The shadow side of psychedelic therapy with Dr. Chantelle Thomas

In this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer, Dr. Reid Robison, and Dr. Joe Flanders welcome clinical psychologist, clinical trial researcher, and psychedelic therapist, Dr. Chantelle Thomas to the show for an important conversation about the shadow side of psychedelic therapy. They discuss how therapists harm their clients, the high bar of competence and self-awareness that psychedelic therapists need to clear in order to do this work, the limitations and potential pitfalls of psychedelic therapy training programs, the importance of good supervision and being open to feedback, the dangers of seeking psychedelic sessions in the unregulated underground, and much more.

(1:45) Introduction to the topic
(3:53) Chantelle introduces herself
(8:13) Grappling with how our imperfections affect our clients
(11:18) Honoring the boundary-dissolving effects of psychedelics
(14:50) Examples of how people are harmed in psychedelic work
(18:55) Regulated vs underground psychedelic medicine spaces
(20:42) When deep connection puts people at risk
(22:46) The importance of good supervision, experience, and training
(31:55) Informed consent in psychedelic therapy
(36:05) Barriers to clients asking for what they need
(42:10) How to manage the heavy weight of influence
(45:23) Process-based dialogue, following intuition, and how to train these skills
(58:05) You don't have to be perfect
(01:03:05) MAPS Code of Ethics
(01:06:10) The utility of having a co-therapist
(01:17:06) The inner directed approach and the inner healer
(01:20:30) Low dose psychedelic work and meeting people where they are
(01:24:50) Follow your gut when selecting a psychedelic practitioner
(01:27:55) Not all medicines are right for all people
(01:30:20) How to select a psychedelic training program
(01:33:44) Understand your intentions for entering this field

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