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About Us

Our Trainee Therapist Members

All our members are trainees on psychoanalytic psychotherapy programs accredited by the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) or the The British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). 

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Timmy Davis (founder)

Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis.

 

Timmy is the Director of Psychedelic Policy at the Centre for Evidence Based Drug Policy. He is the author of ‘New, Strange, Odd and Weird Perceptions: a Lacanian account of psychedelic experience’.

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Debbie Johnson

Philadelphia Association.

 

Debbie is a Karuna Contemplative and Psychodynamic Counsellor and Mindfulness trainer with over 20 years’ experience working within the caring profession.

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Farhad Anklesaria

Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research.

 

After graduating from Yale College in Sociology, he has worked as a consultant, ethnographer, educator, and counsellor. During his training, he has volunteered at MIND and Cambridge House.

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Keekz Campbell-Coker

Birkbeck College, University of London.

 

Keekz serves as Team Lead at the Center for Mental Health Research and Innovation, collaborating with King’s College London and Compass Pathways. She has three years of focused experience in psychedelic research.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are psychedelics?

Psychedelics are a diverse group of substances with a rich history spanning millennia, from traditional indigenous use to modern scientific inquiry. Examples include LSD, psilocybin (found in certain mushrooms), mescaline, ayahuasca, DMT, ketamine, and MDMA. These compounds exert their effects through interactions with receptors in the brain, leading to alterations in perception, cognition, and mood. Recent research has highlighted their potential therapeutic applications in treating mental health disorders such as depression, PTSD, and addiction. Psychedelic experiences are risky and while they can be transformative, sometimes they are challenging, scary or destabilising during or after the experience itself.

Do you offer access to psychedelics?

No. Psychedelics remain Class A under the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and so remain illegal to both possess and supply outside of a clinical trial licensed by the Home Office.

Do you offer guiding services?

No. This service is for people who are looking for help after a psychedelic experience whether it was in the context of a clinical trial, a ceremony or any other circumstances.

What services do you provide to those seeking help?

The Psychedelic Experience Clinic offers a limited number of low cost weekly psychotherapy slots for up to a maximum of 12 months, for individuals who may be unemployed or on a low income and are seeking support after a psychedelic experience. We also offer therapy of variable frequency and cost. For either service contact us through the form on the home page or email us at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk

What if there are no low cost places available when I get in touch?

If all low cost spaces are full we may be able to offer you a place with one of our therapists at a reduced rate. If you can't pay for what is available we may be able to offer you a place on the waiting list, although this is no guarantee of when or if a place will become available. Alternatively we will be able to refer you onto a trusted therapist or service outside of The Psychedelic Experience Clinic.

Can I use the service if I am not unemployed or in need of one of the low cost slots?

Absolutely, get in touch through the form on the home page or email us at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk and we can connect you with one of our trusted therapists.

What if my psychedelic experience wasn't challenging at the time but I still want to talk about it?

No problem, if you're seeking support to make sense of what happened or for any other reason connected to a psychedelic experience you’ve already had you're welcome to get in touch with our service via the form on the home page or emailing us at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk

Is this illegal? Can I get in trouble for speaking about my psychedelic experience?

No. It is not illegal to talk about drugs in the UK, and the spaces we offer are completely private and confidential.

What happens after the 12 months are up?

It may be possible to continue in the therapy with your therapist, but this will need to be discussed with them on a case by case basis.

Who provides the therapy?

The therapy is conducted by our members, all of whom are trainee psychoanalytic psychotherapists taking part in specialised supervision with experienced psychoanalysts. This allows The Psychedelic Experience Clinic to offer low cost therapy.

What is psychoanalysis?

Psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a form of talk therapy that explores unconscious thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It focuses on understanding how past experiences, especially from childhood, as well as your current circumstances shape your feelings and actions. In the context of a psychedelic experience, a psychoanalyst might help you explore the meanings and emotions underlying your trip, integrating it into your overall psychological landscape. This approach can provide insight into your psyche, aiding in personal growth and healing.

