Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief
RationaleMany psychedelic experiences are meaningful, but ineffable. Engaging in meaning-making regarding emerging symbolic content and changing previous schemas have been proposed as mechanisms of change in psychedelic therapy.ObjectiveFirstly, we suggest the implementation of a Restorative Retelli...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879/full |
| _version_ | 1818231249382146048 |
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| author | Débora González Débora González Débora González Marc B. Aixalà Robert A. Neimeyer Jordi Cantillo Donald Nicolson Magi Farré Magi Farré |
| author_facet | Débora González Débora González Débora González Marc B. Aixalà Robert A. Neimeyer Jordi Cantillo Donald Nicolson Magi Farré Magi Farré |
| author_sort | Débora González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | RationaleMany psychedelic experiences are meaningful, but ineffable. Engaging in meaning-making regarding emerging symbolic content and changing previous schemas have been proposed as mechanisms of change in psychedelic therapy.ObjectiveFirstly, we suggest the implementation of a Restorative Retelling (RR) technique to process and integrate the psychedelic experience into autobiographical memory, in a way that fosters meaning-making. We also show how ayahuasca has the potential to evoke key psychological content in survivors, during the process of grief adjustment following the death of a loved one.MethodsThe rationale for the implementation of RR to process psychedelic experiences and a case study of a woman suffering from Complicated Grief (CG) after her mother’s suicide are presented.ResultsEvaluations conducted before the ayahuasca experience and after RR suggest the effectiveness of ayahuasca and RR in reducing symptoms of CG and psychopathology.ConclusionThis case report illustrates an effective adaptation of the RR technique for processing the psychedelic experience. The significance of the study and its limitations are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T10:47:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab5d46b5375c4f45bff25be51af53557 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T10:47:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab5d46b5375c4f45bff25be51af535572022-12-22T00:26:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-05-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879832879Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated GriefDébora González0Débora González1Débora González2Marc B. Aixalà3Robert A. Neimeyer4Jordi Cantillo5Donald Nicolson6Magi Farré7Magi Farré8Fundación BeckleyMed, Barcelona, SpainPHI Association, Barcelona, SpainInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainPortland Institute for Loss and Transition, Portland, OR, United StatesInternational Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Services (ICEERS), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Psychotherapy, Bath Spa University, Bath, United KingdomClinical Pharmacology Unit, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainRationaleMany psychedelic experiences are meaningful, but ineffable. Engaging in meaning-making regarding emerging symbolic content and changing previous schemas have been proposed as mechanisms of change in psychedelic therapy.ObjectiveFirstly, we suggest the implementation of a Restorative Retelling (RR) technique to process and integrate the psychedelic experience into autobiographical memory, in a way that fosters meaning-making. We also show how ayahuasca has the potential to evoke key psychological content in survivors, during the process of grief adjustment following the death of a loved one.MethodsThe rationale for the implementation of RR to process psychedelic experiences and a case study of a woman suffering from Complicated Grief (CG) after her mother’s suicide are presented.ResultsEvaluations conducted before the ayahuasca experience and after RR suggest the effectiveness of ayahuasca and RR in reducing symptoms of CG and psychopathology.ConclusionThis case report illustrates an effective adaptation of the RR technique for processing the psychedelic experience. The significance of the study and its limitations are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879/fullayahuascagriefrestorative retellingintegrationpsychedelic therapy |
| spellingShingle | Débora González Débora González Débora González Marc B. Aixalà Robert A. Neimeyer Jordi Cantillo Donald Nicolson Magi Farré Magi Farré Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief Frontiers in Psychology ayahuasca grief restorative retelling integration psychedelic therapy |
| title | Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief |
| title_full | Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief |
| title_fullStr | Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief |
| title_full_unstemmed | Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief |
| title_short | Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief |
| title_sort | restorative retelling for processing psychedelic experiences rationale and case study of complicated grief |
| topic | ayahuasca grief restorative retelling integration psychedelic therapy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879/full |
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