Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
The Psychedelic revolution is here! Although wise healers and many indigenous cultures have been utilizing altered state consciousness healing and plant medicine for a very, very long time, Modern medicine and western cultures have long villainized the medicines as well as the cultures who use them. Much needs to be written and discussed regarding the harm of our prejudice and oppressive laws. As a white woman from the U.S.A., that is something I am learning about and dissecting on a personal level.
With the surge in interest and research, I am hopeful that the era of harm and criminalization has come to an end and that we are witnessing a new paradigm for not just healing but living and overall wellness. I started my training in plant medicine and altered state healing approximately twenty years ago. I have trained with indigenous healers in the Amazon in Peru and studied the use of psilocybin in a therapeutic setting alongside my mentor and teacher, most recently completing training in psychedelic-assisted therapy with MAPS. While I believe altered state healing can occur with any consciousnesses changing technique such as hypnosis, energy psychology, and mediation. I have learned that Psychedelics offer a particularly fast and intense healing experience that may be unique to the medicine ingested.
What does the research say?
Current research is exciting and points to tremendous healing benefits. In a study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, psilocybin relieved major depression disorder symptoms for at least a year. A small study at NYU found excessive drinking was dramatically reduced after therapeutic sessions with psilocybin. Research conducted by MAPS has shown MDMA to be effective in the treatment of PTSD.
An exciting component of psychedelic therapies is that they may be helping to change the brain. Current research is suggesting the therapeutic use of psychedelics may enhance neural plasticity. More research is needed, and as far as I can tell, more research is coming. As a trauma therapist, I am dedicated to continued learning and training in anything I feel could help my clients. While I am weary of anyone suggesting psychedelics are a panacea, I am excited for the de-criminalization and ultimate access and use of these medicines.
What is Psychedelic Assisted Therapy?
The basic idea of the use of psychedelics in therapy is the therapeutic effect is not due simply to the physiological effects of the medicine; rather, it is the result of an interaction between the effects of the medicine, the therapeutic setting, and the mindsets of the participant and the therapists. A huge concept in this approach is set and setting, which means your mindset and the therapeutic environment are of great importance to the overall healing effect.
What is the Vagus Nerve and Should I Pay Attention?
Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex cranial nerve; it is also known as the 10th (of 12) cranial nerve. It runs from the brain stem down to a part of the colon. The term “vagus” originates from Latin meaning “wandering” because the nerve wanders and carries information bi-directionally from the brain into organs in the neck, chest, and abdomen (Sampson, 2017). The Vagus nerve has sensory functions as well as motor functions. The sensory functions include; delivering somatic sensation information for the ear and particular parts of the throat, providing visceral sensation information for the larynx, esophagus, lungs, trachea, heart and the majority of the digestive tract, and it plays a role in the experience of taste (Hammond, 2018).
The motor functions include; stimulating muscles in the pharynx, larynx, and the soft palate, stimulating muscles in the heart and stimulating involuntary contractions in the digestive tract, including the esophagus, stomach, and most of the intestines (Hammond, 2018).
The Polyvagal Theory
The Polyvagal Theory was first introduced in 1994 by Dr. Stephen Porges. Dr. Porges started his exploration into the topic nearly four decades ago with an initial interest in the possibility of utilizing physiological measures to understand psychological states (Porges, 2011). The Polyvagal theory explains the autonomic nervous system as having three hierarchical subdivisions related to interpersonal connection and social behaviors (Porges, 2011). The oldest subdivision is the “Dorsal Vagal” and is the part of the parasympathetic nervous system that enables the “freeze” response in fight, flight, freeze. The next subdivision is our sympathetic nervous system that allows the fight/flight response. The third and most complex is the ventral vagus, our mammalian parasympathetic social engagement system. This sophisticated system of myelinated neural fibers that originate in the brainstem commands our heart rate, breathing, facial muscles, hearing, and vocalizing. Neuroception is a term coined by Dr. Porges, and it refers to how neural circuits determine if people, places, or situations are safe. Neuroception happens in the primitive parts of the brain and is not accessible to active cognition (Porges, 2011). Even though we may think we are safe if neuroception has determined a person is unsafe, our heart rate may increase, other defensive strategies may be employed, and typical social engagement may be difficult.
