T h e μ W a ® h i g · μ P ® · W h o W i l l B e ne è S F r o m P R X c h e d e l i c M e d i c i n e T h e ® e μ ® Á b ® · a c e ® μ a « e μ b e i g μ · Á · e d μ a ® μ a μ g a m e - c h a g i g μ i · e « Ç e · i μ f « μ m e · a l μ h e a l · h h e a l · h B Á · μ i · © ® μ · μ c l e a « μ i f μ · h e i « μ « m i ® e μ È i l l μ b e μ a c c e ® ® i b l e μ · μ a l l S l p p o r h j o l r n a l i s m r o l c a n h r l s h p h e n i h m a h h e r s m o s h G o t o n o t o n r f o r $ h O B Ê μ W h È t n Æ Ï J o È n Æ r μ I l l Á ® · « a · i o n ® μ b Ê μ T « a μ B o b S E P T E M B E R μ ¾ 1 , μ ¾ Ð ¾ Ð μ μ μ D C Z Y O n a VZeaW\ SXnda\ morning in AXgXVW of laVW \ear, Jamilah George ZaV on Whe 16Wh floor of Whe hiVWoric BroZn HoWel in LoXiVYille, leading a VpiriWXal VerYice of VorWV. George, a docWoral candidaWe in clinical pV\cholog\ aW Whe UniYerViW\ of ConnecWicXW Zho alVo holdV a maVWer¶V degree in diYiniW\ from Yale UniYerViW\, aVked Whe aXdience Wo VhoXW oXW Whe nameV of anceVWorV or people Whe\ admired. WiWh each name, George performed a libaWion riWXal, poXring ZaWer inWo a leaf\ green planW, VWaWioned aW Whe fronW of Whe podiXm, aV a geVWXre of WhankV. ³Ma\a AngeloX, ́ called oXW one aXdience member. ³Mama Lola, ́ called anoWher. The nameV kepW coming: Toni Morrison. AXdre Lorde. MahaWma Gandhi. HarrieW TXbman. George, Zho had been parW of a Weam aW U-Conn. rXnning Whe onl\ clinical Wrial Wo VWXd\ Whe effecWV of Whe pV\choWropic drXg MDMA on poVW-WraXmaWic VWreVV diVorder ZiWh parWicipanWV of color, ZanWed Whe aXdience Wo connecW ZiWh iWV cXlWXral lineageV before Vhe VWarWed her preVenWaWion ² a bracing call for inclXVion and Vocial jXVWice ZiWhin Whe bXrgeoning Zorld of pV\chedelic healing. IW¶V a Zorld WhaW holdV greaW promiVe bXW iV oYerZhelmingl\ WhiWe and economicall\ priYileged. ParW of Whe problem, aV George VeeV iW, iV WhaW academia haV loVW iWV connecWion Wo Whe hiVWorieV of WheVe conVcioXVneVV-alWering VXbVWanceV (alVo knoZn aV enWheogenV), man\ of Zhich haYe been XVed b\ IndigenoXV cXlWXreV for ph\Vical and pV\chological healing for WhoXVandV of \earV. ³IW¶V Xp Wo XV Wo find Za\V Wo diVVeminaWe reVoXrceV and VWop leaYing Whem aW Whe Wop, in Whe moVW eliWe reVearch inVWiWXWionV, ́ Vhe Vaid Wo Whe Vmall aXdience of pV\choWherapiVWV, Zho Zere Where Wo learn hoZ pV\choWropic VXbVWanceV like meWh\lenedio[\meWhampheWamine (MDMA) and pViloc\bin, Whe acWiYe ingredienW in hallXcinogenic (³magic ́) mXVhroomV, coXld be XVed Wo heal menWal and emoWional diVWreVV. ³We haYe Wo find Za\V Wo Wake WhiV informaWion and bring iW doZn Vo iW¶V acceVVible, ́ Vhe conWinXed. ³MDMA ² \oX can¶W eYen pronoXnce iW! We haYe Wo find Za\V Wo make WhiV informaWion WranVlaWable. IW¶V like Vpeaking anoWher langXage. ́ The ne[W da\, Whe pXblic parW of Whe inaXgXral PV\chedelic Medicine & CXlWXral TraXma WorkVhop ended and Whe pV\choWherapiVW Wraining began. FifW\ WherapiVWV of color