Thursday May 16th 2019: Lectures
Psykedeelinäkymiä 2019 – Psychedelics and integration

In May, the spotlight will again be on psychedelics, as the Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research (Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry, Psyty) organizes a lecture event in Helsinki on the theme of integrating psychedelic experiences. Psychologist and psychotherapist Marc Aixalà from Barcelona and psychologist Riikka Ajantaival will speak at the event.

The event is free of charge and will be held in lecture hall 12 of the main building of the University of Helsinki on Thursday, May 16, at 17:00.

According to recent research, one mechanism accounting for the possible therapeutic effects of psychedelics may be their ability to loosen up rigidified ways of thinking and acting, which might be considered an important goal for any therapeutic process. However, new points of view and insights that might emerge during sessions of psychedelic therapy will only be of long-lasting benefit if they reach the level of our everyday lives.

In integrating psychedelic experiences, the aim is to implement insights received under the influence in practice, for them to become part of one’s view of the world and daily habits. In light of this, it is important to allocate time not just for the experience itself, but also for preparation and for processing the experience afterwards. Integration may guide one to necessary life changes and help upkeep the positive momentum supporting such changes that many report receiving from sessions of psychedelic therapy. Integration may also help one deal with possible frightening or confusing aspects of their experience.

The event consists of two lectures.

Psychologist and psychotherapist Marc Aixalà:

Although integrating psychedelic experiences is often thought to be important, there are different interpretations of the nature, objectives, and scope of integration. Aixalà will draw on his experience of working in the ICEERS Integration and Support Service project, offering integration services in relation to psychedelic experiences. He will present the most important foundations and future directions of integration work. He will also shine a light on different scenarios that one may face in integration work as well as on emergency situations where a person has taken psychedelics and ended up in a psychological or spiritual crisis.

Psychologist Riikka Ajantaival:

Working as trainer for therapists and coordinator in an on-going international clinical trial on psilocybin-assisted therapy, Riikka Ajantaival will chart the importance of integration in a research context.

Time is reserved for questions from the audience after the lectures.

Schedule:

17:00 Doors
17:30 Marc Aixalà: Integrating psychedelic experiences: a psychotherapeutic approach
18:30 Riikka Ajantaival: Psychedelic integration in a research context
19:00 Q&A with speakers

All-day symposium on Saturday, May 12th 2018:
Psykedeelinäkymiä 2018 – MDMA and psilocybin assisted therapy

Research on the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action of psychedelics is increasing steadily. In Finland, too, the first studies on the therapeutic effects of psilocybin are under preparation, and there’s professional interest in psychedelics across the fields of medicine, psychology, and the social sciences.

The Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research (Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry, Psyty) is organizing an all-day symposium on psychedelic research. Psykedeelinäkymiä 2018 will be held in Helsinki on Saturday, May 12th, at the Balderin sali venue near Senaatintori.

The theme of the event is MDMA and psilocybin assisted therapy.

The event will feature psychiatrist Ben Sessa, MD, from the UK, and Kim Kuypers, PhD, and Natasha Mason, MSc, from the Netherlands. The event is a follow-up to Psykedeelinäkymiä 2017, where two notable researchers, Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, and Jordi Riba, PhD, lectured on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and the results of recent brain imaging studies.

Schedule:

09:45 Doors open
10:15 Riikka Suutari (Psyty): Introduction to the use of psilocybin and MDMA in a therapeutic context
11:00 Ben Sessa: Child abuse, trauma, addictions and MDMA therapy: Have we finally found psychiatry’s new antibiotics?
12:00 Lunch break
13:30 Kim Kuypers: Neurobiological mechanisms underlying the prosocial effects of MDMA
14:30 Natasha Mason: Psychedelics & cognitive flexibility: Therapeutic implications
15:30 Coffee break
16:00 Panel discussion
17:00 Free conversation
18:00 Doors close

There will also be a panel discussion including all the speakers. The lectures and panel discussion will be held in English. In addition to the lectures, vice president of Psyty, psychologist Riikka Suutari will present a brief introduction to the theme of the event (likely in Finnish). The event is presented by president of Psyty, psychologist Samuli Kangaslampi. We’ll also have poster presentations on academic theses on psychedelics.

The event will be held in Balderin sali, Aleksanterinkatu 12, Helsinki.
Doors open at 9:45am. The last session ends at 5:00pm and doors close at 6:00pm.
The cafeteria will be open and in addition to coffee breaks, there will be a longer lunch break.

Tickets 40/50e (presale/door). Presale tickets are available from our online store!
Members of Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry and our Swedish sister organization Nätverket för Psykedelisk Vetenskap (NPV) get a discount of 10 euros.

September 20th 2017 symposium:
Psykedeelinäkymiä 2017 – The therapeutic potential of psychedelics

The amount of scientific research on psychedelics has considerably increased during the last couple of decades. Substances like LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and ayahuasca are being studied as adjuncts to therapy for depression, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety related to terminal illness, and as tools for research on the neurobiology of consciousness. Two key experts on the subject are lecturing in Helsinki on September 20th:

Psychedelics: Therapeutic potential
Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD (London Imperial College, UK)

Robin Carhart-Harris (PhD in psychopharmacology and MA in Psychoanalysis) is the lead researcher of the Psychedelic Research Group within the Centre for Psychiatry at Imperial College London. Their brain imaging research on LSD and psilocybin have received widespread attention around the world, including Finland.

Two decades of ayahuasca research in humans: What have we learned?
Jordi Riba, PhD (Sant Pau Institute of Biomedical Research, SP)

Jordi Riba (PhD in Pharmacology and a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering) is the lead researcher of the Human Neuropsychopharmacology Research Group at Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona. Riba and his group have conducted important research on ayahuasca using a variety of methods, including on the neural and psychological basis of the therapeutic effects of ayahuasca.

The event is organized by Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry (Finnish association for Psychedelic Research), of which there will be a brief introduction speech during the event. You may also visit our info stand if you are interested in hearing more. Our organization is newly founded, so we’re organizing the event with limited resources. We therefore ask for the help of everyone interested to spread information: you’re most welcome to share this invitation to colleagues and other people curious of the topic.

The event will be held in Balderin sali, Aleksanterinkatu 12, Helsinki.
Starting time 5:00 pm. The cafeteria will be open.

Tickets: 15/20e (presale/door). Tickets are available from our online store!
Members of Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry get a discount of 10 euros.