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The Secret Chief: Conversations With a Pioneer of the Underground Psychedelic Therapy Movement
Revised edition with new text and photos
This Book is dedicated to the memory of Leo, with the fervent hope that the revelation of his work will help bring understanding and sanity to a confused world. May it pave the way for others to reap the benefits he worked so hard to establish.
“Though my father enjoyed the occasional recognition that came his way in later years, no accolade or honor ever meant as much to him as a single human being telling him how much his knowledge, wisdom, and willingness to do this work has changed his or her life. He surely left the world – and me – richer for having known him.” — Sarah Zeff
“In the illegality of his time it was unthinkable to publish the excellent results of his therapy. It is therefore praiseworthy that today, years after his death, a friend has undertaken the task of publishing the details of the therapeutic methodology of this intrepid Ph.D. psychologist.” — Albert Hofmann, Ph.D., inventor of LSD
“Jacob (Leo) painfully weighed the pros and cons and made the decision to challenge the law, continue his work with psychedelics, and assume personal responsibility for his activity. He has already passed the judgment of his “family,” the friends and clients whose lives he has profoundly changed. They remember him with great love and gratitude. It remains to be seen how he will be judged by history...” — Stanislav Grof, M.D., author of LSD Psychotherapy
This Book is dedicated to the memory of Leo, with the fervent hope that the revelation of his work will help bring understanding and sanity to a confused world. May it pave the way for others to reap the benefits he worked so hard to establish.
“Though my father enjoyed the occasional recognition that came his way in later years, no accolade or honor ever meant as much to him as a single human being telling him how much his knowledge, wisdom, and willingness to do this work has changed his or her life. He surely left the world – and me – richer for having known him.” — Sarah Zeff
“In the illegality of his time it was unthinkable to publish the excellent results of his therapy. It is therefore praiseworthy that today, years after his death, a friend has undertaken the task of publishing the details of the therapeutic methodology of this intrepid Ph.D. psychologist.” — Albert Hofmann, Ph.D., inventor of LSD
“Jacob (Leo) painfully weighed the pros and cons and made the decision to challenge the law, continue his work with psychedelics, and assume personal responsibility for his activity. He has already passed the judgment of his “family,” the friends and clients whose lives he has profoundly changed. They remember him with great love and gratitude. It remains to be seen how he will be judged by history...” — Stanislav Grof, M.D., author of LSD Psychotherapy
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 2, 2013
This is an amazing resource for anyone who is interested in learning about psychedelics, or with psychedelics.
Leo Zeff (AKA Jacob, or The Secret Chief) was a therapist who saw such tremendous results from the therapeutic application of psychedelics that he continued to quietly work with them after they were made illegal. Since he has passed on, his story and identity are now okay to reveal.
"The Secret Chief" nickname was given to Zeff by none other than Terrance McKenna. Zeff was one of the main therapists who developed a framework for creating ideal individual and group psychedelic sessions for healing and exploration. His work and methodology have been extremely influential on the way psychedelics are used by therapists worldwide.
The book is written largely in interview format, and has a very casual conversational flow to it. It includes other sections which detail accounts given by several individuals who went through Zeff's psychedelic programs.
Even though it is pro-psychedelic, the book is well balanced. It includes the negative and sometimes frightening aspects of psychedelic medicines, and so avoids rose tinting and misleading unprepared individuals. Leo Zeff's expertise was a major factor in the positive outcomes of many extremely difficult psychedelic sessions.
Zeff trained over a hundred therapists from around the world in his methods. He helped some of the most important people in the psychedelic world such as Alexander and Ann Shulgin (the first people to explore MDMA and most other new psychedelics such as 2-CB) and of the author Myron Stolaroff through their own transformational processes. It includes sections written by Stanislav Grof, Ann Shulgin, Albert Hoffman, Sasha Shulgin, and Zeff's children.
The Secret Chief Revealed is a great read for anyone interested in psychedelics, personal growth and healing, spirituality, mysticism, psychology, or history.
Leo Zeff (AKA Jacob, or The Secret Chief) was a therapist who saw such tremendous results from the therapeutic application of psychedelics that he continued to quietly work with them after they were made illegal. Since he has passed on, his story and identity are now okay to reveal.
"The Secret Chief" nickname was given to Zeff by none other than Terrance McKenna. Zeff was one of the main therapists who developed a framework for creating ideal individual and group psychedelic sessions for healing and exploration. His work and methodology have been extremely influential on the way psychedelics are used by therapists worldwide.
