From Scale To Soul: Rethinking Therapy, Psychedelics, And Practice Design with Dr Chris Deussing

Send us Fan MailWhat if a smaller practice could make space for bigger healing? We sit down with Dr Chris Deussing, a licensed clinical social worker, academic, and psychedelic clinician who traded scale for soul, and built a boutique model that prioritises presence, agility, and depth of care. From the first moments, Chris makes a clear case for therapy that moves slowly enough to not break people—especially when ketamine-assisted psychotherapy is in the mix.We unpack how psychedelic-assisted therapy actually works when done well: careful preparation, two-to-three-hour dosing sessions, and steady integration that turns metaphors and symbols into lasting change. Chris frames ketamine as a catalyst within an existing therapeutic alliance, not a magic bullet, and explains why the relationship is the container that makes the medicine meaningful. That ethos flows into his day-to-day: fewer clients, longer windows, and serious self-care so the clinician’s use of self remains the most finely tuned instrument in the room.Zooming out, we tackle the big forces reshaping mental health. AI can expand access and support between sessions, but the “move fast and break things” mindset clashes with the fragility of human change. Social platforms and short-form content drive reach yet tempt us toward surface-level fixes. Chris offers an alternative: an integrative frame of science, soul, and philosophy, and a return to what he calls the vertical—those atemporal sources of awe and meaning that modern psychology often forgets. Along the way we talk team culture, mindful growth, humanised intake, fair compensation, and how reading groups and writing can rebuild a richer professional commons.If you care about ethical psychedelics, evidence-based depth work, and protecting the conditions that make therapy transformative, you’ll find a grounded roadmap here. Listen, share with a colleague, and if it resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and tell us: how would you bring more verticality into modern care?Guest BiographyDr. Chris Deussing, LCSW is a psychotherapist, academic, and psychedelic clinician known for integrating deep philosophical frameworks with innovative clinical models. After years in a larger group setting, he transitioned to running a boutique private practice that prioritises authenticity, spiritual depth, and community engagement. His work blends traditional psychotherapy with psychedelic-assisted therapy, emphasising a return to meaning, transcendence, and soulful care.🖥️ Website: http://integrativedbt.com/🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-deussing/Subscribe on SubstackVoices in Health and Wellness is published on Substack, as part of The Diagnostician. Every episode lands there with written notes and reflections you won't find in the podcast feed. Free to subscribe.👉 https://thediagnostician.substack.com/s/voices-in-health-and-wellnessAbout the podcastVoices in Health and Wellness features conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential, with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.About Dr Andrew GreenlandUK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Trained in both conventional and root-cause approaches, Andrew helps people optimise health, performance, and longevity, with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.