113. Psychedelics and Therapy (with Ben Hearn, LPCC-S)

Explicit content warning

07/04/22 • 88 min

Consciousness-altering psychedelic drugs have shown tremendous promise in mental health treatment. The future of psychedelic-assisted therapy is uncertain, but one thing seems clear: the psychedelics are for the client, not the therapist. Today’s guest Matthew shares his peculiar experience with a not-quite-levelheaded therapist, and Ben Hearn joins us to discuss everything you ever wanted to know about this emerging pathway to psychological healing.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today’s episode is sponsored by The Organized Therapist – Social Media for Therapists and Empifany (Instagram / Facebook).

Introduction: 0:00 – 3:57

Part One: 3:57 – 35:46

Part Two: 35:46 – 1:26:38

Part Three: 1:26:38 – 1:28:06

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Show Notes:

Introduction: 0:00 – 3:57

Part One: 3:57 – 35:46

Part Two: 35:46 – 1:26:38

Part Three: 1:26:38 – 1:28:06

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

Previous Episode

112. Patreon Selects: Desperate Remedies for Mental Illness

Dr. Andrew Scull is the Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, at UCSD. He has written extensively about the history of psychiatry and the treatment of madness. We discuss why it seems like the more you know about mental illness, the less clear things become. We also explore myths about biology and neuroscience, the likelihood of a clear solution for improving psychotherapy, and the politics that have shaped our mental healthcare systems.

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community.

Join our charity drive! We are matching up to $6,000 of your donations to the world’s most effective charities. To contribute, visit GiveWell.org and use the fundraising code VBT.

Introduction: 0:00 – 5:18

Part One: 5:18 – 1:07:11

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes:

Andrew Scull: UCSD Bio / Amazon Page
Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness

Next Episode

114. Patreon Selects: An Actor, a Sommelier, and a Poker Player Walk Into a Bar

Carrie and Ben are joined by friend of the podcast Rachel Bennett to talk about how their past careers have shaped their identities as therapists. Topics include:

How working in fine dining informs the importance of being of service and providing experiences to therapy clients
How very few people in therapy and acting know what they're doing and how this helps with impostor syndrome
The humility required to be a successful poker player and therapist, as well as the need to separate short-term results from long-term process
The importance of learning how to self-regulate in the presence of others
How all of this (as always) relates to feedback-informed treatment

Thank you for listening. To support the show and receive access to regular bonus episodes, check out the Very Bad Therapy Patreon community. Today’s episode is sponsored by Empifany (Instagram / Facebook).

Introduction: 0:00 – 9:03

Part One: 9:03 – 1:17:47

Very Bad Therapy: Website / Facebook / Bookshelf / Tell Us Your Story

Show Notes: