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Dr. Will Siu opens the portal to psychedelics in an episode exploring the healing potential of MDMA, ayahuasca, and ketamine in his nuanced approach to treating mental illness.
It took Dr. Will Siu 15 years of medical training and a slew of certifications from UCLA, the University of Oxford, and Harvard Medical School before realizing he was not truly happy. After years chasing happiness and career gratification through hoops dictated by what he defines as “perceived values,” he found himself depressed, empty, and searching for true purpose.
After encountering the world of psychedelics through a friend, he decided to explore their potential for healing – first for himself, and now for his patients. After my traumatic birth experience with Sebastian, I turned to Dr. Will Siu for the emotional release I couldn’t get from sitting on a couch. The guttural shrieks and cries I expressed during that 90-minute session in his LA office finally closed the circle to the traumatic loop I had been locked in.
In this episode, we unfold Dr. Will Siu’s fascinating career trajectory and enlightening perspective on therapy and psychedelics, debunking a few myths along the way. Finally, we reflect on the different ways we can give ourselves permission to feel, express ourselves, and live an existence that’s authentically ours.
Show Notes:
After experiencing anxiety and struggles through med school, Dr. Siu began psychotherapy but eventually began working with psychedelics to assist with depressive symptoms
We tend to hold in traumas and Dr. Siu works with patients to release what is being held in, either through psychotherapy or through psychedelic therapy
Dr. Siu speaks with patients to see what anger or sadness might be suppressed, and he takes a unique approach to treating each case
MDMA is on track to be legalized in the US within a few years, and it can be used therapeutically to help with the therapy and releasing process
MDMA increases activity in the frontal lobe and decreases activity in the amygdala in the brain which turns down the "alarm system"
In an MDMA session you have prepared with a therapist and there are 2 therapists caring for one patient
Other psychedelics like ketamine or mushrooms each have their own considerations, but Dr. Siu focuses his treatment on MDMA
Resources:
Website: willsiumd.com
Instagram: @will.siu.md
Connect with Kelly:
Instagram: @bewellbykelly
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly
Be Well By Kelly is a production of Crate Media
