Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
January 1, 2025
Kabir Nigam, Franklin King, Fernando Espí Forcén
4 citations
Ketamine is non-inferior to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depression and is better tolerated than many second-line augmentation strategies. Currently viewed as a third-line agent for treatment-refractory depression, the available data suggest ketamine carries a low side-effect burden. Given the relationship between treatment outcomes and duration of untreated illness, the authors argue psychiatry should evaluate ketamine as a second-line augmentation strategy for refractory depression.
Psychiatric Annals
December 1, 2023
Fernando Espí Forcén
3 citations
Spirituality among Hispanic and Latinx people takes many forms. While Catholicism has been dominant for centuries, Native American and African spiritual traditions have experienced a revival in recent decades. At the same time, Evangelical Christianity is rapidly growing in popularity across Latin America, reflecting the influence of the United States. To properly study these spiritual practices, researchers must understand the historical changes that shaped these religions and the context in which they became established in the region.
The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
October 25, 2024
Kabir Nigam, Franklin King, Fernando Espí Forcén
2 citations
Ketamine appears highly effective for refractory depression, with fewer side effects and better tolerability than many other augmentation strategies. Evidence on mediators of psychiatric treatment outcomes suggests that using ketamine earlier in the course of treatment could improve patient outcomes.
Journal of immigrant and minority health
June 9, 2025
Juliana Zambrano, Fernando Espí Forcén, Jose Hidalgo et al.
Psychedelic-assisted therapies show promise for depression and PTSD, but their application has largely excluded marginalized groups such as Latinx immigrants, who face mental health challenges at rates similar to white populations yet have lower treatment engagement due to cultural stigma, language barriers, and limited access to culturally competent care. This paper argues for group-based, culturally adapted models of psychedelic-assisted therapy tailored to Latinx immigrants, emphasizing community healing, collective therapeutic processes, and the incorporation of cultural traditions. Group psychedelic therapy may enhance social connections, reduce isolation, and increase accessibility while addressing unique immigrant stressors. Rigorous research and culturally competent care models are needed to reduce mental health disparities.
Imafronte
April 11, 2025
Fernando Espí Forcén
Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1973 film The Holy Mountain has gained cult status, recently amplified by the psychedelic renaissance. The article reviews, analyzes, and interprets the film's symbolism, which incorporates countercultural ideas, Eastern philosophy, alchemy, astrology, and tarot. Rich in psychedelic imagery from the psychoanalytic tradition, the film explores themes central to psychedelic visual culture: descriptions of psychedelic substances and ceremonies, philosophies of the psychedelic counterculture, deconstruction of societal norms, and trauma exploration and healing from psychedelic experiences.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 7, 2025
Fernando Espí Forcén
A patient who used psilocybin without psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy required inpatient psychiatric admission. The case highlights the importance of taking psilocybin in controlled clinical settings. The authors discuss how psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy could have changed the outcome and the role of experiential learning for potential prescribers.
The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders
June 25, 2026
Franklin King, Juliana Zambrano, Erin Mauney et al.
No Summary
The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders
June 23, 2026
Franklin King, Brian S. Barnett, S Trevor Taylor et al.
No Summary
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
April 5, 2023
Albert Yeung, Guy Sapirstein, Laura D Crain et al.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is most commonly defined by at least two prior treatment failures with adequate dose and duration, though consensus is lacking. A clinical case illustrates a patient with long-standing depression and inadequate treatment response, where persistent self-criticism appears to drive unrelenting symptoms, intense anger, self-doubt, and self-disapproval. The article explores potential causes of self-criticism, its impact on depression and help-seeking, and plausible treatment approaches.
Palliative and Supportive Care
April 1, 2023
Fernando Espí Forcén, Laura Marengo, Maya Behn
A patient with recurrent, severe depression and suicidal ideation improved after receiving meaning-centered psychotherapy combined with ketamine. His scores on a suicide assessment tool improved significantly with this combination. Ketamine is generally well tolerated and can enhance outcomes in patients undergoing meaning-centered psychotherapy.
Psychiatric Annals
September 1, 2022
Fernando Espí Forcén, Maren Nyer
Ketamine is the only prescribable psychedelic medicine in the United States and a promising treatment for depression. Most ketamine clinics currently administer ketamine without psychotherapy. This article reviews recent literature on combining ketamine with psychotherapy for psychiatric disorders, opening discussion on whether combined treatment offers benefits over ketamine alone.