Contesting the Frame: Psychedelics, Psychiatry, and the Edges of Clinical Science

Although psychedelics are on the verge of becoming “mainstream”, significant disagreements exist over how to best study and use them, for what purposes, and in what settings.  Research over the last twenty years has led to an enhanced understanding of how psychedelics might be used to treat mental health conditions, while other areas of research are pushing the boundaries of our understandings of consciousness, exploring new frontiers in spirituality and religion, and driving political and legislative change.

The purpose of this course is to review the history and clinical science of psychedelics based on contemporary understandings, followed by a deeper dive into more outside-the-box applications beyond individual therapy sessions using psychedelics for psychiatric conditions.  This will include discussions of integration of meditation and psychedelics, clinical uses beyond psychiatry including functional medical disorder, integrative medicine, and psychosomatic conditions.  The limits of the current medical model and randomized controlled trials in adequately evaluating and studying psychedelics will be discussed, with an orientation toward critical thinking in understanding why some of the current biases and issues within psychedelic research and the public narrative exist, and the challenges that psychedelics will likely face as they become “mainstreamed”. The format will consist of didactic sessions and small group discussions. Specific readings may be assigned and participants will be asked to share and reflect. Following this course, participants should have a comprehensive understanding of where psychedelics might be headed as societal-level psychedelic literacy develops over the coming years.