By Jag Davies With overdose death rates more than doubling in the U.S. since 2000, we need to be examining every possible avenue to save lives and reduce the harms of drug misuse and addiction. Two medicinal plants, kratom and iboga, have been used for hundreds and thousands of years in other parts of the world and show promise as tools in addiction treatment.  Yet the United States’ outdated drug war approach is standing in the way. The naturally-occurring substance ibogaine is derived from the iboga plant, which native to West Africa, where it has been used in healing rituals and initiation ceremonies as part of the Bwiti religion in Gabon for hundreds of years.  Since the 1960s, it has ...

Clare Wilkins, member of the Global Ibogaine Therapy Alliance (GITA) board of directors, and presenter at the 2016 Global Ibogaine Conference, joins Joanna Harcourt-Smith on her podcast, Future Primitive to talk about her personal transformational relationship with ibogaine and her pioneering therapeutic work.

Andrew Tatarsky is an American psychologist, founder and director of The Center for Optimal Living in New York City and Professor of Professional Practice for the Harm Reduction Psychotherapy Certificate Program at the New School for Social Research. Tatarsky is known for developing Integrative Harm Reduction Therapy (IHRP), a treatment for the spectrum of substance use disorders and other high-risk behaviors. In addition to presenting on the changing scientific discussion about addiction and mental health, he will be offering a 2 day post-conference workshop on IHRP. Register today to be a part of this groundbreaking event!

Claudio Naranjo was one of the first to experiment with the use of ibogaine in psychotherapy. His pioneering work, conducted in 1967, was the subject of part of his book The Healing Journey. He was the first to consider that ibogaine’s effects are best classified as oneirogenic, or “dream inducing,” to describe it’s effects which are quite distinct from other psychoactives that are used therapeutically. Shortly thereafter, Claudio obtained one of the first patents, issued in France, for the use of ibogaine in psychotherapy. At the 2016 Global Ibogaine Conference, Claudio will present a closing keynote presentation about his earlier work and the continued development of his psychotherapeutic work since, including newer work that he has conducted with ibogaine. Register ...