Lower doses better for shadow work say Jungian therapists

Medical

‘Psycholytic’ techniques with more practicioner involement are making a comeback – and suit lighter trips, claim experts

‘The Psychedelic Eye’ by John Lennon (for it is he) at Kingham lodge sculpture park

Challenging shadow work is best attempted on lower doses of psychedelics with therapist guidance, say Jungian experts – in contrast to current wisdom.

Dr Scott Hill’s Confrontation with the Unconscious is considered the definitive text for using  Jungian psychology in psychedelic therapy and integration. 

Speaking in Vital’s Jungian shadow therapy lecture series, Dr Hill questioned the modern-day orthodoxy for high dose sessions: “Low doses allow us to be more conscious in the experience,” he says.

While recreational MDMA users will tell you “less is more,” the modern-day psychedelic therapy circuit believes in high doses, with ‘non directional’ interaction between therapist and patient.

But “People who keep coming back for high doses may struggle during integration,” Dr Hill continues, “Their experiences are so big – the ‘godhead experience’ – that they struggle to integrate into mainstream reality, and keep wanting to go back.”

Dr Hill says mild doses can still trigger archetypal awareness for example. And he believes experienced users can access and navigate meaningful psychedelic states with lower doses.

“High doses might avoid dealing with the shadow. Maybe that’s why they can disappoint”

Just like many Peruvian shamans believe one becomes more alert to ayahuasca as use increases. (And claiming you’re ‘sensitive to the medicine’ has become a Western humblebrag).

NY-based clinical psychologist Dr Gita Vaid believes intra-muscular ketamine injections can be artfully choreographed to create a specific experience for the patient. 

“High doses might actually be an attempt to avoid dealing with the shadow work. This is why psychedelic experiences can sometimes initially feel disappointing,” she says, “But it’s through the integration process where diamonds of insights can be mined and used for growth.”

Could a skilled therapist lead the complex shadow integration that will truly satisfy patient need?

“What is holding space? Is it just making sure someone's safe or is there a process going on?”

Dr Vaid proposes a re-examination of the ‘psycholytic’ therapy style featuring more interaction between your inner healer, and the outer healer sat alongside.  

“There’s a lot of platitudes in the psychedelic space – I don't even know what we're talking about anymore. What is holding space? Or what's in that umbrella? Is it just making sure someone's safe? Or is there a process going on? And how does one define that?” 

Are we just lame duck ‘shamans’ sitting there not even pretending to commune with supernatural intelligences?

“Frameworks will start emerging to evolve and grow the field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy”

What divides the psychedelic guide from the friendly barman or hairdresser, says Dr Vaid?

“What constitutes the ‘psychotherapy’ part of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy? We don't really have the systems, the language, vocabulary or theoretical frameworks,” she says, “which I'm hoping will start emerging to actually distinguish, differentiate and get more sophisticated – evolve and grow the field.” 

Dr Vaid admits a lack of ambition isn’t limited to the psychedelic sector: “You even hear psychiatrists talking about sleep and exercise, which to me wouldn't constitute psychotherapy in the first place.”

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