The polyvagal theory operates from a hierarchical perspective in that all three of our subdivisions follow a natural order. This order is dependent on the neuroception of danger or safety that has been determined. For example, if the situation is deemed safe, we are free to employ the ventral vagal social engagement system which means we feel free to express our feelings, be ourselves, use facial expressions easily and regulate voice pattern. Conversely, if neuroception determines a situation is unsafe often unbeknownst to us, our sympathetic nervous system will take over, and if that system fails to achieve safety dorsal vagal mode, or shutting down “freeze” response will be engaged (Porges, 2011). This is an automatic process and can happen without a cognitively available trigger.
Trauma therapists and trauma survivors are consistently working with fight, flight, or freeze reactions (Van der Kolk, 2011). Individuals living with complex PTSD often experience emotions that are difficult to regulate, and small frustrations can quickly escalate to a crisis, minor clashes in miscommunication can easily turn into dramatic interpersonal conflicts.
When PTSD was first conceptualized only single, dramatic incidents were the focus. Eventually, we have come to understand that the most intense and disruptive dysregulation happens with individuals who have lacked, safe, consistent, and attuned caregivers. Loss of caregivers, emotional abuse, neglect, chronic misattunement, and inconsistency have presented as the primary contributors to a wide variety of psychiatric disorders (Van der Kolk, 2011).
With the advancements in neurobiology, researchers have been able to demonstrate the neurophysiological and physiological underpinnings of arousal. The relationship between the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been the focus of this research (Porges, 2011). The understood connection between the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis has led to the involvement of mind-body approaches in the treatment of trauma-related disorders.
One of the most crucial discoveries in psychology has been that the inability to establish safe and secure early attachment bonds leads to a weakened capacity to regulate undesirable emotions later on (Van der Kolk, 2011). Over 50 years of attachment and neurobiological research have demonstrated that the internal self-regulatory process of an individual is dependent upon the level of attunement provided by their external (usually parental) sources of regulation early in their development (Van der Kolk, 2011). In short, a history of chronic misattunement with one’s primary caregivers predisposes people to have a hard time managing their negative emotions as adults.
Mind-body approaches and the Vagus nerve
The polyvagal approach involves working with the social engagement system (Ventral Vagus) and helping our neuroception to accurately detect safety or danger so we can feel more in charge of our responses to our environments.
Integrative healing approaches combine ancient wisdom with modern science. Many integrative practitioners, myself included, believe that the mind-body wants to heal it’s just that sometimes we do not have the tools to tap into our natural self-healing capabilities. Research has demonstrated that high vagal tone ( a vagus nerve that is toned and exhibits working vagus nerve activity) aids in digestion and regulating blood glucose levels helping to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes. On the other hand, low vagal tone has been connected with chronic inflammation. Current research is demonstrating that strengthening vagal tone can help relieve anxiety, depression, brain fog, fatigue, and digestive struggles (Aylward, 2019).
Breathwork can be an accessible and effective way to increase vagal tone. By slowing down our breath and extending the exhale, we can activate what is termed the vagal brake and elicit the relaxation response. Research has demonstrated that mindful, slow diaphragmatic breath increase vagal tone. There are also yoga postures that can help stimulate the vagus nerve, such as heart openers, cat-cow movement, and spine twists. Yoga Nidra or restorative yoga can also be a beautiful practice to help the body learn to engage the relaxation response. Though be mindful of your physical capacities and where you are in your healing journey. In the beginning, too much stillness can be unbearable for a nervous system that does not yet know how to calm down. Utilizing mind-body approaches for healing is about learning to hear what your system needs from a compassionate, non-judgmental space and working to meet that need to the best of your ability.
