Leo Zeff (May 14, 1912 – April 13, 1988)
was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and explanation, interpretatio ...
and
psychotherapist
Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of Psychology, psychological methods, particularly when based on regular Conversation, personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase hap ...
in
Oakland, California
Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
who pioneered the use of LSD,
ecstasy
Ecstasy most often refers to:
* Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness
* Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria
* Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand o ...
(MDMA), and other psychoactive drugs in psychotherapy in the 1970s.
He was referred to as “The Secret Chief” in a posthumously published collection of conversations due to his role his early work with MDMA.
Zeff focused on training other therapists in psychedelic-assisted methods, creating a network of practitioners.
Research and Legacy
In 1977, when
Alexander Shulgin
Alexander Theodore "Sasha" Shulgin (June 17, 1925 – June 2, 2014) was an American biochemist, broad researcher of synthetic psychoactive compounds, and author of works regarding these, who independently explored the organic chemistry and ph ...
introduced Zeff to MDMA, the drug was still legal. Zeff popularized it in the psychotherapeutic community, dubbing it "Adam" because he believed it returned one to a state of primordial innocence. After personally trying MDMA, Zeff began guiding sessions with the substance and went on to introduce it to an estimated 150 therapists, who collectively worked with thousands of patients before the drug’s prohibition. These sessions were typically conducted in quiet, controlled environments with patients wearing eyeshades and listening to carefully chosen music.
Leo Zeff was introduced to LSD in 1961 when he was working as a Jungian therapist, and he developed a method for administering LSD to patients during psychotherapy.
[Erowid Review: The Secret Chief](_blank)
(2005) Working with carefully screened patients only, the major aim of the first (and possibly only) session involved finding the patient's correct LSD dose. The patient underwent the early part of the experience wearing an eye mask whilst listening to music. Zeff being available to give emotional support if needed. If the experiences became difficult, Zeff recommended facing it and going with it. In later parts of the experience, patients looked at photographs of family members and themselves. His approach emphasized “set and setting”—a concept that underscores the importance of the patient’s mindset and environment—long before this terminology became widespread in psychedelic literature.
Prior to working with psychedelics, Leo Zeff had been a lieutenant colonel in the US Army.
See also
*
Claudio Naranjo
Claudio Benjamín Naranjo Cohen (24 November 1932 – 12 July 2019) was a Chilean psychiatrist who is considered a pioneer in integrating psychotherapy and the spiritual traditions. He was one of the three successors named by Fritz Perls (foun ...
References
External links
The Secret Chief Revealed: Conversations with Leo Zeff, Pioneer in the Underground Psychedelic Therapy Movementby Myron J. Stolaroff,
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is an American nonprofit organization working to raise awareness and understanding of psychedelic substances. MAPS was founded in 1986 by Rick Doblin and is now based in San Jose, C ...
(2004, 1997)
Zeff Memorial Library A Selection of Books, Anthologies, Papers, and Newsletters about Entheogens, Council on Spiritual Practices
Zeff, Leo , Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Psychedelic drug researchers
20th-century American psychologists
American psychedelic drug advocates
1912 births
1988 deaths
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