Underground MDMA-, LSD- and 2-CB-assisted individual and group psychotherapy in Zurich: Outcomes, implications and commentary
Drug Science Policy and Law – March 24, 2015
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has thrived in Europe, even after the prohibition of MDMA and LSD. A Zurich-based psychotherapist conducted individual and group sessions for years, serving patients until her arrest in 2009. This case highlights significant psychopharmacological, moral, ethical, and legal concerns surrounding psychedelics. Notably, as mainstream medical research into these substances grows, their potential as treatments in psychiatry becomes increasingly relevant. The evolving landscape reflects a shift in attitudes towards psychedelics in psychology and drug studies.
Abstract
Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has persisted in Europe despite the banning of the substances LSD and MDMA in the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. This article describes the work of a Zurich-based psychotherapist providing individual and group psycholytic psychotherapy, whose practice persisted for several years before she was arrested in 2009. The article provides commentary on the psychopharmacological, moral, ethical and legal issues of this case and discusses these issues in the context of the growing medical research of psychedelic substances as mainstream treatments for psychiatry.