The Future of Mental Health: Psychedelics, Trauma Recovery, and the Enneagram

11 snips

Feb 12, 2026

Guest

Will Van Derveer

Guest

Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC

Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC, a counselor who blends integrative psychotherapy and peak-potential coaching, and Will Van Derveer, MD, a researcher and psychiatrist focused on psychedelic-assisted therapy, discuss trauma, the Enneagram, and limits of talk therapy. They explore how psychedelics like ketamine and MDMA can access nonverbal trauma, the vital role of integration, ethical risks, and practical clinical models.

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ANECDOTE

Trauma Shaped A Six, Then Unmasked Other Types

Keith Kurlander traces his pronounced Enneagram Six traits to complex childhood trauma and sees his type soften with healing.
He reports that clearing trauma reveals other Enneagram energies beneath the dominant pattern.

INSIGHT

Talk Therapy Can Reinforce Stuck Stories

Some long-term therapy becomes repetitive storytelling that reinforces stuck narratives instead of changing them.
Ian Morgan Cron and Keith highlight that psychedelics can 'detonate' protected capsules of trauma that talk therapy can't access.

INSIGHT

Limitations Of Current Treatments

Conventional mental-health tools work well for about one-third of patients and poorly for another third.
Will Van Derveer argues this gap shows the need for new, evocative treatments that target root causes.

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There are conversations that stretch you a little. And then there are conversations that gently but firmly rearrange the furniture in your mind.

This week, I sat down with Keith Kurlander and Will Van Derveer—co-founders of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute—to talk about something that's generating a lot of curiosity and, let's be honest, some anxiety: psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Before you brace yourself, this isn't a hype session. It's a thoughtful, grounded conversation about trauma, the nervous system, and what happens when traditional therapy isn't enough to reach the deepest layers of pain we carry.

We explored how trauma shapes our personalities, how it imprints on the body, and why insight alone often doesn't create lasting change. As someone who cares deeply about the Enneagram and recovery, I found this especially compelling. So much of our personality structure is built around adaptation—strategies that once kept us safe but now quietly run the show.

Keith and Will explain how psychedelic-assisted therapy, when done legally and in carefully structured clinical settings, may help people access and heal places that feel otherwise unreachable. We also talk about the risks, the ethics, and the importance of discernment.

This isn't about chasing peak experiences. It's about healing what's unfinished.

If you've ever felt stuck in patterns that insight alone couldn't untangle… if you've wondered whether deeper healing is possible… this conversation might open a door.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WILL AND KEITH

WILL VAN DERVEER, MD, is a leader in the adoption of integrative psychiatry practices to treat mental health issues. He is cofounder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute and Integrative Psychiatry Centers and cohost of The Higher Practice Podcast for Optimal Mental Health. He has published research on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Dr. Van Derveer has published research on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD [1] and written book chapters in the fields of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and other clinical applications of psychedelic compounds. His passion is finding effective relief from psychological suffering using a vast array of the most natural approaches possible. In addition to traditional medical training, He is a meditation instructor and has trained in shamanism, EMDR, somatic experiencing, internal family systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, and hypnosis.

KEITH KURLANDER, MA, LPC, is cofounder of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute and Integrative Psychiatry Centers and cohost of The Higher Practice Podcast for Optimal Mental Health. He graduated Naropa University in 2005 with a master's degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, and he has practiced integrative psychotherapy and coaching with individuals, couples and groups for over 15 years. Keith's work as a coach focuses on celebrities, influencers, entrepreneurs, and CEOs who want to make huge changes in their lives, overcome long-standing patterns, and achieve greater levels of fulfillment. Keith specializes in helping individuals achieve optimal mental health and peak potential.

Social Links & Website (for promotional use)

Website - Keith Kurlander, MA, LPC Instagram (Keith) | Instagram (Will)LinkedIn (Keith) | LinkedIn (Will) Psychedelic Therapy: A Revolutionary Approach to Restoring Your Mental Health and Reclaiming Your Life (Shambhala; March 31, 2026),