References:
Aylward, H. (2019). Thirve naturally by activating your vagus nerve. Retrieved from https://www.yogatoday.com/blog/thrive-naturally-by-activating-your-vagus-nerve
Hammond, N. (2018, July 31). Vagus Nerve Overview. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/vagus-nerve
Porges, SW. (2011) The polyvagal theory neurophysiological foundations of emotions attachment communication self-regulation. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company Inc.
Sampson, S. (2017, June 28). Everything you need to know about the vagus nerve. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318128.php
Van der Kolk, B. (2011)Foreword in the polyvagal theory neurophysiological foundations of emotions attachment communication self-regulation. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company Inc.
What I Learned About Alternative Healing—And Myself—In Peru
I have always struggled with certain aspects of our modern society. One of those struggles is in our western medical system and how we approach health and healing in general. As a result, as I moved through my contemporary education and training in psychology,, I was simultaneously exploring the wisdom found in ancient cultures.
It is no surprise that this curiosity lead me to the jungle. Although alternatively minded I also have great respect for formal learning. A few years ago I began to seek out an experience that may blend my desire for a strict learning environment with teachings from ancient cultures. I found my way to The Sachamama Center for Biocultural Regeneration in the Amazonian town of Lamas, Peru What I learned in those weeks I spent at The Sachamama Center and in the Amazon will stay with me forever, both personally and professionally. It was truly transformational.
From the second I stepped into the facility and met the site director and owner, anthropologist Dr. Frederique Apfell-Marglin, I knew I was about to see and experience things I had never been exposed to before.
My journey started with a local shaman healer or curandero named Carlos, who led me through a holistic blend of healing techniques that help connect individuals to mind, body, and spirit a value that I didn’t fully understand until I experienced it for myself. That heightened awareness of the mind-body connection set the tone, and started me down a path that continued deeper into the jungle on a boat down the Huayaga River where we met another curandero, Aquilino Chujandama, and his son, Henry, a “plant master” who demonstrated the importance of sacred ritual and ceremony in healing.
These theories and indigenous traditions were put into practice at our final stop, the Takiwasi Center in the small town of Tarapoto, Peru. Blending traditional Amazonian medicine and conventional psychotherapy, Takiwasi healers working under thatched roofs in the jungle see as much success in the treatment of addiction as medical professionals in some of the modern world’s most prestigious health care facilities.
I left a different person, and a different kind of practitioner. And while I will always struggle to articulate all the ways this experience changed me verbally, there are three definitive lessons I learned in the Amazon that I will never forget:
1: The Power of Medicinal Plants in Indigenous Healing
So there I was, walking deep in the jungle, being guided by a plant master an expert in the healing power many of these plant-based tonics and ceremonies when I had this realization. Not because someone told me, but because I was living it.
Of course I was aware that certain plants and minerals and vitamins were essential to good health and wellness, but to actually make the tonics—to cut fresh ginger and mix the ingredients in the heart of the jungle—opened my eyes to what other civilizations have known for centuries: As humans in harmony with the Earth, the plants around us are our most natural healers.
In fact, many of our most common physical ailments, from upset stomach to stress, can be healed with the power of plants.
In addition to experiencing the beauty of ancient plant ceremonies, I was able to enjoy a powerful energy healing session that utilized tobacco, breath work, and Ikaros, the healing “songs” of the plants.
Henry, the “plant master,” not only taught me about the uses of each plant, but he also instilled the importance of ceremony and ritual when ingesting these plants.
Plants have cosmic energy. Harnessing that energy results in healing and a state of wellbeing.
2: The Importance of Connecting to Nature for Mind-Body Balance
Beyond the healing power of plants, I also became keenly aware of the importance of connecting to nature. It’s something I often contemplate. In modern psychology we speak of mindfulness, we talk about energy healing, but often we forget the most basic elements of nature.