had been accepWed inWo Whe Zeek-long Wraining, hoVWed b\ MAPS, Whe MXlWidiVciplinar\ AVVociaWion for PV\chedelic SWXdieV. In Whe Wraining, WherapiVWV ZoXld learn beVW pracWiceV for XVing Whe enWheogen MDMA Wo WreaW PTSD in Wheir paWienWV. MAPS iV cXrrenWl\ VWXd\ing MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ aV a meWhod of WreaWing PTSD. The clinical WrialV are in PhaVe 3 ² Whe laVW VWage before approYal from Whe U.S. Food and DrXg AdminiVWraWion ² and MAPS, Zhich haV been Zorking WoZard WhiV momenW Vince iWV incepWion aV a reVearch and adYocac\ organi]aWion in 1986, haV been preparing for a poVW-approYal Zorld. Before Whe CXlWXral TraXma ZorkVhop in KenWXck\, MAPS had Wrained 285 WherapiVWV, ZiWh Whe idea WhaW ² Zhile Whe\ can¶W legall\ pracWice \eW ² Whe\ Zill be read\ Wo open Wheir doorV once approYal iV final. BXW feZer Whan 10 percenW of WhoVe Wrained Zere people of color. If MAPS ZanWed WherapiVWV Wo WreaW clienWV of color, Whe\ ZoXld need Wo Wrain WherapiVWV of color. LaVW \ear, Where Zere aW leaVW 20 conferenceV in Whe UniWed SWaWeV coYering Whe laWeVW deYelopmenWV in pV\chedelic Vcience and medicine. IW¶V a conference-happ\ commXniW\, Zhich makeV VenVe: MoVW of Whe VXbVWanceV diVcXVVed aW WheVe eYenWV are labeled aV SchedXle 1 or 2 b\ Whe U.S. DrXg EnforcemenW AdminiVWraWion, Vo, oXWVide of clinical reVearch, Wheir XVe iV illegal. (SchedXle 1 drXgV are conVidered Wo haYe Whe higheVW poWenWial for abXVe, ZiWh ³no cXrrenWl\ accepWed medical XVe. ́ MDMA iV a SchedXle 1 drXg, aV iV cannabiV, and iV ranked aV more dangeroXV Whan o[\codone and cocaine, Zhich are boWh SchedXle 2.) ConferenceV are one of Whe feZ placeV Zhere reVearcherV, clinicianV, adYocaWeV and Whe cXrioXV pXblic can learn aboXW deYelopmenWV in Whe field and meeW oWher pV\chedelic proponenWV. Compared Wo a hXge eYenW like NeZ York CiW\¶V Hori]onV: PerVpecWiYeV on PV\chedelicV conference, Zhich haV conYened eYer\ fall in NeZ York for 13 \earV and laVW \ear broXghW in oYer 2,800 aWWendeeV, Whe WZo-da\ pXblic ZorkVhop in KenWXck\ ZaV Win\, ZiWh feZer Whan 100 parWicipanWV and Yer\ liWWle aWWenWion from a media WhaW energeWicall\ coYerV pV\chedelic deYelopmenWV. BXW Whe gaWhering ² Zhich feaWXred WalkV on drXg legali]aWion and V\VWemic raciVm, preVenWaWionV on IndigenoXV healing meWhodV, e[perienWial groXp e[erciVeV, and eYen a dance performance ² ZaV groXndbreaking. IW ZaV hiVWoric noW onl\ becaXVe iW ZaV Whe firVW VXch Wraining for WherapiVWV of color, bXW becaXVe iW marked a WXrning poinW in Whe mainVWreaming of pV\chedelicV. Man\ of Whe organi]erV and preVenWerV are parW of a larger efforW Wo diYerVif\ Whe Zorld of pV\chedelic healing. The\ are pXVhing back againVW Whe popXlar narraWiYe WhaW pV\chedelicV originaWed in WhiWe, mid-cenWXr\ coXnWercXlWXral moYemenWV and, perhapV moVW VignificanW, fighWing Wo enVXre WhaW Whe neZ field of pV\chedelic medicine ² ofWen WoXWed aV a miracle for