Psychotherapy has not strayed from the stigma that follows it entirely. Still, it is seeing a larger audience with the next generation seeking the sessions either virtually or in real-time with a bigger audience.

A reason for the increase could be the catalysts creating turmoil for the young people like political and economic unrest, intense stress on the work front, financial insecurities, and rising student loan debt.

Therapy sessions mean to accommodate a particular individual’s needs and circumstances. Not everyone responds to the exact solutions like, perhaps, “in-person chat sessions.”

Some might need to indulge in music and art therapies or alternatives like “EFT” or “reiki.” Then there are psychedelics in counseling, perhaps capable of changing the industry as most people currently see it.

Though there is science exhibiting success with this counseling as it’s not a new concept, the process for making this a readily accessible tool will be extensive and down the road a ways.

What Is Psychotherapy Using Psychedelics

Psychedelics have the “capacity to alter consciousness and perception” with the potential for hallucinations “both in an auditory sense or visual with encounters of a dream-like or mystical sort.”

The first individual to use the verbiage “psychedelic” was Humphry Osmond, a psychiatrist, with the mere word being controversial.

The entire scientific community is not necessarily welcoming of the viewpoint that these drugs could potentially “broaden the mind in a helpful capacity.” Still, many in this atmosphere find purported benefits associated with these substances, some of which include:

1. Benefits to the counseling relationship, improving the sessions, making them more informative
2. Facilitating the potential for a psychological response of a meaning, perhaps, “mystical” albeit positive nature
3. Encouraging “introspection. Making the individual keenly aware of memories, the thought process, and emotions while being assisted in regulating any adverse feelings and processing these positively
4. Make improvements to cognitive “creativity and flexibility.”

How does the therapy work – find out details at https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/story/how-do-psychedelic-treatments-work. The indication is that a client will take the psychedelic under the therapist’s direction per the psychotherapeutic sessions based on which drug is administered.

The priority is to ensure the therapy space is one of trust, safety, and without judgment. The mental health professional is trained to monitor the individual under the psychedelic effects.

The usual role of the counselor is to help the individual gain insight into the response to the drugs in order to benefit in the long-term from the sessions with a meaningful effect.

The Importance of Research With Psychedelic Counseling

Before considering this as a course of treatment for your specific mental health unwellness, it’s essential to engage in adequate research to learn the pros and cons of the therapy. Go here for guidance if you’re considering psychedelics for the first time.

These drugs have the potential for being dangerous and bringing harm. That’s particularly true with higher doses or continued consumption, which can possibly lead to mental health issues as well as physical concerns.

This counseling is not “created equal” and won’t be something beneficial for everyone. There are considerations like mental, physical, and personality wellness, including the possibility of a psychosis history.

If the client is on a course of other medications, these need to be looked at closely by a medical provider to ensure there are no interactions.

How a person approaches the sessions, their thought process, and what they anticipate for the outcome, along with their particular circumstances, can impact the overall experience significantly. These are some primary concerns in the scientific community regarding the assisted therapies.

In order to ensure a positive response, the counselors need to ensure clients are adequately prepared with the psychedelics taken in pleasant settings where the doses are controlled.

Final Thought

While risks need to be reminded with all drugs, therapies, counseling, and medications that people indulge in for varied conditions, symptoms, and unwellness, it’s vital to understand that doesn’t imply that because there are risks, these should be avoided.

Of course, working with psychedelics is not without risk. Science continues its research and dictates under what conditions positive responses are most possible.

Based on clinical research, the suggestion is that these drugs continue to show “a borderline-miraculous potential for enhancing counseling for a diverse range of mental health unwellness.”

It will be a matter of fully gaining insight into the absolute potential, limitations, and risks.

Author: Mandy Kloppers

Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.