NOTE FROM TED: Please consult a mental health professional and do not look to this talk for medical advice. The use of psychedelics to treat mental health conditions remains an emerging field of study. Experiments discussed in this talk should not be performed outside of accredited research settings. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...

Charles Lief's TEDxBoulder talk delves into the historical roots of psychedelic medicine, tracing back 7,000 years to ancient healers depicted in cave paintings using substances like psilocybin mushrooms. He emphasizes the convergence of three contemporary factors: a growing mental health crisis, a resurgence in psychedelic medicine research, and the movement towards legalization. Lief discusses promising results from clinical trials, especially with MDMA in treating PTSD, and highlights the need for a balanced and cautious approach, drawing on the wisdom of indigenous communities and ensuring equitable access. Charles Lief became the 7th president of Naropa University in 2012, and has been an active member of the Naropa Community since its founding in 1974 – as lawyer, member, and chair of the Board of Trustees. He has led some of the country’s most innovative and successful organizations providing integrated social enterprises and social services, including the Greyston Foundation, the AIDS HMO Amida Care, and the Hartland Group, which together provided essential housing, health care, and employment to thousands of low-income people in the Northeast. He has served in leadership capacities on the boards of the Social Enterprise Alliance, Lion’s Roar Magazine, Bridge House, the Intervale Center, the Vermont Community Loan Fund, the New York State Governor’s task force on AIDS, and many others.

He earned a BA from Brandeis University and a JD from the University of Colorado School of Law. Under his leadership Naropa University, established on a model that infuses contemplative pedagogy and compassion training across the curriculum, has developed strategic partnerships to deepen its impact on its students and on the world by offering bachelor and master degrees. Naropa’s Graduate School of Counseling Psychology matriculates more Master’s level counseling psychologists than any other university in Colorado. Naropa also offers certificates and professional development credentials including Mindfulness Instructor training, compassion training, chaplaincy, and most recently through the creation of the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies.

Chuck’s TEDxBoulder talk focuses on the emerging ecosystem of natural medicines (psychedelics) as increasingly proven vehicles to address the mental health crisis, and the intersection of therapeutic use with the millennia of sacred uses by indigenous societies around the globe. His wife Judy Lief is an internationally known Buddhist teacher and author. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx