The Promise and Pull of Psychedelic Therapy

Psychedelics are emerging from a period of prohibition and association with counterculture into the rigorous world of medical research and treatment. The potential outcomes for people suffering from difficult-to-treat mental ailments, such as PTSD and depression, are exciting, but the landscape is complex. The line between recreational and therapeutic use is muddy, and professionals trained to guide us through psychedelic experiences and legislative debates on legalization are few and far between. Professor Rachel Yehuda has contributed groundbreaking research to the field of PTSD and intergenerational trauma, and began incorporating psychedelic therapy into her studies a few years ago. She joined nurse practitioner and professor Andrew Penn, also a researcher and an advocate for the perspective of nurses in psychedelic therapy, and Jeeshan Chowdhury, a biopharmaceutical entrepreneur working on psychedelics and addiction care, for an informative and nuanced conversation about the cutting edge of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Doctor and podcast host Shoshana Ungerleider moderates the discussion. aspenideas.org