MAPS 25th Anniversary Conference
Pre-Conference Workshop
THE PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY:
LESSONS FROM MDMA RESEARCH FOR PTSD
with Michael Mithoefer MD & Annie Mithoefer BSN
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2011
Oakland Marriott City Center
CE & Psychedelic Education Program
Workshop Program
Overview of historical and contemporary clinical psychedelic research, with emphasis on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD
- Overview of PTSD: symptoms, etiology, and current treatments
- Overview of MDMA: Risks and effects
- Why MDMA for PTSD?
- Results of recent clinical trials
Therapeutic Method for MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
- Treatment manual: Developing a standardized approach
- Treatment: Basic principles of therapeutic method
- Patient screening: Indications and contraindications
Specific Elements of MDMA-Assisted Therapy Treatment
- Preparatory sessions
- MDMA-assisted sessions
- Integration sessions
Reflections on current research: Lessons and patient stories
Discussion and questions
Workshop Participants
Michael Mithoefer, M.D., is Clinical Investigator for MAPS’ MDMA-assisted psychotherapy studies. Dr. Mithoefer is a psychiatrist practicing in Charleston, SC, where he divides his time between clinical research and outpatient clinical practice specializing in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with an emphasis on experiential methods of psychotherapy. He is a Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator and is trained in EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy. He and his wife, Annie Mithoefer, recently completed a MAPS-sponsored Phase II clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. A paper about their study was published in July 2010 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. They are currently conducting a second trial with veterans who have PTSD resulting from service in the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as psychotherapy training programs for MAPS researchers. Dr. Mithoefer is the medical monitor for MAPS-sponsored clinical trials in Europe, the Middle East and Canada. Before going into psychiatry in 1995 he practiced emergency medicine for ten years, served as medical director of the Charleston County and Georgetown County Emergency Departments, and has held clinical faculty positions at the Medical University of South Carolina. He is currently board certified in Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, and Internal Medicine.
Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., is a Registered Nurse living in Charleston, SC, where she divides her time between clinical research and outpatient clinical practice specializing in treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with an emphasis on experiential methods of psychotherapy. She is a Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork Practitioner and is trained in Hakomi Therapy. Recently she and her husband, Michael Mithoefer, M.D., completed a MAPS-sponsored Phase II clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. A paper about their study was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. They are currently conducting a second trial with veterans who have PTSD resulting from service in the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as psychotherapy training programs for MAPS researchers.
CEs for psychologists are provided by The Spiritual Competency Resource Center (SCRC) which is co-sponsoring this program and is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SCRC maintains responsibility for the program and its content. SCRC is a California Board of Registered Nursing Provider (BRN) and a Board of Behavioral Sciences Provider (BBS). For questions about CE, visit the SCRC website or contact David Lukoff, PhD at david.lukoff@gmail.com or 707-763-3576.
