MDMA-assisted therapy is making waves, and it’s not just hype—there’s real science and real stories behind it. In this episode, we sit down with Rachel Nuwer, a brilliant Freelance Science Journalist and Author of ‘I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World,’ and talk about how this treatment is changing lives and healing wounds.
We dig into everything—from the challenges surrounding MDMA’s FDA approval, why MDMA works best when paired with professional guidance, and incredible stories of people finding hope and connection through this therapy, some heartwarming, others heartbreaking. It’s eye-opening stuff, especially if you’ve ever wondered how empathy and healing really work together.
Rachel’s passion for this topic is contagious. Hearing about her journey in researching and writing this book feels like getting a behind-the-scenes pass to something groundbreaking. If you’re curious about what’s possible when science and compassion meet, this is the episode you’ll want to dive into.
Key Timestamps:
[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:03:53] Writing a book about MDMA
[00:05:53] Clarity of mind through MDMA
[00:08:06] MDMA in couples’ therapy
[00:10:50] MDMA's potential societal impact
[00:15:45] Last hope for healing
[00:18:10] The challenges with FDA approval for MDMA
[00:23:00] Ethical considerations of MDMA therapy
[00:25:33] Reopening of “critical periods" through MDMA
[00:27:46] Efficacy of different therapies, therapists, and modalities
[00:37:11] Benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy
[00:39:23] MDMA-assisted therapy for creativity
Memorable Quotes:
"This molecule is worthy of its own story. You know, it's got its own unique history, its culture. the crazy politics surrounding the science. It really seemed to me to deserve a book-length treatment." [00:04:42] – Rachel Nuwer
"MDMA and other psychedelics as well, when put in the right set and setting, reopen what's called a critical period. And that's just a phrase neuroscientists have for these finite windows of malleability when the brain is primed to learn new things." [00:25:39] – Rachel Nuwer
Connect with Rachel Nuwer:
Email: rachelnuwer@gmail.com
Website: https://www.rachelnuwer.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel_nuwer/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachellovenuwer
Twitter/X: https://x.com/rachelnuwer
Connect with Modern Enlightenment:
Website: https://www.ceremoniacircle.org/podcast/modern-enlightenment
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceremoniacircle
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceremoniacircle
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ceremoniacircle
Apply to be a guest on the show: https://airtable.com/appiLHnhKJH01qCNe/pageThPHAjQNNaJNY/form
Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com
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