Field Trip Health opens Europe’s first psychedelic therapy healthcare facility

Quick Take:

Field Trip Health (TSX: FTRP), the world’s first facility for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, is thrilled to announce the opening of its new branch in Amsterdam.

At Field Trip, a dedicated team of professionals, including psychiatrists, and nurses, guide people in therapy supported by truffle-induced trips. The publicly traded North American company combines current scientific insights with caring counseling focusing on safety, connection, and compassion. Piet Heinkade in Amsterdam is its sixth facility and first outside the U.S. and Canada.

Therapy using truffles can help people break free from routine thinking patterns. Years of suppressed emotions and memories can surface and distorted beliefs can be reframed. These experiences can lead to deep self-discovery and inner healing. Psychedelic experiences can also contribute to the psychotherapeutic treatment of mental complaints. Serious psychiatric disorders such as PTSD, psychosis, and personality disorders are excluded during an extensive screening.

Scientific research shows that psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic truffles, has an effect on neurotransmitters, enabling the experience of heightened emotions. Communication in the neural system is the “autopilot” that maintains beliefs and feelings of identity. Disrupting this communication creates space to observe and examine the psyche from an outside perspective, exposing unprocessed emotions and distorted beliefs. Thanks to increased neural plasticity, new insights are more easily anchored and new connections are created in the brain that can favorably influence one’s behavior.

During two thorough screenings, the team determines whether psychedelic therapy is suitable for the client. One or more preparatory sessions follow in which the client is psychologically and emotionally prepared and receives practical guidance for the trip. The trip then takes place in a pleasant, light space, under the supervision of a facilitator. During an intensive follow-up program – “integration sessions” – client and therapist work together with the insights, creating an action plan for the best possible post-treatment outcomes.

For Field Trip, knowledge and safety are paramount. A facilitator and a nurse are present at all times during each session. To ensure quality, Field Trip tests the truffles extensively for safety and efficacy in certified labs operating under reliable procedures. As a health care institution, Field Trip is under the supervision of the Inspectorate of Health Care and Youth.

The opening of Field Trip’s Amsterdam branch is an exciting next step for the listed company, which so far has six branches in Toronto, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Houston.

Onur Yildirim, PhD, psychologist and neurobiologist at Radboud University and Field Trip Netherlands’ General Manager, is excited about this new chapter: “There’s an increasing demand for therapist guided trips in the Netherlands. With Field Trip’s expertise and dedication, we create a safe place for anyone dealing with stress-related psychological complaints or wanting to gain deeper insights about themselves.”