Cannabis-Assisted Therapy
“I have come to the conclusion that human beings are born with an innate capacity to triumph over trauma. I believe not only that trauma is curable, but that the healing process can be a catalyst for profound awakening- a portal opening to emotional and genuine spiritual transformation.”
- Dr. Peter Levine
Cannabis-assisted therapy is a type of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Cannabis has been often misused and misunderstood, but it is a powerful plant medicine with psychedelic properties. Even experienced recreational cannabis users are surprised by what it accomplishes when used in a therapeutic context with a professionally trained psychedelic therapist. With proper attention given to the intention, set, setting, dose, strain selection, and the ratio of cannabinoids, cannabis exhibits very different properties and can produce effects similar to classical psychedelic medicines, such as psilocybin and DMT. It becomes a powerful catalyst of the therapeutic process leading to emotional breakthroughs that can deepen the transformational healing process.
Like other psychedelic substances, cannabis temporarily reduces the activity in a region of the brain known as the Default Mode Network (DMN), which can be the origin of habitual thought patterns, defense mechanisms, and ways of being that underlie mood and behavior. The DMN has been shown to be overactive in people suffering from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. By reducing activity in the DMN, people are given greater access to areas of the subconscious mind that they are not in touch with in an ordinary state of consciousness.
During a therapeutic cannabis session, people report the feeling of being very present while retaining agency and experiencing increased awareness of the sensations in their body. This can allow repressed emotions and memories to arise from the unconscious mind to be seen, felt, and processed. Deep relaxation leads the somatic release of stored energy. When emotions are processed and trauma is resolved on the somatic level, an opportunity for healing, regulating of the nervous system, building resilience, and learning healthier patterns and ways of being in the world is created.
At Entheos Aspen, cannabis-assisted therapy is combined with somatic therapy making it more effective at resolving symptoms. As a trained Cannabis-Assisted therapist, I am here to help you prepare and set your intentions, support you during the therapeutic journey, and throughout integration following your transformational experience. Cannabis-assisted therapy can be useful for various conditions, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, dissociative states, substance use disorders, and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.