How MDMA Works for PTSD

Trigger Warning:
This episode includes discussion of trauma, suicide, abuse, and emotional processing in the context of psychedelic therapy. Please take care while listening. Viewer discretion is advised.

You've been told psychedelics are poison.

That healing trauma requires years of talk therapy.

What if three sessions could change everything?

This week on Live Well Be Well, I sit down with Dr. Rick Doblin, who has spent 39 years fighting for something most people thought impossible: bringing psychedelics back into medicine. As the founder of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), Rick has dedicated his life to proving that MDMA isn't just a party drug. It's a revolutionary treatment for trauma that could change how we understand healing itself.

Rick doesn't just speak about psychedelics as science or policy. He's lived them, studied them, and helped thousands heal with them. His work isn't about escapism. It's about going deeper. Into the body. Into memory. Into parts of ourselves we've long avoided. And then, through compassion and skilled integration, coming out the other side, changed.

We explore:

• Rick's first psychedelic experience and what it taught him about interconnectedness

• How MDMA works in the brain to reduce fear and increase compassionWhy MDMA may be the most effective tool we have for PTSD

• The three-phase therapy protocol and why context matters more than the drug itself

• What went wrong with FDA approval and why Rick believes approval is inevitable

• The difference between a "bad trip" and a meaningful one

• Why people with the most difficult childhoods often show the greatest improvement with MDMA therapy

• How patients develop empathy (not forgiveness, but understanding) for their perpetrators

Your trauma doesn't define you. But learning to hold it with compassion might just set you free.

Love,

Sarah Ann 💛

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If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:Radhika Das: Unlock Your Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rUi49Iiq0U

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Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

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Highlights:

Introduction to MDMA Therapy & Healing with Rick Doblin (0:00:00)

Psychedelics & the Interconnectedness of All Life (0:01:30)

0:08:41 Can Psychedelics Treat Mental Health? (0:08:41)

How Does MDMA Help PTSD & Rewire the Brain? (0:20:59)

The MDMA Therapy Process: What Happens in a Session (0:25:46)

What is the Success Rate of MDMA Therapy for PTSD Treatment? (0:34:16)

Will MDMA Be FDA-Approved and Legalized for PTSD? (0:41:17)

Risks & Side Effects of MDMA Therapy (0:45:47)

What Causes Bad Trips on Psychedelics? (0:51:39)

How to Ensure a Positive MDMA Experience (0:54:38)

MDMA Therapy: Self-Compassion, Empathy, Healing & Letting Go (1:03:34)

What Living Well Means to Rick Doblin (1:11:09)

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