Essentials: Therapy, Treating Trauma & Other Life Challenges | Dr. Paul Conti cover art
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Essentials: Therapy, Treating Trauma & Other Life Challenges | Dr. Paul Conti

Jan 22, 2026 · 38 min

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Paul Conti, MD, a psychiatrist and expert in treating trauma and psychiatric illness. We explain what trauma is and how it affects the mind and body, as well as the best treatment approaches to support recovery. We also discuss why guilt and shame often follow traumatic experiences and why processing trauma is essential for healing. Dr. Conti shares practical tools for how to choose and work effectively with a therapist and discusses the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and MDMA in clinician-assisted settings. Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AGZ by AG1: https://drinkagz.com/huberman Function Health: https://functionhealth.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Paul Conti (00:00:21) What is Trauma?, Guilt & Shame (00:03:20) Evolutionary Context of Trauma, Shame & Guilt (00:07:18) Sponsor: Function (00:08:59) Repetition Compulsion, Repeating Trauma (00:12:48) Processing Trauma in Therapy or On Your Own, Grieving (00:16:48) Introspection, Tool: Processing Trauma Through Words (00:18:04) Sponsor: LMNT (00:19:35) Finding a Therapist, Rapport; Duration of Therapy (00:21:49) Prescriptions, Depression, Treating Core Issues (00:24:28) Psychedelics & Overcoming Trauma, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (00:28:18) Sponsor: AGZ by AG1 (00:29:48) MDMA, Overcoming Fear (00:31:43) Talking about Trauma, Language (00:33:36) Taking Care of Oneself, Tool: Self-Care Basics (00:36:56) Acknowledgements Disclaimer & Disclosures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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