89. MDMA-Assisted Healing & the Psychedelic Shift: A Therapist’s Take

What happens when the FDA says no to MDMA therapy—but the healing continues anyway? In this two-part conversation, April Pride sits down with Amy Wong Hope, a licensed social worker and MAPS-trained MDMA-assisted therapy facilitator, to explore how clinicians are navigating the shifting legal landscape and how healing can happen with or without the medicine. From altered states in trauma work to why integration (not the trip) is where transformation lives, this episode offers both grounded clinical insight and spiritual resonance. Whether you’re a skeptic, seeker, or somewhere in between, Amy’s perspective on MDMA-assisted healing invites us to think differently about what therapy can be—and what it demands of us.

🔵 Key Takeaways

-MDMA-assisted therapy offers access to self-love, compassion, and trauma healing—especially where talk therapy alone falls short.

-The FDA’s rejection of MAPS’ application reveals deeper misunderstandings about non-linear, integrative approaches to mental health.

-Healing is a system-level intervention: changing your life, not just your brain chemistry, is what sustains breakthroughs.

-“Altered states for healing” can happen without substances—via mindfulness, deep therapeutic connection, or embodied practice.

-Integration is a daily act of self-love—chop wood, carry water, repeat.

Learn more about this episode, including guests and resources on substack:https://aprilpride.substack.com/p/mdma-assisted-healing-psychedelic-therapy

Hosted by April Pride

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