Applying a Transdiagnostic Approach

As we have learned throughout the course, many of the conditions that are treated with psychedelic-assisted therapy have a high comorbidity with other conditions or have a high overlap in symptoms between conditions.

Applying a transdiagnostic lens to the treatment of mental health disorders also requires a trauma- and violence-informed lens to ensure that socioenvironmental factors are considered in diagnoses and treatment to provide the best possible care for clients.

Be in Service to Self and Others

As Elder Duncan Grady reminds us, knowledge and practice starts with ourselves. One of Numinus’ values is to “Be in service to self and others”. When knowledge and practice come together in service to oneself first, it can generate the compassion and understanding required to then assist others to do the same. By remaining curious and humble in our humanity, and continuing to seek growth and healing for ourselves, we can lead and serve others with integrity.

Psychedelic-assisted therapies are emerging at a time when the dominant healthcare paradigm, such as the DSM, is coming into question. Transdiagnostic perspectives are growing, and optimal approaches for fostering mental wellness are evolving. Research supporting optimal approaches to psychedelic-assisted therapy is also in early stages, and keeping informed is an important aspect of ongoing best practice.

A Community of Practice

Being in a community of practice is important for safety, learning, and resilience. We can share and hold one another accountable to the level of responsibility this work calls us to. When cases are tricky, don’t be afraid to consult with others–we are all learning and growing in this field.

Tools, Not Solutions

It is common for people who have been suffering for a long time and who have experienced ‘let down’ by the dominant healthcare system to seek psychedelic-assisted therapy with a hope that it will be the ultimate ‘cure’ to their pain. It is very important that we do not promote or perpetuate unrealistic and unsupported expectations about treatment outcomes, but rather take a balanced and cautious approach, acknowledging that psychedelics can be powerful tools, while at the same time emphasizing that adequate preparation might require weeks or months of stabilization and skill building. Psychedelic-assisted therapy may provide a leap forward on a person’s healing journey, but we must also not lose sight of the fact that healing is a journey–a personal one–that involves a high degree of supported personal engagement.