Psychedelic Revival: Toward a New Paradigm of Healing

by Sean P Lawlor

Overview

For psychotherapists and inner explorers, an expansive, multidimensional odyssey into the history, practice, and potential of psychedelic healing

Now that the stigmas against psychedelic medicine are finally lifting, there’s a lot of curiosity—and confusion—about these powerful compounds.

How can psychedelics be used safely? What are the risks? Can they truly help heal the wide variety of conditions that has garnered such international attention?

In Psychedelic Revival, Sean Lawlor invites you on a deep dive into the science, spirituality, and practice of psychedelic healing—a revival of both the first wave of pre-1960s research and ancient healing traditions with plant medicines.

Join this respected author and researcher to gain a full-spectrum understanding of the possibilities and limits of psychedelics, including:

• The Western history of psychedelic medicine and recreational use
• The millennium-spanning legacy of Indigenous plant medicine traditions
• In-depth chapters on psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, mescaline, ibogaine, peyote, ayahuasca, DMT, and more
• Practical insights, from microdosing to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to transformative mystical experiences
• The shadow dimensions of psychedelics—bad trips, scientific stigmatization, inequality of access, and many other essential topics

Informed by solid research and direct wisdom from perceptive firsthand accounts, Lawlor guides you into the psychedelic landscape, covering treatment methods, realistic benefits, and the legitimate perils psychedelics can induce. Along the way, he shares exclusive interviews with luminaries such as Michael Pollan, Rick Doblin, Camille Barton, Carl Hart, Jim Fadiman, Rick Strassman, Natalie Ginsberg, Sandor Iron Rope, and many more.

Psychedelics have tremendous healing potential, yet all evocative modalities should be handled with care. To make good choices, we need quality information about the prospects and pitfalls of these emerging therapeutic tools. Psychedelic Revival is an invaluable resource for navigating this exciting frontier in Western healing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683649540
Publisher:	Sounds True, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/04/2024
Pages:	432
Sales rank:	649,194
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Sean Lawlor is a therapist and writer covering psychedelic research and therapy for publications such as Psychedelics Today and Psychedelic Times, and organizations such as the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He holds an MFA in fiction, an MA in transpersonal counseling, and certificates in ketamine- and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Learn more at seanplawlor.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/15/2024

Therapist Lawlor debuts with a free-wheeling manifesto on the past, present, and future of “psychedelic healing.” He traces the history of psilocybin, ayahuasca, and other psychedelic compounds from Indigenous healing ceremonies starting around 3000 BCE, to their current “revival” by Western scientists and doctors whose research has indicated such potential benefits as reduced anxiety, amplified creativity, and spiritual uplift (users of DMT reliably encounter otherworldly beings, and ayahuasca trips often turn up “dark spirits”). Lawlor wisely refrains from overselling the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, noting that users shouldn’t envision the drugs as a “magical cure-all” and that they must actively engage in the “healing process.” Unfortunately, the narrative consists of a dizzying range of topics and tonal registers, from the clinical (“High LSD doses facilitate regression into earlier, traumatized states, opening the opportunity for compassionate contact with repressed material to meet the unmet needs at the core of the wound”) to the philosophical (“Separation of psychedelic use and intentional rituals is endemic of capitalism’s itemization of reality”). Despite those rough edges, Lawlor’s case for psychedelic therapy offers plenty of captivating insights. For readers curious about the topic, it’s worth a look. (June)

Publishers Weekly

If you only buy one book about psychedelics, make it this one. Sean writes with clarity and humility, a truly balanced and trustworthy voice.” —Rosalind Watts, PhD, clinical psychologist, founder of ACER Integration, and developer of the ACE model and the Watts Connectedness Scale for measuring outcomes of psychedelic therapy

“If you’d like to understand the full landscape of the psychedelic revival—the good, the not so good, the absurd, and the wonderful—you could not find a better guide and a better guidebook. Separating the myths and the mistakes from the miracles is no easy job. Fortunately, Lawlor is a seasoned astronaut, a fine investigative journalist, and a wonderful storyteller. I don’t know a better guide through yesterday’s history and today’s labyrinth.” —James Fadiman, PhD, author of The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide and (with Jordan Gruber) All About Microdosing

“An exceptionally well-written and comprehensive description of the rich history and great potential of psychedelic medicines in psychotherapy. Bursting with vivid quotes, fascinating anecdotes, and engaging references to popular culture, this is a must-read resource for professionals or laypersons seeking to use psychedelic catalysts in their own or their clients’ healing journeys. This inspired, compassionate, and grounded book is sure to be an invaluable contribution to the psychedelic renaissance.” —Stanislav Grof, MD, PhD, author of The Way of the Psychonaut and LSD Psychotherapy and cofounder of the Grof® Legacy Training, and Renn Butler, PhD, author of Pathways to Wholeness and director of Grof Studies Graduate Programs

“Prepare to embark on a fascinating journey that transcends conventional boundaries. Psychedelic Revival offers a groundbreaking exploration into the transformative power of psychedelics and their potential to usher in a new era of healing and the collective evolution of consciousness. Sean Lawlor encourages us to consider the broader implications of their integration into Western culture, acknowledging the benefits, the drawbacks, and the need for responsible and ethical use and for drug policy reform. Whether you are a seasoned enthusiast, a curious skeptic, or someone seeking a deeper understanding of the psychedelic experience, this book is a must-read.” —Rick Doblin, PhD, founder (in 1986) and president of MAPS

From the Publisher