MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy with Kayla Knopp, PhD

In this episode of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast Kayla Knopp joins to explore the topic of MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy. Dr. Kayla Knopp is a clinical psychologist and researcher specializing in non-traditional couples and relationships. She specializes in making couple therapies more inclusive, accessible, and effective, including MDMA- and ketamine-assisted couple therapy.

In this conversation, Dr. Knopp introduces MDMA-assisted couples therapy, discussing why this entactogen is a good fit for couples therapy. She discusses how MDMA helps couples explore issues by dissolving typical defensive boundaries and encouraging empathy. She emphasizes that not all couples may be a good fit for this therapy, however, and especially cautions against couples therapy in contexts of abuse where connecting with resources for safety and pursuing individual courses of therapy is more appropriate. In closing, Dr. Knopp discusses the importance of screening and the responsibility the psychedelic community has to ensure these substances are being used in safe and effective therapeutic contexts overseen by qualified and caring facilitators.

In this episode you'll hear:

• The history of MDMA-assisted couples therapy

• When couple therapy is and is not appropriate

• Integrating MDMA-assisted therapy with cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD

• Therapeutic modalities which may be well-suited to MDMA-assisted couples therapy

MDMA Therapy Full Podcast