Wrapping up the year, we highlight some of the major developments in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and identify current trends in the psychedelic zeitgeist. While we discuss encouraging and positive news, we also identify some potential pitfalls and dangers in the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Additionally we share news regarding the future of Altered States of Context. We’d like to thank our audience and encourage you to contact us with feedback or ideas for future episode...
Dec 20, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Love is a word that is often left out in traditional psychotherapy, though love remains perhaps the most central aspect of being human. Dr. Adele Lafrance discusses reasons why the concept of love is such a controversial topic and emphasizes the need to reincorporate love into psychotherapy. She discusses how experiences of love and our obstacles to feeling love are such as an important part of the healing process in psychedelic-assisted therapy. We discuss different types of love including love...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Stigma about psychedelics remains a problem and can cause harm when psychedelic users encounter judgment or other negative consequences in social contexts. Rooted in decades of misinformation and the failed war on drugs, there is a need for greater public education about the actual risks and benefits of psychedelics. In this episode we discuss a recent study that surveyed psychologists’ attitudes about the use of psychedelics and discuss findings that demonstrate evidence of stigma. We discuss o...
Nov 22, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 13
We can't talk enough about integration on this show. To help broaden this conversation, Ryan Westrum, author of the “Psychedelic Integration Handbook”, joins us to talk about psychedelic integration and the importance of embodied action following psychedelic experiences. Ryan brings his expertise as a psychologist working in the areas of sexuality, addiction, and psychedelic integration. We discuss common pitfalls in psychedelic integration such as not being an active participant in change and t...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 12
During psychedelic experiences people are vulnerable and more at risk to abuses of power in relationships. In this episode we discuss the prevalence of power imbalances in mental health care in general, how the are traditionally dealt with, and the need for greater awareness around the potential for emotional or sexual abuse by therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapy. We highlight a recent study that interviewed underground guides and summarized challenges in working with clients during psych...
Oct 25, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this show we interview Henry Whitfield, an ACBS peer reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy trainer who has also conducted legal psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands. We have the opportunity here to discuss applying ACT, not only in preparation and integration sessions, but in the course of a psychedelic journey itself. We talk about many of the useful aspects of an ACT-oriented perspective when making sense of and integrating the psychedelic space and talk about the ins and outs of ac...
Oct 11, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 10
In this episode Brian and Nate interview Eric Osborne. Eric is a Kentucky native and cofounder of Psanctuary, a 508(c)(1)(A) faith-based organization, which is a constitutionally protected church utilizing psilocybin containing mushrooms as a sacrament. Additionally, he is the founder of Mycomeditations, a group based psychedelic retreat center in Jamaica. Eric has a unique and very interesting perspective, as one with a front row seat for the developing "psychedelic renaissance" while also rema...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Integration is a concept getting plenty of love in conversations about psychedelic assisted psychotherapy. It seems to be universally regarded as important, but what does it mean? In this episode, Brian and Nate offer a definition of integration, discuss its importance within psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, and talk briefly about what might be useful to aid in integration.
Sep 13, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 8
How long have psychedelics been around? How were they used by older cultures? What lessons from the past can we apply to the present? In this episode Nate and Brian zoom through thousands of years of history in about an hour, covering a range of historical facts, oddities, and tidbits. With a focus on the last century, we discuss how psychedelics have mostly existed outside of mainstream culture and are currently in transition to become more sanctioned by Western medicine. From the Eleusinian My...
Aug 30, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode we share our interview with Dr. Gregory Wells, a clinician and researcher with Ketamine and MDMA based in San Francisco. We talk about clinical research, being in the room with a client on MDMA, and making sense of psychedelic medicine. Gregory Wells (he/him/queer) is a licensed psychologist based in San Francisco. He is a clinician and researcher in the field of psychedelic medicine and a supporter of cognitive liberty and decriminalization. He obtained his doctorate degree from...
Aug 16, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 6
ACT is an ideal psychotherapy model that is useful in understanding the psychedelic experience. ACT is a transdiagnostic model of human suffering that includes six core processes relevant to the manifestation of mental health issues. ACT aims to promote psychological flexibility and living a values-based life. In this episode, we review the ACT model and discuss the processes of values and committed action.
Aug 02, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 5
ACT is an ideal psychotherapy model that is useful in understanding the psychedelic experience. ACT is a transdiagnostic model of human suffering that includes six core processes relevant to the manifestation of mental health issues. ACT aims to promote psychological flexibility and living a values-based life. In this episode, we review the ACT model and discuss the processes of contact with the present moment, self-as-context, acceptance, and cognitive defusion. We discuss how psychedelics are ...
Jul 19, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Psychedelics, psychotherapy, and science: a podcast about new frontiers in mental health with an abundance of heart and a dash of weirdness. Meet hosts Nathan Gates and Brian Pilecki as they describe their own personal journeys and share their passion for the use of psychedelics and psychedelic assisted therapy in healing and transformation. This introductory episode will outline the purpose of this podcast including exploring the synergy between psychotherapy and psychedelics, taking a critical...
Jul 05, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 1
What use are language and theory in making sense of psychedelic experiences? The role of Contextual Behavioral Science is discussed in preparation, dosing, and integration aspects of psychedelics. We highlight why this theory of language and human suffering is such a compatible framework for working with psychedelic spaces. We discuss how psychedelics can break down language in both helpful and harmful ways, and how psychotherapy can provide a container for maximizing the benefits of this potent...
Jul 05, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Research on psychedelics has proliferated over the last ten years confirming that psychedelic-assisted therapy is an effective treatment for certain mental health conditions. In this episode we interview Jason Luoma and provide an overview of the most rigorous recent studies, as well as touch on some of the history of psychedelic research and common issues in studying the psychedelic experience.
Jul 05, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 3
A short teaser for the upcoming Altered States of Context podcast with Brian Pilecki and Nathan Gates
Jun 30, 2021•2 min