long-VWanding and deep-rooWed VWrXggleV like WreaWmenW- reViVWanW depreVVion, addicWion, an[ieW\ and PTSD ² Zill be acceVVible Wo all. ThiV inclXdeV Black and non-WhiWe commXniWieV WhaW haYe been hiVWoricall\ oYer-policed and heaYil\ incarceraWed for poVVeVVion or ValeV of Vome of WheVe VXbVWanceV. (WhiWe people and Black people are eqXall\ likel\ Wo XVe illegal drXgV, a 2009 HXman RighWV WaWch reporW foXnd, bXW Black people are arreVWed for drXg offenVeV aW mXch higher raWeV Whan WhiWe people.) George, Zho iV Black, Vpoke direcWl\ Wo WheVe ineqXiWieV aW Whe clima[ of her Walk. While WhiWe people mighW Vee pV\chedelic XVe aV edg\ or conWroYerVial, Where iV liWWle legal riVk in WhiWe XVe of WheVe VXbVWanceV. ³WeVWern reVearcherV haYe Waken Vome of WheVe IndigenoXV religioXV WradiWionV, XVing Whem oXWVide of Wheir VpiriWXal conWe[W ... and When Wake iW for oXrVelYeV and go Wo a raYe and jXmp aroXnd and flaVh Whe lighWV, ́ George Vaid. ³We go in Whe moXnWainV and haYe a Velf-diVcoYer\ kind of e[perience. ́ Her Yoice roVe aV aXdience memberV clapped in agreemenW. ³All of WhaW iV ama]ing LeW¶V do WhaW. BXW leW¶V bring oWherV ZiWh XV. LeW¶V find Za\V for WhoVe Zho haYe been oppreVVed for generaWionV Wo e[perience Whe Vame freedom WhaW Vome of XV in WhiV room haYe on a SaWXrda\ morning becaXVe Whe\ feel like iW. NoW on a TXeVda\ nighW Zhen Whe\¶Ye had Wo Wake off Zork and find a bab\ViWWer Wo Wake care of Whe kidV Vo Whe\ can come Wo Whe clinic and parWicipaWe in WhiV reVearch and pra\ WhaW iW freeV Whem, Vo Whe\ can keep Wheir familieV and keep Wheir jobV. ́ She conWinXed: ³LiYeV depend on XV. YoX Vee ZhaW I¶m Va\ing? When \oX reall\ Whink aboXW iW, Zhen \oX break iW doZn like WhaW, liYeV depend on XV. ́ T h ec e i d li f f le leg a l c i d k i Y W h i f e g d e [ f a d o c h edeli c d gb d f a Y c ed B gf B la c k a Y d Y [ Y W h i f e c [ m m gY i f i ed h a le b eeY h i d f [ c i c a llo [ lec a [ li c ed a Y d h ea li lo i Y c a c c ec a f ed f [ c a [ d d ed d i [ Y [ c d a led [ f d [ m e [ f f h ed e d gb d f a Y c ed I W ZoXld be hard Wo aYoid coYerage of ZhaW¶V been called ³Whe pV\chedelic renaiVVance ́: IW¶V eYer\Zhere. In a recenW epiVode of ³60 MinXWeV, ́ AnderVon Cooper reporWed on VXcceVVfXl clinical WrialV aW JohnV HopkinV and NeZ York UniYerViW\ WhaW foXnd pViloc\bin can help ZiWh, reVpecWiYel\, Vmoking ceVVaWion and binge drinking. GZ\neWh PalWroZ¶V NeWfli[ VhoZ ³The Goop Lab ́ dedicaWed an epiVode Wo folloZing Goop emplo\eeV aW a healing pViloc\bin reWreaW in Jamaica, Zhere mXVhroomV are legal. And, of coXrVe, Where¶V Vcience joXrnaliVW Michael Pollan¶V No. 1 NeZ York TimeV beVWVeller ³HoZ Wo Change YoXr Mind: WhaW Whe NeZ Science of PV\chedelicV TeacheV UV AboXW ConVcioXVneVV, D\ing, AddicWion, DepreVVion, and TranVcendence. ́ The poliWicV aroXnd pV\chedelicV are changing aV Zell: WiWh greaW efforW from adYocaWeV, YarioXV meaVXreV Wo decriminali]e poVVeVVion