Rick Doblin - Psychedelics as a lifelong journey

Rick Doblin decided he wanted to be a psychedelic therapist when he was in his late teens, and has since dedicated his life to building the foundations needed to enable him - and others - to do the work legally, safely and effectively. 

He founded the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) in 1986,  a research and advocacy organisation that has spent decades researching the use of psychedelics and cannabis as medicines. MAPS is now closer than anyone has ever been to bringing MDMA therapy into the mainstream, with phase three trials underway into using MDMA for PTSD, and the achievement of 'breakthrough status' for this therapy with the US Federal Drug Administration. 

We talked with Rick about how long he thinks it will be before psychedelic therapy is approved for widespread use, the importance of specific training for Kiwi clinicians just starting out in the field, how just taking another substance isn't always the answer, and why the medicine alone, isn't enough.