Using ACT in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
Using ACT in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
This event is a live webinar.
As psychedelic assisted therapy edges towards legality, more clients are learning about the potential for psychedelics to bring relief from suffering and are seeking guidance from mental health professionals. This presentation will provide a brief overview of this new model of treatment, summarize evidence from recent rigorous clinical trials, and advocate that the ACT model provides an ideal framework for psychedelic-assisted therapy. Participants will learn basic principles of psychedelic integration and how the ACT model may be useful in mutually enhancing the beneficial effects of both therapy and psychedelic use. After completing this workshop, participants will be better able to have informed conversations with their clients about the use of psychedelic substances and employ ACT strategies for providing therapeutic support for clients who are currently using psychedelics in personal contexts.
Learning Objectives:
As a result of engaging in the presentation, attendees should be able to:
Describe the basic features of the model of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT)
Explain how ACT interventions can be used to inform the preparation and integration phases of the PAT model.
Identify underlying processes of change common to psychedelics and psychological flexibility
Presenter Bio:
Brian Pilecki, PhD is a clinical psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy that specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, trauma and PTSD, and psychedelic-assisted therapy. At Portland Psychotherapy, Brian is an active researcher and a study therapist on several clinical trials including the investigation of the use of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Brian is also an instructor for Fluence, a leading psychedelic training organization where he provides training to psilocybin facilitators in Oregon or to study therapists in clinical trials across the country. He is founder of Entropia and provides psilocybin facilitation to individuals and groups in the state of Oregon, and is co-founder of Perspective Retreats which offers group psilocybin retreats in the Netherlands. Brian is a co-founder of Portland Integration Network, a network of professionals offering specialized care related to psychedelics in Oregon. He is also the author of the book ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety and co-host of Altered States of Context, a podcast about psychotherapy and psychedelics.