Spending time in a natural spring reminded me of the restorative benefits of being immersed in a place filled with lush, green plants, fresh air, and a culture that truly respects the land. There was a moment after a master plant ceremony when I was buried in the jungle, and we were being asked to clear and feel our energetic fields. The shaman asked for permission to enter this place in the jungle, and if he didn’t receive a “yes” from the spirit of the forest, he wouldn’t go in. Seeing that and living that moment that really shifted the way I experience nature now.
3: The Necessity for More Integrative Medicine Approaches in Health Care
In the U.S. we are just beginning to unlock the potential of integrative health approaches. The way in which the practitioners and the shamans work with mind-body medicine in the Peruvian Amazon is all-encompassing. There is no separation between the emotional, physical, and spiritual. Everything is connected.
In observing these indigenous healers and learning more about their beliefs and practice, I became aware of how important it is to have a healthy relationship with your own spiritual self. This means being mindful of what you eat but also what you expose yourself to.
Clearing negative energy opens a pathway to wellness, and that realization is something our modern society could genuinely benefit from.
So it is all of these things I am carry into to my own practice and the clients I care for as a therapist as well as to myself. I expect to infuse my clinical work with my ancient and traditional teachings for many years to come.
Being guided through the jungle, receiving a most sacred education
Going deeper….down the Huayaga River
Energy Psychology
Energy Psychology
Do you speak energy? This is a question I often pose to my clients. While most of them answer yes, either from an intellectual or an intuitive knowing or both, the truth is all of us “speak energy”. Working with energy in a healing way involves the use of the measurable energy such as electrical and electromagnetic as well as the yet to be measurable subtle energies of the body (Eden & Feinstein 1998). This article will briefly explore the concepts embraced by Energy Psychology.
What is Energy Psychology
Energy psychology (EP) is the term used to express a therapeutic approach that involves specific mind-body techniques that work with the human bioenergy system (the biofield and meridian system). It explores how the bioenergy system interacts with thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The underpinning theory in EP is that all psychological distress has an energetic component that can be located and treated with simple and measurable techniques. Energy Psychologists work under the theory that held negative emotions are at the core of psychological illness (Williams et al., 2010). It is thought that traumatic energy and information can be seen as alarms that stop up the body’s natural energy flow (Williams et al., 2010). Change and healing can then be obtained through releasing the stuck or held energy in the system (Flint et al., 2006).
Energy psychology was inspired by the work of Dr. Roger Callahan and his development of Thought Field Therapy (TFT), (Mollon, 2006).TFT was inspired by Dr. Callahan's knowledge of applied Kinesiology and his study of Dr. George Goodheart’s ‘muscle testing’(Mollon, 2006). Dr. Goodheart found a way of accessing the subtle energy system of Chinese medicine by way of immediate biofeedback of muscle testing (Mollon, 2006). Callahan then used ‘muscle –testing’ to connect acupressure points associated with the psychological issue at hand.(Flint, Lammers, & Mitnick, 2006). Once identified these points are then tapped or touched while the individual is stating affirmations. TFT takes the position that tapping on these meridian points releases subtle energies related to the psychological issue, the meridian system is then rebalanced clearing the individual of the issue (Mollon 2006). It is important to note that TFT is only one EP technique, there are now many more.
The Human Biofield
In 1994 Scientists conducting research sponsored by the National Health Institute (NIH) coined the term “Biofield” to define the weak and complex electromagnetic field that surrounds an organism. The biofield is thought to contain electromagnetic bioinformation for regulating homeodynamics (Rubik, 2002). While the researchers ascertained that the biofield model may eventually accept concepts related to mind, body, and soul as traditional eastern healing approaches do, currently it operates under the more western scientific concepts of bioelectromagnetics and biophysical systems theory (Rubik, 2002). Researchers state the biofield may be a very complex standing wave surrounding an organism that involves the electromagnetic energy of the organism’s cell, tissue, molecule, ion, etc. (Rubik, 2002).
