A Dose of Hope: A Story of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy

by Dan Engle, Alex Young

MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD is in the final stages of FDA testing. Clinical trials are reporting a 70 percent cure rate for a condition that claims thousands of lives globally every day—hundreds in the US alone.

But until it's fully legalized, MDMA is still a Schedule I drug, saddled with years of misunderstanding, misinformation, and misuse.

In this groundbreaking, informative, and easy-to-read book, Dr. Dan Engle shows you the treatment through the eyes of a fictional patient so you can see how it works without ever setting foot in a doctor's office.

Follow in-depth conversations between doctor and patient, learn about the history of MDMA-assisted therapy, understand how and why it helps, and experience the process for yourself—without ever having to take anything.

The treatment presented here is a synthesis of the real experiences and stunning results happening today in trials around the world. Whether you or a loved one suffer from PTSD, or you just want to heal something that's keeping you from living your best life, don't miss A Dose of Hope.

Genres: Psychology, Health, Nonfiction, Medicine

342 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2021

Reviews

[Nicholas Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOAH!

I went into this book thinking it was going to be a dense nonfiction study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

This is WAY BETTER than that.

This book is for EVERYONE. What I mean by that is that it was literally written so that EVERYONE and ANYONE can understand it.

The target audience is anyone who wants to heal from their past and their trauma.

How the book is structured is GENIUS. Similar to Ichiro Kishimi's The Courage to Be Disliked, it puts us in the shoes of a semi-fictional character named Alex, and his journey of MDMA therapy from start to finish.

One of those few books you pick up every year that you simply can't put down, or dread having to.

Probably the best nonfiction book you'll read this year.

HIGHEST PRAISE!

[Joseph Faulkner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introductory material for anyone interested in psychedelic therapy and therapy in general. The authors paint a clear picture of the process of psychedelic therapy in its three phrases, preparation, psychedelic sessions and integration while highlighting the oft misplaced role of integration. Engle and Young do an excellent job laying out what transformational therapy can look like while articulating in simple terms the origins and nature of trauma, the role of child development and psychic barriers that holds human beings back from maximizing their greatness. There are healthy references to primary materials and original thinkers in the fields of psychotherapy, psychedelics, evolution and human biology. I left the book feeling positive and simultaneously aware of the sometimes difficult “work” required to really change your life using tools like and psychedelics. Recommend highly

[Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025.02.27–2025.03.04

Contents

Engle D & Young A (2021) (06:37) Dose of Hope, A - A Story of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy

Introduction

01. Alex Questions Dr. Dan
02. Dr. Dan Questions Alex
03. “What Happened?”
04. Alex Returns to Real Life
05. A Conversation With Pa
06. Alex Changes His Mind
07. Learning to Breathe
08. MDMA Therapy Preparation
09. MDMA Therapy Preparation Doc
10. Alex Begins
11. The Session
12. The Feelings
13. What Alex Saw
14. Recovery
15. Therapy Session: “What Do You Mean I’m Traumatized?”
16. Resting, Relaxing… and Feeling
17. Integration Session 1: “How Do I Face This?”
18. Feeling More Feelings
19. Some Family History
20. Therapy Session: Taking Responsibility for Life
21. Integration Session: “When Do I Do Another Session?”
22. Medicine Session 2: Courage to Surrender
23. Therapy Session: “That’s Why I Love Harry Potter So Much?”
24. “Why Can’t This Just Be Easier?!”
25. Integration Session: “How Can I Forgive?”
26. Medicine Session 3: Facing the Darkness & Finding the Light
27. Therapy Session: Confronting Reality and Setting Boundaries
28. The Preparation
29. The Call
30. Integration Session: “How Do I Know When I’m Done?”
31. The Return

Further Reading
References and Sources on MDMA
Acknowledgments
About the Authors

[Lew Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 10 stars because it walks the reader through the entire process of therapy.
Even though it is about MDMA assisted therapy, Dan Engle's choice of format is excellent, due to its
simplicity. You get a coherent understanding of the steps a prospective patient has to take in
making the decision to begin therapy and how to select a therapist. We can empathize with Alex
as he struggles with multiple decisions that have to be made during the treatment process. You
come away with a firm understanding that most people have a naive understanding of how their psyches work and the myriad of factors that have to be confronted as we struggle with understanding our psychological and emotional development. Ultimately, Alex has to accept some hard truths
about his past that resulted in the dissatisfaction that he experienced in adulthood.

[Anna P · Rating 4 out of 5]

*listened to on audible*

These types of books are not what I usually go for, I really struggle with non fiction, but this was recommended by a good friend that I trust. I’m glad I read it!

I did have a hard time with it at first just because I had to let my brain rework itself to read this genre of book. I really liked the story format of Alex’s experience rather than a straight informational dump of MDMA therapy. I don’t think I would have finished this book if it was written more like a lecture.

I related to so many of the author’s life dilemmas and situations so it was really encouraging to read how he processed it all and used the therapy to work through the mental blocks that kept him from the progress he was seeking. It’s an experience that has convinced me to consider this therapy. I wish it was more widely known and used.

[Donna Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has had some trauma in varying degrees. MDMA assisted psychotherapy is an opportunity for someone to recover from PTSD and other mental health issues. This novel is easy to read and understand as it is written in dialog form between doctors and the patient. The patient, Alex, has been seeing a therapist for years and still feels that something is missing and that his life could be better. We experience his decision making process to try MDMA. Alex discovers that there are deep seated traumas that he had buried and wasn’t aware of. The guidance of a licensed and trained doctor controlling the sessions using plant based drugs and the hard work of the patient can bring compassion, forgiveness, and self-acceptance, therefore, a better and happier life.

[Clifford Novey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is a good one- walk the reader through a dramatization of an average clueless (to his childhood pain and therapy) Joe going through MDMA therapy from start to finish and educate the reader in the process. There was good info throughout. There were aspects that were just absurdly unlikely IMO. The main character ends up with not only a co-worker who has done the therapy and is awakened and available to talk with, his grandparents were loving figures in his life and the grandfather not only "gets it" that he traumatized his daughter/Joe's mother but is also aware of his own childhood connection to his adult coping behaviors and by the end is interested in MDMA assisted therapy himself. Sheesh. That's great- but put me off as it was so very far from my experience.

[Samantha Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for those who love therapy but are also curious about MDMA therapy. It’s in the final stages of FDA clinical trials for helping people with PTSD. So Dr. Dan Engle wrote this book to inform others of how the process goes. But it doesn’t read like a scientific nonfiction book. He has a fictional patient, Alex, who’s a millennial that embarks on this journey. We get to see how the sessions go and what is entailed in this. The book is written in dialogue form between Alex and therapists, the grandparents, mom, and friend so it’s an easy read!

[Glen Helfand]

It's a good move to treat this topic from a FAQ, Q and A format. Dr. Engle, referred to as Dr. Dan, anticipates most of the questions that will come for anyone considering this strain of psychotherapy. It's like a practical version of a Michael Pollan book on psychedelics. I listened to this book, and in many sections the dialog works well. But in others, particularly our narrator, Alex, in conversation with his therapist, Dr. Kate and his Pa and Granny Jane, are laughable. Still it functions as a decent download of information on its subject.

[Niel Malan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must Read

This book is really interesting. While it is about MDMA assisted psychotherapy, it’s about so much more than that. Its really a deep dive into the accumulation of trauma we experienced in childhood and how it affects us as adults. This book also sheds new light on the definition of trauma. Its something we all experience, not only those who experienced life threatening situations. Highly recommended

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite insightful however the main fictional character seems quite blessed in life despite everything and his process and family support going through the process seems quite idealistic. I reckon many people going through such a process will have to deal with much darker moments and possibly much less support.

[Emilio Landini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como libro de ficción es malísimo, los personajes parecen caricaturas a veces, y a ratos parece un infomercial, pero contiene información muy importante para cualquier persona sobre el proceso de la terapia, al final el MDMA queda en segundo plano, como una de las muchas herramientas que se pueden utilizar

[Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to learn more about MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, read this book.

It is unfortunate this medicine is currently illegal but hopefully it will be approved for PTSD (and other indications) in the not-too-distant future.

[Carol & Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad book.

[Domas Janulevicius · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[A. S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a like a therapy session by itself! Would recommend to anyone going through therapy regardless of the MDMA-Assisted component, as it covers so many important topics for trauma healing.

[Maxime · Rating 5 out of 5]

J’ai beaucoup aimé la théorie sur le fonctionnement de la MDMA sur le cerveau et la théorie sur la gestion des traumas. Ça m’a donné envie de lire dû Alice Miller

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it was a useful and interesting book. I definitely feel like the target audience was geared towards a slightly progressive Christian white male. I can’t explain it