Robin P. Zander

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Meets ACT: What Clinicians and Researchers Need to Know Fascinating conversation with Stephen C. Hayes on how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can enhance psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy outcomes. Thank you Jules Evans for hosting Steven C. Hayes for brief webinar today (thank AI for summary). The Core Insight: Psychedelics work by increasing psychological flexibility—our ability to be present, hold thoughts lightly, and act on our values. ACT provides the framework to prepare clients, navigate challenging experiences, and integrate insights into lasting change. Key Takeaways for Practitioners: 🔹 Therapist role shifts across phases: ∙ Preparation: Directive, skills-building ∙ Dosing: Supportive presence, minimal intervention ∙ Integration: Directive again, translating experience into action 🔹 Managing difficult experiences: Use ACT tools like present-moment grounding, normalizing emotions, and “self as context” to help clients observe rather than be overwhelmed by challenging content. 🔹 Context is everything: Set, setting, social support, and therapeutic structure aren’t optional—they’re essential safety factors that determine outcomes. For Researchers: Hayes advocates moving beyond group averages toward: ∙ High-density, longitudinal tracking of individuals ∙ Process-based measures (what mechanisms drive change?) ∙ Idiographic research designs that respect individual differences The Warning: We must learn from history. Both past demonization AND careless use caused harm. Avoid rigid protocols or commercial pressures that ignore the social, contextual nature of healing. Bottom line: Psychedelic therapy isn’t magic—it works through identifiable psychological processes. ACT helps us understand those processes, personalize interventions, and maximize benefit while minimizing risk. What’s your experience integrating process-based approaches with emerging psychedelic therapies? #PsychedelicTherapy #ACT #MentalHealth #ClinicalPsychology #TherapyInnovation #BehavioralScience

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The psychedelic therapy landscape is evolving faster than ever, and it’s clear we’re entering a new era. One where science, accessibility, and real-world impact intersect in ways I couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. As highlighted in a recent article by Transcendelic, the conversation is moving beyond hype and into rigorous, data-backed practice. We’re seeing a shift toward personalized protocols, integration support, and a broader acceptance of psychedelics as legitimate mental health tools. These exact trends are our daily mission at Better U. My own journey with ketamine therapy saved my life. It’s what drives my commitment to making these breakthroughs available to more people, safely and effectively. We’re not just offering at-home ketamine therapy; we’re building a holistic ecosystem that includes functional psychiatry, psychotherapy, and community support. We need to start asking better questions: How can we destigmatize psychedelic medicine? How can we ensure safety and efficacy as this field continues to grow? And most importantly, how do we empower individuals to reclaim agency over their mental health? If you’re curious about how psychedelic therapy is changing the game, or if you’re searching for a new path forward, I invite you to join us on this journey. The data is real, the need is urgent, and together, we can build a better future for mental health. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gBvisRx4

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Most mental health benefits are reactive. We’re building something better. Take it from Headspace Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Jenna Glover — it’s time to move beyond outdated models and embrace a more personalized, proactive approach to care. Learn how Headspace is creating a mental health experience that not only works for everyone, but drives real results for employers.

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45 - Somatic Foundations in Psychedelic Therapy and the Necessity of Therapist Well-Being with Dr. Emily Tunks Dr. T and Truth Fairy welcome guest Dr. Emily Tunks, Founder of Embody Being and Research Trial Psychedelics Assisted Psychotherapist, to the podcast to explore her work in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for first responders and her passion for understanding potential somatic implications of psychedelic medicines. Dr. Tunks shares her experience and knowledge regarding therapist support and well-being, and discusses the need for integrating Indigenous wisdom into psychedelic research. https://lnkd.in/gvNScwsZ #PunkTherapy #DrEmilyTunks #SomaticPsychotherapy #MDMAassistedPsychotherapy #TherapistSelfCare

