Back from the Abyss

Text us a message!Craig sits down with his mentee and colleague Mandy Bliss, a psychiatric NP in Louisville KY,  to explore the compelling and complex challenges of meeting the ever-expanding need for psychiatric care. Unlike in psychiatric residencies, much of the current training of psychiatric NPs is done online. Does this constitute adequate training? And what of psychotherapy?Mandy Bliss MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BChttps://blisspsych.com/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send us your questions for Fishbowl 6!Craig sits down with Colorado-based psychotherapist and Enneagram expert Joy Gribble (Elemental Psychedelics; Reflective Healing) to explore how the Enneagram can predict the strengths, fears, and blind spots of both the therapist and the client/patient in the complex dynamics of therapy.Joy Gribble https://www.reflectivehealing.com/about-joy-gribble-fort-collinsBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send us your questions for Fishbowl 6!Here Dr. H sits down with Lisa, a pediatric nurse practitioner, to witness her story of developmental trauma, concomitant chronic depression, and eventually her path of healing and rebuilding trust and connection, largely through psychotherapy.  During her years of intermittently crippling and suicidal depression, she was put on various psych meds, which might have helped at the time, but later became shockingly difficult to try to taper and stop. This is a story of overcoming shame, a story that looks at the question of whether people need meds for life….and it turns out, surprise surprise, that what's causing or driving depression actually really matters….and when that's a Mom wound, most psych meds are really just acting as flimsy bandages."I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  An intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentCraig sits down with Colorado-based equine and somatic therapist Koelle Simpson to witness her harrowing and moving story of healing from repeated sexual assaults through a deep psychospiritual connection with horses, then learning how to trust her male psychotherapist, and finally coming to face the darkness and shame head on through the use of psilocybin mushrooms.A heads up-- this episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault, please be mindful of whether this is the right time for you to hear this.Koelle Simpsonhttps://koellesimpson.com/"I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentDr. H breaks down the complex task of deprescribing into six clear steps, starting with the most important and challenging question of all:   Who is the patient and why are they suffering?"Bringing Therapy into Med Management"-- a psychotherapy training intensive with Dr. H for psych NPs and PAs this October in Ft Collins https://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentThis is an interview that Dr. H recently did on a podcast called "The Web: Weaving Psychology and Soul in Circle" where he goes deep into his own journey learning how to work with transference and countertransference.Carrie Haynes and "The Web"https://carriehayneslpc.com/"I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  An intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearch"Bringing Therapy into Med Management"-- a psychotherapy training intensive with Dr. H for psych NPs and PAs https://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentDr. H sits down with Dr. Neill Epperson, chair of the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, to talk all things hormonal."I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentThis is a re-release of an episode called "Adventures in Exposure Therapy" which first published in 2020. That episode was the second of a two part exploration of OCD, the first episode was called "OCD in the Time of Corona." In brief, "OCD in the Time of Corona" was the story of Dr. H's patient Erin, who suffered from disabling OCD that focused on a catastrophizing fear of cold sores and the herpes virus.  Dr. H initially treated Erin, then referred her to Dr. Amy Indermuehle, a CO based psychologist and OCD expert, who then took over the exposure therapy. "Adventures in Exposure Therapy"  is a conversation with Dr. Amy both about the fascinating specifics of Erin's OCD tx, as well as a ton of wisdom and guidance about how to do exposure therapy for various presentations of OCD.Dr. Amy Indermuehlehttp://facemyanxiety.com/"I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentToday's story is the story of so many marriages— starting off with hope and excitement, then settling into careers and kids and unforeseen challenges,  then facing emerging disenchantment and mounting frustrations,  then maybe even reaching a breaking point, where the marriage seems unable to withstand all the stuff life is throwing in its path.  For Daniel and Mindy, their initial years of love and hope and adventure were slowly buried by layers of physical and emotional pain, by Daniel's chronic and worsening depression, by Mindy's frustration and anger and shame. Teetering on the edge, they decided to begin working with MDMA, hoping to rediscover what they had somehow lost."I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentOne of the more interesting and difficult challenges of integrating psychedelics into psychiatry is how to deal with the fact that so many of the folks who will seek out care for their treatment-resistant depression or OCD or body dysmorphia or PTSD or attachment trauma are on psychiatric meds, many of which can have very significant and even dangerous interactions with certain psychedelics.Here Dr. H explores some of the key issues around med tapering with ketamine, psilocybin, and MDMA, including a hierarchy of safety in terms of potential med interactions."I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentSaj Razvi and Hillary McBride return to BFTA, this time together, for one of the most compelling and fascinating episodes we have featured on the podcast-- an in depth, in the room exploration of the moment to moment unfolding of a psychedelic-assisted trauma session. During her training to work with Saj''s psychedelic somatic model, called PSIP, Hillary did a profound session with Saj that led to some very unexpected gifts for Hillary. Interestingly, the psychedelic used for this session was THC— Saj has spoken extensively in past BFTA episodes why he considers vaped THC a particularly potent catalyst for somatic trauma work, to rapidly cut through dissociation and heighten autonomic reactions.First we'll hear Saj give some background context and an introduction to the theory of his work, then we'll hear Hillary enter into a very emotional and often physically grueling session, with both Saj and Hillary weighing in occasionally with commentary about the process, then finally we hear them both summarize what happened, how they understand the meaning and the story.A heads up, Hillary's session gets very intense at times, if you don't feel ready to hear someone walk the fires of their nearly annihilating trauma, maybe save this episode for another time."I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchDr. Hillary McBridehttps://hillarylmcbride.com/Saj Razvi and the Psychedelic Somatic Institutehttps://www.psychedelicsomatic.org/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentIn this solo episode, Craig synthesizes most all the crucial stuff about OCD, with some cool musical interludes to boot-- in just over 20 minutes!"I Love You, I Hate You, Are You My Mom?"  A intensive experiential workshop exploring transference with Dr. H and Dr. Hillary McBride, May 28-30 in Victoria BChttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/i-love-you-i-hate-you-are-you-my-mom-tickets-1112117516429?aff=ebdssbdestsearchBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Send BFTA a commentYou don't end up working in psychiatry/mental health by accident-- therapists and psychiatrists almost always come from their own place of emotional pain. Here Dr. H sits down with his colleague Kristen, a well-respected Colorado psychotherapist who always appeared to have it all together, while battling her own inner demons of feeling like a fraud-- broken, unworthy, irredeemable.  This is Kristen's story of finding a way through her double life, of coming to peace with what she survived, how she coped,  and how this helps her to help others. BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

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 @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://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 @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://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 Institutehttps://psychiatryinstitute.com/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://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.BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://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 mushroomsElemental Psychedelics-- Ketamine and Psilocybin therapist/facilitator trainingshttps://www.elementalpsychedelics.com/Revive and Thrive retreat (with Dr. Rebecca Richey)https://www.experientialwellnessretreats.com/beaver-run-retreatBringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive psychotherapy workshop with Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/Beyond Psilocybin-- Embracing the Power of Ketaminehttps://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 @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://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.   We 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 Craig  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 @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. Russell Carr was a career Navy psychiatrist for 20 years and served in Iraq, where today's story begins.  This is a story of a healer, then a terrible wounding, then the healer trying to find his way amidst the chaos of war. This story is about a rite of passage, one that not every psychiatrist faces, but most do at some point-- that of losing the first patient to suicide, then trying to find the strength to move forward.Dr. Russell CarrA Psychiatrist Returns from War-- on Substackhttps://russellcarr.substack.com/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

A huge problem with current psychiatric diagnosis is that it often lumps completely unrelated things under the same vast and vague tent, such as with the diagnosis of "Major Depressive Disorder".   Here Craig sits down with his patient Rebecca to try to make sense of her complex early onset depression and how it played out via addiction, anorexia, and pathological caretaking and how she was finally able find the grace and compassion to prioritize care for herself.Bringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive psychotherapy training in Colorado with Dr.  Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Here Dr. H sites down with Jenny, a psychoanalyst who shares her moving, then horrifying, then eventually cathartic tale of plumbing the depths of her traumatized psyche, first with years of psychoanalysis, then with five MDMA-assisted therapy sessions. This is a story of numbing and forgetting, then re-opening and remembering...of finding a way to make sense of a life of protective dissociation.Bringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive psychotherapy training in Colorado with Dr.  Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

In this solo episode Craig shares his current thoughts on MDMA medicalization, sleep meds, ADD, motivation vs self-discipline, benzos, how long to stay on psych meds, a change and a proposed addition to his top 10 med list, borderline vs bipolar, and marriage.Bringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive training with Dr.  Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. H sits down with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, a nationally recognized expert on eating disorders to explore a wide range of topics including:• etiology and the relative influence of temperament, culture, and concomitant psychiatric illness•anorexia as a qualitatively different kind of treatment challenge•treatment ambivalence, building the alliance, respecting protectors•anosognosia and its relationship with severity of illness•how to talk about weight, body image, and eating with mindful/respectful language•thin privilege and fatphobia•involuntary treatment•orthorexia and food rules as a cultural disease•GLP-1 agonists and bariatric surgeryDr. Ghttps://www.gaudianiclinic.com/teamSick Enough-- A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disordershttps://www.gaudianiclinic.com/sick-enoughBringing Therapy into Med Management-- An intensive training with Dr.  Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/training/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

