MDMA, or as it is commonly known, "ecstasy," has a pardoxical double role in contemporary society. As the party-drug ecstasy, it is consumed by tens (perhaps hundreds) of thousands of people at "rave" dance parties in the United States, Europe, and the Far East. In its other role as a promising adjunct to psychotherapy, MDMA is currently being researched as a treatment for many conditions, including PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and interpersonal anxiety. This book, originally published in 1985 before MDMA became illegal, is a compilation of experiences conducted in supportive and/or therapeutic settings. The vignettes are not part of a formal research study, and there is no control group. These accounts illustrate the value and potential of MDMA for generating insight, facilitating empathic communication, and supporting spiritual practice. Although the use of MDMA remains illegal (except in the limited context of research), the editors of this book, like many professionals in the field of psychotherapy, believe that a fresh look at this very promising substance is warranted. Ralph Metzner, PhD & Padma Catell, PhD

Depending on their training, mental-health professionals are often either strongly in favor of, or firmly opposed to, the use of psychoactive medications such as Prozac, Ritalin, and Valium. Drugs and Clients: What Every Psychotherapist Needs to Know advocates a balanced perspective, presenting the advantages and disadvantages of many common psychoactive medications. It also focuses on how non-prescription psychoactive drugs such as alcohol, antihistamines, caffeine, cocaine, marijuana and nicotine affect the clients therapists treat on a daily basis. From alcohol to caffeine to Zoloft, therapists need to understand how these substances work, the nature of the risks and benefits, and how a drug or medication's presence, or absence, affects the process of psychotherapy. Drugs and Clients addresses the confusing and highly complex subject of psychopharmacology as it applies to psychotherapy in a clear, hands-on, practical style that makes it accessible to all mental-health professionals.