Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: FDA Designated Breakthrough Therapies, Emerging Trends & Innovative Clinical Implications

Course overview

We are at the doorstep of a revolution in psychotherapy. Not since the introduction of SSRIs in 1987 has our profession been presented with such a game-changer for clients suffering from mental health conditions, and the timing could not be more fortuitous. Currently, we are living through a mental health crisis where existing treatments are leaving huge numbers of people behind. Rates of anxiety and depression have never been higher, opioid deaths and suicide rates continue to climb. Could ancient healing medicines used by indigenous cultures for thousands of years find their way to prominence in todays mental health profession? It is happening now, both underground and with the sanctioning of the FDA, with the class of substances commonly referred to as psychedelics. MDMA, a psychedelic "party drug" outlawed in 1985, has recently been granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA for its use as an adjunct to psychotherapy in treating PTSD. Now in Phase 3 clinical trials, 83 percent of clients who underwent MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy no longer meet criteria for PTSD, compared to 25 percent in the placebo. Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, also has Breakthrough Therapy designation, and is now being tested in clinical trials as a treatment for depression, alcohol use disorders, nicotine dependence, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, cluster and migraine headaches, and anxiety related to life-threatening illnesses. Studies show that, combined with supportive therapy and guidance, psilocybin is effective at relieving emotional and existential distress at end of life for 65-85 percent of terminally ill people. Ketamine, now legal in all 50 states, is a psychedelic medication which is being used successfully for treatment-resistant depression when all other forms of treatment have failed. Depression and suicidal ideation resolve rapidly and dramatically, with results more likely to be retained when combined with psychotherapy from a knowledgeable and informed therapist. These are just a few of the breakthrough therapies that will be evaluated in this fascinating course. Students will learn about the pharmacology of multiple psychedelic compounds, their effects on the brain, become knowledgeable on FDA approved clinical protocols, explore different therapeutic approaches under investigation, discuss safety and efficacy results, and evaluate the potential risks in both therapeutic and non-therapeutic settings. Students will learn the federal and state legalities of the various compounds, the potential timeline for these substances to enter the pharmaceutical market, and if desired, will be given information on how to obtain further training approved by the American Psychological Association, so that they can be fully prepared to safely and effectively offer FDA approved psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy when these substances become widely available. Students who take this course will stand ahead of the curve as the next wave of psychotherapeutic challenges and transformational solutions emerges.