Meet Brian Pilecki
Brian Pilecki is a psychologist based in Portland, Oregon. He specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders, trauma, and PTSD. He also treats depression, issues related to general life dissatisfaction, grief and loss, sleep difficulties, and identity issues. He’s passionate about the potential for psychedelic substances to be used in a therapeutic environment—something that is likely to happen in Oregon soon. He has spent more than 20 years studying psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ayahuasca and their potential role in mental health treatment.
Why Brian Pilecki Is Mentally Strong
Psychedelic use is often stigmatized. Drugs like mushrooms and MDMA have long been considered “club drugs” without any medicinal purposes. But, Brian has been on the forefront of psychedelic research. He’s discovered many ways in which psychedelics may be a useful therapy tool. One study he was involved in was a clinical trial that investigated the use of MDMA in treating social anxiety. He’s also heavily involved in public education and advocacy to reduce the stigma associated with psychedelic use. He organized a support group to give people a place to talk about their psychedelic use—something many other therapists may shy away from.
What You’ll Hear on the Show
What’s happening in Oregon that may allow psychedelics to be used in treatment soon What the research says about various psychedelics such as MDMA, mushrooms, and LSD The difference between using psychedelics recreationally and therapeutically What it means to set an intention before using a psychedelic and why that’s important Why some people go on “bad trips” What people should know about “Ketamine clinics” that are popping up around the country How “integration” is used to gain the most benefit from psychedelic use Who shouldn’t use psychedelics The potential risks of using psychedelics How microdosing works and the potential benefits The benefits of attending a psychedelic support group What to expect from the future of psychedelic treatments
What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength
Sometimes, people assume that mental health issues should respond to traditional treatments, like cognitive behavioral therapy or antidepressants. But, traditional treatment doesn’t always reduce the symptoms. We’ve even developed terms like “treatment-resistant depression” because some mental health conditions just don’t respond to common interventions. That’s why it’s so important to keep exploring more treatment options and methods. The same treatments just don’t work for everyone. That’s why it’s so important to keep exploring new treatment options, like psychedelics. They may help some people in ways that other treatments can’t.
Quotes From Brian
Psychedelics can be really good at showing us what we’re avoiding in our lives.In our culture, we have this thing where people believe it’s bad to have fun.One of the big lessons we learned from the sixties when people were using psychedelics in the U.S. for the first time on a widespread basis was that people were having these transformative experiences where they were seeing things in a different way. They were having clarity about their lives and their purpose.
More About the Podcast
The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too.