The book is written largely in interview format, and has a very casual conversational flow to it. It includes other sections which detail accounts given by several individuals who went through Zeff's psychedelic programs.
Even though it is pro-psychedelic, the book is well balanced. It includes the negative and sometimes frightening aspects of psychedelic medicines, and so avoids rose tinting and misleading unprepared individuals. Leo Zeff's expertise was a major factor in the positive outcomes of many extremely difficult psychedelic sessions.
Zeff trained over a hundred therapists from around the world in his methods. He helped some of the most important people in the psychedelic world such as Alexander and Ann Shulgin (the first people to explore MDMA and most other new psychedelics such as 2-CB) and of the author Myron Stolaroff through their own transformational processes. It includes sections written by Stanislav Grof, Ann Shulgin, Albert Hoffman, Sasha Shulgin, and Zeff's children.
The Secret Chief Revealed is a great read for anyone interested in psychedelics, personal growth and healing, spirituality, mysticism, psychology, or history.
July 31, 2009
This book is about a psychologist, "Jacob" (pseudonym), who applied psychedelic drugs throughout his practice of psychotherapy until his death twenty or so ago—in spite of the fact that such drugs had been declared illegal in the mid-60's. The body of the book is an interview with Jacob conducted in the early 80s but never before published; this is followed by an appendix paraphrasing the drug experiences of five of his clients, and an appendix listing resources for those interested in psychedelic therapy. The drugs favored by Jacob: LSD (he always started a series with LSD), sacred mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis), mescaline, MDA, MDMA ("Ecstasy"), harmaline (yage') and ibogaine. Each has a somewhat different effect.
In successive chapters, Jacob discusses the preparation for a psychedelic session, the setting, the session itself, the dosages, and outcomes.
Apart from "here's how to do it right," the book's main messages are:
*Psychedelics have shown great promise as adjuncts to psychotherapy and "growth." In therapy, it allows many to break through personality blocks, resolve problems with relationships, and get on with more productive lives. As for growth, it allows many to see the world in new ways—sometimes yielding the same sort of epiphanies that are sparked by near-death experiences (everything in universe is interconnected, love is the answer, life continues after death, etc.)
*In spite of their promise psychedelics were banned in the 60s because they became associated with the youth movement, with its anti-establishment, anti-Vietnam War orientation; because of "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out" promoters of hedonism like Allen Ginsburg and Timothy Leary; and more generally because of the America's hypermaterialism and its residual puritanism (salvation through work, suspicious of pleasure, there is no free lunch, if it comes too easily it must be bad, etc.). The effect of the ban was to kill legitimate research and therapy, overcrowd the prisons with minor offenders, and strengthen the drug mafia—without, of course, seriously impeding the recreational use of psychedelics in the general population. Much like Prohibition.
*The media acted irresponsibly (surprise!) during the rise of psychedelics by sensationalizing the dangers and the bizarreness but not the benefits. (For a reference point, imagine banning most prescription drugs because almost all of them trigger side-effects in some people. Better yet, imagine emphasizing the negative aspects of the automobile, which in the U.S. alone routinely kills over forty thousand people and injures over a million, year after year after year. Or booze, which, among other things, colludes with the automobile in a third of its manslaughters).
*The set, setting and procedure of the drug sessions are as important as—if not more important than—the drugs themselves. Preparation and expectations are key. Many longtime recreational users never had a notable experience with psychedelics until they went through a well-designed session. Safety is also vital: the psychotherapist never takes drugs during a session, and he/she requires the subject to agree beforehand to specific rules of conduct (no leaving the residence, no violence, no sex, etc.). Jacob worked out his procedures over many years of experimentation. Ironically, in the early 60s, before he became a mad dog celebrity, Timothy Leary also championed the closely-supervised use of psychedelics, with emphasis on set and setting.
*Different drugs have different effects. LSD, mescaline and sacred mushrooms tend to engender hallucinations and visions, for example, while MDMA ("Ecstasy") typically kindles feelings of all-encompassing love, harmaline purges and cleanses the psychic and physical systems, and ibogaine ("Mr. Ibogaine") forces you to face the truth about yourself—often in question-and-answer format. Of course, there are individual variations in reactions to drugs, and while most trips are positive, some are bummers (though the bummers, too, are often psychotherapeutic). For best effect, Jacob sometimes combines drugs—the purgative harmaline, for example, with the vision-producingr LSD.
