“Clinical Use of Psilocybin and Ketamine: Promise and Concerns” presented by Josh Bazell, MD

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Interest in using psychedelic and dissociative substances for long-term change in mood, cognition and behavior has exploded since 2018, when the results of a small NYU study were summarized by the New York Times as “A dose of hallucinogen from a ‘magic mushroom,’ and then lasting peace.” The American Journal of Psychiatry began 2025 with a special issue on psychedelics.

This talk discusses how psilocybin and ketamine, in particular, are typically used in clinical and nonclinical settings. It gives a brief overview of research on the risks, potential benefits, and mechanisms of these treatments, paying particular attention to ways in which psychoanalytically-minded talk therapists may wish to think about these treatments and discuss them with patients.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this presentation, participants will be able to:

1) Understand how these substances are being used as clinical treatments, and what current research suggests about their safety and potential benefits.

2) Consider the relationship between these treatments and one’s own practice of psychoanalytic-minded therapy.

About the Presenter:

Josh Bazell, MD, is a psychoanalyst and psychiatrist in New York, where he teaches neuroscience to analytic candidates at the William Alanson White Institute. His novel, “Beat the Reaper” was a New York Times best-seller and one of Time’s top 10 books of the year.