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

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