Psychedelic Therapy Blog

Educational articles covering psychedelic therapy research, MDMA-assisted therapy, psilocybin treatment developments, and ketamine therapy updates in California.

Ketamine occupies an unusual position in the psychedelic therapy conversation. Unlike psilocybin and MDMA, ketamine is already an established medication with legitimate medical uses. Certain ketamine-based approaches are currently used in mental healthcare, making it one of the few treatments commonly discussed alongside psychedelics that patients can actually encounter in clinical settings today. Interest has […]

Psychedelic integration has become a common term as interest in psychedelic experiences has increased, but the phrase is not always used consistently. At its simplest, integration refers to the process of reflecting on an experience and considering how it relates to a person’s emotions, relationships, behavior, values, or mental health. Some licensed therapists offer integration-focused […]

PTSD has been at the center of the modern conversation about MDMA-assisted therapy. That relationship is not accidental. Researchers have investigated whether MDMA, when administered within a structured therapeutic protocol, can help some people engage with traumatic memories without becoming as overwhelmed by fear, avoidance, or emotional distress. The research has attracted considerable attention, particularly […]

If psilocybin becomes an FDA-approved treatment, it is unlikely to be appropriate for everyone who is interested in trying it. Clinical research on psilocybin uses screening procedures designed to identify participants who fit the condition being studied while reducing avoidable medical and psychiatric risks. An eventual approved treatment would have its own requirements, which cannot […]

Psilocybin has moved from the margins of mental health research into serious discussions about the future of psychiatric treatment. Studies have examined psilocybin-assisted approaches for conditions including depression, treatment-resistant depression, anxiety associated with serious illness, and other mental health concerns. That growing research base has also created understandable confusion about what is actually available. Someone […]

Veterans have played an unusually visible role in the modern psychedelic-therapy conversation, particularly through advocacy and research surrounding MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. That focus makes sense, but veteran mental health is much broader than post-traumatic stress disorder alone. Depression, anxiety, grief, substance use, chronic pain, sleep problems, relationship difficulties, and what clinicians sometimes describe as […]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be persistent, disabling, and difficult to treat. Established approaches such as Exposure and Response Prevention therapy and certain psychiatric medications help many people, but some continue to experience significant symptoms despite appropriate care. That treatment gap has encouraged researchers to explore new approaches, including psilocybin-assisted therapy. Early findings have generated interest, but […]

Most public discussion about psychedelic therapy focuses on the treatment session itself. Researchers and clinicians often place just as much emphasis on what happens before anyone receives a psychedelic substance. Screening is one of the most important parts of responsible psychedelic-assisted treatment. It helps clinicians understand a person’s medical history, psychiatric history, medications, treatment goals, […]