Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy An interview with Dr. Craig Heacock, M.D., about innovative treatments in psychiatry. Curt and Katie talk with Dr. Heacock about psychedelic-assisted therapy – looking at efficacy, safety, and risks for these promising treatments (ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA) for depression and trauma. We also discuss the debate about medicalization versus legalization of these substances.   It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age. Interview with Dr. Craig Heacock, M.D. Dr. Craig Heacock is an adolescent/adult psychiatrist and addiction specialist in Colorado as well as the co-producer and host of the psychiatric storytelling podcast Back from the Abyss. He was a therapist in the Phase 3 trial of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD and has particular interest in the use of ketamine and other psychedelics to treat severe mood disorders and PTSD. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and did his psychiatry training at Brown University. In this episode we talk about: The innovations in psychedelic-assisted therapy Why it is so hard to find a good psychiatrist, especially one that goes beyond med checks How psychiatry is changing, as well as how little has changed in medication since 1994 Treatment-resistant may mean deep-seated trauma Definitions of psychedelics, psychedelic-assisted treatment Ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin Efficacy for treatment with ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin for trauma and depression The speed of building trust and moving into the working phase with these treatments Safety concerns and side effects with ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA Boundaries and safety for therapists (as well as clients) during these treatments The vulnerability during these treatments Self-assessment for mental health providers whether they should work in this space The importance of doing your own psychedelic treatment before being a therapist in this work Client-perceptions of clinicians doing their own psychedelic work (or publicly owning their story) The increasing acceptance of these types of treatments – the treatments becoming more mainstream Psilocybin – in trials for FDA approval for trauma treatment, but may be legalized before it is medicalized and used for treatment Medicalization versus legalization conversation The problems with medical THC (including making symptoms worse and psychotic breaks) Micro-dosing efficacy and risks and whether they should be managed by a doctor The importance of assessing sleep and substance use/abuse Abyss stories – how Dr. Heacock started telling these stories and the power of these stories Our Generous Sponsors: Productive Therapist You should be able to change the world and love your life. Productive Therapist can help you save time, make more money and feel a sense of relief. They provide mental health virtual assistants, business coaching, and unique training & support programs. Do you want to get more organized, be more productive & learn to delegate like a pro? If so, the Productive Therapist Insider program can help! It's a monthly membership that includes full access to their online course library, an exclusive print newsletter, personalized support and discounts on coaching services. The program will help you get more done, so you can have more fun! As a listener of this podcast, you can get the first month for just $1 by using the coupon code MODERN. Visit ProductiveTherapist.com/insider to learn more.   Mulberry Web Design Mulberry is a creative studio known for building fabulous custom websites, reasonable rates, and an obsessive dedication to customer service. The friendly team at Mulberry can take your private practice website to the next level with a complete redesign or help with your current website. Mulberry is a perfect fit for modern therapists ready