Therapy, Treating Trauma & Other Life Challenges | Dr. Paul Conti

About this video

Dr. Paul Conti, a psychiatrist trained at Stanford and Harvard, joins Huberman to discuss trauma, therapy and life challenges. Huberman explains that Dr. Conti shares that not every experience people think is traumatic is necessarily traumatic, and many people may have trauma without realising it. They discuss how to pick a therapist, how to approach therapy, and how to evaluate whether therapy and the relationship with the therapist are working. Dr. Conti advises treating an assigned therapist like someone being interviewed for a job, seeking rapport but not someone who simply makes things pleasant, because therapy often involves difficult and sometimes excruciating work. They also discuss self-therapy for people without access to therapy, and drug therapies including antidepressants, antipsychotics, alcohol, cannabis, ketamine and psychedelics, plus the clinical use of MDMA.

Key takeaways

• Dr. Conti says not every experience people label traumatic is necessarily trauma, and trauma can go unrecognised.
• Dr. Conti advises choosing a therapist for rapport and willingness to address difficult material, not pleasantness alone.
• Dr. Conti describes therapy as hard work that is not always enjoyable.
• Huberman and Dr. Conti discuss self-therapy options for people who cannot access or afford therapy.
• Dr. Conti discusses drug therapies alongside talk therapy rather than as replacements for assessment.

Episode details: published June 6, 2022 · 937.9K views · 2:24:29 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The science and protocols described are Andrew Huberman’s, presented for education — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your own health practices.

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