breakthrough Therapies Act (S.514/H.R.3684). https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/514

Psilocybin and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Guide Abstract Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms,” has emerged as a subject of increasing scientific interest due to its potential therapeutic applications in mental health treatment. Historically used in indigenous ritu...

07/04/2025

Did you know there is evidence of early indigenous use of mushrooms dating back to 1800 BC and perhaps even farther.

The use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms dates back thousands of years. Indigenous cultures in Mesoamerica, including the Aztecs and Mayans, used these mushrooms in religious ceremonies and healing practices (Carod-Artal, 2015). The Aztecs referred to them as teonanácatl, meaning "flesh of the gods," and consumed them to commune with spiritual entities and gain insights into the nature of existence. Spanish colonization suppressed indigenous psychedelic use, but rituals continued clandestinely.

Read more about the history and more here.

https://journeytherapeuticsmarriageandfamilytherapy.com/psilocybin-and-mental-health/

07/03/2025

Some of the news on the increased use of hallucinogens seems to be fearmongering, we would appreciate feedback on this analysis and your opinions.

🧠 Psilocybin Use Is Rising — Evidence vs. Alarm in Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine

Psilocybin use is increasing across the U.S. According to California Poison Control, ED visits related to hallucinogens rose 54% from 2016–2022 (source).

Some emergency physicians are expressing concern over “significant emergency issues” and citing a recent Ontario cohort study where patients with ED visits for hallucinogen-related harms had a 2.6x higher risk of mortality within 5 years (PMID: 38596023).

But what does the full picture show?

🧪 Clinical Evidence Tells a Different Story

Multiple randomized controlled trials show no significant adverse outcomes when psilocybin is used in supervised therapeutic settings:

JAMA Psychiatry (2020): Single-dose psilocybin for major depressive disorder led to rapid and sustained improvements (PMID: 33196702).

New England Journal of Medicine (2021): Psilocybin was as effective as escitalopram in treating depression, with a more favorable side-effect profile (PMID: 33882222).

Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016): In patients with cancer-related anxiety/depression, high-dose psilocybin led to long-term reductions in distress (PMID: 27909164).

Across these studies, no long-term psychiatric sequelae or increased mortality were observed.

🚨 About That Mortality Study

The Ontario study involved patients already in crisis — many with mental illness, polysubstance use, and social instability. This makes it a high-risk sample and not generalizable to either recreational users or clinical populations.

Even its authors note: “We cannot infer causality between hallucinogen exposure and death.”

🧬 Bottom Line for Clinicians

✅ Supervised psilocybin-assisted therapy is showing strong safety and efficacy for select psychiatric conditions.

❌ Broad claims tying psilocybin use to long-term mortality are unsupported outside of extreme clinical contexts like ED visits.

🔍 Media headlines often omit this nuance, which risks undermining public understanding and stigmatizing emerging treatments.

Let’s strive for evidence-informed discussions on psychedelics—grounded in clinical data, not fear-based extrapolation.

07/02/2025

🚀 Psychedelic Therapy for Veterans: FDA Progress & VA’s 11 Clinical Trials

"The VA is on the cutting edge of clinical research for Veteran health, including in the investigation of psychedelics for mental health." – Dr. Shereef Elnahal usamdt.com+3news.va.gov+3militarytimes.com+3

With 11 concurrent trials—combining M**A and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy—the VA is pioneering evidence-based treatment approaches for PTSD, depression, and alcohol use disorder in the Veteran community. While the FDA continues to scrutinize trial data and safety, federal leadership, including the Health Secretary, is increasingly open-minded. This reinforces a hopeful momentum: rigorous science, bipartisan support, and VA-led innovation may finally drive clinical breakthroughs in psychedelic therapies for those who've served.

