I THRIVE
Looking Glass Project Discussion
The Looking Glass Project began as a performance and endurance piece with the primary intention of exposing alleged harms within the Utah mental health and psychedelic science communities. Initially focused on highlighting ethical violations, boundary issues, and delayed institutional responses to misconduct, the project sought to challenge these practices within a local context, particularly concerning the standards expected in medical ethics, including the Goldwater Rule. Over time, however, the project evolved into a national whistleblowing effort, bringing attention to broader issues of safety, transparency, and accountability across campuses, communities, and psychedelic research settings within Utah. Rooted in civil rights and inspired by the post-MeToo movement’s emphasis on amplifying survivor voices, the project became a powerful example of art as activism, using performance and public endurance to engage audiences in urgent discussions around survivor rights and institutional accountability.
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By highlighting the pressing need for reform and independent oversight, the Looking Glass Project became more than a critique of professional ethics—it expanded into an exploration of human rights. This shift allowed the project to address fundamental questions about the rights of vulnerable participants and survivors in therapeutic and community settings, with an emphasis on creating safer, more ethical spaces. In a post-MeToo era, where survivor rights are increasingly recognized as civil rights, the project has challenged traditional structures of power and inspired others to advocate for transparency and safe practices in all therapeutic and research environments. Moving forward, the project continues to inspire community dialogue relative to the intersections of ethics, human rights, and advocating for systemic changes that prioritize the well-being and safety of all involved.
Art as Activism
The Looking Glass Project, as endurance and performance art, highlighted social injustices in Utah’s mental health and psychedelic science communities through:
1. Public Performance and Endurance: Prolonged, visible performances symbolized survivor resilience and demanded accountability.
2. Defiance of Legal Orders: The artist defied a University of Utah cease-and-desist order, protesting against survivor silencing and asserting the right to disclose harms.
3. Persistent Calls for Help: Repeated requests to APA and DOPL highlighted systemic barriers survivors face in seeking justice.
4. Ongoing Protest: The project pledged to continue until ethical standards were met, showcasing unwavering commitment to reform.
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Key Achievements:
• Raised Awareness of survivor rights and institutional obstacles.
• Demanded Accountability through calls for oversight and transparency.
• Empowered Survivor Voices by building a supportive community.
• Expanded National Dialogue on ethics and survivor protections.
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Through endurance, the project leveraged art as a vehicle for social change, advocating for transparency, survivor rights, and systemic reform.
Psychiatric Ethics
The Ethics of the Looking Glass Project
Origins and Purpose
• The Looking Glass Project, led by Heather Curtis, MD, exposes systemic failures in mental health and psychedelic therapy through advocacy, nonviolent resistance, and performance art.
• Inspired by Heather’s experiences with harassment, retaliation, and institutional barriers during her psychiatry residency.
• Rooted in transparency, patient safety, and nonviolence, aligning with the APA’s principles of Beneficence and Nonmaleficence.
Key Ethical Failures
• Institutional Delays: Failure to investigate or provide timely testimonies violated the duty of care.
• Retaliation and Silencing: Legal tools, such as harassment claims and cease-and-desist orders, were weaponized to suppress survivor advocacy.
• Conflicts of Interest: Institutions prioritized reputations over patient safety, eroding trust.
APA and Medical Ethics Violations
• Nonmaleficence: Delayed investigations and survivor silencing caused further harm.
• Justice: Discriminatory and retaliatory actions violated principles of fairness and equity.
• Integrity and Fidelity: Institutions failed to act transparently or uphold professional trust.
Psychedelic Therapy Challenges
• Patient Vulnerability: Psychedelics increase suggestibility, requiring robust informed consent and boundary safeguards.
• Inadequate Regulation: Rapid growth in psychedelic therapy lacks sufficient ethical and legal oversight.
• Boundary Violations: Facilitator misconduct underscores the need for stricter accountability.
Nonviolent Advocacy and Reform
• Promotes transparency and compassionate critique to foster systemic accountability.
• Uses art to democratize ethical discussions and empower public awareness.