How are you funded?

Currently the service is run through fees paid by the trainee therapist members who themselves provide the therapy, and by the ticket sales to our events but donations are welcome. We hope to receive enough from donations and ticket sales that our trainee members can be provided with group supervision without personal cost, and can be subsidised for providing more low cost psychotherapy sessions to the public. If you would like to support The Psychedelic Experience Clinic you can donate via www.whydonate.com or get in touch by emailing us at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk

Is the therapy confidential?

Absolutely, the therapy is completely confidential and you can talk about whatever you want. All our trainee therapists subscribe to the ethics of their training institutions and their accrediting bodies.

Is the therapy in person or online?

This is to be discussed on a case by case basis with your allocated therapist but it is worth noting that this clinic works within the UK timezone.

What data do you collect and why?

We ask all service users to fill out a small number of questionnaires before and after accessing the service to help us determine whether it has been helpful and to provide data that will inform research and the training of future therapists.

How often will data be collected?

Data is collected after the admission process but before the first session with the allocated therapist, after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months. The service user will be provided with a link to an online form via an automated email.

Will the data I provide be traceable to me?

All data collected is anonymised and only available for researchers to view and study once the service user has left the service and provided their final consent through the online portal. The data collected will not affect whether or not the service user continues to be provided with the service or not.

Is this space safe for people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community and other minority/underserved groups?

The Psychedelic Experience Clinic places the values of inclusivity, equality and acceptance at its core. We maintain an open and inclusive space and welcome any feedback that can help us improve our service in the direction of our values.

What should I do if I have a complaint about the service or the conduct of one of the therapists?

All complaints will be taken seriously and acted upon discretely. Complaints should be reported directly to info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk and will be followed up with accordingly.

What if I want to stop coming before the 12 months is up?

You are of course welcome to stop your therapy at any time, if you are considering terminating your therapy you may want to discuss it with your therapist first.

What if I want to withdraw my consent for my data to be used?

All you have to do to withdraw your consent is to send us an email at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk and let us know. You will then be informed that your data has been deleted from our records.

I am a trainee psychoanalytic psychotherapist, how can I get involved?

Great to hear that you’re interested in helping out, please email us at info@thepsychedelicexperienceclinic.co.uk or fill in the form on the home page with a little bit of information about yourself and we will be in touch with information about membership opportunities and any upcoming events.

I don’t need it myself but I want to donate to The Psychedelic Experience Clinic so that others may benefit from its service. How can I do that and where will the money go?

All donations received by the clinic go towards paying for the running of the service and the provision of group supervision for our trainees. Further funds will be used to expand our services by bringing on further trainee therapists and subsidising further low cost therapy spots to become available to the public.

How fast can I expect to see improvements in my mental health?

Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this question and no guarantees can be given but other people who have struggled after psychedelic experiences report that receiving psychotherapeutic support as soon after the experience as possible helped them improve more quickly than they would have otherwise.

In addition to a psychedelic experience I want to discuss, I also have a diagnosed mental health issue. Is The Psychedelic Experience Clinic right for me?

Absolutely, regardless of what else you are dealing with, if you are struggling after a psychedelic experience you are welcome to get in touch.

Is there a disadvantage to receiving therapy from a trainee?

Our trainees all work in private practice with many patients with different needs and are in supervision with experienced therapists, there are no major disadvantages of seeing a trainee.

I am having difficulties associated with the use of drugs other than psychedelics (e.g stimulants, opioids, benzodiazepines). Can I still be treated at the Clinic?

This clinic is tailored specifically to people dealing with psychedelic experiences, so regardless of what other problem you are dealing with, if you are struggling after a psychedelic experience you are welcome to get in touch.

How frequently will I see my assigned therapist?

The low cost therapy we offer is weekly, but if your situation requires more frequent therapist contact this is something that can be brought up with your therapist and discussed between you. The frequency of non-low cost therapy is also to be decided upon by you and your therapist according to your needs.

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