👁 Background & FDA Context

• In June 2024, an FDA advisory committee voted 9–2 against approving M**A-assisted therapy for PTSD, citing data gaps and safety concerns community.the-hospitalist.org+14clinicaltrialvanguard.com+14prestigeveteranmctx.com+14time.com+5en.wikipedia.org+5usamdt.com+5.
• Following this, the FDA formally denied the NDA in August 2024 and requested another Phase 3 trial.
• Despite setbacks, the FDA Commissioner and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have recently expressed openness to further research into psychedelic-assisted treatments en.wikipedia.org+5barrons.com+5va.gov+5.
🏥 VA-Funded & VA-Run Clinical Trials
To date, the VA has sponsored 11 clinical trials (M**A and psilocybin-based) exploring PTSD, depression, alcohol use, and more in Veterans:
1. M**A + Psychotherapy (VA-funded) – Brown & Yale; Providence & West Haven VAs; randomized controlled trial for PTSD & alcohol use disorder. $1.5M over 5 years, enrolling FY 2025 clinicaltrialvanguard.com+15news.va.gov+15community.the-hospitalist.org+15.
2. Phase 2 M**A Trial – RCT underway; early findings: 86 % saw clinically meaningful benefits, and 71 % no longer met PTSD criteria community.the-hospitalist.org.
3–7. Seven VA-Participating Studies – All examining M**A and psilocybin efficacy and safety, currently in progress at various VA facilities usamdt.com.
8–11. Non-VA Pilot Studies at VA Sites – Smaller, investigator-led trials using VA space but funded externally on psychedelic psychotherapy in VA populations ma*****namoment.net+15news.va.gov+15usamdt.com+15.
(Note: Trials 3–7 are umbrella studies across multiple VA centers; trials 8–11 are investigator-initiated pilot projects.)
🗣 HHS Secretary’s Stance
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly backed psychedelic-assisted treatments, signaling a more supportive federal stance va.gov+8barrons.com+8ma*****namoment.net+8.

🔍 Why It Matters

• Veteran mental health crisis: PTSD affects ~29% of Veterans from recent conflicts.
• VA leadership supports innovation: Under Secretary Dr. Shereef Elnahal called VA “on the cutting edge” of psychedelic therapy research va.gov+3news.va.gov+3militarytimes.com+3.
• Legislative support is growing: The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act authorized DoD psychedelic research; Rep. Crenshaw and bipartisan groups have urged streamlined FDA guidance ma*****namoment.net+1dav.org+1.
https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-funds-first-study-on-psychedelic-assisted-therapy-for-veterans/

1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2024, June 13). VA funds first study on psychedelic-assisted therapy for Veterans. VA News. https://news.va.gov/press-room/va-funds-first-study-on-psychedelic-assisted-therapy-for-veterans/
2. USA Mobile Drug Testing. (2024, March 12). How is the VA study on psychedelic therapy progressing? https://usamdt.com/drug-news/how-is-the-va-study-on-psychedelic-therapy-progressing/
3. The Hospitalist. (2024, January 8). Veterans enroll in VA M**A and PTSD Phase 2 trial. https://community.the-hospitalist.org/content/veterans-enroll-va-mdma-and-ptsd-phase-2-trial
4. Barron’s. (2024, June 4). FDA panel rejects M**A therapy for PTSD, citing concerns. https://www.barrons.com/articles/atai-depression-drug-psychedelics-fda-ea2f1883
5. Ma*****na Moment. (2024, May 23). GOP Congressman pushes FDA to finalize psychedelics study guidance to expand research on benefits for veterans. https://www.ma*****namoment.net/gop-congressman-pushes-fda-to-finalize-psychedelics-study-guidance-to-expand-research-on-benefits-for-veterans/

A GOP congressman is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize guidance on conducting clinical trials into psychedelics to facilitate research, including investigations focusing on the potential benefits of substances such as M**A and psilocybin for military veterans. Rep. Dan Crensh...

07/01/2025

Transformative Healing with Journey Therapeutics

Are you ready to explore new dimensions of mental health healing and self-discovery? 🌟 At Journey Therapeutics Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc., we specialize in innovative approaches to mental health and wellness, offering ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psychedelic integration services.

While the use of psychedelics is not yet legal in California, we are here to support those seeking transformative experiences outside the state. Our mission is to provide compassionate guidance and integration services to help you harness the full potential of these powerful therapeutic experiences.

