By: Maria Williams
Payton Nyquvest, CEO and founder of Numinus, explains the prospects and benefits of MDMA-Assisted Therapy, after two decades of research by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies.
Payton Nyquvest is no ordinary CEO. His trailblazing company, Numinus, is leading the industry in field research and clinical results of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Far from being a hands-off executive, Nyquvest has journeyed deep into the practitioner side of things and founded Numinus from a desire to share the impact this therapy had on his own life.
“I suffered severe chronic pain from birth,” Nyquvest says. “I was at rock bottom, in the emergency room in Vancouver, when I resorted to a last-ditch attempt to save my life. I booked myself on to 4 ayahuasca ceremonies and they successfully treated decades of pain within a week. It’s not a panacea for everyone and the structure that held the pain was still within me, but the results were truly life-changing.”
Once home, Nyquvest wanted to help others access these experiences. Collaborating closely with Rick Doblin, Founder & President of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), Nyquvest became aware of the billions of dollars of research that had no infrastructure to channel its results. “I worked to build a container that can hold these options for people in a safe, secure environment with purpose-built spaces and supportive practices.”
Numinus has been an invaluable resource for MAPS as they conduct revolutionary decades-long research into how MDMA-Assisted Therapy can improve the lives of people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). MAPS has been using the Numinus clinics across Canada and Utah, along with clients being participants in the trials.
The research project of over 20 years has now been successfully submitted to the FDA in the form of a new drug application. Midomafetamine capsules (a form of MDMA) combined with psychological intervention heralds an exciting new era in the treatment and healing of symptoms for sufferers of PTSD.
The application has been granted a priority review so results should be available by 11th August 2024. MAPS predicts 30,000 – 50,000 specially trained therapists will be needed to meet the demand as there are over 14 million sufferers across America. Numinus is leading the charge in offering drug-assisted experiences in a therapeutic setting, so their training programs will be an important resource to meet this need.
Offering certification in the specific field of drug-assisted therapies, Numinus has a variety of multi-course training options that allows practitioners to choose the right path for them, in order to become Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Therapists. With a focus on healing rather than managing symptoms, MDMA-Assisted Therapy has the potential to transform millions of lives for the better.
Nyquvest says, “Federal approval means we don’t have to wait for state by state approval, the results of these trials will open things up significantly for expansion of clinics. Once FDA approved, clients can claim the treatment on their medical insurance which is really important. At the moment, 80% of our ketamine-assisted services are covered under US insurance.”
Having worked with Indigenous groups to understand the process of psychedelics, Nyquvest is passionate about sharing the incredible benefits of these therapies. “It should not just be the drug alone,” he says. “The support framework around it is vitally important. Numinus has different ways that our therapists help integrate the experiences for our clients.”
Numinus offers therapists to be present during the drug experience as well as before and after. “They can help guide you,” explains Nyquvest. “Especially if you have worked with that person previous to the session, they know what type of spots to guide people towards within the experience to get the most out of it.”
“We talk a lot about integration and that is really just looking at your life moving forward. How do you want to live your life moving forward? Do you want to make meaningful changes? Sustain the benefits from this incredible experience? This isn’t a thing that ever finishes, we are all works in progress. But when the drug experience is still fresh in your mind and you have this period of neuroplasticity, it can be transformative to work with a therapist to understand the benefits you can take from it and what changes you might make to have the life you want.”
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To find out more about this groundbreaking therapy service from Numinus, check out their website.
To access training programs, explore this page.
You can find out more about the MAPS application to the FDA here.
Published by: Holy Minoza
