Episode 64

Feb 6

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Join host Michaela Carlin and co-host Stefanie Cohen as they speak with Dr. Ben Sessa. As a medical doctor who has specialized in psychiatry for over 25 years, Dr. Sessa shares his insights on the role psychedelic and cannabis research is playing in transforming traditional psychiatric practices in the UK.

One key area of discussion is how MDMA can aid in psychotherapy, especially for individuals with addiction or experiences of trauma. A recurring theme is the need to treat mental health holistically, focusing on both the biological and psychological aspects, and that the current psychiatric model of merely managing symptoms is ineffective.

Instead, therapeutic options such as psychedelics can facilitate real change, helping patients address the root causes of dysfunctional narratives formed from their past traumas. Dr. Sessa also advocates for mental healthcare to be accessible to all and emphasizes the importance of effective early child care in preventing mental health issues later in life.

For over 15 years, Dr. Ben Sessa has been at the forefront of psychedelic and cannabis research and clinical medicine in the UK through his affiliations with Imperial College London. Ben qualified as a medical doctor from UCL in 1997 and went on to specialize in psychiatry. For 25 years he has worked as a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist with young people and adult patients in the field of addictions and trauma-related psychiatry.

Ben started studying psychedelics as a junior doctor and has taken part in research projects at Bristol University, Cardiff University and Imperial College London with LSD, psilocybin, DMT, ketamine and MDMA – receiving and/or administering all of these compounds in legal research settings.

One of the first doctors to develop the field of contemporary psychedelic research in the UK, he was the former co-founder, former CEO, and subsequently the former Head of Psychedelic Medicine at Awakn Life Sciences, a Bio-Tech company carrying out psychedelic research into addictions. Awakn opened four clinical centers in the U.K. and Europe, providing psychedelic psychotherapy with ketamine, for a wide range of psychiatric indications, as well as an extensive R&D psychedelic research program.

Ben was one of the first Medical Cannabis psychiatric prescribers in the UK and is a trained MDMA, ketamine and psilocybin therapist. He has led research into MDMA-assisted therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder and is published widely in the academic and medical press. Dr. Sessa is the co-founder and past president of the Breaking Convention conference. He is the author of The Psychedelic Renaissance (2012/2017), the novel To Fathom Hell or Soar Angelic (2015) and Altered States (2021).

Episode Highlights

Understanding MDMA and its potential in psychiatry
Exploring the mechanism of MDMA
First MDMA study outside of MAPS: focus on addictions
The role of psychotherapy in sustaining long-term behavioral and mood changes
Unexpected psychedelic experiences with MDMA
The intersection of Dr. Ben’s personal experience and professional interest in psychedelics
The importance of holistic approach in mental health treatment
The impact of early attachment on mental health
Understanding intergenerational trauma
Exploring the use of psychedelics for personal growth
Psychedelics and trauma healing: a new perspective
The flaws of categorical diagnoses in psychiatry
The role of trauma in mental disorders
The potential of psychedelics for treating psychosis
The current and future state of psychedelic research
The economic implications of psychedelic therapy
The need for a shift in mental health care paradigm
The role of politics and racism in drug policy
The case for regulated market for drugs