Healing approaches that specifically address the biofield include practices such as Reiki, healing touch, Qi Gong, Energy Medicine and more.
What does the research say?
Energy healers report an imbalance in the biofield as well as in the meridian system as a result of trauma. A study conducted by Mackay, Hansen, and McFarlane (2004) was interested in measuring autonomic nervous system changes in individuals receiving Reiki treatment, an energy healing modality that works with the biofield. The researchers reported a decrease in heart rate as well as diastolic blood pressure in the group that received the Reiki treatment when compared to the placebo and no treatment control groups.
According to Fang et al. (2009), the stimulation of specific acupuncture points may send deactivating signals directly to the amygdala. In their study, Fang et al. (2009) selected 10 healthy individuals to undergo fMRI during manual acupuncture stimulation. The results indicated a deactivation of limbic-paralimbic-neocortical system as a result of acupuncture treatment.
Diepold and Goldstein (2009) utilized quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) to measure brainwave changes in an individual trauma survivor after the treatment of thought-field therapy (TFT). The researchers reported a shift in brain wave frequency from abnormal to normal after the TFT treatment, results remained the same at an 18-month follow up. The authors concluded that trauma memory did create an abnormal energy pattern in the body and the meridian based therapies could work to correct this imbalance.
There is much more research than what I have listed here if this grabs your interest I encourage you to go explore the topic on your own!
Although much still needs to be understood in regard to the biofield, the meridian system, and energy healing it is a healing approach that has been around for at least 2,000 years (Gerber, 2001). As a therapist, I incorporate energy psychology in the healing process in a variety of ways. I embrace TFT and EFT (a simpler version of TFT). I will also look for the energy associated with a symptom and help my clients use movement, imagery or breath to release this stuck energy. Finding ways to release stuck energy and rebalance the system is the goal. The exciting news is that we all have the intrinsic natural ability to be energy healers, either for ourselves, for others or for our world. If this approach speaks to you it may be time to explore energy healing and energy psychology a bit deeper. The potential in this modality is limitless.
References
Diepold, J.H. & Goldstein, D. (2009). Thought field therapy and QEEG changes in the treatment
of trauma: A case study. Traumatology, 15, 85-93.
Eden, D. & Feinstein, D. (2008). Energy medicine balancing your body’s energies for optimal health, joy, and
vitality. New York, NY: The Penguin Group.
Fang, J., Jin, Z., Wang, Y., Li, K., Kong, J., Nixon, E.E.,…Hui, K.K.S. (2009). The salient
characteristics of the central effects of acupuncture needling: Limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network modulation. Human Brain Mapping, 30, 1196-1206. DOI: 10.1002/hbm.20583
Flint, G.A., Lammers, W., & Mitnick, D.G. (2006). Emotional freedom techniques: a safe
intervention for many trauma based issues. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment &
Trauma 12(1-2). 125-150. Doi:10.1200/j146v12n01_07.
Gerber, G. & Tiller, W. (2001). Vibrational Medicine the #1 handbook of subtle-energy therapies. Rochester, Vermont: Bear & Company.
Mackay, N., Hansen, S., Mcfarlane, O., (2004). Autonomic nervous system changes during Reiki
treatment: A preliminary study. The Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine 10(6) 1077-1081
Mollon, P. (2008) Psychoanalytic energy psychotherapy. London, England: Karnac Books ltd
Rubik, B. (2002). The biofield hypothesis: It’s biophysical basis and role in medicine. The
Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine 8(6) 703-717. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=13&sid=c2b59405-d6e8-4723-8930-f2fd0a226054%40sessionmgr101
Williams, C., Dutton, D., & Burgess C. (2010) Communication the intangible: A
phenomenological exploration of energy healing. Qualitative Research in Psychology 7:45-56.
Running Through Trauma
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-guest-room/201603/running-through-trauma