On Redescribing the Indescribable: Trauma, Psychoanalysis and Psychedelic Therapy
Nadav Liam Modlin, Joanne Stubley, Carolina Maggio, James J. Rucker
British Journal of Psychotherapy June 30, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/bjp.12852 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key points | Proposes that the psychedelic state can be understood as an attempt to make the unconscious conscious, to develop trust and agency, and to redescribe the traumatic past, drawing on psychoanalytic perspectives. |
Abstract
The psychedelic state can be thought about as an interdependent intrapsychic, somatic, interpersonal and spiritual happening which encourages, perhaps both to the relief and dismay of those participating in the experience, the shocking and impressive emergence of one's unconscious desires and traumata's; a state which may be experienced as cathartic or healing, and as anxiety‐provoking and confusing. Often, in clinical trials investigating psychedelics in mental health conditions, these go hand in hand. Amid a renewed, at times hyperbolic, interest in psychedelics as a potential treatment for mental ill health, significant gaps of knowledge remain. Additional studies exploring the impact of the extra‐pharmacological factors and adjunct therapeutic models on treatment outcomes are needed. Drawing from psychoanalytic perspectives, this paper explores points of intersectionality between psychedelic therapy under investigation and psychoanalysis in the context of traumatic stress. To that end, the psychedelic state will be considered an attempt to make the unconscious conscious by immersing self in a bewildering waking‐dream to better tolerate reality; immersing self in a wilful state of vulnerability, to develop trust in one's agency and capacity to trust others; immersing self in an indescribable experience to learn how to redescribe, to self and to others the traumatic past.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- A rapid narrative review of the clinical evolution of psychedelic treatment in clinical trials. npj Mental Health Research July 2, 2024
- Trauma-Informed Care in Psychedelic Therapy Research: A Qualitative Literature Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions in PTSD and Psychedelic Therapy Across Conditions. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2024
- Therapeutic emergence of dissociated traumatic memories during psilocybin treatment for anorexia nervosa Journal of Eating Disorders May 26, 2025
- Memory, trauma, and self: Remembering and recovering from sexual abuse in psychedelic-assisted therapy Journal of Psychedelic Studies October 9, 2024
- Shame, Guilt and Psychedelic Experience: Results from a Prospective, Longitudinal Survey of Real-World Psilocybin Use Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 7, 2025
and 5 more in the library
Cites 39
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 15, 2018
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
and 34 more in the library