Psychedelic therapy – refining the claim of a paradigm shift (Helena Aicher)

The evolving role of psychedelics in mental health treatment is often referred to as the “psychedelic renaissance” or even a “paradigm shift” in psychiatry. But does this resurgence truly represent a revolutionary change, might it be better understood as an integration of existing therapeutic approaches and perspectives? In May 2025, in a webinar lecture organized by the Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research, we dug into this question with Swiss postdoctoral researcher Helena Aicher. The discussion highlights both the novel and familiar aspects of psychedelic treatments in comparison to traditional therapies. Emphasizing a balanced, bio-psycho-social model, we consider how psychedelics can enhance, rather than replace, existing psychiatric frameworks, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of their place within modern mental health care. About the speaker: Postdoctoral researcher at the Universities of Zürich and Basel. Helena is involved in several trials investigating psychedelics, mechanisms, and contextual factors. She also works as a psychotherapist including the limited medical use of psychedelics. With her engagement in the Swiss Medical Association for Psychedelic Therapy (SÄPT) she’s involved as a trainer in psychedelic therapist trainings. Helena bridges science and practice, contributing to the development and implementation of psychedelic-assisted therapy. 00:00:00 Lecture 00:54:32 Q&A • • • • • The Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research (Psykedeelitutkimusyhdistys ry) is a multidisciplinary association founded in December 2016 with the goals of promoting scientific research related to psychedelics and the availability of accessible information based on such research. We encourage you to become a member – more info at http://psyty.fi/mukaan. We also accept donations, more info at https://psyty.fi/lahjoita. More on Psyty: https://psyty.fi Our social media channels: Facebook:   / psyty   X: http://x.com/psytyfi Instagram:   / psyty   LinkedIn:   / psyty   Telegram: https://t.me/psytyfi Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/psytyfi.bsky...