Erica Siegal's guest appearances

Erica Siegal

Psychedelic Medicine Podcast with Dr. Lynn Marie Morski

The Psychedelic Therapy Podcast

Mapping Minds

Bia Labate

Dan Engle

Jesse Gould

Joseph Barsuglia

Steven Mandel

Lynn Marie Morski

Johns Hopkins

Adam Gazzaley

Sam Gandy

Jonathan Dickinson

Elizabeth Bast

Robin Carhart-Harris

Molly Maloof

Rachel Yehuda

Mike Hart

OwlTail

This episode of the Plant Medicine Podcast features a conversation with Erica Siegal about the intricacies of harm reduction. Erica is a licensed clinical social worker and a professional harm reductionist, as well as an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy researcher. She is the founder of NEST Harm Reduction, a California-based clinical practice that offers private therapy, harm reduction training, workplace consulting, and direct care of workers on the frontlines of secondary trauma.  In this discussion, Erica shares the basic principles underlying harm reduction while also unpacking the nuances involved in providing care. The four principles Erica shares from the Zendo project are: 1) creating a safe space, 2) sitting, not guiding, 3) talking through rather than talking down, and 4) remembering difficult is not the same as bad. These principles provide a basic framework for providing harm reduction services for someone who has chosen to experiment with psychoactive substances.  Erica also discussed the acronym SPACE, which stands for sustainable, patient, authentic, consensual, and empathetic, with each of these terms playing a crucial role in effective harm reduction work. Sustainable refers to the emotional and energetic toll this work can take, and ensuring one isn't spread too thin and heading towards burnout. Patience is necessary when engaging with someone who is going through a challenging experience, especially when their needs are shifting or they are having difficulties communicating.  Erica describes authenticity in the harm reduction context as staying grounded in one's training and expertise and not trying to improvise modalities while sitting. Consent is also crucial when providing care, and Erica explains how to approach this topic both in the context of a pre-planned psychedelic experience and when the opportunity for harm reduction arises more spontaneously. Finally the harm reductionist should strive to be empathetic, providing proactive support through open communication and attempting to meet needs as they arise. In this episode:  The four guiding principles of psychedelic harm reduction Why romantic partners often don't make the best trip sitters The intricacies of consent in a harm reduction setting Dealing with burnout as a harm reduction professional  How to hold space in an authentic, empathetic way Gamifying harm reduction  Quotes: "Harm reduction is a movement for people who believe in human rights and dignity for anybody, including people who are actively using drugs." [5:31] "When we go into an altered state or use psychedelics, we are obviously shifting our perspective and therefore we need to make sure we have some safe things that can ground us back into our bodies and our experiences." [11:57] "If you are burning out and you are becoming someone who needs help, you're not actually holding the space to do the work." [19:32] "I think all psychedelic practitioners, whether you are above ground or underground, should provide informed consent to clients." [30:23] "The only things that we do with somebody who is that significantly altered is be patient with them, and wait for them to be able to make decisions for themselves." [36:29] "Make sure you're checking in about peoples' basic needs because they forget. And that could be the thing that shifts it onto the right direction for them." [49:54] Links: NEST Harm Reduction Psychedelic Medicine Association Porangui

This episode of the Plant Medicine Podcast features a conversation with Erica Siegal about the intricacies of harm reduction. Erica is a licensed clinical social worker and a professional harm reductionist, as well as an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy researcher. She is the founder of NEST Harm Reduction, a California-based clinical practice that offers private therapy, harm reduction training, workplace consulting, and direct care of workers on the frontlines of secondary trauma.  In this discussion, Erica shares the basic principles underlying harm reduction while also unpacking the nuances involved in providing care. The four principles Erica shares from the Zendo project are: 1) creating a safe space, 2) sitting, not guiding, 3) talking through rather than talking down, and 4) remembering difficult is not the same as bad. These principles provide a basic framework for providing harm reduction services for someone who has chosen to experiment with psychoactive substances.  Erica also discussed the acronym SPACE, which stands for sustainable, patient, authentic, consensual, and empathetic, with each of these terms playing a crucial role in effective harm reduction work. Sustainable refers to the emotional and energetic toll this work can take, and ensuring one isn't spread too thin and heading towards burnout. Patience is necessary when engaging with someone who is going through a challenging experience, especially when their needs are shifting or they are having difficulties communicating.  Erica describes authenticity in the harm reduction context as staying grounded in one's training and expertise and not trying to improvise modalities while sitting. Consent is also crucial when providing care, and Erica explains how to approach this topic both in the context of a pre-planned psychedelic experience and when the opportunity for harm reduction arises more spontaneously. Finally the harm reductionist should strive to be empathetic, providing proactive support through open communication and attempting to meet needs as they arise. In this episode: <ul> <li>The four guiding principles of psychedelic harm reduction</li> <li>Why romantic partners often don't make the best trip sitters</li> <li>The intricacies of consent in a harm reduction setting</li> <li>Dealing with burnout as a harm reduction professional </li> <li>How to hold space in an authentic, empathetic way</li> <li>Gamifying harm reduction</li> </ul> Quotes: "Harm reduction is a movement for people who believe in human rights and dignity for anybody, including people who are actively using drugs." [5:31] "When we go into an altered state or use psychedelics, we are obviously shifting our perspective and therefore we need to make sure we have some safe things that can ground us back into our bodies and our experiences." [11:57] "If you are burning out and you are becoming someone who needs help, you're not actually holding the space to do the work." [19:32] "I think all psychedelic practitioners, whether you are above ground or underground, should provide informed consent to clients." [30:23] "The only things that we do with somebody who is that significantly altered is be patient with them, and wait for them to be able to make decisions for themselves." [36:29] "Make sure you're checking in about peoples' basic needs because they forget. And that could be the thing that shifts it onto the right direction for them." [49:54] Links: <a href="https://nestharmreduction.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">NEST Harm Reduction</a> <a href="https://psychedelicmedicineassociation.org" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Psychedelic Medicine Association</a> <a href="https://www.porangui.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Porangui</a>

