Ribbon Cutting at The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing – September 2024
For years, Bob and I have been supporters of and advocates for research into psychedelic-assisted therapy in hopes that one day, it can be made more widely available to people who are struggling with their mental health. For our nation’s veterans and active-duty military, the devastation that PTSD wreaks on the individual and their relationships is often unbearable, and the existing treatments on the market are not enough. Bob knows firsthand and has shared openly about his healing journey that was made possible by psychedelics, combined with therapy and integration. I also know firsthand their incredible power to heal the invisible wounds of war and childhood trauma, as his spouse and partner.
Last week, Bob and I travelled to New York City to attend a ribbon cutting celebration for The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. While the brand-new location of this center bears our name due to a gift we made earlier this month, its groundbreaking work on psychedelics has been going on for years led by powerhouse Dr. Rachel Yehuda. Our relationship with Dr. Yehuda and the center began in 2021 when we supported a progressive partnership between Mount Sinai, the Bronx Research Foundation, and the James J. Peters VA Medical Center – a first of its kind collaboration in the psychedelics arena. That gift has also helped fund Dr. Yehuda and her brilliant team’s efforts to train 300 therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapy so that high quality help is available when needed. Such incredible work!
This most recent grant award to Mount Sinai marks our continued commitment to seeing this work through, despite the many challenges these alternative therapies face in being made more broadly available. To us and many other supporters in the space, approval by the FDA for psychedelic-assisted therapy is a “when,” not an “if” thanks to institutions like Mount Sinai and leaders like Dr. Yehuda who are committed to rigorous scientific research and getting people the quality care they need and deserve.
The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing will become the new home to a growing number of clinical trials that focus on compounds like MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine. The center is so thoughtfully designed with six treatments rooms and a group therapy room that are decorated with a soft, comforting color palette and warm, artistic accents meant to set patients at ease and create the ideal conditions for their experiences and healing.
It was a delight to see the team at Mount Sinai again, meet others who are passionate about this work, and celebrate this huge milestone in the evolution of psychedelic science. What a privilege to be a part of such a meaningful movement.
In gratitude,
