Journal of pain and symptom management
September 1, 2023
Benjamin R Lewis, Eric L Garland, Kevin Byrne et al.
60 citations
Psilocybin-assisted group therapy appears safe and feasible for treating depression in cancer patients. In an open-label pilot trial, twelve participants with a depressive disorder received one high-dose (25 mg) psilocybin session within a three-week group program. Depression scores on the HAM-D scale decreased substantially from an average of 21.5 at baseline to 10.09 at two weeks and 14.83 at six months. Six of twelve participants met remission criteria (HAM-D below 7) at two weeks, and no serious adverse events occurred. The group format may reduce therapist time while maintaining possible efficacy, warranting further study.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
January 18, 2023
Benjamin R. Lewis, Kevin Byrne, John Hendrick et al.
22 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy is usually given one-on-one, but group formats might offer unique benefits and help scale treatment. The HOPE trial tested psilocybin-enhanced group therapy in cancer patients with depression. Three cohorts of 4–6 participants each received three group preparatory sessions, one high-dose (25 mg) group psilocybin session, and three group integration sessions. This report presents qualitative survey data from participants and therapist observations, offering guidelines for protocol design, screening, space, therapist team structure, group process, music, and timeline. Primary clinical outcomes are still being analyzed.
PloS one
January 1, 2024
Elena Argento, Tashia Petker, Jayesh Vig et al.
3 citations
Therapists who provide ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) believe that their own personal psychedelic experiences help them better understand clients' experiences and strengthen the therapeutic relationship. All eight therapists interviewed, all formally trained in KAT, expressed a desire for formal experiential training, which they viewed as missing from their current education. Additional themes included the importance of relational safety and the therapeutic container, KAT's impact on professional development, and navigating risks, especially with clients who have complex trauma. The findings indicate a need for enhanced training and evidence-based standardization of psychedelic-assisted therapy programs that incorporate experiential learning.
Front Psychiatry
October 24, 2025
Fares Qeadan, Ashlie McCunn, Benjamin Tingey et al.
Using electronic health records, this cohort study examined associations between psychedelic use and adverse outcomes in people with substance use disorders. The analysis found that psychedelic use was linked to a higher risk of certain adverse events, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations, compared to no psychedelic use. The findings suggest potential risks associated with psychedelic use in this population, though the observational design cannot establish causality.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2024
Reid Robison, Madeline Brendle, Claire Moore et al.
Ten frontline healthcare workers with burnout and PTSD symptoms were treated with group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in a private clinic. They attended six weekly sessions: one preparation, three ketamine sessions (two sublingual, one intramuscular), and two integration sessions. PTSD, depression, and anxiety scores improved from pre- to post-treatment, with a 59% reduction in PTSD scores, 58% reduction in depression scores, and 36% reduction in anxiety scores. After treatment, all participants screened negative for PTSD, 90% had minimal or mild depression, and 60% had minimal or mild anxiety. Ketamine was well tolerated with no significant adverse events. Participant feedback supported the improvements.