Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 from 12:00-1:30pm PST

As the field of mental health continues to embrace alternative therapeutic methods, understanding the nuances of touch within these contexts becomes paramount. What is considered therapeutic touch? What are the key components of obtaining informed consent in relation to the use of touch in therapy? What are the main risks or downsides of incorporating therapeutic touch into psychedelic-assisted therapy? What are the most compelling theoretical reasons to believe touch could be beneficial in psychedelic-assisted therapy? What are some of the key ethical principles therapists should keep in mind when considering the use of touch in MDMA-assisted therapy? Our panelists will share their insights, research findings, theory, and personal experiences on this multifaceted subject. Join us in this conversation with Dr. Jason Luoma, who  is CEO of Portland Psychotherapy in Portland, OR, and Shirley Dvir, who is the founder and lead teacher of Relational Somatic Healing and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. In this forum moderated by Genesee Herzberg, PsyD, who is a clinical psychologist from the California Bay Area.

Jason  Luoma, Ph.D. is CEO of Portland Psychotherapy in Portland, OR. His research focuses on shame, self-stigma, connection, and the application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and psychedelic assisted therapy as an intervention shame and increasing self-compassion. He is currently principal investigator of a clinical of MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder that is one of the first trials of psychedelic assisted therapy in the Pacific Northwest. He also co-cofounded the Oregon Psilocybin Evaluation Nexus (OPEN) a practice-research collaborative headed at Oregon Health Sciences University. He is also an internationally recognized trainer in ACT, former chair of the ACT training committee, and past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. He has over 70 publications including co-authoring two books: Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Values in Therapy. His work on shame and compassion can be read at www.actwithcompassion.com.

Shirley is the founder and lead teacher of Relational Somatic Healing and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 44258). She is currently earning a PhD at California Institute for Integral Studies in Somatic Psychology and is writing her dissertation on the use of safe touch in psychotherapy. She earned an MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and a BA in Social Work from Haifa University in Israel. For over 10 years she taught as a Certified Hakomi Teacher at the Hakomi Institute of California, John F. Kennedy University, California Institute for Integral Studies, and Shiluv Center in Tivon, Israel.

This talk will be recorded and immediately available for rewatch for all attendees.

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Navigating Touch in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy