Psychedelic Psychodynamics: Relational Knowing and the Unthought Known
Psychoanalytic Dialogues September 3, 2022 DOI: 10.1080/10481885.2022.2106141 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Psychoanalytic theory Psychodynamics Psychotherapist Psychoanalysis |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key points | Proposes that psychoanalytic concepts—including changes in implicit relational patterns, Winnicottian and Bollasian perspectives, and mystical experience—may contribute to understanding what is curative in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. |
Abstract
After a two-decade moratorium on psychedelic research in the United States, new studies on psychedelic assisted psychotherapy have shown promising results in the treatment of psychiatric disorders and the betterment of well people. Little has been written in contemporary psychoanalytic journals about the possible use of psychoanalytic theory as an underpinning for this research. This paper examines three concepts from psychoanalytic thinkers that may contribute to an understanding of what is curative in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy. First, I examine the possibility of psychedelics as a catalyst in changing a patient’s implicit relational patterns. Second, I use the work of Winnicott and Christopher Bollas to explore the psychedelic experience. Finally, I look at the role of mystical experience in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Psychedelics and psychoanalysis: The journey from talking cure to transformation Journal of Psychedelic Studies August 21, 2024
- Lost in translation? Qualitative interviews with Australian psychedelic-assisted therapy trial clinicians. Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice September 16, 2024
- Fearful symmetry in altered states: a bi-logic account of psychedelic action. Frontiers in Psychology August 19, 2025
- The Bad Seed: Mystical Experience and Time Travel in the Treatment of Psychopathy Psychoanalytic Dialogues November 2, 2023
- Considerations in the Application of Psychedelic-Augmented Psychotherapy: A Commentary on Clinical Mechanisms Psychoactives May 12, 2023
and 5 more in the library
Cites 11
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Journal of Psychopharmacology September 11, 2014
and 6 more in the library