Synchronicity Speaker Series: Psychedelics as Relational Tools

The Synchronicity Speaker Series pairs the most important and timely topics in psychedelics with facilitated community dialogue–and dinner!

This second SSS will explore the potential psychedelics carry to enhance intimacy among friends and partners. Can MDMA therapy really save a marriage, as this NYT article asks? Can insights occasioned by psychedelics help us examine prejudices about things like monogamy and polyamory, as this Chacruna article suggests?

We’re honored to be hosting Eva Dillon, Leah O'Donnell, Ehren Ekhause and Jorge Arias as our speakers/guides, with BPS's director of community Patrick Doerksen moderating. Together, we will explore topics such as:

• How couples might safely and fruitfully journey together with or without a guide
• Creating spaces to see and relate to each outside codependency and attachment
• Working with parts that keep us locked in shame about ourselves
• Ketamine and the erotic
• Agreements, consent, accountability

After our conversation, we will break bread together! BPS will provide the dinner, with GF and vegan options.

Think of this not as a typical seminar or panel, but rather as an intellectual adventure and conversational ceremony that both expands our mental field and re-awakens the embers in our social hearts.

We are capping tickets at 50 people to keep it intimate. If you need help with the cost, you can reach out to us at hello@bps.community. Come with your curiosity, and prepare to enter a thought-provoking afternoon alongside a community of open-minded individuals!

Donation: It takes lots of behind-the-scenes coordination to organize BPS events, and we welcome all donations. That said, we do offer a finite number of full and partial scholarships for all who identify as members of a marginalized community and all who are in financial need–please fill out this scholarship form and give us the heads up at hello@bps.community.

---Panel Program---

Leah and Ehren will start us off on the deep end with an exploration of separateness and nonduality in relationships. How might becoming more aware of codependency, attachment, and one’s own projections allow a movement towards the other, and towards experiences of union? Are psychedelics and the experience of nonduality changing the face of modern love?

Next, Eva Dillon will lead us into the world of intimacy and the erotic, informed by her practice as a sex therapist and a ketamine assisted psychotherapist. She will explore how ketamine can be a tool for heart opening among couples, for cultivating desire and enhancing sexual experiences, as well as for inviting playfulness and slowing the body down.

Lastly, Jorge Arias will take us home with a reflection on the “relational field” of therapeutic psychedelic experiences. An experienced transpersonal and somatic trauma therapist, he will explore how relational therapy fosters healing and growth, as well as the pros and cons of recreational use of MDMA within one-on-one relationships and group settings.

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Eva Dillon, LCSW, CST, is a psychodynamically trained psychotherapist, an AASECT certified sex therapist, and a ketamine assisted psychotherapist. She has been trained by Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) & The Ketamine Training Center. Eva offers a sex-positive, collaborative approach and has a special interest in eroticism and enhancing sexual experiences. Her passion and training have been focused on helping people connect with each other to create satisfying relationships. Eva co-leads eight week sex therapy couples groups.

Dr. Ehren Ekhause, MD, is a board-certified child and adult Psychiatrist. Dr. Ekhause's commitment to healing goes beyond conventional methods having extensively trained in emotion/somatic/relational psychotherapy including certification in AEDP and in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy through MAPS. Seeing beyond traditional pathology models, Dr Ekhause works with theoretical and practical models which emphasize the inherent worth, will, and wisdom of his clients. Dr. Ekhause’s education includes exploring traditional and indigenous uses of psychedelic medicines with wisdom keepers from Central and South America with a focus on integrating these models into the larger scope of consciousness studies.

Leah O’Donnell, LCSW, is a holistic psychodynamic and psychedelic therapist with an education from NYU and Columbia. She completed a three year post graduate training program from the New York Institute for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and has training and certifications in ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) through Fluence, Field Trip Health and Journey Clinical. Much of her work is informed through ceremonial use of plant medicines with traditional indigenous practices. Leah’s psychedelic guide work focuses on creating a sacred container for healing which extends into training and supporting KAP providers in space holding and connecting to non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Jorge Arias is a transpersonal, somatic trauma therapist with over 20 years of experience in psychedelics, spirituality, and diverse healing modalities. He specializes in psychedelic integration, focusing on MDMA in relational therapy. He holds degrees in Psychology, Oceanography, and Integral Counseling Psychology, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychedelic Studies. Jorge integrates NARM, Hakomi, Gestalt therapy, IFS, Buddhist, and indigenous practices into his work. He runs a private practice in Brooklyn, The Caring Cove (www.thecaringcove.com), and coaches for Psychedelic Passage, a community-based organization supporting access to psychedelic therapy.