If you or a loved one has ever struggled with anorexia, you may know what it feels like to think: the treatment tools we have just aren’t always enough.
For families, patients, and clinicians alike, the limits of current approaches can feel deeply frustrating—and even hopeless at times.
For Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, that struggle became personal. While caring for a patient who resisted life-saving feeding interventions, she felt the weight of helplessness and began to question how to move forward in her work.
Around the same time, she was following emerging research on MDMA and psilocybin for PTSD and addiction—and began to wonder: could these approaches help people with eating disorders too? Encouraged by a trusted colleague, she began designing a clinical trial to explore this possibility.
“My overarching goal across my program of research is to think about where the most suffering is happening at any given time, and then try to put my research efforts towards alleviating that suffering.
In the midst of the pandemic, obviously mental health really rose to the top. Eating disorders in particular.”
— Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, in this week’s episode
In this episode, we dive into the science, the hope, and the challenges behind psychedelic therapy for anorexia. Including:
The science behind psychedelic therapy and its emerging applications in PTSD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more.
What Dr. Raymond-Flesch sees as the most urgent issues in mental health.
Why eating disorders are deeply related to health policy and politics.
Current research on psychedelics for anorexia and what the early findings suggest.
How psychedelic therapy could complement traditional approaches to eating disorder care.
The importance of bringing lived experience into the design of clinical trials.
The ethical and safety considerations surrounding this innovative treatment.
Questions researchers are still asking and the future possibilities in the field.
What is giving Dr. Raymond-Flesch hope in the treatment of eating disorders.
The first part of the episode is available to everyone.
The full conversation is behind the subscriber paywall, where Marissa shares deeper insights, the hurdles researchers face, and why she remains committed to discovering new ways to help people heal.
Thank you so much for supporting Full Plate. Paid subscriptions are what continue to make this work possible, and I’m truly grateful for each and every person who is helping to sustain the podcast and newsletter. xo
I’d love to know what this episode brought up for you, or if it left you with more questions that you’d like me to cover in future episodes. I am all ears!