This book is a quick and easy read, and presents a thoroughly tested blueprint for conducting effective psychedelic sessions. It is apparent that, as with religious visions, expectations (in group sessions, the expectations of the group as well as one's own) are key to outcome. Also, I suspect that belonging to an elite outlaw group is a strong reinforcer. The testimonials in the appendix I found disappointingly mundane; I have read much better ones elsewhere. But overall, the book is good for background and for the nitty-gritties of conducting a session.
Interesting note: Starting in the 90s, the FDA and DEA authorized several research projects to explore the therapeutic use of psychedelics. Apparently the Baby Boomers started asserting themselves.
In successive chapters, Jacob discusses the preparation for a psychedelic session, the setting, the session itself, the dosages, and outcomes.
Apart from "here's how to do it right," the book's main messages are:
*Psychedelics have shown great promise as adjuncts to psychotherapy and "growth." In therapy, it allows many to break through personality blocks, resolve problems with relationships, and get on with more productive lives. As for growth, it allows many to see the world in new ways—sometimes yielding the same sort of epiphanies that are sparked by near-death experiences (everything in universe is interconnected, love is the answer, life continues after death, etc.)
*In spite of their promise psychedelics were banned in the 60s because they became associated with the youth movement, with its anti-establishment, anti-Vietnam War orientation; because of "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out" promoters of hedonism like Allen Ginsburg and Timothy Leary; and more generally because of the America's hypermaterialism and its residual puritanism (salvation through work, suspicious of pleasure, there is no free lunch, if it comes too easily it must be bad, etc.). The effect of the ban was to kill legitimate research and therapy, overcrowd the prisons with minor offenders, and strengthen the drug mafia—without, of course, seriously impeding the recreational use of psychedelics in the general population. Much like Prohibition.
*The media acted irresponsibly (surprise!) during the rise of psychedelics by sensationalizing the dangers and the bizarreness but not the benefits. (For a reference point, imagine banning most prescription drugs because almost all of them trigger side-effects in some people. Better yet, imagine emphasizing the negative aspects of the automobile, which in the U.S. alone routinely kills over forty thousand people and injures over a million, year after year after year. Or booze, which, among other things, colludes with the automobile in a third of its manslaughters).
*The set, setting and procedure of the drug sessions are as important as—if not more important than—the drugs themselves. Preparation and expectations are key. Many longtime recreational users never had a notable experience with psychedelics until they went through a well-designed session. Safety is also vital: the psychotherapist never takes drugs during a session, and he/she requires the subject to agree beforehand to specific rules of conduct (no leaving the residence, no violence, no sex, etc.). Jacob worked out his procedures over many years of experimentation. Ironically, in the early 60s, before he became a mad dog celebrity, Timothy Leary also championed the closely-supervised use of psychedelics, with emphasis on set and setting.
*Different drugs have different effects. LSD, mescaline and sacred mushrooms tend to engender hallucinations and visions, for example, while MDMA ("Ecstasy") typically kindles feelings of all-encompassing love, harmaline purges and cleanses the psychic and physical systems, and ibogaine ("Mr. Ibogaine") forces you to face the truth about yourself—often in question-and-answer format. Of course, there are individual variations in reactions to drugs, and while most trips are positive, some are bummers (though the bummers, too, are often psychotherapeutic). For best effect, Jacob sometimes combines drugs—the purgative harmaline, for example, with the vision-producingr LSD.
This book is a quick and easy read, and presents a thoroughly tested blueprint for conducting effective psychedelic sessions. It is apparent that, as with religious visions, expectations (in group sessions, the expectations of the group as well as one's own) are key to outcome. Also, I suspect that belonging to an elite outlaw group is a strong reinforcer. The testimonials in the appendix I found disappointingly mundane; I have read much better ones elsewhere. But overall, the book is good for background and for the nitty-gritties of conducting a session.
Interesting note: Starting in the 90s, the FDA and DEA authorized several research projects to explore the therapeutic use of psychedelics. Apparently the Baby Boomers started asserting themselves.
February 8, 2018
When psychedelics became illegal many therapists using these substances had to revert back to regular medicine and talks, some others went underground during the new era of prohibition and continued psychedelic therapy valuing the benefits so much it outweighs the risks.
The book is an interview with one of those secretive therapists, written in a chatty interview use of language that makes you feel like you are just sitting in a bar talking psychedelic drugs and trip reports over a beer rather than reading the experiences and opinions of a professional therapist treating patients with a variety of mental disorders and problems.
Which makes it an informative as well as an entertaining read, at the end of the book, there is also a chapter of some of the patients recalling their experiences during these sessions and how it influenced the future course of their life.
The book is an interview with one of those secretive therapists, written in a chatty interview use of language that makes you feel like you are just sitting in a bar talking psychedelic drugs and trip reports over a beer rather than reading the experiences and opinions of a professional therapist treating patients with a variety of mental disorders and problems.
Which makes it an informative as well as an entertaining read, at the end of the book, there is also a chapter of some of the patients recalling their experiences during these sessions and how it influenced the future course of their life.
November 13, 2020
Book available from MAPS:
https://maps.org/images/pdf/books/scr...
The book is written in a conversational style - mostly in the words of Leo Zeff with guiding and sometimes inquiring questions from Myron Stolaroff. The reasons for choosing this style are laid out in the foreword - it maintains the personality of the speaker while still transporting the core message clearly.
I thoroughly support the choice in this case because the whole book feels like a very well structured deep and open conversation between two elders in the field of substance assisted psychotherapy. Despite the use of a conversational style the book manages to stay on topic very much and only rarely looses track.
Two great analogies are given in the book, that I found work as a great introduction and conceptualisation for a person who has never experienced psychedelics before. They manage to use images that everybody can relate to visualise what is happening inside your mind during a 'trip'. They match up very well with my experiences and I could be a great aid when talking to a inexperienced party. I'll paraphrase them here as the Chief explicitly invites people to use his analogies if they might be of help:
The book is a quick read with a lot of of valuable content and I'd highly recommended it to anybody who is generally curious about psychedelics and how they can be used as agents for healing and personal growth.
https://maps.org/images/pdf/books/scr...
The book is written in a conversational style - mostly in the words of Leo Zeff with guiding and sometimes inquiring questions from Myron Stolaroff. The reasons for choosing this style are laid out in the foreword - it maintains the personality of the speaker while still transporting the core message clearly.
I thoroughly support the choice in this case because the whole book feels like a very well structured deep and open conversation between two elders in the field of substance assisted psychotherapy. Despite the use of a conversational style the book manages to stay on topic very much and only rarely looses track.
Two great analogies are given in the book, that I found work as a great introduction and conceptualisation for a person who has never experienced psychedelics before. They manage to use images that everybody can relate to visualise what is happening inside your mind during a 'trip'. They match up very well with my experiences and I could be a great aid when talking to a inexperienced party. I'll paraphrase them here as the Chief explicitly invites people to use his analogies if they might be of help:
The book is a quick read with a lot of of valuable content and I'd highly recommended it to anybody who is generally curious about psychedelics and how they can be used as agents for healing and personal growth.
July 16, 2025
reads like a sacred archive smuggled out of time. “Jacob,” later revealed as Leo Zeff, was a psychedelic therapist who helped guide hundreds-maybe thousands-through MDMA, LSD, and iboga journeys long before it was legal again. no hype. no guru vibes. just someone who knew the terrain and held space with care.
the books full of interviews, notes, reflections from people who worked with him. whats wild is how consistent the testimonials are: that he worked from love,, structure, ritual, and intuition.
his protocols were rigorous, his ethics strong, but his presence? deeply human.
its not about flashy visuals or metaphysical downloads. its about transformation. grief released. identity restructured. spiritual reconnection.
you can feel how sacred these sessions were-even just reading about them. and how dangerous it was to do that work in the shadows.
read it if you care about the soul of psychedelia-not the spectacle, but the medicine.
and if youre ever gonna guide others, this should be in your DNA first.
the books full of interviews, notes, reflections from people who worked with him. whats wild is how consistent the testimonials are: that he worked from love,, structure, ritual, and intuition.
his protocols were rigorous, his ethics strong, but his presence? deeply human.
its not about flashy visuals or metaphysical downloads. its about transformation. grief released. identity restructured. spiritual reconnection.
you can feel how sacred these sessions were-even just reading about them. and how dangerous it was to do that work in the shadows.
read it if you care about the soul of psychedelia-not the spectacle, but the medicine.
and if youre ever gonna guide others, this should be in your DNA first.
June 12, 2021
"These researchers saw the extraordinary benefits that LSD therapy offered to their clients and decided not to sacrifice the well-being of these people to scientifically unsubstantiated legislation"
"Leo painfully weighed the pros and cons and made the decision to challenge the law, continue his work with psychedelics, and assume personal responsibility for his activity."
