The Psychedelic Symposium

Hedonism, Healing, and the Psychedelic Frontier

The Psychedelic Symposium is a bimonthly gathering of leading thinkers, researchers, and

explorers in the psychedelic space. Each event dives deep into the science and

stories behind psychedelics, covering everything from anthropology and history to

neuroscience and clinical practice.

Hosted by neuropsychopharmacologist Rebecca Harding, this series brings you into

the heart of psychedelic research, featuring thought-provoking talks and lively

discussion with some of the UK’s leading psychedelic scientists.

This session will explore:

Hedonism, Healing, and the Psychedelic Frontier

In a modern world where psychedelics are increasingly moving from the underground to the mainstream, we find ourselves at a crossroads. How do we balance "fun" with "healing"? And should these medicines belong in a private clinic or a shared community?

This event brings together two leading researchers to explore the tension between the individual and the collective, the recreational and the medicinal. We will dive into the "heroic hedonism" found in modern literature and contrast it with ground-breaking new research into group-based healing models. Join us as we challenge the stigmas surrounding "tripping" and imagine a future for psychedelics rooted in connection, creativity, and community.

Mark Schunemann, PhD (c)

When people use psychedelics simply for fun, they often face judgment from "medical" or "ceremonial" authorities who view recreation as reckless or immoral. Mark identifies this as "pharmaco-Calvinism"-the idea that if it isn't "work," it isn't valid.

By examining Jez Butterworth’s play Jerusalem and Rob Doyle’s novel Threshold, Mark argues that these artworks puncture the stereotype of the "mindless hedonist." He explores how seeking pleasure can actually be a heroic act of resistance against boring conformity and a way to break free from the ego. This talk invites us to reconsider the "whipping-boy" of the psychedelic world: the recreational user.

Bio

The son of a priest and a witch, Mark studied theology and religion at Oxford and is currently completing a PhD in the philosophy of experience. His work focuses on "chemical mysticism" and how ritual, rave, and medical cultures shape the psychedelic state in different ways. A published poet and religious studies scholar, Mark was recently recognised as an Emerging Scholar at Harvard’s Program for the Evolution of Spirituality.

Max Crosland-Wood, PhD (c)

For thousands of years, psychedelics were used in communities to support collective healing and life transitions. Today’s Western medicine, however, usually treats them as a "pill in a room" focused on individual symptom reduction.

Max argues that we need to move away from these rigid hierarchies and re-centre the community as the primary container for healing. Drawing on his work with Shipibo healers in the Amazon, Max will introduce a "first-of-its-kind" model currently being tested at the University of Exeter. He will discuss how "communities of practice"- where participants eventually become facilitators themselves—can foster long-term belonging and shared responsibility that a single doctor-patient relationship cannot provide.

Bio

Max is a PhD candidate in Psychology at the University of Exeter, following studies at UCL and Yale. Since 2022, he has coordinated research with Onaya Science, investigating Indigenous-led ayahuasca ceremonies for veterans with PTSD. Outside of academia, Max is a licensed massage therapist and hypnotherapist training in Traditional Medicine. His vision is to bridge the gap between Western science and traditional wisdom through an integrative healing centre rooted in nature.

Hosted by Rebecca Harding, PhD (c)

Rebecca Harding is a neuropsychopharmacologist at University College London. With a background in brain imaging, Rebecca’s work aims to uncover the brain mechanisms underlying the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. Before beginning her PhD, Rebecca completed an MSc at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London and went on to work as a research scientist in the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry