Psychedelic Therapy 101

Sometimes traditional “talk” therapy approaches can reach an impasse, where verbal and other “skills”-based work are inadequate in terms of reaching core sources of pain, suffering and conversely, inner-healing. The use of psychedelics can allow someone to experience a lifting of their defenses, a connection to self-compassion and empathy, and a softening of the barrier between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind. This essentially allows someone to “go deeper” into their own experience, story and psyche, to find and strengthen their connections to their core sources of meaning, resilience and strength.

Psychedelic therapy aims to uncover “root causes” of psychological suffering, instead of managing symptoms.

A term often used in psychedelic medicine is Inner Healing Intelligence, which means each person has an innate inner drive towards healing and wholeness (just as a seed has an inner drive to become a flower). Non-ordinary states of consciousness, produced by psychedelics, can allow for increased access to our innate drive towards wellness and wholeness, and offer distance from the self-stories that aren’t serving us well. 

Currently ketamine is the only psychedelic available outside of research settings. In the near future, MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies will be available for clinic use. 

A variety of techniques are used within the psychedelic therapy process and reflect a broad range of therapeutic modalities. Psychedelic experiences encompass a broad range of emotional states, thought processes and a journey through one’s own personal story, cultural heritage, as well as one’s shared experience of humanity. Therefore, psychedelic therapy must integrate ideas, practices and processes from a variety of disciplines, therapeutic models and theories.

Intero believes that in our modern and fast paced society, there is a crisis of meaning and suffering often comes when we feel purposeless and disconnected, and when our lives are dominated by painful stories that are minds endlessly narrate to us. While Intero believes that psychedelics should not be viewed as cure for mental health disorders, it does believe that these medicines can help individuals to have deeply meaningful experiences and to often reconnect with a sense of purpose and personal source of resiliency.

For more information on the ketamine-assisted psychotherapy process at Intero, check out this handy guide below.
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