Program

While interdisciplinary scientific research on psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and N,N-DMT) and psychedelic experiences is currently booming, there has hitherto been a significant lack of extensive and systematic research into what the characterizing features of ‘psychedelic experiences’ might be and whether there is intersubjective consistency in this regard.

In this talk, I will introduce you to the methods of Husserlian phenomenology as a philosophical discipline and tradition for studying lived experience. I will then discuss how, by combining Husserlian phenomenological methods with qualitative research, it is possible to develop a detailed account of what characterizes psychedelic experiences as a distinctive type of subjectively lived experience. 

I will finally reflect upon how phenomenological concepts and analyses might be applied to informing research into the psychotherapeutic benefits and neural correlates of psychedelic experiences. 

The resurgence of interest in psychedelic substances for mental health treatment necessitates innovative research methodologies that bridge empirical science with subjective experience. 

This talk examines how integrating neuroscientific findings with phenomenological approaches can enhance our understanding of trauma-related disorders and their treatment. 

Drawing on evidence from clinical trials and therapeutic observations, we identify three key mechanisms through which psychedelic-augmented psychotherapy (PAP) may address traumatic dissociation: reducing phobic avoidance of traumatic memories, correcting contextualization deficits, and transforming traumatic attachment patterns. 

The structural dissociation model, which posits distinct emotional and apparently normal personality parts, provides a theoretical framework for understanding how psychedelics may facilitate therapeutic breakthroughs. Methodologically, this work highlights the limitations of traditional empirical approaches when studying profound subjective experiences, suggesting that phenomenological inquiry offers complementary perspectives critical for comprehensive research in this field. 

By re-evaluating patients' phenomenological experiences against the background of neurobiological mechanisms, researchers may develop more effective treatment paradigms for trauma-related disorders while contributing to a potential paradigm shift in psychiatric research that acknowledges the epistemic value of subjective experience alongside empirical data

This workshop will teach you this: 

Suffering in the present is often closely linked to past trauma. It is therefore understandable that patients are afraid to undergo a PAP, as they do not want to relive difficult events and see their condition worsen. When they realise that what they fear has already happened, fear loses its power and is replaced by awareness. 

During the PAP, with the support of the psychotherapist, patients relive and work on the traumatic links and transform their attachment patterns. They also realise the close link between physical and psychological suffering. 

The corrective experience of the therapy will even enable them to come to terms with their fear of death. One of the strengths of PAP is the ability to feel the strength of human connections and the beauty of existence. When they experience this profound connection with humanity and life, even seriously ill patients can accept their finitude and feel relieved. It makes you wonder whether the root cause of human suffering is a lack of love. 

Patients who see the universality of human suffering, and who may even have a spiritual experience during PAP sessions, often relay profound messages at the end of the session that are worthy of the great thinkers who have gone before us.

In everyday language, the term “underground” is often used pejoratively, especially in psychedelic contexts. This presentation looks back at the circumstances of the mid-1990s and the first decade of the new millennium. It will examine what was publicly known about psychedelic substances at the time, how this particular context was approached and how the learned concepts of set and setting changed over time. It also examines the process of developing a therapeutic approach based on these experiences. The talk shows both the advantages and disadvantages of the underground context as well as the associated pitfalls and risks. 

The empirical example presented can serve as a basis for discussing the practical application and challenges of dealing with psychedelic substances in therapeutic contexts.

This presentation will explore integration in relation to language and its absence. The psychedelic experience is often described as indescribable, and this presentation will unpack the cultural history and implications of having – and integrating – such ineffable experiences, but we will also examine the stakes and possible approaches to putting words on them. Drawing on my expertise with literature, narrative theory, discourse analysis and counterculture history, as well as my own experience with psychedelic integration, I will offer some context and insights about the need for language, or for letting go of that need, in the integration process, along with some practical advice for how to navigate the post-session period.

This talk explores the integration of psychedelic experiences as an essential part of a continuous therapeutic process. Rather than viewing integration as a separate or final phase, we will examine how every stage of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy—from initial intake and preparation to the experience itself and post-session reflection—embodies and models the principles of integration. Each step in the process serves not only to prepare and support the client but also to catalyze healing by creating conditions for insight, embodiment, and change. Through this lens, integration is not an afterthought, but a living thread woven throughout the therapeutic arc. 

By recognizing the continuity of integration, clinicians and facilitators can offer a more holistic and ethically grounded framework that honors the complexity of psychedelic healing. This talk will share clinical insights, case examples, and practical tools for fostering integration as an ongoing, relational, and dynamic process.

In this talk, I will explore the historical, experiential, and therapeutic dimensions of non-ordinary states of consciousness. From Stanislav Grof’s early LSD research to the development of Holotropic Breathwork (HB) with Christina Grof, I will present this non-pharmacological method for inducing profound trances and transpersonal experiences. More specifically, I will present how HB allow to access deep layers of the psyche—biographical, perinatal, and transpersonal—through intensified breathing, evocative music, and a safe therapeutic setting. 

I will highlight current research on psychedelic-assisted therapy, including Roland Griffiths’ work on psilocybin, which shows that mystical-type experiences correlate with sustained psychological benefits and strong personal meaning. Based on my own experience with Holotropic Breathwork (as a “breather” as well as a facilitator), I will discuss how transpersonal experiences—whether induced by psychedelics or breathwork—can lead to enduring changes in attitudes, behavior, and well-being. 

Finally, I will reflect on the mechanisms at play (intention, preparation, symbolic integration) and the value of these experiences within a therapeutic framework that honors both scientific rigor and subjective meaning. 

If a paper was published, it’s probably true, right? If only it were that easy.

Scientific papers were never meant to be trusted – they were meant to be READ. Together we will explore how to really read academic articles and evaluate the strength of their claims. We will get to know the scientific process, with all its obstacles and biases, and learn how to tell where any scientific claim lies on the long journey from speculation to established fact. 

I hope to leave you with a healthy lump of skepticism and some useful tools for evaluating every new study you read in psychedelic science and beyond. You may never quite trust a paper again – but at least you will know how to read one.

There appears to be a growing disconnection between humans and their natural environments which has been linked to poor mental health and environmental destruction. A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic usage is associated with enduring increases in nature relatedness or connectedness post experience, with this encompassing an awareness of being part of a wider web of life that makes up the natural world. 

How might this occur, and what are the potential implications of this at a time of growing mental health and ecological crises? 

What overlap is there between how psychedelics and contact with nature affect our mental state, and how can we maximise this synergy between nature and psychedelics to improve mental health? 

What fruit might nature-based settings bear for psychedelic sessions, and what benefits might be yielded using psychedelics in a nature-orientated way?

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