• Advocates for whistleblower protections and ethical frameworks to ensure equitable care.
Conclusion
• The Looking Glass Project is a model for ethical reform in mental health and psychedelic therapy, balancing nonviolent resistance with accountability. It calls for institutions to prioritize patient welfare, transparency, and systemic change to rebuild trust and safety.
Human Rights
The Looking Glass Project reveals key human rights concerns within Utah’s mental health and psychedelic science communities. Major issues and proposed solutions include:
1. Boundary Violations: Alleged inappropriate relationships, violating participants’ right to security and dignity.
2. Delayed Reporting: Institutional inaction, denying individuals timely justice and effective remedies.
3. Provider Substance Use: Use of psychedelics by providers, potentially compromising participant safety.
4. Negligence and Whistleblower Retaliation: Institutional pressures that discourage reporting, violating rights and protections.
Proposed Solutions:
5. Independent Oversight: Regulatory bodies to ensure unbiased investigations and enforce standards.
6. Ethics Training: Mandatory education on human rights and ethical standards.
7. Clear Reporting Channels: Confidential reporting to empower individuals to report abuse safely.
8. Provider Substance Policies: Strict guidelines prohibiting substance use by providers in sessions.
9. Institutional Accountability: Regular audits and transparent reporting to foster trust.
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These steps aim to promote human rights and integrity, creating a safer and more accountable environment in mental health and psychedelic sciences.
Civil Rights
The Looking Glass Project is a performance and endurance art piece that uses civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to highlight alleged civil rights violations in Utah’s mental health and psychedelic science communities.
• Core Methods:
1. Public Performances: Visible acts to raise awareness of boundary violations and institutional negligence.
2. Defiance of Legal Orders: Openly violated a University of Utah cease-and-desist to protest survivor silencing.
3. Persistent Communication: Repeated appeals to APA and DOPL as part of the art, highlighting bureaucratic barriers.
4. Ongoing Commitment: The project pledged to continue until institutions responded, reflecting the endurance needed for justice.
• Achievements:
• Exposed Civil Rights Violations: Publicized restrictions on survivor voices and procedural barriers.
• Empowered Survivors: Created a platform for survivors, encouraging others to share their stories.
• Pressured for Accountability: Increased institutional urgency for ethical standards and transparent practices.
• Expanded National Dialogue: Raised awareness about survivor rights and ethical standards in mental health.
• Legacy: The Looking Glass Project exemplifies the power of civil disobedience and art in sparking discussions about transparency, survivor rights, and systemic reform in mental health and research.
Psychedelic Safety & Regulation
The Looking Glass Project: Advocacy for Psychedelic Safety, Regulatory Reform, and Protection from Abuse
Purpose of the Looking Glass Project
• Uses civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to address safety and ethics in psychedelic research.
• Highlights regulatory gaps to protect vulnerable participants from harm.
Choosing the Tantra Federation Model
• Selected as a prototype for categorizing practitioners by experience hours, suitable for certifying psychedelic therapists.
• Reflects the need for ethical standards in fields like tantra and psychedelics, with histories of predatory behavior.
• Inspired by the author’s experiences with tantra, including training at Samma Karuna and abuses seen at Agama.
Methods in the Looking Glass Project
• Public Performance: Advocates transparency and awareness of ethical issues.
• Resistance to Censorship: Supports survivors’ rights to disclose experiences.
• Engagement with Regulatory Bodies: Emphasizes the need for a reporting structure.
• Long-Term Commitment: Stays focused on achieving regulatory reform.
Proposed Regulatory Model Inspired by Tantra Federation
• Accreditation by Experience Hours: Certification based on practical experience.
• Ongoing Education and Peer Review: Maintains ethical accountability.
• Independent Oversight Body: Provides grievance channels and enforces standards.
• Ethical Guidelines: Sets standards for participant safety and consent.
Impact and Benefits of the Model
• Enhanced Participant Protection: Reduces risks through standardized training.
• Improved Ethical Standards: Builds a culture of safety and credibility.
• Support for Inclusive Community: Promotes transparency and protection.
