About this Event
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Could psychedelic substances help us connect more deeply with one another?
For thousands of years, humans have tried to influence love, desire, and attraction through chemistry. From the love potions of Ancient Greece to Shakespeare and Harry Potter, the idea of altering how we love has followed us across cultures and centuries.
In this talk, Tommaso Barba, psychedelic neuroscientist at Imperial College London, will explore the role psychedelics might play in romantic relationships, intimacy, sexuality, and human connection.
By the end of the talk, we will have explored the following questions:
- Do psychedelic experiences bring couples closer together, or expose fractures already present in a relationship?
- Is it better to explore these states alone or with a partner?
- What happens to attraction, vulnerability, sexual intimacy, attachment, and the way we relate to one another after a profound psychedelic experience?
Drawing on research into psychedelics, relationships, sexuality, and consciousness, together with stories from research participants and personal experience, Tommaso will explore whether psychedelics lead to a break-up, a breakthrough, or something more complicated.
What to Expect
- 18:30: Gathering and networking
- 19:15-20:15: Tommaso's talk
- 20:15-20:45: Q&A and dialogue
- 21:00: Event end
Psychedelics Unfiltered
Psychedelics Unfiltered is a speaker series bringing together neuroscientists, academics and practitioners working across the psychedelic field.
The series creates candid evenings of questions, science and reflection, a space to explore psychedelics beyond the headlines, challenge assumptions and unpack the myths and stigma that surround them.
All questions are welcome. The aim is to create open and thoughtful conversations that encourage curiosity, deepen understanding, and leave space for people to form their own views.
Your Speaker
Tommaso Barba is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London, supervised by Dr. David Erritzoe and Prof. David Nutt. His research currently centers on the brain effects of short-acting psychedelics such as DMT and 5-MeO-DMT, conducting the first neuroimaging trials of these compounds in laboratory settings with Dr Chris Timmermann.
Tommaso's interests include the impact of psychedelics and MDMA on couples' intimacy, advocating for their potential in improving couples' connection within therapeutic settings.
He also focuses on the role of psychedelics in treating depression and enhancing well-being. Tommaso has co-authored over ten scientific papers, including five as the first author, in journals such as The Lancet EClinical Medicine and Nature Scientific Reports. This work has been widely recognised and covered by prominent media outlets, including Forbes USA, The Times, The Telegraph, Rolling Stone, and CNN.
Additionally, Tommaso collaborates with universities and startups in Italy and the USA.
Event venue & nearby stays
Home House Studio, Private Members' Club, 44 Great Cumberland Place, London, United Kingdom
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