We are thrilled to announce the next session of our interview series featuring some of the most prominent leaders in the field of psychedelic harm reduction, therapy, and research. This groundbreaking series aims to deepen our understanding of the healing potential of psychedelics and highlight the importance of safe, responsible use.
Proceeds from these exclusive interviews will go directly to the Sana Healing Collective Community Care Fund. Your support will help us provide crucial resources and care for individuals and communities in need.
Sana Healing Collective is thrilled to host a conversation about MDMA-assisted therapy with Annie and Michael Mithoefer!
Annie Mithoefer, BSN, is a registered nurse living in Asheville, NC. She has 30 years experience treating people with PTSD in a private practice with her husband Michael Mithoefer and leading Holotropic Breathwork group workshops. She and Michael, completed the first MAPS-sponsored Phase II clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for crime-related PTSD, a subsequent study with military veterans, firefighters and police officers, and a pilot study treating couples with MDMA combined with Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD. More recently she has been focusing on offering MDMA therapist trainings, and on supervising therapists working in clinical trials. She is a Grof certified Holotropic Breathwork Practitioner and is trained in Hakomi Therapy.
Michael Mithoefer, MD, is a psychiatrist living in Asheville, NC. He and his wife, Annie completed the first MAPS-sponsored Phase Il clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD, and for 25 years have worked as research therapists, trainers, supervisors and medical monitor for subsequent Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies testing MDMA-assisted therapy. In 1994, after 10 years of practicing emergency medicine, he completed both Groff Transpersonal Training and Psychiatry Residency, during which he had his own Jungian analysis. In their clinical practice he and Annie focused on treating people suffering the effects of trauma. This work, along with their own experiences with psychedelics in therapeutic and indigenous settings, led them to pursue research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. He completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia and in Psychiatry at The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He has been trained and certified in Grof Holotropic Breathwork, Internal Family Systems Therapy and EMDR. He has been board certified in Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, and is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Affiliate Assistant Professor at MUSC and Clinical Assistant Professor at Columbia University.
Our conversation will briefly summarize 25 years of research, emphasizing that MDMA is not simply another psychiatric drug. Rather, it acts as a catalyst for potentially profound psychological healing experiences, with its effectiveness being deeply rooted in the therapeutic relationship and a treatment approach that honors the individual’s innate capacity to heal in the context of the appropriate set and setting.