THE RIGHT TO TRY RAISING PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY UP FROM UNDERGROUND - BC Association of Clinical Counsellors
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MEMBER PROFILE | BRUCE TOBIN, RCC
Bruce Tobin, RCC, has been a member of BCACC since
1982. He worked for about 20 years with Health
Canada providing psychotherapy in First Nations
communities in the Victoria area. He also worked
for many years with School District 63, serving four
middle schools on the Saanich Peninsula, and taught
Expressive Therapies at the University of Victoria for
25 years. Throughout this time, he also maintained
a private practice centring on treatment of anxiety,
depression, and emotional trauma.
THE RIGHT TO TRY
RAISING PSYCHEDELIC-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
UP FROM UNDERGROUND
B
ruce Tobin, RCC, began but I decided I wanted to take this the right to die, we certainly have the
exploring research on issue above ground — to open lawful right to try’ — to try psilocybin in
psychedelic-assisted psychedelic options up to Canadians in trying to make life better,” he says.
psychotherapy need,” says Tobin. “My ultimate goal It’s hard to argue with that reasoning.
nearly 15 years ago, has been to see psychedelic options
after realizing over time just how become available within Canada’s public What is the historical context
limited and ineffective conventional health systems — hospitals, hospices, of the use of psychedelics in
pharmaceuticals and clinical skills are in provincial mental health centres — as counselling?
so many cases. Certainly, he witnessed well as private clinics.” Psychedelic — the term literally means
many clinical successes over the years, Tobin was encouraged in his quest “mind-manifesting” — compounds
but he saw far too many clients for by two significant developments. First, have been used for healing and spiritual
whom the “state of the art” simply in 2000, legal medical cannabis came purposes since the dawn of recorded
wasn’t up to the job. into effect after the Ontario Court history, and very likely much before
The research he discovered was of Appeals ruled that prohibition of then. Their merits as therapeutic agents
promising. Several large North cannabis for medical purposes violated within a clinical context began to be
American research centres were the Canadian Charter of Rights and appreciated in the late ’50s. Through
showing evidence that psychedelics Freedoms. the ’60s, about 40,000 people in North
could be gamechangers for some of the “This ruling appeared to apply just America were successfully treated for
great mental health challenges of our as much to psilocybin as the court alcohol-use disorder, depression, and
age: anxiety, depression, addictions, affirmed it did for cannabis,” he says. emotional trauma. But psychedelic
PTSD, and chronic pain. Some of Second, the Medical Assistance in research and treatment were abruptly
Tobin’s clients were also coming across Dying (MAiD) Act came into effect and irrationally terminated in the
this research and were asking him in 2016, permitting physician-assisted early ’70s after psychedelics such as
about it. death in certain situations where patient LSD began to be misused as “street
“I knew some clients were being suffering cannot be relieved. drugs,” and there were a few widely
treated by ‘underground’ therapists, “Our argument became ‘If we have publicized tragedies because of that
34 BC ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL COUNSELLORS
Psychedelic — the
term literally means
“mind-manifesting” —
compounds have been
used for healing and
spiritual purposes since
the dawn of recorded
history, and very likely
much before then.
misuse. Back in this period, Canada was nearly four years of dialogue, Health treatment alternatives have proved to
a world leader in psychedelic research Canada approved the first four patient be ineffective.
and treatment; I’m proud to say that applications in August 2020. I provided
Canada is again at the forefront today. treatment to Canada’s first six patients What are the dangers of not
through the latter half of last year. following the protocols you have
Tell us about the process with established at TheraPsil?
Health Canada. Does TheraPsil simply encourage Our treatment protocol highly emulates
In 2017, I filed an application with the use of psychedelics in the one used by the Johns Hopkins
Health Canada for an exemption counselling? research team in their ground-breaking
to Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Psychedelic medicines are still 2016 clinical study on end-of-life
Substances Act that would allow me considered experimental; none distress. We also strongly follow their
to treat cancer patients with psilocybin have yet completed the phase-three patient-inclusion criteria. The most
for end-of-life distress — that clinical trials required before a drug important takeaway from the protocol
combination of anxiety, depression, and can go to market. But even in their is that psychedelic therapy is not just
demoralization that often accompanies current stage of development, they about a person being helped because
the diagnosis of a terminal illness. In are to the point that future research they took a psychoactive substance. The
2019, I founded TheraPsil — silent is much more likely to confirm their most accurate term for this treatment
P, as in ‘psilocybin’ — a non-profit promise than to discredit them. We is “psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy,”
humanitarian organization to advocate currently support their use only for with the emphasis being on
for legal access to psilocybin, the active compassionate treatment — only when “psychotherapy.” It’s not just about
ingredient in “magic mushrooms.” After the patient is suffering and all other what the medicine can do for you, but
INSIGHTS MAGAZINE | SPRING 2021 35
PSILOCYBIN IS THE
ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN
MAGIC MUSHROOMS
Psilocybin
C12H17N2O4P
Psilocybin psychotherapy But this state of openness and release TheraPsil assists clients in making those
done properly is a very that allows for deep healing is also applications. But we first engage them
low-risk treatment, one of extreme personal vulnerability in a comprehensive assessment process
if clients are treated and suggestiveness. The session must to ensure they are suitable candidates
by trained clinicians therefore involve special provisions for for treatment. When they receive their
emotional safety and physical safety. approvals, we refer them for treatment
according to our proven
This entails special ethical precautions. to therapists whose competency we
inclusion criteria and
Without this therapeutic crucible of trust.
