Ethical Complexities and Best Practices in Informed Consent for Psychedelic Services: A Qualitative Study on Expert Perspectives
February 19, 2026 Christina Chwyl, Alissa Bazinet, Adie Wilson-Poe et al. 1 citation preprint
Informed consent for psychedelic-assisted services should be treated as an ongoing process rather than a one-time form, according to 36 experienced facilitators. They emphasized building a strong therapeutic relationship, centering client empowerment, and comprehensively conveying potential long-term psychological and social changes, including the possibility of disappointing experiences. Detailed consent around touch and boundaries is needed, with explicit pre-session agreements, maintained boundaries, and attention to subtle non-verbal cues. Facilitator training should cultivate deep respect for client agency and provide experiential learning in relational and boundary-setting skills. These recommendations aim to improve practitioner training, consent practices, and policy for regulated psychedelic services.