Becoming a Psychedelic Therapist: A Professional Identity Journey
June 12, 2026 Matthew Pennell, Christine Freer, James Bennett-Levy et al. preprint
As psychedelic-assisted therapy moves from research toward broader implementation, the therapist role is being formalized even though the pathways into it are not well understood. This paper uses professional identity formation theory to examine what becoming a PAT therapist involves, how it unfolds, and what supports it. It argues that therapists entering PAT are already established practitioners, entering a field without a single coherent identity or community of practice, and that altered-state experiences may shift the standpoint from which therapists later reflect on their own development. The authors suggest that PAT therapist development may require an expanded account of professional identity formation capable of theorizing formation when both the professional role and the reflecting self remain in flux.