A Veteran’s Journey Through Psychedelic Therapy w/ Jonathan Phillips 

Key Takeaways

• Transformative Healing through Psychedelics: Jonathan Phillips’ use of ketamine and MDMA therapy demonstrated significant progress in addressing his PTSD and trauma, highlighting the potential of psychedelic therapies in mental health treatment.
• Advocacy for Veterans’ Mental Health: Phillips’ experience underscores the need for expanded mental health resources and support for veterans, advocating for broader acceptance and accessibility of innovative treatments like psychedelics.
• The Importance of Continued Support: Phillips’ upcoming book, “The Fifth General Order,” reflects his commitment to ongoing advocacy for veterans, emphasizing the need to uphold support and promote holistic healing methods.
• Psychedelic Passage: Your Psychedelic Concierge — The easy, legal way to find trustworthy psilocybin guides, facilitators and psychedelic-assisted therapy near you in the United States.

A Storied Military Career

Jonathan Phillips’ career in the Marines during the Iraq civil war in 2006-2007 was complex and deeply impactful. His service, marked by both bravery and controversy, included sustaining injuries in battle and enduring an unprecedented legal situation.

Jonathan was the only service member to be convicted of a general court martial and subsequently awarded a full honorable discharge and medical retirement for battlefield distinction and wounds sustained in combat.

Through his firsthand experience of the treatment of military personnel and his own healing journey, he realized the immense need for mental health resources, and now champions for better treatment of American veterans and those in service. 

“We don’t have time for the FDA to play games. During the pandemic, they called it Operation Warp Speed. Well, I’m demanding Operation Warp Speed for the veteran mental health crisis.”

From Combat to Confinement

Jonathan enlisted in the Marines shortly after high school, and was deployed to Iraq in 2006. It was quiet for the first 6 weeks, and then utter chaos was unleashed in one of the bloodiest campaigns of the Iraq civil war. 

A week before they were to leave the front line, Phillips and his men were in a nighttime ambush. During this “chaotic firefight,” as he refers to it, he took a shot and accidently hit an Iraqi police officer who wasn’t supposed to be in that zone. 

The incident became a political national security scandal and before he knew it, Philips’ face was all over newspapers and news channels. 

“It turned into what felt like an invasion of privacy. You sign up to serve on the front line. And what goes in the newspapers, you have no control over. They don’t necessarily go off all the facts. They kind of just choose which parts they want. To be honest I was ashamed for a while, just having my picture out there and my privacy kind of invaded.” — Jonathan Phillips

This resulted in him serving two years in military prison, half of which was in solitary confinement which meant complete isolation for Philips. Books were rarely allowed, nevermind fresh air or sunlight.

Surviving such isolation required extraordinary mental discipline, including visualization of a hopeful future and finding solace in small comforts, like imagining a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This period tested his mental fortitude to its limits.

Another piece to his story was the sense of community that he carried with him. General Orders are a set of rules that are drilled into them from day one and dictate the conduct of all active marines. 

Jonathan uses the fifth general order, “I shall not abandon my post until properly relieved,” as a sort of mantra as he moves forward. To him, it means a mindset that is bigger than one person. 

He recalls using the community around him to inspire and be inspired as he tried to mentally survive military prison. Whether it was a game with the guards or something else, it became contagious and acted as fuel to push forward.

“That collectivism, that ability to lean on other people and in turn have other people lean on you or the ability to create a bridge of support when the right support isn’t so accessible to you, reminds me a lot of indigenous wisdom. I know for sure that what psychedelics have taught me is that healing isn’t done alone.” — Jimmy Nyugen

The Search for Healing

On returning home, Jonathan faced not only physical injuries but also immense psychological challenges and the traumatic experiences from both combat and confinement left Jonathan searching for healing. 

Traditional therapy methods were initially his sole recourse, but they offered limited relief. His healing journey took a significant turn when he learned about the potential of psychedelic therapy through Serenity Mental Health.

An Introduction to Ketamine Therapy

Ketamine was only available to Jonathan after 2017 when an executive order was passed by the president, expanding the VA Choice Program. This allowed veterans to seek healthcare outside of the VA healthcare system, opening up completely new and innovative avenues for healing. 