The driving force of so many of our self-destructive tendencies is not conscious, it's an unconscious drive called the repetition compulsion, where we try to reenact early child traumas or deficits, often consciously hoping for a different result but unconsciously walking directly and knowingly into the flames.  One of the central tasks of therapy is often helping people identify their repetition compulsions and doing the deeply uncomfortable work of making different choices. For the repetition compulsion feels right, at the deepest levels of being, because it was wired into us during early childhood. Self-destructive decisions smell like home cooking, they are the blue light that draws in the unsuspecting moths over and over and over, even when they see what's about to happen.Here Dr. H's patient  Katey describes how early emotional neglect and toxic parental modeling led her down a path of almost two decades of self-destruction, with an ongoing battle between her healthier and more resilient parts and her wounded repetition-seeking masochistic parts. Who would choose superficially “sweet” boys with good drugs and little emotional connection….why Katey would, and did, and this is her story of why she did that for so long and how she eventually broke free.BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

The rising tide of psychiatric emergencies in the US most commonly ends up in the emergency room, where psychiatrists are almost never found and the brunt of the heavy lifting falls on emergency medicine physicians.  Here Dr. H sits down with Dr. Treve Henwood, an emergency med physician and host of the Rural EM podcast to explore the often overwhelming challenges inherent in trying to effectively manage and treat these psychiatric crises.BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

This is an interview Dr. H did a few months ago on the Radically Genuine podcast. Although we posted about this interview on our Instagram feed back in August, we thought this was worth re-releasing on the main BFTA feed.  Of all the podcast interviews Dr. H has done, this one might be the most interesting and relevant for our listeners.Here Dr. H discusses the deep structural problems with current psychiatry, the confusion around psychiatric diagnoses and nosology, controversies and mistaken beliefs about psychiatric meds, problems with informed consent and involuntary treatment, why med management is doomed to fail, psychedelics as a portal into psychospiritual and trauma healing, pearls about ketamine treatment, and other topics. Radically Genuine Podcasthttps://www.drmcfillin.com/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

What does it feel like to be manic?  It can be very difficult for people to accurately recall manic episodes— they aren't stored like typical narrative memories, but rather they often feel like confusing and out of control reveries that seem to have happened to a different version of themselves. Then comes the guilt and the shame that often follows manic episodes, as a result of the loss of normal social inhibition, the lack of fear, and the surging dopamine levels… leading people to take risks and do things they would never normally do, typically within the big three “Ss”- Spending, speeding, and sex. Here Craig sits down with Louise Barnett, host of the Together S.O.B.E.R. podcast, as she shares her harrowing journey through years of cyclical mania, eventually finding a way to not just make peace with bipolar disorder, but to use it to her advantage.Louise Barnetthttps://www.instagram.com/louisedbarnett/?hl=enBFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Craig sits down with Carrie Haynes, a colleague and Colorado-based group therapist and host of the podcast The Art of Groups. They explore their shared love of group process, the unique benefits and risks of working with groups, specific challenges for the group therapist or leader, and finally how and why Carrie is moving away from traditional group therapy to a more heart-focused transpersonal group model. Carrie Haynes/The Art of Groupshttps://www.artofgroups.com/BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

