#29 Dr. Selma Holden MD: All Eyes on the FDA

Today, we are speaking with Dr. Selma Holden, MD, a physician-therapist and director of the Riverbird Clinic, an innovative group psychotherapy and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy practice in Portland, Maine.Before starting Riverbird, Dr. Holden practiced family medicine in rural Maine and received research training through the Integrative Medicine Research Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.In this episode, we dive into the pivotal moment approaching for psychedelics: the FDA’s decision on MDMA-assisted therapy expected this week.I wanted to bring Dr. Holden on because she has been trained in the MDMA Assisted Therapy protocol that Lykos submitted to the FDA for review and has been involved in psychedelic therapy and research for a long time.Dr. Holden provides invaluable insights into the intricacies of clinical trials, the challenges faced, and the potential impact of the FDA's decision on the future of psychedelic therapy.In this conversation, we discuss:* Dr. Holden’s early experiences with psychedelics and their influence on her career* Her innovative approaches to integrating psychedelics into family medicine* The development and challenges of clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy* The anticipation and implications of the upcoming FDA decision on MDMA-assisted therapy* The development of the Riverbird Clinic and its unique group therapy models* The challenges and opportunities in the evolving field of psychedelic-assisted therapyListen to the episode on Substack, Spotify, Google or Apple.Credits:* Hosted by Zach Haigney * Produced by Zach Haigney, Erin Greenhouse, and Katelin Jabbari* Find us at thetripreport.com* Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTubeTheme music by MANCHO Sounds, Mixed and Mastered by Rollin Weary This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thetripreport.com