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Helping at the edges of life: Perspectives of a psychedelic therapist

  • Published:
Journal of Near-Death Studies

Abstract

A case history is presented of a 70 year old man treated with psychedelic psychotherapy for depression, anxiety, and pain associated with terminal cancer. Interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects of treatment following a single 90 mg dose of dipropyltryptamine (DPT) are described. Comparisons are made between transpersonal, mystical, and religious elements in psychedelic drug experiences and near-death experiences.

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References

  • Kurland, A. (1985). LSD in the supportive care of the terminally ill cancer patient.Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 17, 279–290.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Human Development, 2403 Talbot Road, 21216, Baltimore, MD

    Richard Yensen Ph.D. (Director of the Institute for Human Development, and Instructor in Psychology, Harvard Medical School)

Authors
  1. Richard Yensen Ph.D.
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Additional information

This paper is based on a study in which the author participated as a research psychotherapist at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. The author gives special thanks to the late Dr. T. Glyne Williams for his supervision, and to Dr. Albert A. Kurland for his administrative support of this work, and also thanks Friends of Medical Science Research, the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation for the opportunity to carry out this work.

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Yensen, R. Helping at the edges of life: Perspectives of a psychedelic therapist. J Near-Death Stud 6, 149–161 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01073363

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01073363

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