Healing Trauma: How Psychedelic Therapy Opens the Door

Trauma as a Spiritual Injury: The Deepest Wound

Trauma is more than just a psychological wound; it is also a spiritual injury—a rupture in connection to oneself and others and a sense of meaning or purpose. This deeper wound helps explain why the effects of trauma can be so persistent and why certain therapies, especially psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, can be so transformative. Psychedelics address not only the emotional and cognitive aspects of trauma but also the existential and spiritual disconnection it causes. By facilitating profound shifts in perspective, psychedelic-assisted therapies offer a path toward reconnection and healing that reaches the depths of our humanity.

Moral Injury: When Trauma Shatters Core Beliefs

Trauma often involves what psychologists refer to as moral injury—a profound violation of one’s core values or beliefs, either by witnessing or participating in acts that conflict with one’s moral compass. This term is commonly applied to veterans, survivors of systemic violence, or anyone grappling with guilt, shame, or despair stemming from such experiences. However, I propose that moral injury is, at its core, a form of spiritual injury. It is not only a wound to one’s sense of right and wrong but a severing of the deeper connections that give life meaning: connection to the self, to others, and to something greater, be that community, nature, or a higher power.

The “Other Planet”: Yehiel De-Nur’s Psychedelic Healing

Trauma as a Spiritual Injury

This understanding of trauma as a spiritual injury was central to a recent public discussion between my colleague, psychologist Dr. AJ Grovert, and Assaf Lapid, the director of Assaf Lapid. The film, which explores the writings and experiences of Holocaust survivor Yehiel De-Nur (Ka-Tzetnik 135633), demonstrated through De-Nur’s life and writings the profound disconnection survivors faced in trying to reconcile their trauma with the post-war world. De-Nur described Auschwitz as the “Other Planet,” a metaphorical way to compartmentalize the incomprehensible atrocities he endured. The horrors of the Holocaust felt so alien, so removed from the norms of life, that they seemed to belong to another realm entirely. This splitting extended to his identity as well, living as Ka-Tzetnik when he dropped back into the experiences of the trauma to write and share his and other’s pain, and siloing this fractured part of himself from his identify as Yehiel De-Nur, husband and father building a life in post-war Israel.

The “Other Planet”: A Metaphor for Trauma

De-Nur’s healing journey took a transformative turn when he underwent LSD-assisted psychotherapy. Guided by Dr. Jan Bastiaans, De-Nur experienced a vision of universal oneness during one session. In his book The Code, he famously wrote of his realization: “I am the SS officer, and he is me.” This was not a denial of accountability or a minimization of the horrors he endured but a profound realization of humanity’s shared struggle with fear, division, and the capacity for both cruelty and compassion. Through this experience, he began to see the horrors of “Planet Auschwitz” not as alien but as a reflection of the human condition—a truth that, while painful, allowed him to integrate his experiences and reconnect with the world. This revelation helped him reintegrate his experiences into a broader understanding of the human condition, bridging the spiritual and psychological split he had lived with since the war.

The Power of Psychedelic Therapy in Healing Trauma

Psychedelic therapy, including legal options like Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), provides a path to such transformative spiritual insights. Ketamine’s dissociative effects allow people to step outside their usual patterns of thought and engage with their trauma from a new perspective. In these non-ordinary states, many individuals describe experiencing ego dissolution, a sense that the boundaries between themselves and the world dissolve. This often brings a profound awareness of interconnection and belonging—a realization that one is not separate from the universe but an integral part of it. This spiritual reconnection is often the key to reframing trauma and rediscovering meaning.

Interbeing and the Spiritual Insights of Psychedelic Therapy

These insights align closely with Thích Nhất Hạnh’s concept of interbeing, the idea that we are deeply interconnected with all beings and that our suffering and healing are part of the greater whole. Psychedelic experiences often bring individuals into contact with this truth, allowing them to see that their pain is not isolated but part of a shared human experience. This realization of oneness can be a key to profound healing, helping people reconnect with themselves, others, and the world around them.

Other Paths to Healing Spiritual Injury

EMDR

While psychedelics are a powerful tool, they are not the only path to healing spiritual injury. Other modalities, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), are consistently effective at reducing the emotional and physiological distress related to revisiting memories of traumatic events. The process of desensitizing and then reprocessing painful memories can sometimes elicit profound realizations. As clients process and heal from trauma, they may experience a sense of peace, or connection that feels deeply spiritual.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, another powerful approach to healing from the effects of trauma, also has a spiritual dimension. IFS views the mind as made up of different “parts,” some of which carry pain, fear, or trauma, and helps clients access “Self”—a core of calm, compassion, and wisdom. Many people describe the experience of connecting with Self as profoundly spiritual, as it not only fosters inner harmony but also reconnects them to a greater source of energy and belonging. Self-energy, as conceptualized in IFS, is often seen as being connected to something greater than the individual—what some might call Source, the divine, or universal energy. By engaging with this energy, individuals can begin to heal their inner wounds and rediscover a sense of wholeness and purpose. Many clients describe this experience as profoundly spiritual, as it often reconnects them with parts of themselves that were exiled or silenced by trauma.

The Sacred Space of Therapy: Healing Through Connection

It’s also important to highlight the spiritual power of the therapeutic relationship itself. Trauma isolates, but a skilled therapist can act as a compassionate witness, holding space for a client’s pain without judgment. To be deeply seen and held in this way is itself a spiritual experience. It creates a sense of safety and connection, reminding us that we are not alone in our suffering and that healing is possible. Group KAP therapy also holds potential in this realm, offering a shared space where individuals can experience collective healing and support, reinforcing the understanding that they are not alone in their journey.

Beyond Healing: The Possibility of Post-Traumatic Growth

Beyond healing lies the possibility of post-traumatic growth, the idea that trauma, while devastating, can also lead to profound transformation. Post-traumatic growth involves finding new meaning, deepening one’s relationships, and cultivating a greater appreciation for life. It is the process of emerging from the depths of trauma with a renewed sense of purpose, wisdom, and connection.

For many individuals, healing from trauma is not about finding one perfect method but about discovering the right combination of approaches. Psychedelic therapy offers a powerful and consistent path to spiritual healing. Therapies like EMDR, IFS, and the sacred connection of a therapeutic relationship can also foster profound transformation.

Returning from Exile: Healing as a Journey Back to Wholeness

As The Return from the Other Planet reminds us, trauma often leaves individuals feeling exiled—disconnected from themselves and the world. Healing is about returning, not to the way things were before, but to a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s place in the interconnected fabric of existence. Making room for the mystical is an essential part of all healing journeys, whether one is religious or not. The recognition of our interconnectedness and the realization that we are part of a greater whole can transform how we see ourselves and the world. This truth is at the heart of spiritual healing. It encourages us to move beyond the isolation of trauma and reconnect with the shared essence of all beings—a profound realization that opens the door to growth and renewal.

Healing Trauma is Reclaiming Our Sacred Humanity

Ultimately, trauma fractures, but healing unites. It offers the opportunity not only to recover but to grow—reminding us that even in the face of profound suffering, there is hope for transformation and a deeper sense of meaning. Healing is not just about surviving; it is about rediscovering the sacred essence of being human.

Interested in Learning More? 

Learn more about our various Trauma Therapy options, such a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, IFS, and EMDR.

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