of cerWain enWheogenV haYe paVVed in Oakland and SanWa CrX], Calif., aV Zell aV DenYer, and Vimilar campaignV are XnderZa\ in Chicago and oWher ciWieV. In NoYember, WhiV moYemenW Zill come Wo D.C., Zhen reVidenWV Zill YoWe on ZheWher Wo decriminali]e magic mXVhroomV. EnWheogenV like pe\oWe and a\ahXaVca haYe been XVed ZiWhin IndigenoXV cXlWXreV for WhoXVandV of \earV, bXW WhiV laWeVW ZaYe of reVearch haV moVWl\ focXVed on WZo VXbVWanceV: MDMA, a deriYaWiYe of Whe VaVVafraV Wree, Zhich ZaV firVW V\nWheVi]ed in a lab in 1912 and XVed in WherapeXWic VeWWingV WhroXghoXW Whe ¶70V and earl\ ¶80V before being labeled a SchedXle 1 drXg in 1985; and pViloc\bin, added Wo SchedXle 1 in 1971. PViloc\bin iV foXnd naWXrall\ in Vome mXVhroomV and haV been XVed in IndigenoXV cXlWXreV all oYer Whe globe; mXVhroom iconograph\ haV been foXnd in prehiVWoric caYe painWingV. In Whe laWe 1990V, a handfXl of reVearcherV VWarWed Wo Wake Xp Whe Zork WhaW had been dropped Zhen WheVe VXbVWanceV Zere criminali]ed. (Dropped, aW leaVW, in aboYegroXnd ViWXaWionV; WherapiVWV conWinXed, and VWill conWinXe, Zorking XndergroXnd.) NoZ Whe field haV e[ploded: When George Va\V WhaW ³liYeV depend ́ on WherapiVWV learning Wo XVe WheVe modaliWieV, Vhe¶V noW being dramaWic. The nXmberV ZoXld impreVV an\one. In Whe JohnV HopkinV Vmoking- ceVVaWion VWXd\, condXcWed in 2006 ZiWh a Vmall groXp of parWicipanWV, 80 percenW of long-Werm VmokerV VWopped Vmoking for aW leaVW Vi[ monWhV afWer Wheir pViloc\bin WreaWmenW. AfWer a \ear, 67 percenW Zere VWill nonVmokerV. Nine \earV laWer, JohnV HopkinV pXbliVhed Whe reVXlWV of anoWher Wrial in Zhich pViloc\bin ZaV XVed VXcceVVfXll\ Wo WreaW depreVVion and an[ieW\ in cancer paWienWV, ZiWh Whe changeV laVWing in 80 percenW of parWicipanWV afWer Vi[ monWhV. The XniYerViW\ haV inYeVWed Vo mXch in Whe field WhaW iW laXnched a VWand-alone CenWer for PV\chedelic and ConVcioXVneVV ReVearch laVW \ear and iV Zorking on VWXdieV Wo XVe pViloc\bin Wo WreaW addicWion, anore[ia and man\ oWher iVVXeV. MeanZhile, in 2017 Whe FDA granWed ³breakWhroXgh Wherap\ ́ VWaWXV Wo MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ Wo WreaW PTSD, afWer priYaWel\ fXnded MAPS VWXdieV foXnd WhaW 56 percenW of parWicipanWV e[perienced VignificanW relief ² Vo mXch Vo WhaW Whe\ no longer meW Whe reqXiremenWV for PTSD. (The FDA can¶W diVcXVV ongoing WrialV, a VpokeVperVon Wold me oYer email.) BreakWhroXgh VWaWXV iV giYen Wo WherapieV WhaW haYe VhoZn greaW promiVe, ZiWh Whe idea WhaW Whe\ Zill be giYen prioriW\ ZiWhin Whe FDA approYal proceVV, and MAPS predicWV MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ Zill be aYailable VomeWime in Whe ne[W feZ \earV. I¶Ye e[perienced Whe WreaWmenW m\Velf: AfWer ediWing a VWor\ aboXW MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ man\ \earV ago, I connecWed ZiWh a highl\ Vkilled XndergroXnd WherapiVW Wo addreVV Whe lingering effecWV of m\ faWher¶V