In a six-day extravaganza that’s part Hogwarts and part Woodstock, therapists are learning to become psychedelic guides at a workshop run by Mind Medicine Australia. Picture a woman lying on the floor, deep in a role-play exercise. Why? Because as of July 2023, Australia is the cool kid on the block, being the first country to legally prescribe MDMA and psilocybin for treating PTSD and depression. This isn’t your typical day at the office!
Emma Park, one of the attendees, swears by her own positive trips down the rabbit hole and wants to bring the magic to her practice. The globe is buzzing with research on psychedelic therapy, though not everyone’s ready to sip the Kool-Aid. Critics argue there’s more hype than hard proof, and the treatments aren’t a walk in the park.
Mind Medicine Australia, spearheaded by Peter Hunt and Tania de Jong, is front and center in making these trippy treatments legit. The therapy shows promise but isn’t cheap and there aren’t many licensed guides yet. So, in a quirky twist, a course is held in an old monastery where therapists practice with breathing exercises instead of actual psychedelics, thanks to legal red tape.
Psychiatrist Eli Kotler has a thorough approach: a prep stage, psychedelic babysitting, and aftercare. It’s like a trust fall exercise but on a much wilder ride. The bond between therapist and patient is key, and the sessions can get as intense as a finale of a reality TV show.
So, whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, Australia’s psychedelic journey is shaping up to be quite the trip!
Published Date: 2024-09-03