Awakn: Welcoming a new era of psychedelic-assisted therapy

Research Outreach interviews Ben Sessa, co-founder and Head of Psychedelic medicine at Awakn Life Sciences about his academic research and work with psychedelic-assisted therapy using ketamine.

Dr Ben Sessa is a psychiatrist, researcher, writer, and Co-founder and Head of Psychedelic Medicine at Awakn Life Sciences. His academic research coupled with his therapeutic practice have yielded vital insights into the safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Now, practicing with the biotechnology company Awakn Life Sciences, he is working to increase the availability of these revolutionary treatments. As […]

Read More… from Awakn: Welcoming a new era of psychedelic-assisted therapy

Building a psychological toolbox: Actively using neuroplastic methods to develop lasting inner strengths

Dr Rick Hanson proposes the HEAL framework to actively engage in positive neuroplastic methodsand rewire our brains, providing people with additional psychological resources for dealing with mental health issues.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) makes use of the brain’s neuroplasticity to convert passing experiences into durable psychological resources embedded in altered neural structure or function. But most SEL is passive and inefficient, with limited gains for many people, in part due to the brain’s ingrained negativity bias. Dr Rick Hanson is a leading clinician in the field of emotional intelligence. He […]

Read More… from Building a psychological toolbox: Actively using neuroplastic methods to develop lasting inner strengths

Group support psychotherapy as a depression treatment in Uganda

The SEEK-GSP programme provides a comprehensive HIV care model in rural areas.

Dr Ethel Nakimuli-Mpungu at Makerere University in Uganda works toward making therapy more culturally appropriate, particularly for people living with HIV and depression. She has developed a highly cost-effective group support psychotherapy programme that can be delivered by lay health workers and which has been shown to dramatically reduce depression symptoms and improve adherence to anti-viral medication in those affected. […]

Read More… from Group support psychotherapy as a depression treatment in Uganda