Psychedelic psychotherapies

Course Description

The course introduces students to the rising field of psychedelic psychotherapies that are expected to have a major impact on mental health care worldwide within a few years. It focuses on the background information, requirements, techniques and protocols that psychologists need to know when working in psychedelics-assisted therapies, or with clients who wish to integrate their previous psychedelic experiences.

Course Topics

• altered states of consciousness; psychedelics
• transpersonal psychology; trauma processing and regression;
• psychedelic research, experiments and healing
• psychometric measuring; addictions and dependence; assisted psychotherapies; ethics
• psychedelic and psycholytic therapies; therapist training; therapy protocols
• MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, LSD, ibogaine, ayahuasca
• psychedelic experience integration

Presentations:

• [01] Sep 15
  [01.1] Course Introduction and Overview
  Description. Topics. Requirements. Practical issues. Overview of presentations.
  [01.2] Altered State Assisted Therapies
  Altered states of consciousness (ASC): definitions and phenomena. Spontaneous, pathological and induced states. Physiological, pharmacological and psychological inductions. Altering subsystems of consciousness. Therapeutic applications of ASC.
  [01.3] The Broader Context of Psychedelics
  Hallucinations: definitions and phenomena. Hallucinogens: dissociative, deliriant, psychedelic. Other related substances. Purposes of substance use. The drug instrumentalisation hypothesis. Psychonaut subculture. Biohacking.
  Móró (2023) Psychedelic Psychotherapies [01] @ ELTE.pdf

• [02] Oct 6
  [02.1] Psychedelics: Substance Information
  History, physiology, psychology and phenomenology of psychedelics and related substances: ayahuasca, cannabis, DMT, ibogaine, ketamine, LSD, MDMA, muscimol, psilocybin, salvinorin A, LSA, mescaline.
  [02.2] Psychology of Psychedelic Experience
  Psychoeducation. Theories and models. Set and setting. Intention and integration. Deconditioning agents. Transpersonality and spirituality. Entheogens. Trauma processing and regression. Stanislav Grof and the perinatal matrix. Metaphysical considerations.
  [02.3] Psychedelics: Research, Experiments, Healing
  The dawn, golden age, pause and renaissance of psychedelic research. Early results. Current research directions. Psychometric measuring instruments. Treatments of addictions and dependence. Hospice use: end-life anxiety.
  Móró (2023) Psychedelic Psychotherapies [02] @ ELTE.pdf

• [03] Oct 27
  [03.1] Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapies: Theory
  Ethical principles. Psychedelic and psycholytic therapies. Lay and underground therapies. Therapist training process. Therapy protocols: MAPS, Johns Hopkins, Kenézy hospital.
  [03.2/I] Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapies: Practice I
  MDMA.
  [03.2/II] Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies: Practice II
  Psilocybin. Ketamine.
  [03.2/III] Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies: Practice III
  LSD. Ibogaine. Ayahuasca.
  Móró (2023) Psychedelic Psychotherapies [03] @ ELTE.pdf

• [04] Nov 17
  [04.1] Psychedelic Experience Integration
  Client groups. Conditions and environment of client-work. Search for meaning, apprehension. The lived body experience. Psychedelic 'bypass' and ego inflation. Non-pathologising language use. Transference and counter-transference. Data protection.
  Móró (2023) Psychedelic Psychotherapies [04] @ ELTE.pdf

• [05] Dec 8
  [05.1] Summary and Outlook
  Summary of the course. Near and far future perspectives. Notable research institutions and organisations. Top researchers and advocates. Local and global psychedelic societies. Conferences and meetings. Professional journals. Funding and academic career. Media and online resources.