The Journey Back to Self: Healing Childhood Trauma Through Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Abstract

This dissertation explores the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to facilitate healing from complex post-traumatic stress disorder rooted in childhood trauma. Utilizing a blended qualitative approach that integrates heuristic and hermeneutic methodologies, the study examines how psychedelic-assisted therapy can address the psychological, somatic, and existential impacts of early relational wounding. Drawing from depth psychology, trauma studies, and contemporary psychedelic research, the study frames healing as a multidimensional journey of self-reclamation, closely aligned with Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey model. Three primary compounds—MDMA, ketamine, and psilocybin—are evaluated for their distinct therapeutic contributions across different stages of trauma recovery. Findings highlight the necessity of a staged, integrative approach that scaffolds emotional safety, cognitive reorganization, and spiritual meaning-making. This research contributes to a growing body of literature suggesting that psychedelic-assisted therapy, when ethically and thoughtfully applied, offers profound potential for transforming trauma into pathways of resilience, individuation, and psychological wholeness.