A pioneering clinical psychologist known for her early research into the therapeutic potential of LSD and other psychedelic drugs.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Betty Eisner earned a B.A. in political science from Stanford University in 1937. After serving in the Red Cross during World War II and traveling the world with her first husband, she pursued a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at UCLA, which she completed in 1956.

In the late 1950s, Eisner began collaborating with Dr. Sidney Cohen on groundbreaking studies of LSD-assisted psychotherapy at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Los Angeles. She went on to establish a private practice in Santa Monica where she continued to explore the use of LSD, ketamine, Ritalin and other methods to facilitate psychological breakthroughs in her patients.

Eisner was a prolific researcher and writer. She published several influential journal articles on psychedelic therapy and two books, The Unused Potential of Marriage and Sex (1970) and an unpublished volume titled I Can't, You Can't, But We Can. She also documented her therapeutic techniques and observations in detailed session reports and recordings.

Though a respected figure in the early psychedelic research community, with close ties to luminaries like Albert Hofmann and Humphry Osmond, Eisner faced controversy in her career. In 1978, following the death of a patient and an investigation by the state medical board, her license to practice psychology was revoked. Eisner made several unsuccessful attempts to have it reinstated in the 1980s.

Despite these setbacks, Eisner continued to advocate for the therapeutic value of altered states of consciousness. In her later years, she explored other interests such as writing poetry and fables. She also penned an unpublished memoir, Remembrances of LSD Therapy Past, which she made available online.

While Eisner's contributions have often been overshadowed by those of her male colleagues, she stands as an important figure in the history of psychedelic science and psychotherapy. Her archives, housed at Stanford University, provide a fascinating window into the early years of aboveground psychedelic research in the United States.

🧪 EXPERIENCE REPORT: Eisner’s first LSD trip, October 10, 1955

TAGS: clinical psychologists, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s