We are delighted to inform that Dr Sessa has confirmed his attendance on the first day of our launch event. He will join us with a presentation on psychedelic research followed by a 15min Q&A session.
Ben has specialist training as a child and adolescent psychiatrist and is interested in the developmental trajectory from child maltreatment to adult mental health disorders, including adult addictions. Dr Sessa’s joint interests in psychotherapy, pharmacology and trauma have led him towards researching the subject of drug-assisted psychotherapy using psychedelic adjuncts. In the last 15 years he has been part of scientific and clinical studies administering LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, MDMA and DMT to patients and volunteers.
He is the author of psychedelic medical exploration books; The Psychedelic Renaissance (2012 and 2017) and To Fathom Hell or Soar Angelic (2015). He has recently completed research with Imperial College London exploring the world’s first MDMA-assisted therapy trial for the treatment of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome.
Alongside Prof. David Nutt, Ben has also been a long term advocate of drug policy reform in the UK; believing that current laws hamper research and increase, rather than reduce, the burden of problematic drug use on individuals and society. He is a co-founder and director of the UK’s Breaking Convention conference.