‘It’s really making sure that people in northern Ontario have the same access as those who are in Toronto and the bigger cities, with an experienced clinical team supporting them,’ said Field Trip Health CEO<\/p>\n
A mental health and wellness organization recently offered its first-ever MDMA-assisted psychotherapy treatment in Sault Ste. Marie.<\/p>\n
Although it\u2019s more commonly known as a recreational drug, clinical trials show MDMA has useful applications in treating post-traumatic stress disorder \u2013 something one local patient was able to experience at Field Trip Health<\/a> this summer.<\/p>\n For CEO Ian Ruberry, the treatment marks a step forward in offering northern residents the same opportunities as someone in a larger urban centre,\u00a0without the need to travel to Toronto\u00a0or another major city.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s really making sure that people in northern Ontario have the same access as those who are in Toronto and the bigger cities, with an experienced clinical team supporting them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s really the future we’re trying to build. That\u2019s what makes us excited.\u201d<\/p>\n The treatment works by dosing the patient in a clinical setting, where they spend upwards of several hours speaking with a psychotherapist \u2013 providing a rare window to process deeply-rooted trauma.<\/p>\n \u201cWith a proper psychotherapist that has a proper approach, the MDMA puts them in a state where they can process the trauma in a better and deeper and more meaningful way,\u201d said Dr. Mario Nucci, a family physician and co-founder of Field Trip Health.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can now open up, and they can work through that and try to repair that trauma memory that’s lodged in their mind.\u201d<\/p>\n As an organization that offers psychedelic mental health treatments at clinics around Canada, Field Trip Health was able to successfully obtain the drug through the special access program with Health Canada.<\/p>\n The program allows health care professionals to request access to drugs that are not available for sale, and the organization was able to secure the drug to offer treatment to a local patient.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a client who was interested in this and met the criteria when they met with our medical team, so this was suggested to them as a potential pathway,\u201d Ruberry said.<\/p>\n For the right patient, MDMA can make a big impact.<\/p>\n