Despite initial hesitations towards psychedelic substances, Jonathan was convinced by the trust and compassion of his healthcare providers. 

After 2 months of meeting for 30 minutes 5 days a week, he had developed a trusting therapeutic rapport with the doctor of osteopathic medicine and the technician that he was assigned to, and the realization that he was in good hands gave him the confidence to pursue this avenue.

Over 2 years, he underwent 25 intravenous ketamine treatments, each accompanied by extensive journaling and introspection, and weekly talk therapy. Jonathan emphasizes the power of journaling and how it works in tandem with ketamine sessions:

They would have me make a complete sequence of events of all the traumatic events in my life, like very vivid. And then we would go down them systematically and confront them. And then during ketamine, your brain goes wherever it wants to, wherever it needs to and it reconciles gaps in your memories, and confronts what it will during the session. 

You don’t really have much control over it. And that’s kind of the whole point. You give up control during your ketamine session, which is where the real progress starts happening when you can lower that ego and that control. And that’s when the magic starts happening.” — Jonathan Phillips

By systematically addressing and confronting the most traumatic events in his life from the non judgemental or emotional point of view that ketamine offers, the therapy allowed his brain to reconcile these memories, offering transformative progress.

Now, 2 years later Jonathan can go back and look at his journal entries and see how much progress he has made. He even admits he enjoys it, “It almost becomes a competition, like how far can I come?”

The Life-Changing MDMA Experience

Jonathan’s transformative journey reached its pinnacle with an MDMA-assisted therapy session on a California beach, facilitated by his life coach from Psychedelic Passage. But how did he make the jump from ketamine to MDMA?

After doing extensive therapeutic work for 2 years, he started to feel like it had been preparing him for the next step. 

He had been talking to a friend who was doing MDMA to work through childhood injuries, and was able to witness a “remarkable transformation” in this individual, ultimately leading him into having an MDMA experience of his own.

It wasn’t just about the MDMA, Jonathan prefaced the experience with multiple hour-long preparatory zoom calls with his life coach Jamie.

Jonathan knew Jamie was the right facilitator for him by using his intuition. First, he explored facilitator bios and found a few that he felt a connection to. Jamie was the first discovery call that he had scheduled, but after he spoke with Jamie he knew that she was the one for the job.

Her calm, leading presence gave him permission to be himself, but more than that was her pure professionalism. Once he decided on an MDMA experience, Jamie had a comprehensive preparatory plan, including recommendations of supplements to take in the days leading up to it.

Once the groundwork had been set, Jonathan got an Airbnb on the beach, which he recounts as a “very conducive spiritual set and setting,” from the sound of the waves to the fresh air. 

“When you’ve been in fight or flight for a decade and a half, and then you have that calming experience, I just remember putting a little nightcap over my eyes, and I have my coach sitting in the corner of the room by the bedside. And when it eventually starts to work its magic, the medicine, your mind goes to places, but it’s unlike ketamine.

I would start to verbalize things and get it out to the coach. Whereas ketamine, it’s like you just sit there by yourself with a nightcap and you’re kind of in your own head. Your brain works it out internally. But this was the first time where my ego was almost completely obliterated in that I wasn’t embarrassed about talking about anything that came up with another individual.” — Jonathan Phillips

The idea of being witnessed in a safe, supportive, non judgemental space is one of the most powerful things that a facilitator can offer to another human being. Being able to drop any feelings of shame during a psychedelic experience opens the door for confidence in everyday life. 

The next day, Jonathan and Jamie had a post-ceremony integration session on the beach. At this time, they discussed everything that arose during Jonathan’s MDMA experience. 

What Jonathan realized was that while the ketamine brought him mental healing, he released a lot of pent up physical energy through the MDMA experience, and through the fatigue he felt after the experience, it revealed the physiological reset that he needed.

“It’s amazing how MDMA speaks to you. It’ll tell you, ‘just be in bed, get some rest. You’ve been in fight or flight for a decade, plus just go to sleep, dream a little bit. Let your body and brain recover.’” — Jonathan Phillips

Whether it was the MDMA, or his own inner healer finding its voice, he was able to heal through yet another lens, adding to the comprehensibility of his healing journey. 