In the streets and sidewalks of every American city, a slow motion disaster is unfolding, with ever increasing numbers of people suffering from serious mental illness and/or addiction. Why is this happening? What can we do to help our most vulnerable citizens? Here Dr.  H sits down with Dr. Dave Iverson, a Colorado psychiatrist, advocate, and policy expert who has devoted his entire career to caring for the most ill patients with the least resources.  We get to hear what it's like to work in the psychiatric trenches-- the deep sense of urgency and purpose, along with the constant losses and ever growing numbers of people to serve.  BFTA on IG @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Saj Razvi returns to BFTA to discuss a listener letter, which leads to an exploration of treatment resistance, developmental trauma, the absence of experience  ("the void") vs dissociation as experience.  Saj and Craig also explore attachment vs love, whether trauma healing has to be difficult, and the common elements of successful trauma treatment.Saj Razvi and the Psychedelic Somatic Institutehttps://www.psychedelicsomatic.org/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Some of the most basic questions about ketamine are still under investigation— Which patients are ideal responders? What is the therapeutic dose range? Is there a meaningful dose/response curve? Are fully dissociative treatments necessary for optimal efficacy? How important is psychotherapy after a higher dose IV or IM session?  And how should we think about frequency of initial treatments and then ongoing maintenance treatments, if needed?Here Dr. H synthesizes and summarizes his experience over the last 6 years doing over 3000 IV and IM ketamine treatments and addresses each of these critical treatment dilemmas.Ketamine-assisted therapy training in CO in 2024https://www.elementalpsychedelics.com/ketaminetrainingBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Is there a role for love in therapy, whether in the traditional psychotherapeutic context and/or in the psychedelic space?  And if we were to more consciously invite love into therapy, how could we do this in a safe and boundaried way?Dr. Adele LaFrance, a Colorado-based psychologist, the co-creator of Emotion Focused Family Therapy, and now the principal investigator of a fascinating study called "The Love Project" shares her stories and wisdom on all things love.The Love Projecthttps://dradelelafrance.com/the-love-projectDr. Adele LaFrancehttps://dradelelafrance.com/Dr. H/BFTAhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dave and Laurie sit down with Dr. H to share their journey through the denial, fear, grief, and eventual acceptance of their son's life-altering psychiatric illness.NAMI Family to Family supporthttps://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Mental-Health-Education/NAMI-Family-to-FamilyBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

One of the tragic truths of psychiatry is that the sickest patients more often than not either don't realize they are ill, or are convinced that treatment will do nothing. No group of patients better exemplifies this than those with schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. A common presentation in Dr. H's  office is an older adolescent or young adult, often male, who is descending into psychosis and also completely unaware of the illness or need for treatment. Meanwhile, the parents are telling of frightening threats, explosive outbursts, bizarre behaviors, profound social isolation, and/or paranoid beliefs.  This episode today is the first of two parts— in part 1, Karen, the mother of Sam, describes the progression of his illness and how she has grieved and coped and parented him. In part 2 in two weeks, we'll hear from Laurie and Dave, who also have a son with severe mental illness. The two stories are both the same and also different in some key ways. One thing they both share is that their sons, after some very scary times,  both finally agreed to engage with treatment.NAMI Family to Family supporthttps://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Mental-Health-Education/NAMI-Family-to-FamilyBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. H sits down with Dr. Julia King Olivier, a Swiss psychiatrist and co-founder of the Compassionate Care Center in Geneva, Switzerland, to explore the fascinating landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapy there. Julia is one of a small group of physicians in Switzerland who has permission to work with LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine, and she shares her clinical experience and wisdom in this emerging realm.BFTA among the Top 15 Psychedelic Podcasts of 2023!https://podcasts.feedspot.com/psychedelic_podcasts/?_src=alsoinBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. H's patient Lindsey shares her story of self-medicating her anxiety and depression with cannabis, then steadily building tolerance and moving on to THC concentrates. This led to full-blown dependence and a spiral downward into daily bouts of terrible nausea, near constant panic, and emerging hopelessness.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

In this season 5 opener, Craig sits down with Shelly Winemiller, a Colorado-based trauma therapist, to witness her powerful story of reclaiming her body and spirit from the nightmare of clergy sexual abuse.Shelly Winemillerhttp://www.oasisforhealing.com/meet-shellyBFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Craig sits down with  Dr. Hillary McBride, a psychologist, researcher, author, and podcast host (Other People's Problems) to explore all things psychedelic.Dr. Hillary McBridehttps://hillarylmcbride.com/Hillary's ketamine groups at Katalysthttps://www.katalystmentalhealth.com/Psychedelic Ceremony and the Art of Groups with Dori Lewishttps://www.elementalpsychedelics.com/psychedelictrainingDr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

BFTA's co-conspirators explore what they learned this season, their favorite episodes, ideas/plans for season 5, whether BFTA has become too psychedelic-heavy, and what they most value in each other.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

