Show Notes
What if the very memories you've been running from could become the doorway to your healing?
In this powerful conversation with world-renowned trauma researcher Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, we explore how MDMA-assisted psychotherapy is transforming lives and unlocking access to healing that, for many, has felt unreachable for decades. I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk about the science, spirit, and soulful possibility of reprocessing trauma, especially developmental trauma, through this promising modality.
Dr. van der Kolk takes us deep into what trauma really does to the brain, how we get stuck in cycles of re-experiencing rather than remembering, and how MDMA helps break that loop by fostering both safety and self-compassion. We talk about what it means to reconnect with the part of yourself that got hurt the most, and how to begin building trust with that younger self, perhaps for the very first time.
This episode is for anyone seeking new hope in the treatment of trauma, anyone who's done "the work" but still feels frozen inside, and anyone curious about how the future of healing is already here.
We Also Discuss: ● How trauma is not remembered, it’s relived. ● MDMA therapy and how it creates a safe space for memory integration ● The way healing happens when safety meets vulnerability ● Psychedelics and its ability to re-open neural pathways to trust and connection ● How integration is the bridge between insight and transformation
[0:00:00] Welcome to The Radical Responsibility Podcast. [0:03:32] The journey towards psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. [0:06:00] Positive ways psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy rewires the brain to heal trauma. [0:13:45] Combining other modalities with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy [0:16:21] What entails being a good psychedelic therapist? [0:22:21] How therapists can help people with their psychedelic experiences. [0:22:59] The somatic aspect of psychedelic-assisted therapy. [0:25:10] Does healing trauma also heal disorders in the physical body? [0:27:15] Embodiment and disembodiment in psychedelic-assisted therapy. [0:30:12] Memories in trauma, the healing process, psychedelic-assisted therapy. [0:37:32] Psychedelics opens your mind to change your habits. [0:39:39] Developmental trauma and healing. [0:43:11] MDMA and childhood trauma healing.
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Connect with Bessel van der Kolk: Website: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebodykeepsthescore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebodykeepsthescore/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TraumaResearchFoundation
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Produced by Evolved Podcasting - www.evolvedpodcasting.com
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