Nature, Summer & Psychedelics: Live Screening & Panel Discussion

Our modern day society seems to have forgotten the need for connection between humans and their natural environments. As we have all been living in our lockdown bubbles this year, this sad truth has become more poignant that ever, and such connection feels crucial if we are to address what has been described as a crisis in mental health and the concerning, rapid destruction of our planet.

Research shows that the use of psychedelics is associated with an increased sense of relating to nature, of feeling connected to everything around us, even long after the experience itself has taken place. What is the science behind this and how can we utilise it to help ease both the suffering of individuals and of the planet? The way in which we ourselves identify with nature is intrinsically linked with our psychological well-being - might that hold answers for a stronger environmentally-aware collective in the future?

The film presents fresh findings from Imperial College’s renowned Centre for Psychedelic Research, linking psychedelics with an increased sense of relating to nature with scientific evidence for the first time. We will explore the overlap between psychedelics and contact with nature as healing tools for mental health, and how this synergy might provide a wonderful opportunity to grow a nation of people who care more deeply about ecological issues. 

Link to trailer: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/summernature

SPEAKERS

Dr Rosalind Watts

Dr Ros Watts is the former Lead Clinical Psychologist at Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research. Her clinical team has been pioneering research in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, particularly for depression and disconnection.

Rosalind has developed a psychedelic therapy model ‘Accept, Connect, Embody, Restore’, and a psychometric measure of ‘connectedness’ which her qualitative research identified as a mechanism of therapeutic change in psychedelic approaches. 

Ros is now working with Synthesis, collecting data from participants of their retreats, which is showing consistently positive outcomes. She is utilising her wealth of experience in psychedelic therapy to optimise the Synthesis retreat model, continue scientific research and develop a clinical model to help more people with mental illnesses in the future.

Dr Sam Gandy

Sam Gandy PhD is an ecologist and research collaborator at Imperial College London, with a lifelong fascination with nature and wildlife. He has been fortunate enough to conduct field research in various parts of the world, reaching as far as Texas, the Peruvian Amazon and Ethiopia, as well some locations a little closer to home. He has worked previously as Scientific Assistant for the Beckley Foundation, which actively seeks to investigate the effects of psychoactive substances on the brain and consciousness in order to harness their potential benefits. Currently, Sam is working with the Psychedelic Research team at Imperial to uncover the capacity of psychedelics to (re)connect our increasingly disconnected species to nature, for the potential betterment of humanity and the biosphere at large. Sam currently works at the Synthesis Institute designing individually tailored nature-based practices for people undergoing psilocybin therapy for depression.

Kevin Balktick

Kevin Balktick is a New York-based producer, creative director, and cultural entrepreneur focused on live experiences and hospitality.  He is driven by a passion to create gatherings that bring inspiration and a touch of magic into the lives of their audiences. Over the last fourteen years, his oeuvre has included parties, festivals, concerts, conferences, exhibitions, and experiences that defy description, in locations as varied as churches, warehouses, fortresses, libraries, mansions, prisons, universities, city streets, and the great outdoors. His work has been featured in The New York Times, National Public Radio, The New Yorker, Vogue, WWD, Vice, Hospitality Design, Wired, NHT (Japan), The Guardian (UK), Ha’aretz (Israel), and other publications.

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