Dr. Watts joins Synthesis to develop and lead clinical therapies, combining the existing psychedelic retreat model with her research on psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.
Synthesis is honored to announce the addition of Dr. Rosalind Watts as the new Clinical Director, leading the way for a new era of safe, legal and professional psychedelic experiences. Dr. Watts is known for her work as Clinical Lead of the Imperial College London Psilocybin for Depression Study.Dr. Watts will develop several new therapeutic programs for participants with depression at Synthesis, including small-group psilocybin experiences for people suffering from mental health difficulties called Synthesis Therapy, as well as an experiential practitioner training. Using edible truffles containing psilocybin, this new care pathway will provide a more supported psilocybin experience, with specialist therapeutic guidance.
Synthesis Therapy is aimed at servicing a growing population of people who are seeking alternative approaches for managing depression, and are interested in psilocybin-assisted therapy but unable to access it. This population includes many of those who previously participated in psilocybin clinical trials, some of whom have enrolled in the first Synthesis Therapy program.
Dr. Watts brings over ten years of experience in clinical psychology to Synthesis. Through her work with Imperial Psychedelic Research Centre (led by Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris and Professor David Nutt), she has developed a psychedelic therapy model ‘Accept, Connect, Embody’, and a psychometric measure of ‘connectedness,’ which her research has identified as a potential mechanism of therapeutic change in psychedelic approaches.
Dr. Watts explains, “Having learnt so much from the patients I have guided through psilocybin treatment in a research context, joining Synthesis brings the opportunity to create the kind of service so many of them have asked for. With support and encouragement from the whole company, we have built a very experienced clinical team, including many of my colleagues from Imperial College, to continue learning about the ways psilocybin therapeutic programs can be optimised and safeguarded for those who need it most. Safety, gold-standard screening and long-term participant follow-up will be our guiding stars.”
Rachel Aidan, CEO of Synthesis, says: “We are dedicated to building an integrated psychedelic-assisted model of care. In the past two years, we have turned away more than 1000 applicants due to mental health contraindications. Our new therapeutic programs mean that we can finally provide psychedelic-assisted treatment to those seeking a deeper level of care. It’s an honor to welcome Dr. Rosalind Watts to our team, whose work has architected the foundation for psilocybin treatment for depression, and whose expertise has the potential to transform thousands, if not millions, of lives.”
Synthesis has developed a new therapeutic program for individuals who wish to explore a new approach to managing depression. Read the Quartz article to discover more.