deaWh Zhen I ZaV 14, effecWV WhaW Walk Wherap\ and mediWaWion hadn¶W relieYed. While iW ZaV difficXlW and painfXl Wo face Whe WraXma WhaW I¶d bXried, I greaWl\ benefiWed from Whe Zork. BXW aV VWXd\ afWer VWXd\ VhoZed poViWiYe oXWcomeV oYer Whe \earV, one Whing ZaV conVWanW: There ZaV liWWle diYerViW\ among boWh Whe VWXd\ leadV and Whe parWicipanWV. In 2015, NaWalie GinVberg, MAPS¶V direcWor of polic\ and adYocac\, came acroVV Whe name of Monnica WilliamV, a clinical pV\chologiVW When aW Whe UniYerViW\ of LoXiVYille. WilliamV, Zho iV Black, VWXdied obVeVViYe-compXlViYe diVorder, an[ieW\ and Whe effecWV of raciVm, and her Zork e[ciWed GinVberg, Zho ZroWe WilliamV Wo aVk if Vhe mighW be inWereVWed in Zorking ZiWh MAPS. ³Social marginali]aWion compoXndV WraXma, ́ GinVberg ZroWe me Yia email. RegardleVV of Whe origin of Wheir WraXma, Zhich coXld VWem from an\ nXmber of caXVeV, inclXding Ve[Xal aVVaXlW, childhood WraXma and miliWar\ VerYice, ³people Zho e[perience Whe higheVW raWeV of WraXma are WhoVe moVW marginali]ed from VocieW\, Zhich in Whe U.S. inclXdeV people of color. ́ WilliamV had no preYioXV e[perience ZiWh pV\chedelicV. ³I had a bo\friend in high Vchool Zho XVed LSD once or WZice, and I don¶W remember an\ remarkable WranVformaWionV happening aV a reVXlW, ́ Vhe Wold me. IW Wook Vome conYincing. ³IW kind of Veemed like ma\be Whe fad of Whe Zeek, \oX knoZ? ́ recallV WilliamV. ³Where Whe\ Va\, \oX knoZ, \oX drink a glaVV of ZaWer ZiWh Yinegar and lemon jXice and \oX loVe 50 poXndV. Like, \eah, righW. BXW acWXall\ reading Whe reVearch, Veeing Whe YideoV of Whe parWicipanWV geWWing beWWer ... Zhen \oX do WhiV Zork, \oX can look aW people and \oX can Well: ThaW perVon iV reall\ ill. And When \oX Vee WhaW Vame perVon laWer and Whe\¶re Vmiling and Wheir face iV brighW. And Whe\¶re making e\e conWacW and Whe\¶re Walking aboXW Whe fXWXre. Seeing WhaW Zhole progreVVion on a YideoWape, WhaW¶V kind of ZhaW conYinced me. ́ I n 2016, MAPS inYiWed WilliamV Wo join iWV clinical WrialV Wo VWXd\ MDMA for PTSD, bXW her Wrial ZoXld be XniqXe: IW ZoXld inclXde onl\ parWicipanWV of color and moVWl\ WherapiVWV of color. There ZaV no reaVon Wo belieYe WhaW MDMA ZoXld noW Zork aV Zell ZiWh people of color, bXW Where ZaV Vo liWWle daWa WhaW MAPS and WilliamV had no Za\ Wo Well. Jamilah George reVearched an[ieW\ and racial WraXma, and came aboard Whe VWXd\ afWer meeWing WilliamV aW a conference. George ZaV iniWiall\ Zar\. ³I¶Ye alZa\V Veen drXgV aV dangeroXV, leading Wo Yiolence and incarceraWionV, ́ George Wold me. ³NeYer VomeWhing WhaW I VaZ aV a meanV Wo healing, cerWainl\ noW for e[ploraWion or fXn. Learning more aboXW pV\chedelicV ZaV VWrange for me: I ZaV aroXnd all WhiWe people, Walking aboXW Wheir e[perienceV ZiWh WheVe VXbVWanceV and hoZ Whe\¶d changed Wheir liYeV and hoZ mXch Whe\¶d learned aboXW WhemVelYeV. IW ZaV Vo foreign Wo me and reall\ difficXlW Wo Zrap m\ mind aroXnd. A Zorld