Conclusion
• The Looking Glass Project emphasizes the need for ethical reform.
• A regulatory framework inspired by the Tantra Federation could enhance participant protection and trust in psychedelic science.
Survivor Rights
The Looking Glass Project: A Post-MeToo Era Stand for Survivor Rights in Psychedelic Therapy
• Purpose: The Looking Glass Project uses civil disobedience to expose ethical and safety issues in psychedelic therapy, focusing on survivor rights.
• Post-MeToo Context: Inspired by the MeToo movement, the project calls for reform and transparency in mental health and psychedelic research.
• Heather Curtis’s Defiance: Dr. Curtis resisted gag orders from the University of Utah, asserting her First Amendment rights and setting a precedent for survivor advocacy in Utah.
• Risks of Disclosure: Publicly sharing assault stories poses risks like retaliation and legal intimidation, seen in gag orders and lawsuits, underscoring challenges survivors face.
• Art as Activism: The project uses performance art to bring attention to institutional misconduct and promote survivor rights as civil rights.
• Advocacy Methods:
• Public Performance: Raises awareness.
• Defiance of Gag Orders: Supports survivor rights.
• Engagement with Regulatory Bodies: Highlights barriers to justice.
• Systemic Change: Pushes for lasting reforms.
• Proposed Regulatory Model (Inspired by Tantra Federation):
• Experience-Based Certification: Validates practitioner competence.
• Ethics Training and Peer Review: Maintains safety standards.
• Oversight Body: Offers a channel for complaints.
• Clear Guidelines: Establishes consent and ethical standards.
• Impact: Enhances participant protection, supports survivor advocacy, and strengthens ethical standards in psychedelic therapy.
• Conclusion: The project highlights the role of civil disobedience in advocating for survivor rights and proposes a structured regulatory model to uphold ethical standards and protect survivors in psychedelic science.
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Legal Ethics
The Ethics of the Looking Glass Project”
Purpose and Focus
• The Looking Glass Project, led by Heather Curtis, MD, highlights systemic failures in mental health and psychedelic therapy.
• Combines nonviolent resistance, performance art, and advocacy to expose ethical and legal misconduct.
• Confronts issues like retaliation, discrimination, and institutional resistance.
Civil Disobedience and Legal Ethics
• Necessity Defense: Heather’s actions aim to prevent harm by exposing systemic failures.
• Transparency: Civil disobedience is ethical when actions address harm without unnecessary disruption.
• Speech vs. Harassment: Institutions weaponizing harassment laws to silence survivors undermines advocacy and free speech.
Retaliation and Discrimination
• Retaliation: Violations of Title IX include punitive actions against Heather for reporting misconduct.
• Discrimination: Gendered biases led to dismissal of Heather’s concerns, violating principles of equity.
• Delays and Denials: Institutional delays and refusals to provide key statements obstructed justice.
Weaponizing the Law
• Abuse of Process: Legal tools were used to intimidate and silence survivors instead of addressing misconduct.
• Power Imbalances: Institutions exploited legal advantages to suppress individual advocates.
• Professional Responsibility: Ethical obligations to avoid harm and obstruction were ignored.
Ethical Issues in Psychedelic Therapy
• Informed Consent: Patients must be aware of risks, including emotional vulnerability and suggestibility.
• Boundary Violations: The intense bonds formed in psychedelic therapy increase risks of misconduct.
• Research Accountability: Strict adherence to protocols is essential to maintain transparency and safety.
• Equity: Commercialization of psychedelics risks exploitation of vulnerable populations.
Nonviolent Resistance
• Uses peaceful advocacy to demand systemic change while upholding key ethical principles:
• Justice: Promotes fair treatment and accountability.
• Respect for Persons: Honors the dignity of all individuals.
• Transparency: Fosters public dialogue about ethical failures.
Conclusion
• The Looking Glass Project advocates for systemic reform, transparency, and accountability in mental health and psychedelic therapy.
• It serves as a model of ethical resistance, emphasizing persistence, equity, and integrity in the pursuit of justice.
