The field of trauma therapy is rapidly changing. Since my trauma specialty began to unfold in 2009, we continue to learn more about how systemic trauma can be to the body and the mind. In my own search for healing, I began to research the use of various native plants to help heal trauma. Growing research by non-profit groups such as MAPS have shown the amazing results of MDMA, ayahuasca and even cannabis on various mental health conditions, including trauma. Ketamine-assisted therapy is already being used to treat depression with amazing results. A link to a more comprehensive list of research can be found here. MAPS is now in it’s third phase of clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and pending FDA approval, will be expanding their access to the public by 2021.
In December 2017, I embarked on my own journey with Ayahuasca, which you can read more about here. Since that transformative experience, my intention has been to position myself as a therapist who can administer psychedelic-assisted therapy once it is approved for medical use. In that vein, I have received further training through the Zendo Project on how to help individuals integrate their plant medicine experiences. In experiencing healing in such an extraordinary state, being able to process these experiences within a supportive community or with a qualified professional is of the utmost importance.
The skills to attend to many forms of extraordinary states of consciousness is something I have been interested in for many years. Kylea Taylor explains these states of mind as “entering through a doorway, awakening from the normal trance of daily life in which our awareness is focused in a different way, so that we can navigate beyond the external and material world or though it in a very different way” (Taylor, 2017). Examples of possible extraordinary states are: dreaming, childbirth, intense grief, during somatic work, and using various plants as medicine.
While we are continuing to see the research unfold, hear the testimonials of the research participants who have found relief from years of suffering, therapists and doctors are getting trained now to be able to offer plant medicine as a legitimate treatment option. If you are a licensed professional interested in knowing more, please let me know! We need licensed therapists, doctors, and clinics who are willing to step up and invest in getting the training, and we can’t do it by ourselves. I am currently looking for prescribing doctors and therapists in Illinois, Minnesota and Colorado who are willing to join a treatment team. I am also listed on the Psychedelic Support website as a therapist who can offer integration services. Check it out!
I’ve linked many of the organizations and research topics within this post, but if you have further questions or would like a free consult on if plant medicine is for you, fill out an application here.
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Sources:
Taylor, K. (2017). The Ethics of Caring: Finding Right Relationship with Clients. Hanford Meed.