Psychedelics are increasingly recognized as an approach to help heal trauma – but without the proper support, the same experience that enables healing could lead to re-traumatization. How does this work and what should psychedelic therapists do about it? Guy Simon is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and PhD candidate experienced in trauma-informed psychedelic therapy. Guy’s recent work touches on both the protective and destabilizing effects of psychedelics in several trauma contexts, including childhood abuse and mass violence events. For example, he interviewed survivors of the 2023 Nova Festival Attacks about their psychedelic experiences during the attacks, and the implications for psychedelic therapy. In this episode of The Integration Session, Guy describes his research findings, trauma-informed tools for clinicians, and advice for anyone considering psychedelic medicine for their trauma.
Guy Simon is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and PhD candidate in medical anthropology. His research explores trauma, healing, and altered states of consciousness, with a focus on the phenomenology of psychedelic experiences. He leads qualitative and ethnographic investigations into how users, therapists, and underground practitioners conceptualize the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, particularly in the context of trauma and integration. Guy is the founder and clinical director of Impulse, an integrative clinic, and serves as Chair of the Clinical Advisory Committee of SafeHeart. This nonprofit organization supports survivors of collective trauma through psychedelic-informed care. His work bridges clinical practice with anthropological theory, emphasizing the role of set, setting, and cultural context. Guy teaches and lectures internationally on psychedelic integration, trauma-informed therapy, and epistemologies of healing. He is currently based in the Netherlands, expanding his research and collaborations across European academic and therapeutic communities.