"It is certainly wise to obey the laws if our primary concern is personal safety and comfort. However, it often happens that in retrospect, history places higher value on those individuals who violated questionable laws of their time because of foresight and high moral principles than those who had issued them for wrong reasons."
Excerpts from the intro by Stanislov Grof, M.D.
"Leo painfully weighed the pros and cons and made the decision to challenge the law, continue his work with psychedelics, and assume personal responsibility for his activity."
"It is certainly wise to obey the laws if our primary concern is personal safety and comfort. However, it often happens that in retrospect, history places higher value on those individuals who violated questionable laws of their time because of foresight and high moral principles than those who had issued them for wrong reasons."
Excerpts from the intro by Stanislov Grof, M.D.
March 18, 2019
Eye opening.
An excellent read about one man's individual and group psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy sessions.
Not just any man though, a pioneer in the underground psychedelic therapy movement.
Highly recommended if one is interested in Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Psychedelics, Spirituality, and more.
An excellent read about one man's individual and group psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy sessions.
Not just any man though, a pioneer in the underground psychedelic therapy movement.
Highly recommended if one is interested in Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Psychedelics, Spirituality, and more.
October 15, 2021
The book is a practical guide on guiding psychedelic experiences. He serves a variety of psychedelics one-on-one and in a group context. The secret chief’s methodologies seem to evoke meaning and profound experiences. I both appreciate that he is religious/spiritual and that he holds space for folks’ own religious/spiritual realizations.
November 12, 2025
Nice that someone who worked underground with psychedelics is honored.
Interview format makes it informal but sometimes repetitive.
Obviously all testimonials were self selected and very rosy. Probably could have done with fewer including deeper discussion about how felt about difficulties that arose.
Interview format makes it informal but sometimes repetitive.
Obviously all testimonials were self selected and very rosy. Probably could have done with fewer including deeper discussion about how felt about difficulties that arose.
August 7, 2022
Fascinating book about one therapist's experiences with psychedelic therapy. He decided to continue offering both group and individual sessions despite the substance becoming illegal in the 1960s, and recounts his stories in a conversational style which is warm, funny and insightful.
February 17, 2021
Short and sweet memoir. Practical dosing info.
February 27, 2021
Wonderful book, about a really inspiring man. If you are interested in psychedelic assisted therapy it is a must read.
March 16, 2021
Leo Zeff was a fascinating man. I read this whole book in one seating doing some research for work. I love the style it was written to, it made it very easy to read.
February 19, 2022
Important and illuminating… and heart-warming.
March 24, 2022
Fascinating book about a remarkable psychedelic therapist, who continued his breakthrough work in a time when it was completely illegal. Prepare to to receive a contact high!
November 19, 2023
A wonderful look into the mind of a truly revolutionary and underappreciated psychedelic therapist. I read this twice as it was so inspiring
April 9, 2020
2015.08.06–2015.08.11
Contents
Stolaroff MJ (2005) Secret Chief Revealed, The - Conversations with Leo Zeff, pioneer in the underground psychedelic therapy movement
Introduction to the second edition
Prologue by Stan Grof
Tribute to Jacob by Ann Shulgin
Foreword by Albert Hofmann
Introduction
1. Early Beginnings
2. Selection and Preparation
3. The Individual Trip
4. The Group Trip
5. Materials and Doses
6. Outcomes
Epilogue by Sasha Shulgin
Appendix I: Personal Accounts
Appendix II: New to the second edition: Tributes to Leo Zeff
Appendix III: Resources
Contents
Stolaroff MJ (2005) Secret Chief Revealed, The - Conversations with Leo Zeff, pioneer in the underground psychedelic therapy movement
Introduction to the second edition
Prologue by Stan Grof
Tribute to Jacob by Ann Shulgin
Foreword by Albert Hofmann
Introduction
1. Early Beginnings
2. Selection and Preparation
3. The Individual Trip
4. The Group Trip
5. Materials and Doses
6. Outcomes
Epilogue by Sasha Shulgin
Appendix I: Personal Accounts
Appendix II: New to the second edition: Tributes to Leo Zeff
Appendix III: Resources
November 25, 2014
An absolutely wonderful resource on working with psychedelics for therapy an their personal potentials. Also a great little dip into the hidden network of the early years of prohibition. I highly enjoyed it.
January 7, 2013
This was a quality book showing his perspective of all of the great things he completed with people
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews