PT567 – Sex and Psychedelics: Healing Through Altered States, with Bria Tavakoli, LPCC, MA, MS

In this episode, Joe interviews Bria Tavakoli, LPCC, MA, MS: a therapist specializing in relational and sex therapy, with a focus on helping clients integrate psychedelic experiences. She shares her personal journey with psychedelics and how they unlocked deep trauma, allowing her to develop a level of comfort with intimacy, love, and her sexuality. She talks about the parallels between psychedelic journeys and sexual experiences, and how both can be gateways to unexplored parts of ourselves, as well as catalysts for healing and transformation. She discusses society's cultural shame surrounding our sexuality, why we need to view sexuality from a wellness-based model, and how psychedelics can help couples grow together, and at times, really challenge their relational structures. When asked how to combine sex and psychedelics, she answers, "very carefully." She also discusses: The immense importance of creating a safe space for couples discussing their intimacy How clients reporting sexual concerns is usually a cheat code to determining what their real issues are Ethical and practical considerations for combining psychedelics and sex therapy, related to stories of concerning sexual behavior in the space Why humor and lightness is so important in this work The importance of honoring individual capacity and being true to yourself when exploring new experiences and more! For links, head to the show notes page.