Reed Balentine LCSW - Empath PLC

08/07/2025

"Let’s build a culture of accountability, care and curiosity – not one of hype or silence. The future of psychedelics depends not only on access but also on responsibility. Let’s make sure we’re ready for both."

RFK Jr. wants public access to psychedelics, which have promise to help those with PTSD, addiction and other conditions. But there are real risks.

06/26/2025

I think you’re holding it too tight… 😬
“Death Grip Syndrome” isn’t a real medical term, but it describes something many men quietly struggle with: desensitization from frequent, high-pressure self-pleasure. 🧠 Over time, the brain and body become conditioned to respond only to one specific type of stimulation, making partnered intimacy feel frustrating or even impossible.
This can lead to delayed climax, trouble with ar0usal, and relationship tension. But the good news? With mindfulness, modified habits, pelvic floor work, and therapy, sensitivity can often be retrained.

02/28/2025

02/05/2025

https://www.facebook.com/61567973131939/posts/122133173684599104/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

We will be hosting the first Secular Sobriety Society meeting on Tuesday, February 11 at 9AM and 6PM also, Sunday February 16 at 12PM!

01/15/2025

Snacks, board and card games, a low-key and chill location to land following inauguration, January-blahs, and general need for easy fun times. 💗

Snacks, board and card games, a low-key and chill location to land following inauguration, January-blahs, and general need for easy fun times.

01/09/2025

Hours for Little Rock’s emergency shelter and warming centers have been extended through Saturday morning, and the city announced the Dunbar Community Center’s emergency shelter would shift to operating 24 hours a day.

12/17/2024

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will fund a study on Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted, or M**A-assisted, therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among Veterans. This is the first VA-funded study for psychedelic-assisted therapy since the 1960s.

This funding is a part of VA’s broader effort announced in January to gather definitive scientific evidence on the potential efficacy and safety of psychedelic compounds such as M**A and psilocybin when used in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat Veterans with PTSD, depression, and other related conditions.

VA will fund a study on Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted, or M**A-assisted, therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among Veterans.

11/14/2024

To equip licensed professionals to responsibly incorporate psychedelic medicine into the clinical setting, psychologists are developing education programs focused on the latest research and evidence-based practices.

A proliferation of new research indicates the potential of M**A, ketamine, and psilocybin to help people with treatment-resistant mental health conditions

10/22/2024

GAD affects about 6.8 million adults in the United States, yet only about 43% are receiving treatment, according to information from the Anxiety & Depression Society of America. Despite the prevalence of the condition, there has been little innovation in the treatment of GAD in the past two decades, with the last new drug approval occurring in 2004.

“The FDA’s decision to designate MM120 as a breakthrough therapy for GAD and the durability data from our Phase 2b study provide further validation of the important potential role this treatment can play in addressing the huge unmet need among individuals living with GAD,” said Robert Barrow, CEO and director of MindMed. “We are committed to bringing MM120 to people living with GAD and delivering on the potential of our pipeline to treat serious brain health disorders.”

New research shows that a form of L*D may be an effective treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, with the FDA designating the drug as a breakthrough therapy.

10/17/2024

Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (uAspire)
This Phase III, randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial (n=240) aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of psilocybin (5-25mg) in adults with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive a single oral dose of psilocybin 25 mg, psilocybin 5 mg, or an inactive placebo. The trial consists of a double-blind period followed by a 1-year follow-up period.

During the double-blind period, participants will undergo the “Set and Setting” Protocol for psychosocial support, including preparatory meetings and post-dose integration sessions. Outcome measures include changes in depressive symptoms, functional disability, health-related quality of life, and clinical global impression of disease severity.

After the initial period, participants will proceed to a 1-year follow-up period, during which long-term safety data will be collected, and eligible participants may be offered open-label psilocybin 25 mg re-administration under the “Set and Setting” Protocol.

The study is conducted at various locations across the United States including a site in Little Rock, Arkansas at Preferred Research Partners

Usona Institute Announces Launch of uAspire Phase 3 Clinical Trial Investigating Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder Madison, WI USA. (March 20th,…

09/07/2024

Desire discrepancy is when couples have a mismatch in their s*xual desires and is one of the most common issues bringing couples into therapy. Unfortunately, many people, therapists included, focus exclusively on the frequency of s*x, trying to get couples to “fix” how often they engage in in*******se. But there’s more to the story.

Mismatched s*xual desires bring lots of couples to therapy. But contrary to popular belief, their challenges are usually about more than s*xual frequency.

08/16/2024

S*x education is about more than s*x.

The story map explores s*xuality education legislation and policies by state, compared to each state’s respective health indicators, including teen...