Thanks to several different lines of research, and the tireless efforts of parent advocacy groups, contemporary approaches to mental health treatments have evolved to include families as active supporters in the healing process. This is especially relevant in the context of psychedelic therapy where growth and change can change so rapidly as to put stress on the relational systems of the client,potentially leading to negative outcomes for all affected.

In this live webinar, Fluence co-founder and CEO Dr. Ingmar Gorman will interview Dr. Adele Lafrance about her work at the intersection of psychedelic-therapy and relational and family systems.

Dr. Adele Lafrance is a clinical psychologist, research scientist, author and developer of emotion-focused treatment modalities. She is active in the research and practice of psychedelic medicine, with a focus on ayahuasca, MDMA, psilocybin and ketamine. A clinical trainer and supervisor for various organizations, Adele has a particular interest in mechanisms and models of healing, including emotion processing, spirituality, love, and family-based psychedelic medicine.

They will discuss three models of family-based psychedelic medicine:

1. The recruitment of caregivers who learn specific skills to support their loved one throughout the course of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, creating an optimal home environment for healing and growth, and reducing the likelihood of problematic interactional patterns that could inadvertently maintain symptoms.

2. The recruitment of caregivers who participate in medicine sessions alongside their loved one, thereby leveraging the neurobiological bond in order to deepen the process of healing and growth, including attending to problematic relational patterns and old injuries, if relevant.

3. Caregivers who participate in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy on behalf of their loved one, who, for medical or psychiatric reasons, cannot participate themselves. 

Clinical anecdotes from research studies will also be shared to illustrate how other-engagement can decrease therapy-interfering attitudes and behaviors, facilitate powerful shared experiences and leverage opportunities to heal and grow in the context of one’s closest relationships.