Psychedelic Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Restoring Your Mental Health and Reclaiming Your Life

by Will Van Derveer, Keith Kurlander, Gabor Maté (Foreword)

Explore how psychedelic therapy can address deep-rooted trauma and help you create a life of balance, resilience, and meaning

A revolutionary approach to treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health challenges, from two leaders in the field of psychedelic therapy and trauma treatment

With a foreword by Gabor Maté

For those grappling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other mental health challenges—and those who feel let down by a fragmented and failing mental health system—Psychedelic Therapy offers a hopeful, evidence-based exploration of a novel approach to healing. As leaders in the field of psychedelic therapy and trauma treatment, Will Van Derveer, MD, and Keith Kurlander, LPC, draw on their clinical expertise, client stories, and the latest research to help

Understand trauma and psychedelic therapy’s unique ability to address it Learn about the substances commonly used in psychedelic therapy Navigate the process step-by-step, including preparation, dosing, and integration Prioritize safety, outline key considerations, and minimize risk Gain insight for navigating any spiritual or psychological challenges that may arise
The authors address the limitations of today’s mental health care by explaining how a focus on symptom management brings little relief and leaves many patients still desperate for healing. They reveal how psychedelic therapy uniquely targets the root causes of suffering, particularly trauma, which is a critical yet often misunderstood driver of mental health struggles.

Whether you’re considering psychedelic therapy for yourself, supporting a loved one, or seeking professional insights as a mental health provider, this book equips you with the knowledge to find qualified practitioners, understand the process, and navigate challenging experiences with care and confidence.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

Reviews

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time with this and I’m glad I did. It was an easy read and very informative as well as reassuring to my own accidental journey through PAT

[Melyssa Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

With my background in psychology and behavioral health, anything involving the brain, trauma, healing, and why we are the way we are immediately fascinates me. But my own healing journey has made me look at mental health very differently than I used to.

I will always be a firm believer that if you need medication, 1,000% take the medication. I take mental health medications myself, and I know firsthand how life-changing the right treatment can be. I don’t think exploring alternative or emerging approaches to mental health has to mean rejecting traditional medicine. I think there’s room to be curious about both.
And that’s exactly why this book fascinated me.

The idea that psychedelics can affect the brain and potentially create opportunities for changes in thinking, emotional processing, and deeply ingrained patterns is incredible to me.

Obviously, they don’t work exactly like traditional psychiatric medications, but both are ultimately interacting with the brain in biological ways—and I find it fascinating that there may be entirely different pathways to helping people heal.

I also appreciated that this book doesn’t present psychedelics as some magical cure. There’s preparation, safety, therapeutic support, integration, and still the responsibility of doing the work afterward.

The further I get into my own healing, the more I realize I don’t want to look at mental health through only one lens. Medication can matter. Therapy can matter. Lifestyle can matter.

Understanding your childhood and trauma can matter. And maybe there are other tools we’re only beginning to fully understand.

I’ll probably always be the person asking, “Okay, but what is actually happening in the brain?” 😂🧠 And this book gave that part of me a lot to think about.

[Jennifer Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very last section was the most helpful to me. It includes all the things we should consider for our overall health such as nutrition amd exercise. But the meat of the book was helpful in giving examples of experiences with psychedelics used in therapy and what can happen inside and outside of a controlled environment. I do believe we must consider that the authors are biased since they do actually practice psychedelic therapy. It doesn't mean that this book isn't informative though. My biggest takeaway is that anyone considering psychedelic therapy should think about all the possibilities and keep safety in mind and followup should be imperative!

[Bojan Mihajilovic · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an extremely thin and repetitive book.

It reads as if a short article was stretched into full length without adding much substance.It also wanders into unrelated asides, like including a description of U.S. Army veterans with PTSD as people who were "fighting for democracy."

The entire argument could be reduced to one sentence: psychedelics can bring trauma to the surface more quickly, after which it still has to be processed in ordinary psychotherapy. That is all the book really has to say.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and accessible and very helpful. I went through the writers’ 10 month IPI certificate training program a few years ago, and I appreciate having the info and philosophy in book form. I recommend this to people considering psychedelic therapy, or already in it, as this provides a basic and grounded map for the process.

[Raylynn Michaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I deeply appreciate Will and Keith's approach to psychedelic medicine and healing. This book was deeply resonant and I am grateful to have learned new ways to educate my patients and friends. Thank you for sharing your personal experiences in the book and your drive to demystify the stigma held around psychedelics for so long!

[Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, good for someone who’s just getting into the world of psychedelic therapy and wants to get to know the basic process/theory of it. Helped me write cirriculum for a class on the subject!

[Becky Bringewatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overview of psychedelic therapy, and has a lot of anecdotal information, so is good for that purpose. If you are interested in this type of therapy and feel like nothing else is working, it's a great place to start.

[Bejinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book on the subject.

[Mary Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected. Eye-opening. Groundbreaking.