In this solo episode Dr. H shares his current thoughts on working in the here and now; polypharmacy; the root causes of suicidality; diagnostic parsimony ; ketamine microdosing; and online psych NP training programs.

BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcast
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BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Kate lived for many years in a hazy and numbing dialectic, thinking that her life was “perfect”, but also having a vague and gnawing sense that just under the surface something was terribly wrong. This is a story of forgetting and remembering, a story of finding a therapist who was willing and able to sit through years of hateful negative transference and let Kate work through her parent-child wounds. And finally this is a story of MDMA and psilocybin helping someone move forward through the minefield of trauma.

Very few people are willing and/or able to share and describe their descent into psychosis— in part because memory formation and consolidation are so impaired during episodes of psychosis…..and also because there is often so much fear and shame tied up in the experience of losing one’s mind.

Here Dr. H's patient Corben describes his very early onset illness, how it started with years of depression, then shifted into profound alienation and increasingly frightening psychosis, and finally into stability and recovery.

BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcast
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BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

The prevailing model of psychiatric care in the US is called "med management"-- this typically means a 10-15min appointment to review symptoms and choose medications. Here Dr. Will Van Derveer of the Integrative Psychiatric Institute sits down with Dr. H to deconstruct this deeply flawed model and posit a more holistic and hopeful way of thinking about psychiatric care.

Dr. Van Derveer and the Integrative Psychiatric Institute
https://psychiatryinstitute.com/


BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

In this season 6 opener Dr. H sits down with Dr. Erin Jacklin of the Catalyst Center in Denver to explore how we learn to the deeply complex and consistently challenging work of doing good therapy.

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BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Craig sits down with Dori Lewis of Elemental Psychedelics to explore the myths and realities of working with psilocybin mushrooms, including:

•What do people not understand about psilocybin mushrooms?
•Can mushrooms treat depression? If so, which types?
•How should we think about the specific roles of mushrooms and ketamine in psychiatric and psychological treatment?
•What kinds of problems are most amenable to psilocybin?
•Why do some people have no psychedelic experience on apparently therapeutic doses of psilocybin?
•Individual vs group work with mushrooms

Elemental Psychedelics-- Ketamine and Psilocybin therapist/facilitator trainings
https://www.elementalpsychedelics.com/

Revive and Thrive retreat (with Dr. Rebecca Richey)
https://www.experientialwellnessretreats.com/beaver-run-retreat

Bringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive psychotherapy workshop with Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/

Beyond Psilocybin-- Embracing the Power of Ketamine
https://www.reflectivehealing.com/blog/fortcollins/therapy/reflectivehealing/beyond-psilocybin-embracing-the-power-of-ketamine-in-mental-health-healing

Chris and Craig go meta to deconstruct season 5, explore the art of storytelling and music selection, and answer listener questions.

BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcast
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BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Christina grew up with a tumultuous and mentally ill mother, an older brother who decompensated into psychosis and frightening aggression, and just one healthy family member, her father. Dr. H and Christina explore both the wounding of having a desperately ill parent, as well as the profound gift of having another parent able to provide love and support. Christina suffered terribly from these maternal wounds, but she was also able to finally emerge as a healthy, grateful, wise, and deeply caring adult….initially drawn to nursing, she eventually transitioned into working as a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

This story is in two parts— first Christina shares her moving story, then she and Dr. H go meta and explore the behind the scenes preparation for this episode. Two of the themes that emerge in this latter part are storytelling as integration, and vulnerability as part of healing. Christina beautifully describes how the process of pulling her story together and unearthing these often brutal memories allowed her to find a deeper sense of peace, acceptance, and self-affirmation.

BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/

BFTA/ Dr. H
https://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/