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I am pleased to announce, after much preparation in the past few months, the creation of the AI Stewardship Continuum. This framework is a human-centered leadership framework that guides educational institutions through the ethical, cultural, and strategic adoption of artificial intelligence over time. It recognizes AI not as a one-time technology decision, but as an ongoing responsibility requiring governance, cultural readiness, and trust at every stage. The framework provides a calm, staged pathway for leaders to integrate AI responsibly—without rushing adoption, destabilizing staff, or compromising educational integrity. Need more information? Go to: https://lnkd.in/g-DMgFiZ

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Last week, California's Governor signed a landmark bill, SB243, designed to put guardrails around AI companion chatbots. This is an issue that is close to my heart. At Kooth, we've always been real advocates for the power of technology to break down barriers to good mental health and critically deliver reach and consequently more impact - making care available earlier, more accessible engaging and equitable. AI is no exception. I believe that deployed with safety and clinical rigour baked in from the outset, AI can - and will - be transformative in a multitude of ways by which we support people to build the skills they need to tackle life's challenges and manage episodes of despair. But we've seen how quickly public trust in tech can erode when safety doesn't come first - so the recent findings that suggest that AI companions and chatbots are already causing real harm, has been a significant concern for us. One of the first questions that young people ask our practitioners is 'are you real?'. My new blog reflects on the new legislation and what it means for California's youth, how regulation to shape safe online spaces rub up against regulations to protect our health in sometimes unexpected ways - and what we can do about it. https://lnkd.in/e2nEqHsw

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📋 Rating scales alone don’t tell the full story of ADHD That’s why objectively measuring attention, memory, and executive function provides a clearer picture—making assessments smarter, faster, and more actionable. In this article, we explore the Creyos ADHD assessment and why providers are choosing it for sensitive, comprehensive, and efficient cognitive measurement. Read more here 👉 https://hubs.li/Q03TRtGk0 #ADHDAssessment #CognitiveTesting #DigitalHealth

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If Compass Pathways gets COMP360 approved for TRD by the end of 2026, most headlines will focus on clinics, psychiatrists, and stock prices. But many folks are missing one critical element: This approval wouldn’t just validate synthetic psilocybin as a treatment. It would also force a rescheduling conversation... And that may be the much bigger lever at a societal level. Once the FDA approves psilocybin for TRD, the DEA is legally compelled to move it off Schedule I. That single step reboots U.S. drug policy: state autonomy increases, research costs collapse, banking restrictions loosen, and whole categories of work that were previously “underground” or legally ambiguous begin to surface. Here’s why this matters if you’re considering a career in the psychedelic space: • Demand will outpace access. Even if COMP360 is approved, it’s far from guaranteed that insurance will cover six-hour psychedelic sessions at scale. Approval without accessibility will continue driving people outside traditional medical systems in search of preparation, integration, and ongoing support. • The work won’t end at symptom relief. Psilocybin opens a critical learning window. What happens in the 2–3 weeks after the experience — lifestyle changes, relational shifts, nervous system regulation, metabolic health — will largely determine whether outcomes last. Most medical practitioners are not trained in the overlap of physiological well-being and mental health. This is a HUGE gap. • New roles will emerge fast. Education, integration, coaching, facilitation, research, and community-based support aren’t “adjacent” to the clinical model, they’re essential complements to it. The ecosystem will need people who can bridge physiology, psychology, and lived context, not just administer a protocol. • This is bigger than individual healing. Psychedelics reorganize how people relate to their lives, their bodies, and one another. If we lose that relational and systemic lens, we’ll miss the real promise of this moment. COMP360 approval would be a medical milestone, one nearly 50 years in the making. But for those REALLY paying attention, it’s also a career signal. A signal that the next phase of this work will be built not only in clinics... But in the spaces that help people turn insight into lasting change. If you’re feeling the pull to step into this field, this may be one of those rare windows where preparation meets timing. And timing matters. Our next cohort for our flagship practitioner training via Psychedelic Coaching Institute kicks off on February 20th. If you want to be at the cutting-edge of this third wave of psychedelics, there is no better time than now to make that happen. Details about the next cohort in the comments below 👇