In this final story of season 4, Craig speaks with Wayne, a longtime patient of his who has battled treatment resistant depression and crippling anxiety for many years.  Wayne's story highlights a few crucial things— the fact that sometimes you can do everything right, do all the self-care things, yet still be waylaid by the crushing dark force of depression…this story also illustrates the power of the therapeutic relationship, and the fact that two people can deeply respect and care for each other, even when they land on opposite ends of the religious and political divide.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Can you treat >95% of all patients with mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders with just ten meds? Dr. H says YES.Here he posits his top ten, based on efficacy, safety, tolerability, and cost.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Craig sits down with Ana, a Mexican medicine woman, or curandera. Ana shares a unique perspective and an earned wisdom that is particularly relevant today as we enter a veritable renaissance of plant medicines and psychedelics, while also trying to avoid the rampant mistakes and misuses of the past.Ana works with various medicines, including one that was mentioned in the “The Dark Side of Psychedelics” episode—  that would be Bufo, also known as  5-MeO, or 5-methoxy-DMT.  In contrast with that episode, Ana describes much more mindful and careful use of this powerful compound.The Revolution Will Not Be Psychologized (The Emerald podcast)https://www.buzzsprout.com/317042/12293967-the-revolution-will-not-be-psychologizedBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. H explores how to think about psychedelic assisted therapy with ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin in terms of patient selection, ideal indications, psychiatric diagnosis,  trauma history, medical comorbidities, medication interactions, cautions, and contraindications. This episode comes from a recent interview that Dr. H did on the podcast The Testing Psychologist."The Unwell Doctor" episode on the podcast The Nocturnistshttps://www.thenocturnists-shame.org/episodes/9-the-unwell-doctorBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Dr. H sits down with Dr. Will Van Derveer of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute and Higher Practice podcast in a wide-ranging exploration of what's good (and not so good) in current psychiatric practice.They explore topics including: •Problems with diagnostic nosology•Depression as a spiritual problem or a symptom of disconnection•Integrative psychiatry and how this differs from standard psychiatry•Getting at root causes of psychiatric illness•The role of psychotherapy in good psychiatry practice•Diagnosing and treating ADD•Ketamine-- Dosing, route,  how and when to include adjunctive psychotherapy•Ketamine via tele-health....Expanding access or increasing risk?•What other psychiatric and non-psychiatric clinicians are missing•Vicarious trauma and grief in psychiatry •Hopes and concerns with recent psychedelic decriminalization Psychedelic Practitioner Immersivehttps://www.enduringlovetherapy.com/events-1/psychedelic-practitioner-immersive-psychedelic-space-holding-integrationDr. Will Van Derveer and the Integrative Psychiatry Institutehttps://psychiatrycenters.com/team-members/will-van-derveer-md/Higher Practice podcasthttps://psychiatryinstitute.com/podcast/BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

The magic of psychotherapy is that it brings forth transference— the patient's most important and formative relationships, typically with early caregivers, are unconsciously re-enacted in the therapy room. And this transference necessarily creates countertransference, the therapist's unconscious reactions to the transference. Alexandria came to Dr. H originally due to her severe harm OCD. But over time, it became clear to him, and eventually to her, that she was increasingly, and unconsciously, trying to put him in the role of the abandoner, the critic, the emotional abuser. This process is called projective identification, and as you will hear, it played out very dramatically between them, and was a major factor in her plans to die.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris Dan Harris is a fidgety, skeptical journalist who had a panic attack on...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Thirty years ago, a 10 year old boy was found stabbed to death in a park…the same park where 18 year old Stephanie and three young men were seen riding bikes the night before. Stephanie and the others were repeatedly questioned, they became the prime suspects…..yet they, nor anyone, was ever charged for the murder. It remains unsolved to this day.This is the story how how one event can alter the course of your life, how so many possibilities for the future can disappear overnight….this is a story of how after years of unhelpful psychotherapy and medications, Stephanie was finally able to uncover what lay beneath-- with the help of an unusually perceptive therapist, as well as ketamine and MDMA- assisted psychotherapy.BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

After years of crippling anxiety, substance abuse, mood instability, and loss, Daniel had finally found the path to impending fame and success beyond his dreams. Then everything fell apart, and he was forced to face the fact that he lacked the skills to face life on life's terms. Enter DBT, and Daniel began to piece his life back together with increasing confidence and competence.To contact Daniel about Peer-led DBT groups or Dual Diagnosis 12 step meetings:dualrecoveryresource@gmail.comBFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/

Here Dr. H sits down with Dr.  Kelly Sonnenfeld, a psychologist and DBT expert, in this first of a two part look at dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT.  This episode is a primer on DBT-- what DBT is,  how it works,  and how it fits into the landscape of therapy options. Part Two explores Daniel's story of how DBT helped him recover from a terrible period of psychiatric suffering.DBT is best known for successfully treating self-harm and suicidality, particularly in the context of complex PTSD and borderline personality disorders, primarily through building skills to cope with emotional dysregulation.Psychedelic therapy training in CO with Dr. Hhttps://www.enduringlovetherapy.com/events-1/psychedelic-practitioner-immersives-psychedelic-space-holding-integration-2Dr. Kelly Sonnenfeldhttps://drkellysonnenfeld.com/BFTA on Instagram. @backfromtheabysspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/backfromtheabysspodcast/BFTA/ Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com/podcast-page/