✨ Why choose Journey Therapeutics?

- Expertise in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for profound mental health breakthroughs.
- Tailored psychedelic integration support to ensure safe and meaningful experiences.
- A commitment to holistic, client-centered care for individuals and couples alike.
- Certified in Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute (IPI).

Let us be your partner on the path to healing, growth, and transformation. 🌈 Connect with us today to learn more about how we can support your journey toward wellness.

📩 Reach out to Journey Therapeutics Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc. to start your journey.

https://journeytherapeuticsmarriageandfamilytherapy.com/psychedelic-assisted-psychotherapy-2/

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is an exciting new (old) approach to treating some of the most resistant mental health issues we see in society today. Currently, only Ketamine is legal in all 50 states while Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy is beginning in 2025

07/01/2025

Did you know that University of California at San Francisco has 9 clinical trials either underway or planned? I know a lot of people in Nor Cal so please look at these and consider joining if you qualify.

🔬 Ongoing Trials (Open & Recruiting)

1. **Interaction of Psilocybin and Context in Healthy Volunteers**
– Healthy adults (21–70) in a 2×2 placebo vs 25 mg psilocybin, in varied set-and-setting contexts, to study how environment shapes psychedelic experience.
– Started Oct 2024, running through Nov 2028.

2. **Neural & Physiological Correlates of Psychedelic Sub-states**
– Healthy volunteers (21–70) receive four psilocybin doses in MRI, to map sub-state brain/body signals.
– Started July 2023, estimated completion Nov 2025.

3. **Pragmatic Psilocybin Trial in Palliative Care**
– Phase 2, triple‑blind RCT comparing psilocybin vs ketamine in demoralized adults at end-of-life.
– Began Jan 2025, planned completion Dec 2027.
4. Psilocybin Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
– Patients aged 25–70 get psilocybin plus therapy to assess pain coping improvements. Multi-site including UCSF.

5. **Psilocybin for Depression in Parkinson’s Disease**
– A two-dose RCT (low to 25 mg) with psychotherapy, neuroimaging and stimulation, enrolling 60 patients.
– Started Aug 2024, expected through June 2028.

6. **Psilocybin Therapy for Anorexia in Young Adults**
– Ages 18–25 with treatment-refractory anorexia receive two psilocybin doses with prep/integration.
– Open since ~Feb–Mar 2025.

7. **Psilocybin Therapy in Bipolar II Depression**
– An open-label pilot (n≈14) exploring safety/tolerability in BD II depression.
– Started Jan 2022, completion expected Jul 2025.

8. Psilocybin With Intracranial Neural Sensing
– Pilot exploring neural and cognitive effects using intracranial sensors (details limited).

9. Additional related studies include Psilocybin-assisted CBT for MDD and trials at UC-wide level.

Summary

• 9 ongoing psilocybin trials at UCSF, covering healthy volunteers, pain, depression (Parkinson’s, Bipolar II), anorexia, and end-of-life demoralization.

• Key published result: the Parkinson’s pilot study shows sustained multi-domain improvements, published April 2025.

Most information can be found at

Do you qualify for these Psilocybin studies? We offer 6 options.

06/26/2025

Debbie and I just wrapped up an extraordinary week at Psychedelic Science 2025: The Integration in Denver—a powerful gathering of ~4,000 scientists, therapists, advocates, and cultural leaders, hosted by MAPS. This year’s theme reflected the field’s sober evolution: fewer attendees than 2023, but deeper, more reflective conversations on healing, policy, and equity.

🎤 Highlights from two standout speakers Debbie and I got the pleasure of attending.

Bessel van der Kolk—renowned trauma expert and author of The Body Keeps the Score—delivered a compelling keynote grounded in trauma-informed care. He emphasized the urgent need to integrate psychedelic-assisted therapies within mental health systems to address deep-seated traumas that conventional treatments struggle to reach.
Paul Stamets, celebrated mycologist behind “Stamets Stack,” shared groundbreaking insights into fungal medicine. He highlighted research showing that psilocybin and L*D can promote synaptogenesis at magnitudes far beyond SSRIs, with implications for treating addiction and depression. He also pointed to immune and anti-inflammatory benefits tied to mushroom blends like lion’s mane and Agarikon—work he’s actively advancing.

