Therapy with Substance: Psycholytic Psychotherapy in the Twenty-First Century

by Friederike Meckel Fischer

A unique account and the definitive guide for a future generation of psychedelic psychotherapists.

Therapy with Substance is a comprehensive guide for the medical use of psychedelic substances in the therapy of emotional and psychosomatic disorders…. It describes in clear and articulate language everything that is necessary to know for effective and safe use of this treatment modality and for work with non-ordinary states of consciousness in general. Stanislav Grof

In this groundbreaking book, Doctor Friederike Meckel Fischer explores how the skillful use of psychedelic substances in psycholytic psychotherapy can cause dramatic breakthroughs for people who have not responded to traditional methods of psychotherapy.

Her extraordinary conclusion is that psycholytic psychotherapy is the only method that reaches the depth of the psyche required to resolve and heal our deepest wounds.

Psychedelic drugs were routinely used in clinical research and psychotherapy until the 1960s. Since then they have been illegal except for a short period in Switzerland, where Dr Meckel learned the basics of psycholytic therapy. Over the years she developed her unique psychotherapeutic method using these substances to assist the progress of those of her patients who were “stuck”.

Dr Meckel is a medical doctor trained in individual, group and family psychotherapy, and with Stanislav Grof in transpersonal psychotherapy.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2014

Reviews

[Niamh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be one of the most exciting and informative that I have read in a quite some time. The author is trained as a medical doctor, transpersonal psychotherapist, psychiatrist, holotropic breathwork facilitator, hypnotist, family mediator and also in a number of other disciplines such as family constellations and NLP. Her depth of knowledge and commitment to the path of deep healing of the human psyche is breathtaking. Her style of writing is sometimes so jam-packed with information and conceptual frameworks that single sentences require extensive unpacking. She gives us a history of her personal journey through her various trainings and how her own healing was very slow to unfold. She persevered however, and took Stan Grof's advice to investigate psychedelics as an avenue which could be of benefit to her personally. Indeed they were and she then brought the gift of such deep and profound work to her clients who were 'stuck' and unable to benefit from traditional psychotherapy or holotropic breathwork.

So began a journey into the world of psycholytic psychotherapy. It's so wonderful as a reader to have a lady of such immense courage and practical experience in this unfortunately underground realm of healing and human growth come out and write so honestly and eloquently about the journey she took with her clients over a 15+ year time period working with LSD, 2CB, psilocybin and MDMA, both singley and in combinations. She uses case studies, detailed descriptions of the unfolding of her style of working, how the group dynamics evolved over time, the arc of learning and healing experienced by clients in general over the course of 20- 25 sessions, and the issues encountered such as the transgenerational transmission of traumatic imprints and epigenetic levels of the various issues that her clients presented with. There are some fascinating insights into the cultural legacy of the two world wars on the psyches of the people whose ancestors took part, from the perspective of both sides, perpetrators and victims.

There are great chapters towards the end dealing with dangers, risks, side effects and the law as well as a look at the parallels of her work with shamanism and healing and spirituality.

I can't recommend this book enough if you are into healing, bodywork, psychedelics, the psycho-therapeutic journey and/or conscious embodiment into our authentic selves as human beings.

[Mari Annus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up the book because it was recommended to me by a psychiatrist.
It’s an overview of Friederike Meckel’s approach to psycholytic therapy which she developed over the years of practicing.
The first part is autobiographical where F. describes her change of vocation from ICU doctor to therapist. She gets certified in different therapy areas and is finally advised to try consciousness enhancing substances for her own development. That is how she found her way to the field and saw how it can help people more effectively. Then she goes on to describe different substances and their effect briefly. The latter part is illustrated with clients’ experiences and likens the self-development to school: she describes skills people need to develop to work with different substances effectively. The final part is about the field’s downsides (not many, mainly illegality) and common ground with shamanism, spirituality.
The book is inspiring as I am on my way from doctor to therapist. It relieves me to know there are others there who have taken a similar road. I am very interested in psychedelic therapy work and how it might help people and the world into a better place. I would have wished the descriptions of substances to be a bit more biochemical, however, in accordance with the autobiographical take on the subject, it worked how it was. The book was well-organized and quick to read.

[Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is highly experienced psychedelic therapist. She provides a well of knowledge and experience. Psychedelics are powerful tool to expedite and deepen psychotherapy. The clients' stories helped me learn a lot.

[ar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing ruins a trip, or a book, like too many expectations.