Microdosing vs SSRIs: What’s Happening in the Brain and Why It Matters
Join us for a deep dive into the clinical research and neuroscientific underpinnings of how microdosing and psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, may serve as a potential alternative to traditional SSRIs. In this session, we explore how these substances interact with the brain’s serotonin system, boost neuroplasticity, and promote flexible mental patterns, while highlighting the importance of rigorous research and safe, legal access.
Whether you’re a practitioner, researcher, or curious about innovative approaches to mental health, this webinar offers actionable insights from both clinical trials and real-world applications.
Inside This Conversation
The Science of Serotonin and the Brain
How SSRIs work to buffer stress, often blunting emotional responsiveness, versus psychedelics, which may recalibrate emotional processing and communication across brain networks.
Microdosing and Neuroplasticity
How sub-perceptual doses enhance brain connectivity, stimulate cortical synaptogenesis, and support pathways affected by stress, depression, and trauma.
Insights from Research & Practice
Findings from clinical studies comparing psilocybin therapy to traditional antidepressants, with a focus on connectedness, meaning, and psychological insight, plus real-world implications for practitioners and individuals.
The REBUS Model & Brain Flexibility
How psychedelics can unlock rigid mental patterns, improve Default Mode Network flexibility, and support emotional regulation—especially when SSRIs fall short.
Advocacy for Better Data and Access
Why more large-scale research is essential and how community-driven advocacy is shaping policies for safe, regulated access to microdosing.
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Speakers & Hosts
Robin Carhart-Harris
PhD Neuropharmacologist, Psychologist, and Ralph Metzner Distinguished Professor in Neurology and Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.
Paul F. Austin
Co-Founder of Microdosing Collective, Founder of Third Wave and the Psychedelic Coaching Institute.
John Robert Downs
Executive Director of Microdosing Collective
