Welcome to the Very Well Mind podcast. We've interviewed over 100 authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and others to help you learn strategies to care for your mental health.

This episode is hosted by psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Morin. Now let's get into the episode.

Okay. My guest today is Brian Pellecky.

He's a psychologist who spent more than 20 years studying psychedelics and how they may actually improve some mental health conditions.

Brian happens to practice in Oregon, a state where psychedelic assisted therapy is about to become legal. That means in the very

near future, therapists may be giving their clients magic mushrooms in the therapy office

in an effort to address their depression, anxiety, substance abuse problems, or other

issues. Some of the things Brian talks about on the show are the difference between therapeutic

use and recreational use of psychedelics, how they're used in treatment, and the risks and benefits

of using them. Make sure to stick around for the therapist take at the end of the

episode. It's a part of the show where I break down my guest's mental strength strategies and

share how you can apply them to your own life. So here's Brian Pellecki on how psychedelics

are going to be used to treat mental health issues. Brian Pellecki, welcome to the very well-mind

podcast. Hi, Amy. It's great to be here.

I'm excited to talk to you. I'm a licensed therapist in the state of Florida, and we aren't quite as

progressive as Oregon is. And so I want to hear about psychedelic assisted therapy and all the things

that are going on over there. Can you explain to us what's happening in Oregon?

Sure. So Oregon is at the forefront of the changing field of psychedelic medicine. And what happened in Oregon and fall of last year is that voters approved a bill that will legalize psilocybin assisted therapy in 2023.

So clients will have access to this form of treatment.

And this is a separate way of access than the traditional FDA approval method,

which is another way that psychedelics will likely become available,

both psilocybin and MDMA, within the next several years.

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