treatment protocol.
trust and physical security, patients will A psychedelic medicine session
be unable to open to the depths that — usually about five hours — occurs
they need to in order to heal and in the context of a multi-session
what you can do with the assistance of may be left with residual anxiety and psychotherapy process. In the case
the medicine. confusion. of end-of-life clients, it is preceded
As a psychotherapy process, we place Psilocybin psychotherapy done by at least three preparatory sessions
a huge emphasis on the development properly is a very low-risk treatment, if in which the therapeutic relationship
of the therapeutic relationship; little clients are treated by trained clinicians is built, client presenting issues are
of significance will occur unless the according to our proven inclusion explored, and clients learn what
therapist has earned the deep trust criteria and treatment protocol. to expect and how to most benefit
of the client. Psychedelic medicines from the medicine. The psilocybin
have the effect of relaxing rigid, What is the right and legal way to session is followed up by at least
dysfunctional thinking patterns and engage in this work? three “integration sessions” in which
emotional defenses to allow greater Canadian patients can now obtain therapists assist clients in making
access to unconscious material and a “Section 56 exemption” from meaning of their experience and
the release of repressed material and a Health Canada that permits them weaving their gained insights into their
softening of body armour and letting go to use psilocybin under the care day-to-day lives so as to promote lasting
of stored physical tension. of a professional psychotherapist. favourable change.
36 BC ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL COUNSELLORSOur BCACC ethical code requires psychotherapy shares many similarities Now, many doctors and psychiatrists
that we practise only in areas of with those ancient healing traditions. are interested and open to psychedelic
established competency, so specialized Over the past 15 years, psilocybin has treatments, and we have had a number
training is essential. TheraPsil is established a compelling record of both of them working in our assessment and
now moving forward with a training safety and efficacy in scientific research. training programs. There’s also been a
program, and Health Canada has now massive amount of positive coverage
granted some approvals for therapists Would you like to see psychedelic of psychedelic medicine in the popular
to use psilocybin in the context of their therapy made available beyond media: print, TV, and internet. One
training process. end-of-life care? If yes, in which recent survey shows the majority of
situations? Canadians support psychedelic therapy.
Why psilocybin? Are there other We began with end-of-life cancer At present, the biggest barrier to
psychedelics being explored? patients, because that was where more widespread use of psilocybin-
Psilocybin is only one of several classical the research was most robust at the psychotherapy may be that we don’t
psychedelics, including LSD, mescaline, time. But research is moving smartly have enough qualified therapists to refer
peyote, and a handful of new “designer” forward in relation to other disorders. patients to.
drugs. MDMA, now looking promising
in the treatment of PTSD, also has
[Back In the late
some psychedelic-like properties.
’50s and through
LSD continues to be regarded as an
effective therapeutic agent, but it still
the ’60s], Canada
carries some “baggage” because of its
was a world leader in
demonization in the ’60s. psychedelic research
Psilocybin is the medicine of and treatment; I’m
choice for many because it is naturally proud to say that
occurring in the form of mushrooms Canada is again at
and is available in many places the forefront today.
throughout the world. Psilocybin also
has the advantage of a long tradition I’m confident that over the next year Do you have suggestions for other
of ceremonial use, and many people or two we’ll be receiving approvals RCCs interested in learning more
can easily agree that contemporary for things like anxiety, addictions, about this?
treatment-resistant depression, and Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
trauma-related issues. Treatment for is the most exciting development I
these issues will most certainly involve have witnessed in our profession in my
THERAPSIL
a longer-term therapy format than what 40-year career as a therapist. I think
Formed in 2019, TheraPsil is a
has worked well for end-of-life patients. it’s going to change the face of our
non-profit coalition of healthcare
professionals, patients, Psilocybin may also play an important profession over the next two decades.
community members, and role in the treatment of chronic pain, So, I encourage you to explore it and
advocates dedicated to helping such as cluster headaches or trigeminal grow your competencies in this area.
Canadians in medical need A big part of your professional growth
neuralgia.
access legal, psilocybin-assisted
will be your personal development.
psychotherapy to treat end-of-
What are the barriers preventing In addition to gaining specialized
life distress. As of January 2021,
TheraPsil had supported 24 broader use of psychedelic knowledge and training, we’re looking
patients in five provinces to treatment? for psychedelic therapists who have
access legal, psilocybin-assisted Barriers to psychedelic treatment are a high degree of personal integrity,
psychotherapy. Learn more at falling quickly. When I began my quest who deeply know themselves, and are
therapsil.ca.
in 2015, there was next to no support seeking to help others for the right
within the local medical community. reasons. ■
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