This experience profoundly affected him, as it allowed him to confront deep-seated traumas without the burden of shame. 

It also pushed him to write a book about his transformative life and lessons he has learned along the way, in hopes of inspiring others to gain the courage to start the healing journeys they deserve. 

Advocacy for Psychedelic Therapy

In a time where the FDA has just denied the petition from Lykos Therapeutics to de-schedule MDMA in conjunction with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, it’s more important than ever to hear the testimonials of people who have suffered and come out the other side due to psychedelic therapies.

As it turns out, the only two FDA-approved medications for PTSD are sertraline and paroxetine, both SSRIs. One study with 550 participants found no evidence that depressive symptoms improved after 6 weeks on sertraline, and weak evidence that they improved after 12 weeks. 

In another study on paroxetine and PTSD, 64% of participants still qualified for a PTSD diagnosis at their 6 month follow up after taking the SSRI daily. 

In a study published in 2021 on MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD, 4.5 months after baseline showed 67% of participants in the MDMA group no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis. 

What’s interesting is that almost the same percentage of the placebo group in the MDMA study (33%) no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, similar to the 36% in the paroxetine study.

In their review, an FDA panelist said de-scheduling MDMA with psychotherapy was unnecessary because there are already FDA-approved treatments that work today, but then we ask ourselves, “Why are there such high suicide rates among veterans?”

Jonathan’s story underscores the urgent need for broader acceptance and accessibility of psychedelic therapy for veterans. He sees the potential of psychedelics not only to alleviate PTSD but also to foster a holistic healing experience that includes mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

His advocacy is not just for himself but also for the many veterans and service members who deserve better care and understanding. His journey from combat to mental health pioneer serves as a beacon of hope for those struggling with similar issues.

The Fifth General Order: An Inspirational Message

Jonathan’s upcoming book, “The Fifth General Order,” set to be released on September 11th, symbolizes his mission: I shall not abandon my post until properly relieved. This message calls for continued support and advocacy for those in need, highlighting the emergent psychedelic revolution in mental health.

Recommended Reading: Founder of Heroic Hearts Project Talks Psychedelics For PTSD

Jonathan Phillips’ journey from the battlefields of Iraq to the therapeutic beaches of California is more than just a personal triumph; it’s a call to action. It’s an urgent reminder of the incredible potential of psychedelic therapies to change lives and the pressing need to make these treatments accessible to those who have given so much for their country.

Explore Deeper Transformation Through Psychedelics

As we see in Jonathan’s journey, there is no magic substance that will fix all of our problems. Instead, a complex therapeutic landscape is revealed, where meaningful transformation  requires thoughtful engagement, and maybe even a leap of faith. 

• The Power of MDMA Over PTSD: Working primarily through the serotonin system, MDMA’s power to invoke emotions like euphoria makes it an incredible tool for emotional processing and release.

• Life-Saving Second Opinions: Along with innovation comes the reluctance to change, don’t let your primary caregiver be the only commanding voice in your healing journey, especially if they say no to psychedelics.

• Psychedelics Aren’t Necessarily For Everyone: These powerful substances do come with risks, as do all things, so take a look at some factors that might impact your decision to use psychedelics as a healing modality. 

• Healing Is More Than A Psychedelic Experience: I can take this pill and it will fix my problems, right? Well… not exactly. Learn what our cofounders define as “doing the work”

• A Facilitator’s Guiding Light: Find out what drives and guides an ethical facilitator by hearing from a licensed psychotherapist herself, Ashley Carmen.

Find Confidence and Clarity with Psychedelic Passage’s Guidance

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did Jonathan Phillips’ military experience impact his mental health and lead him to explore psychedelic therapy?

Jonathan Phillips’ service in the Marines during the Iraq civil war was marked by intense combat and a legal controversy that resulted in a two-year military prison sentence, including solitary confinement. These experiences compounded his physical and psychological trauma. 

Upon returning home, traditional therapy methods offered limited relief. Phillips turned to psychedelic therapy after learning about its potential from Serenity Mental Health, seeking new avenues for healing that could address both his mental and emotional scars more effectively.

2. What role did psychedelic therapy play in Jonathan’s healing journey?

Psychedelic therapy, particularly ketamine and MDMA, played a pivotal role in Jonathan Phillips’ healing journey. Ketamine therapy allowed him to confront and reconcile traumatic memories by lowering his ego and facilitating deep introspection. 

MDMA-assisted therapy furthered his progress by offering a supportive space to confront deep-seated traumas with reduced shame and facilitated physiological reset. Together, these therapies helped him achieve significant mental and emotional healing, which traditional methods had not fully addressed.

3. Why is Jonathan Phillips advocating for psychedelic therapy for veterans?

Jonathan Phillips advocates for psychedelic therapy as a crucial option for veterans struggling with PTSD and other mental health issues. His own transformative experiences with ketamine and MDMA demonstrated the potential of these therapies to provide profound healing and recovery beyond what traditional treatments offer. 

His advocacy aims to make these innovative therapies more accessible to veterans, emphasizing the need for urgent and effective solutions to the mental health crisis among service members.

4. What challenges did Jonathan face in accessing psychedelic therapy, and how did he overcome them?

Jonathan Phillips faced several challenges in accessing psychedelic therapy, including initial hesitations about psychedelic substances and limited availability of these treatments within the traditional VA healthcare system. 

However, the expansion of the VA Choice Program in 2017 allowed him to seek care outside the VA system. By building a trusting relationship with his healthcare providers and committing to the therapeutic process, he overcame these barriers and successfully integrated ketamine and MDMA therapy into his healing journey.

5. How does Jonathan Phillips’ personal story highlight the limitations of current PTSD treatments?

Jonathan Phillips’ story underscores the limitations of current PTSD treatments, such as SSRIs like sertraline and paroxetine, which have shown limited effectiveness in studies. Despite their approval, these medications often fail to fully alleviate PTSD symptoms or achieve significant long-term improvements. 

In contrast, MDMA-assisted therapy has demonstrated higher efficacy in clinical trials, suggesting that psychedelic therapies could offer more promising solutions for severe PTSD and underscore the need for broader acceptance and research in this area.

6. What can we learn from Jonathan Phillips’ approach to integrating psychedelic therapy into his healing process?

Jonathan Phillips’ approach highlights the importance of a comprehensive and individualized healing process. His integration of psychedelic therapy involved not only the therapeutic use of ketamine and MDMA but also extensive journaling, preparatory work, and integration sessions with experienced facilitators. 

This holistic approach emphasizes the need for careful preparation, a supportive therapeutic environment, and ongoing reflection to maximize the benefits of psychedelic therapies in addressing complex trauma and facilitating long-term recovery.

References:

Kučukalić, A., Bravo-Mehmedbašić, A., & Džubur-Kulenović, A. (2008). PAROXETINE IN THE TREATMENT OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: OUR EXPERIENCES. Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 8(1), 76–79. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5724881

Lewis, G., Duffy, L., Ades, A., Amos, R., Araya, R., Brabyn, S., Button, K. S., Churchill, R., Derrick, C., Dowrick, C., Gilbody, S., Fawsitt, C., Hollingworth, W., Jones, V., Kendrick, T., Kessler, D., Kounali, D., Khan, N., Lanham, P., & Pervin, J. (2019). The clinical effectiveness of sertraline in primary care and the role of depression severity and duration (PANDA): a pragmatic, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(11), 903–914. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(19)30366-9

Mitchell, J. M., Bogenschutz, M., Lilienstein, A.,Harrison, C., Kleiman, S., Parker-Guilbert, K., Ot’alora G., M., Garas, W., Paleos, C., Gorman, I., Nicholas, C., Mithoefer, M., Carlin, S., Poulter, B., Mithoefer, A., Quevedo, S., Wells, G., Klaire, S. S., van der Kolk, B., & Tzarfaty, K. (2021). MDMA-assisted Therapy for Severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 Study. Nature Medicine, 27(6), 1025–1033. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01336-3