Healing with Entactogens

Therapist and Patient Perspectives on MDMA-Assisted Group Psychotherapy

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By Torsten Passie, M.D.

Foreword by Ralph Metzner Ph.D.

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2012. Santa Cruz, CA: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

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Available from MAPS

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This booklet explores MDMA and other entactogens as pharmacological adjuncts to group psychotherapy. It presents intimate insights into entactogenic experiences from first-hand accounts of clients who participated in group therapy sessions, and crucial background on the neurobiological and psychospiritual components of those experiences. The word 'entactogen' refers to compounds that 'produce a touching within'; and is derived from the roots en (Greek: within), tact (Latin: touch), and gen (Greek: produce). Entactogen is used to describe a class of psychoactive substances that decrease anxiety; increase trust, self-acceptance, and openness; and allow easier access to memories, providing fertile ground for transformative healing. Therapists used entactogens such as MDMA in their practice before it was criminalized in 1985. Since that time, much effort has taken place to conduct government-approved scientific research into MDMA's therapeutic potential, which has recently been demonstrated in placebo-controlled studies of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder.

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