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“Women are typically seeking relief from four to eight simultaneous symptoms in perimenopause, and they want—and deserve—immediate intervention and solutions that work.” Komal Baldwa, founder, Waleria Healthtech While #perimenopause is trending strongly across social channels—take a look at #cougarpuberty—there’s also a unique, natural botanical to match the need: #Shatavari. This Ayurvedic botanical was traditionally used for women’s health across her lifespan. Now, human clinical research shows aspurus full spectrum shatavari extract delivers benefits through a personalized therapeutic approach to address hormonal patterns. At SupplySide Global, Komal and Heather Granato, president of Nutrachievement, will showcase these findings, unpacking three clinical trials on menopausal conditions, perimenopausal symptoms, and low #libido in reproductive-aged women. Join Komal and Heather for their Breakfast Brief, ‘Cracking the menopause and libido code: Personalized next-gen botanical innovation,’ set for Wednesday, 29 October, at 9am at SupplySide Global. Designed for formulators, R&D professionals and marketers, this session will explore how Waleria Healthtech—a woman-focused, female-founded vertically integrated supplier—has invested in science to support women’s health globally. #SSG2025

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The moment learning stopped being about people, it stopped working. This week on the Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir, MD - Podcast I sat down with Dr. Gina Anderson, CEO of Luma Brighter Learning and TEDx speaker, and she said something that shifted my perspective: "Microlearning isn't about making content shorter. It's about creating connection." Connection to yourself. Connection to meaning. Connection to others. For 25 years, Dr. Gina has worked with truck drivers, frontline workers, and high-stakes industries where learning isn't theoretical, it's life-saving. And what she's discovered applies to all of us: Why do people disengage even when learning matters to them? Because overwhelm shuts down attention before learning can begin. Why does perfectionism kill retention? Because we're so afraid of getting it wrong, we never let ourselves truly learn. Why is presence the missing ingredient? Without it, we consume information but never transform it. What stayed with me: → Adults don't need more content. They need space to think, reflect, and connect → The loneliness epidemic is embedded in how we work and learn → Success isn't about titles, it's about love, meaning, and showing up fully Please tune in and share with a friend. 🎧 Ep. 50: How Microlearning and Connection Transform Adult Learning with Dr. Gina Anderson Available now on your favorite podcast platform Links in comments⬇️

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Neuroaffirming Art Therapy: Honoring Every Mind In her latest blog, “Neuroaffirming Art Therapy: Neurodiversity-Positive Engagement,” Jessie Stallings highlights the importance of sensitivity, knowledge, and flexibility when working with neurodivergent clients. Art therapy, when practiced through a neuroaffirming lens, moves beyond “fixing” or “normalizing” — it celebrates each client’s unique sensory, emotional, and creative world. By meeting clients where they are, therapists can foster safety, empowerment, and authentic expression. Read the full blog on Creative Arts Connect: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gftjGhk5 #Neurodiversity #ArtTherapy #NeuroaffirmingPractice #CreativeArtsTherapies #Inclusion #MentalHealthAwareness #CreativeArtsConnect

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FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS: The Art of Keeping Your Client on Track. Check out Dr. Arloski’s latest blog post and look at five important ways to develop that art: Session Structure; Techniques to Deal with Tangents, etc.; How Active Listening Skills enhance focus; Trusting the Coaching Process; Maintaining Forward Momentum https://lnkd.in/evzyWr2R

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🤝 Care.com has partnered with Headspace to expand #mentalhealth support for family #caregivers, releasing 10 micro-mindfulness exercises (each under three minutes) designed for real caregiving moments and offering free Headspace subscriptions for the lifetime of new memberships. 💬 “Chronic stress and sleep disruption don’t just affect emotional well-being, they can have real impacts on physical health, patience, and resilience. Even a minute of intentional breathing or mindfulness can help regulate the nervous system and create a meaningful reset.” Dr. Jon Kole, Medical Director at Headspace 📰 Full story: https://lnkd.in/ecrK3BEQ #femtech #womenshealth #womenshealthinnovation #health #healthcareinnovation #health #healthtech #healthcare #caregiver #caregiving #mentalhealth #support #partnership

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