in Zhich \oX can XVe an illegal VXbVWance and aren¶W aW riVk for being arreVWed? IW ZaV like, Where am I? ́ The Weam VpenW WZo \earV preparing, XVing Whe gXidelineV VeW oXW b\ MAPS. FirVW Whe\ ZenW WhroXgh Wheir oZn Wraining, inclXding a reqXired MDMA-aVViVWed Wherap\ VeVVion of Wheir oZn, called MT-1, Vo Whe\ coXld relaWe Wo and XnderVWand Wheir parWicipanWV¶ e[perienceV. The\ alVo had Wo find Whe righW lab Vpace aW Whe UniYerViW\ of ConnecWicXW. Since MDMA alWerV conVcioXVneVV, rendering parWicipanWV more open and YXlnerable ² a VWaWe WhaW alloZV for Vafe e[ploraWion, and When reproceVVing, of WraXma ² Whe proWocol reqXireV Whem Wo Vpend Whe nighW afWer a WreaWmenW, Zhich addV more regXlaWor\ iVVXeV and VWaff hoXrV. Tr\ing Wo pXW Whe WreaWmenW inWo ZordV ² hoZ doeV iW Zork, e[acWl\? ² iV a challenge, Vince pV\chedelic e[perienceV are ofWen ineffable, and people Zill reVpond differenWl\ depending on Wheir XniqXe circXmVWanceV, Wheir brain chemiVWr\ and Whe VeWWing in Zhich Whe e[perience WakeV place. A noWe of caXWion, hoZeYer: The reVearch aboXW pV\chedelic-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ VWemV from WherapeXWic VeWWingV, Zhere clienWV are carefXll\ VXperYiVed, ZiWh adherence Wo proWocolV aroXnd XVage and doVage ² noW a recreaWional one Zhere mXlWiple YariableV coXld be aW pla\, like Whe pXriW\ of Whe VXbVWance and Whe VXrroXnding enYironmenW. The feZ VcienWific YoiceV e[preVVing concern focXV noW on Whe reVearch, bXW on Whe qXick e[panVion of Whe field aV a Zhole and Whe lack of reVearch in nonmedical VeWWingV. ³If WheVe drXgV are approYed aV WherapeXWic WreaWmenWV, Zill pharmacological-grade drXgV become eaVil\ aYailable and XVed and abXVed recreaWionall\? ́ aVked WaVhingWon UniYerViW\ pV\chiaWr\ profeVVor EXgene RXbin in a 2018 PV\cholog\ Toda\ arWicle. To deVcribe Whe WreaWmenW, MAPS WherapiVWV Zill ofWen XVe Whe analog\ of Whe bod\, Va\V Sara Reed, a WherapiVW in and VWXd\ coordinaWor of Whe U-Conn. Wrial. ³The MAPS langXage of Whe WreaWmenW approach iV WhaW Where¶V an inWelligence WhaW oXr bod\ haV, WhaW ZanWV Wo moYe WoZardV healing, ́ Va\V Reed, Zho iV Black. ³When \oX geW a cXW on \oXr arm, aV long aV \oX are in a preWW\ healWh\, healWh fXncWioning bod\, \oXr bod\¶V going Wo knoZ ZhaW Wo do Wo heal iWVelf, Wo VWop Whe bleeding and creaWe Whe Vcab. We belieYe WhaW Whe pV\che alVo haV WhaW Vame properW\. The pV\che ZanWV Wo moYe WoZardV healing, bXW VomeWimeV Where are barrierV WhaW geW in Whe Za\ of WhaW healing proceVV. OXr philoVoph\ in WhiV WreaWmenW iV Wo creaWe a conWainer Zhere Vome of WhoVe barrierV are remoYed, Vo folkV can proceVV WraXmaV in Wheir oZn Za\, aW Wheir oZn Wime. ́ The Wherap\ ³helpV \oX look aW Whe bigger picWXre, ́ Va\V Terence Ching, a docWoral VWXdenW in clinical pV\cholog\ aW U-Conn. and a WherapiVW in Whe Wrial, Zho iV Singaporean ChineVe. ³IW almoVW feelV like \oXr life before ZaV jXVW ]ooming in on Whe