Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, MDMA and ayahuasca, are increasingly common and sought-after tools for healing mental health problems and catalyzing personal exploration and growth. The recent renaissance in scientific research on these compounds is demonstrating how powerful their effects can be, triggering a cascade of changes in the brain and eliciting profoundly altered states of consciousness.
There is a growing consensus that psychedelics are especially effective at supporting the healing of conditions characterized by rigid patterns of thought, emotion and behaviour, such as anxiety, depression, trauma and addiction. This can be attributed to the disruptive impact of these compounds on the integration and functioning of networks in the brain. Neural connectivity in a brian on psychedelics is much more chaotic and unpredictable than that of a sober brain. This state of entropy appears to impact neural plasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s remarkable ability to adapt and reorganize its structure and connections in response to experiences, learning, and environmental changes. This phenomenon allows the brain to form new neural pathways and modify existing ones, enabling learning, memory, and recovery from trauma. So that increase in entropy is associated with an improved capacity for learning and adaptation.
The key takeaway for individuals using psychedelics are as follows:
- Psychedelics can profoundly disrupt our normal patterns of coping and functioning in the world. In a way, this is exactly why many of us seek them out: to get unstuck from unhelpful patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. However, sometimes we get more disruption than we bargain for – like hoping we get to the bottom of some specific anxiety and then contact a deeper, unresolved trauma. Preparation can helpful in preventing some unwanted disruption, but often support with integrating the experience afterward can be essential.
- Psychedelics create a temporary state (lasting hours to days) of increased sensitivity and capacity for learning and adaptation. They loosen us up. This is a highly valuable opportunity to change and grow, which is not readily accessible in ordinary consciousness. However, it also creates an unusual state of vulnerability and suggestibility, which we want to manage carefully. Ideally we are in calm and safe (physically and psychologically) environments, that we are intentional about what stimuli we let into this container and that we have access to support and guidance as needed.
- Psychedelic integration is a process of making sense of and incorporating the insights and experiences from a psychedelic journey into one’s daily life. There are many practices that facilitate integration, including journaling, meditation, movement, spending time in nature, etc. Psychedelic integration therapy specifically is a structured and supportive approach to integration, with a practitioner who can guide the process based on experience, training and an understanding of the process.
Dr. Joe Flanders is a leading practitioner of Psychedelic Integration Therapy in Montreal. He has been providing this form of support to clients since 2019 and has been facilitating practitioner trainings on psychedelic integration through organizations such as Fluence and Numinus. His approach is trauma-informed and relationship-centred and inspired by his background in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).