🏛 Broader conference takeaways

• Colorado Governor Jared Polis used the platform to announce pardons for individuals convicted of psilocybin possession—a bold step toward restorative justice. Just after the conference we saw that he followed through with this promise.
• Panels explored psychedelic churches, Indigenous stewardship, climate justice, and the regulatory frameworks supporting safe, equitable access.
• The expo hall buzzed with 700+ booths, weaving together clinical research, plant medicine, art, culture—and yes, whimsy, from mushroom hats to ambient techno nights.

🌐 Why it matters

Psychedelic Science 2025 wasn’t just a conference—it was a turning point. Between the rich scientific content, policy shifts, and cultural reframing, it marked a maturing movement deeply committed to integration, equity, and evidence. As van der Kolk put it, this is about healing trauma at scale. As Stamets affirmed, this is about unlocking new neural pathways toward recovery and resilience.
💡 What’s next
• Expect more clinical trials, deeper integration into trauma therapy, and mushroom-based innovations in mental and immune health.
• As policy evolves, restorative justice efforts may become models beyond Colorado.
• The integration of Indigenous wisdom and ethical stewardship will reshape how psychedelics are administered and normalized.
Feeling energized and hopeful for what comes next. Grateful to everyone—speakers, attendees, organizers—for co-creating this pivotal moment in psychedelic science.
https://www.psychedelicscience.org/

Join MAPS in Denver at the Colorado Convention Center for the 4th edition Psychedelic Science, the definitive event of the psychedelic renaissance.

06/26/2025

At Journey Therapeutics Marriage & Family Therapy, our mission is rooted in compassion, innovation, and evidence-based approaches. It’s been inspiring to watch the field of psychedelic-integrated therapy evolve—and today, we’re particularly encouraged by recent milestones in psilocybin research.
A recent Phase 2 trial published in CANCER found that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, paired with psychotherapy, brought long-lasting relief from depression and anxiety in cancer patients—with effects sustained over two years in about half of participants heraldsun.com.au+10sciencedaily.com+10eurekalert.org+10. Equally promising, a report from the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference highlighted five-year follow-up data on major depressive disorder, showing 67 % remission rates after just one psilocybin-assisted session globenewswire.com+1nypost.com+1.
These findings reinforce what we’ve long believed at Journey: deep, meaningful transformation can occur through integrative, supported therapeutic experiences.
As families wrestle with the long-term emotional impact of illness, grief, trauma, or relational stress, psilocybin-assisted therapy holds the potential to redefine healing models—especially when grounded in expert, trauma-sensitive care.
🔹 At Journey Therapeutics, we stay abreast of cutting-edge clinical developments and advocate for safe, regulated pathways to integrate these tools as they achieve medical endorsement.
🔹 We're proud to support ongoing research and are energized by strides in regulatory support, safety protocols, and training standards for psychedelic-assisted practices.
If you’re curious about how psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may intersect with marriage and family therapy—whether for trauma, grief, life transitions, or existential distress—we are here to talk through what this evolving frontier might look like in real-world clinical settings.
Learn more about Journey Therapeutics and our holistic, client-centered approach at: https://journeytherapeuticsmarriageandfamilytherapy.com/

“If you are experiencing a mental health emergency please dial 911 or go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department. See our Resources page for additional information and hotlines. You are not alone, help is available.” Journey Therapeutics Marriage & Family Therapy, Inc. A Holistic and Natura...

04/05/2025

Many people are unaware of the use of Ketamine to help with some mental health issues, we put together a brief summary called "Ketamine and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Guide" at the bottom of the Ketamine page. Take a look and let me know what you think.

Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy KAP is a holistic modality in which ketamine is used as a complement to psychotherapy to help eligible patients experience more frequent breakthroughs and sustained improvement in symptoms.