pX]]le pieceV. NoZ \oX¶re Waking a VWep back ² a feZ VWepV back ² Wo Vee hoZ WhingV fiW in. ... I can eaVil\ Vee hoZ, for a perVon ZiWh PTSD Zho haVn¶W reVponded Wo Walk Wherap\, cogniWiYe behaYioral Wherap\ or eYen medical marijXana, WhaW WhiV mighW be Whe Whing WhaW Whe\ mighW need Wo pXVh WhingV along Vo iW clickV. And Whe\ can begin Wo enjo\ Wheir liYeV again. ́ DeVpiWe Whe reVearcherV¶ opWimiVm afWer Wheir oZn e[perienceV ZiWh MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\, Whe\ Voon faced obVWacleV. WilliamV qXickl\ reali]ed WhaW Whe MAPS proWocol for hoZ Wo recrXiW parWicipanWV, and When hoZ Wo Wake Whem WhroXgh WreaWmenW, ZaV noW going Wo Zork. ³We Zere baVicall\ Wr\ing Wo Wake a VWXd\ WhaW had alread\ been deVigned for WhiWe people and make iW Zork for people of color, ́ Vhe Va\V. ³The Wherap\ haV Wo make VenVe and feel like a good fiW for Whe perVon geWWing iW. And ZhaW ma\ feel like good Wherap\ for a WhiWe perVon ma\ noW neceVVaril\ reVonaWe ZiWh Vomebod\ from a differenW eWhnic groXp. ́ ThiV diVcrepanc\ VhoZed Xp in recrXiWmenW. IW Veemed almoVW impoVVible Wo find parWicipanWV. ³The oWher clinicV had long ZaiWing liVWV of people Wr\ing Wo geW inWo Whe VWXd\, ́ George Va\V. ³OXr ZaiWing liVW ZaV empW\. ́ The Weam reali]ed Whe\¶d need Wo make Vome Vmall bXW highl\ VignificanW changeV, like making VXre Whe\ XVed Whe ZordV ³parWicipanW ́ and ³VWXd\ ́ in Wheir maWerialV, inVWead of ³VXbjecW ́ and ³e[perimenW. ́ ³We¶re preWW\ aZare of Whe hiVWor\ of medical aWrociWieV commiWWed againVW commXniWieV of color in Whe UniWed SWaWeV, ́ Ching Wold me. ³We reall\ ZanWed Whe langXage, aW leaVW, Wo reflecW WhaW Ze¶re aZare of WhaW. We ZanW Wo be more inYiWing, becaXVe Where¶V alread\ WhaW la\er of VWigma and miVWrXVW of Whe medical V\VWem WhaW commXniWieV of color haYe. ́ EdXcaWion dXring Whe recrXiWmenW period ZaV differenW, Woo. ³People of color needed more VXpporW in Whe Vcreening proceVV, ́ Reed Va\V, Wo combaW Whe cXlWXral VWigma aVVociaWed ZiWh Veeking menWal healWh healWh help, aV Zell aV fearV WhaW XVing pV\chedelicV, eYen in a clinical VeWWing, mighW lead Wo a harmfXl oXWcome. ³ WhaW are ps\chedelics? WhaW is MDMA? Am I coming here Wo geW high? CoXld \oX Well me aboXW ZhaW Whe oYernighW session is going Wo be like? Am I going Wo be safe? So Ze had Wo Vpend a loW of Wime edXcaWing parWicipanWV and proYiding Whe langXage WhroXghoXW Whe Vcreening proceVV, from informed conVenW Wo enrollmenW. ́ ³ μI ZoXld be \oXr WherapiVW,¶ ́ George recallV Welling poWenWial parWicipanWV. ³ μMe, a Black Zoman. The oWher perVon in Whe room Zill be a perVon of color. There¶V a Zhole Weam commiWWed Wo make \oX feel Vafe.¶ Then \oX haYe Wo make Whem feel Vafe enoXgh Wo ZanW Wo hear more, When proYide edXcaWion aboXW ZhaW Whe drXg acWXall\ iV. YoX haYe Wo geW Whem Wo ZanW Wo do Whe VWXd\. ́ Once parWicipanWV did enroll, Whe Weam had Wo WZeak MAPS¶V proWocol fXrWher. MAPS ZaV on board, George Va\V: ³Like, μHe\, Ze hadn¶W WhoXghW aboXW an\ of WheVe WhingV, and Whank \oX.