The global mental health and neuroscience communities are mourning the loss of Nolan Williams, M.D., who passed away on October 8, 2025. A brilliant, irreverent, and deeply compassionate physician-scientist, Dr. Williams was a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. To those who knew him best, he was far more than a pioneer — he was a devoted husband, an adoring father, and a man who approached life with curiosity, courage, and love.
Dr. Williams’ life’s work centered on alleviating human suffering. At Stanford, he led groundbreaking research on neuromodulation and psychedelics, developing novel therapies for depression, trauma, and other brain health conditions. His creation of Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy (SAINT) — the world’s first non-invasive, rapid-acting treatment for depression — was a watershed moment in psychiatry, now used around the world to bring patients back from the brink. He was also among the first investigators to study the neurobiological effects of ibogaine, expanding the frontiers of psychedelic medicine. His research earned global recognition, but what defined him was his relentless dedication to patients, students, and colleagues — and his belief that science, at its best, is an act of service.
Dr. Williams is survived by his wife, their two children, his mother, brother, and an extended circle of family, friends, mentors, mentees, and patients who adored him. His light endures—in his children, in the minds he expanded, and in the countless lives his discoveries will continue to touch.
Nolan is a tragic kind of Wounded Healer, with his wounds overwhelming his own personal healing capabilities. Nolan contributed much to our modern understanding of mental health, depression, and suicidal thinking, and to the healing potential of psychedelic-assisted treatments. His contributions to the neuroscience of both mental health and psychedelics have led to breakthrough treatments and can be the foundation for many more. He was both a brilliant researcher and a compelling storyteller, the first I’d heard to link “antifruiters” — people opposed to citrus fruits for the treatment of scurvy in the 1850s — to psychedelic prohibitionists today. Nolan’s pioneering work substantially advanced the timetable before psychedelic treatments will save many lives and many suicide attempts will be prevented. Nolan’s suicide is a call to action.
I urge that if you are lost in hopelessness, still reach out and find help. Nolan worked to improve the treatment of mental illnesses, yet succumbed to them himself at a time in his work of great success and promise. His depression was an invisible wound, at least to me and many others. One day, thanks in part to Nolan’s work, depression will become increasingly curable and maybe even preventable. There are brighter days ahead. If you or a loved one are struggling, please reach out for help today.
-Rick Doblin, President and Founder of MAPS
- Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States
- Call the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or send a text message to 62640
- Contact a healthcare provider who can assist with treatment options
- Call 911 for urgent, life-threatening situations