My guest on this episode is Reiko Joseph, LMFT. 

Reiko is a therapist who has credentials in Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Therapy.  She is also Clinical Instructor, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Certified Instructor, Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP), approved by the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association (IEDTA), and a member of the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists (CAMFT). 

Reiko is a masterful therapist and colleague in Los Angeles who practices/teaches ISTDP therapy and has in recent years ventured into the realm of psychedelic assisted therapies.

The jury is still out for me on psychedelics for a number of reasons-- but I'm cautiously curious about their clinical application.  I have many many more questions, but this discussion is solid intro for anyone who is curious about, skeptical of, or sold on psychedelics in clinical practice. Hopefully in a follow up episode we can discuss the difference between learning about our defenses consciously vs. under psychedelic influence, the mechanisms of change, and what models of the mind (if any) can best explain aspects of psychedelic experience. 

I wanted to talk to Reiko because I've seen her walk patients through major unlockings of the unconscious without the aid of psychedelics and achieve significant healing (listen to the end of the BOLD VOICES podcast Episode 5 on "Unlocking the Unconscious" to hear a testimonial from @dr.paulflores about an unlocking he had while in therapy with Reiko)...what do psychedelics have to add to what is already a powerful experience?

Questions explored on this episode: 

What is the importance of the unconscious re: therapy and healing? 

What do psychedelics have to add/how do they help in this regard? 

Who should be careful? 

What do you consider when trying to figure out when psychedelics are indicated?