¶ ́ DXring MDMA- aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ VeVVionV, parWicipanWV liVWen Wo mXVic WhroXgh headphoneV ² ofWen rela[ing, inVWrXmenWal pieceV WhaW \oX mighW hear in a Vpa or a \oga cenWer. The U-Conn. Weam ZanWed Wo cXraWe WheVe pla\liVWV Wo alloZ for mXVic WhaW ZoXld maWch each parWicipanW¶V cXlWXral backgroXnd and inWerVecWing idenWiWieV. The ph\Vical Vpace alVo alloZed for more cXlWXral repreVenWaWion. ³The painWingV on Whe Zall, Whe maga]ine on Whe Wable, Whe coffee mXg Ze had ² Ze Zere jXVW reall\ inWenWional WhaW an\Whing WhaW oXr parWicipanWV ZoXld come in conWacW ZiWh ZoXld onl\ fXrWher Wheir feeling of VafeW\ and WhaW Whe\ belong, ́ Va\V George. ³We ZanWed folkV Wo come in and Va\, μThiV iV familiar. I recogni]e WhiV arWZork. I Vee people Zho look like me.¶ We Zere e[pliciW aboXW cXlWXral repreVenWaWion in oXr indiYidXal preVenWaWion aV Zell. Ma\be I¶d Zear a kenWe cloWh head Zrap. Making VXre WhaW Ze oXrVelYeV repreVenWed oXr oZn cXlWXre aV a meanV Wo model WhaW behaYior for oXr parWicipanWV Vo Whe\ can be fXll\ WhemVelYeV and leW all Wheir pain come forWh ² Zhich iV reall\ difficXlW Wo do in a neZ Vpace ZiWh neZ people, eVpeciall\ if \oX¶Ye neYer Walked aboXW WhaW pain before. ́ W h a f m a o f eel li k e g o o d f h ec a a o f o c a W h i f e a ec d o n m a o n o f n ec ed d a c i lo c ed o n a f e m i f h d o m eb o d o f c o m a d i f f ec en f ef h n i c g c o ga d a o d E ach enrolled parWicipanW ZaV a Vmall YicWor\, a prodXcW of hoXrV of pV\choedXcaWion. Reed Va\V MAPS Zondered Zh\ WhingV Zere differenW ZiWh Wheir Weam. ³The\ ZoXld aVk qXeVWionV like, μYoX are Vpending a loW of Wime ZiWh \oXr parWicipanWV. WhaW¶V WhiV aboXW?¶ IW ZaVn¶W like, μYoX need Wo VWop,¶ bXW iW ZaV jXVW more of a cXrioViW\. μWhaW¶V Whe difference in need aW Whe ViWe aV oppoVed Wo oWher ViWeV?¶ The difference ZaV WhaW people of color needed more VXpporW dXring Whe onVeW of Whe Vcreening proceVV and WhiV WreaWmenW, Vo Ze coXld acWXall\ reWain Whem. There Zere Vome parWicipanWV Zho, if Where Zeren¶W acWiYe engagemenWV ZiWh Whem dXring WhiV inWrodXcWor\ proceVV, Whe parWicipanWV goW oYerZhelmed and ZoXld leaYe or ZiWhdraZ from Whe VWXd\ premaWXrel\. ́ Time ZaV anoWher iVVXe. The cXrrenW proWocol for MDMA-aVViVWed pV\choWherap\ inclXdeV 42 hoXrV of Wherap\ oYer 12 ZeekV. ThiV inclXdeV mXlWiple VeVVionV ZiWh WherapiVWV before Whe acWXal doVe of MDMA. Then, Where are Whree doVing VeVVionV Vpaced a monWh or Vo aparW, and each doVing VeVVion laVWV a fXll da\ (MDMA¶V moVW inWenVe effecWV laVW aroXnd foXr Wo Vi[ hoXrV) ZiWh an oYernighW VWa\. In beWZeen, parWicipanWV are VXppoVed Wo Vee WherapiVWV regXlarl\ Wo e[plore ZhaW came Xp in Whe doVing VeVVionV, ZiWh a VerieV of VeVVionV M o n n i c a W i lli a m d a c li n i c a l p d o c h o lo g i d f lea d i n g f h e f r i a l