Psychedelic Harm Reduction with Erica Siegal, LCSW

It's a rare person who makes their life about caring for others. Erica Siegal is one of those people. She is a therapist in the Phase III clinical trials for MDMA, a powerful medicine for individuals suffering from treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. She is also the founder of NEST Harm Reduction, an organization that provides harm reduction services and training in many different contexts. To learn more, visit nestharmreduction.com or follow her on Instagram @nestharmreduction.  Want to support the show? Consider a free trial of The Great Courses Plus. Try it free for a month and the Mapping Minds Podcast will get a little kickback.

It's a rare person who makes their life about caring for others. Erica Siegal is one of those people. She is a therapist in the Phase III clinical trials for MDMA, a powerful medicine for individuals suffering from treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder. She is also the founder of NEST Harm Reduction, an organization that provides harm reduction services and training in many different contexts. To learn more, visit <a href="https://nestharmreduction.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">nestharmreduction.com</a> or follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nestharmreduction/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram @nestharmreduction</a>.  Want to support the show? Consider a <a href="https://thegreatcoursesplus.7eer.net/c/2349189/765362/3896" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free trial of The Great Courses Plus</a>. Try it free for a month and the Mapping Minds Podcast will get a little kickback.

Erica Siegal | Healing Inner & Outer Worlds

Today’s guest is Erica Siegal a co-investigator and psychotherapist for MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials for MDMA-assisted therapy. On the show we talk about Erica’s background in social work and how someone interested in psychedelic therapy can get started in the field. We discuss the MAPS protocol for MDMA-assisted therapy including the cost for treatment. We discuss psychedelic integration and whether coaching is a viable path to becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapist. Finally we discuss Erica’s work with harm-reduction from her time with the Zendo Project, MAPS psychedelic peer support organization to her current project NEST: the Network of Emotional Support Teams. Erica is a a co-Investigator and psychotherapist with New School Research, a sub-investigator on the MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials. In addition to her work in harm reduction at events, during the COVID-19 Crisis, she is facilitating psycho-educational workshops on trauma and providing low-income crisis support to first responders and essential workers.  LINKS  Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies - MAPS: https://maps.org/ The Zendo Project: https://zendoproject.org/ NEST Harm Reduction: https://nestharmreduction.com/   TIMESTAMPS  :04 Erica’s background in social work and MDMA clinical trials :08 How should someone interested in psychedelic therapy start? :13 The MAPS protocol for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy :25 What integration is offered? Are psychedelic integration coaches helpful? :31 Erica’s experience as a recipient of the MAPS MDMA protocol :39 How do practitioners measure their success with MDMA-assisted therapy? :43 NEST and Erica’s work with harm reduction at events :50 Erica addresses aspiring psychedelic therapists 

Today’s guest is Erica Siegal a co-investigator and psychotherapist for MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials for MDMA-assisted therapy. On the show we talk about Erica’s background in social work and how someone interested in psychedelic therapy can get started in the field. We discuss the MAPS protocol for MDMA-assisted therapy including the cost for treatment. We discuss psychedelic integration and whether coaching is a viable path to becoming a psychedelic-assisted therapist. Finally we discuss Erica’s work with harm-reduction from her time with the Zendo Project, MAPS psychedelic peer support organization to her current project NEST: the Network of Emotional Support Teams. Erica is a a co-Investigator and psychotherapist with New School Research, a sub-investigator on the MAPS-sponsored Phase 3 Clinical Trials. In addition to her work in harm reduction at events, during the COVID-19 Crisis, she is facilitating psycho-educational workshops on trauma and providing low-income crisis support to first responders and essential workers. LINKS <ul> <li>Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies - MAPS: <a href="https://maps.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://maps.org/</a></li> <li>The Zendo Project: <a href="https://zendoproject.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://zendoproject.org/</a></li> <li>NEST Harm Reduction: <a href="https://nestharmreduction.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://nestharmreduction.com/</a></li> </ul> TIMESTAMPS <ul> <li>:04 Erica’s background in social work and MDMA clinical trials</li> <li>:08 How should someone interested in psychedelic therapy start?</li> <li>:13 The MAPS protocol for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy</li> <li>:25 What integration is offered? Are psychedelic integration coaches helpful?</li> <li>:31 Erica’s experience as a recipient of the MAPS MDMA protocol</li> <li>:39 How do practitioners measure their success with MDMA-assisted therapy?</li> <li>:43 NEST and Erica’s work with harm reduction at events</li> <li>:50 Erica addresses aspiring psychedelic therapists</li> </ul>

Erica Siegal (NEST): An Inside Look at Clinical Trials for MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy