Join Andrew in a fascinating conversation with Dr. Anthony Bossis, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, who is at the forefront of groundbreaking research exploring the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. Through FDA-approved clinical trials, he investigates the compound’s efficacy in alleviating end-of-life distress and its implications for our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality.
Bossis shares a personal journey that led him to this pioneering work, tracing his fascination with existential and spiritual questions from his early years to his involvement in psychedelic research. He delves into the remarkable outcomes of his studies, showcasing how psilocybin-assisted therapy can dramatically reduce depression, anxiety, and hopelessness in terminally ill patients, fostering profound feelings of acceptance and gratitude. Moreover, Bossis discusses the broader philosophical and scientific implications of his findings, challenging our conventional perspectives on consciousness and the human experience.
About Anthony Bossis, PhD –
From InsightLA:Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine conducting FDA-approved clinical research with the psychedelic compound psilocybin since 2009. Dr. Bossis was director of palliative care research and co-principal investigator on the landmark 2016 clinical trial and publication demonstrating a significant reduction in emotional distress from a single psilocybin session in persons with cancer, specifically, a rapid decrease in depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and demoralization along with improvements in spiritual well-being and quality of life.
Dr. Bossis is also study director and lead session guide on the FDA-approved clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-generated mystical experience with religious leaders. Implications for the study of psychedelics and mystical experience include the treatment of end of life existential distress, myriad mental health disorders, and to advance our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality. Dr. Bossis is a training supervisor of psychotherapy at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center and co-founder of the Bellevue Hospital Palliative Care Service.
He is on the faculty of The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, CA. and teaches for The Integrative Thanatology Certificate Training Program at the Art of Dying Institute in NYC. Dr. Bossis is a guest editor (with Charles Grob, M.D.) on the Special Series on Psychedelics for the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and has published numerous articles on the utility of psychedelics in palliative care and end of life existential distress. He has a long-standing interest in comparative religion and mysticism and on the interface of psychology and spirituality. He maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in NYC.
Psychedelic research for end-of-life distress with a focus on Anthony Bossis’s background and career.
Psychedelic research for end-of-life suffering, including mystical experiences and reduced depression/anxiety.
Psychedelic experiences and their impact on mental health, including a study on near-death experiences and their long-term effects.
Psychedelics as a portal to the “foundational state” of human consciousness.
Psychedelics for end-of-life distress and spiritual growth.
Psychedelic therapy, including access and the importance of a supportive environment.
Psychedelic research, culture, and education.
End-of-life care, psychedelics, and personal growth.
