Chaplains in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy: Rationale and Competencies

Professional clinical chaplains, as subject matter experts in spirituality and health, are an asset to psychedelic-assisted therapies and should be utilized in research trials and clinical practice. The article argues that participants in clinical trials consistently report mystical-type experiences during dosing sessions, which may mediate clinical improvements in depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Given a relative lack of training in spirituality and religion among interprofessional practitioners, chaplains can provide spiritual and emotional support, helping participants navigate non-ordinary states of consciousness with safety and insight. Competencies include spiritual and religious care, spiritual inquiry, empathic presence, ethical engagement, and advocacy. Chaplains will need specialized education and supervised experience beyond standard requirements.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The rapid expansion of psychedelic research has opened significant pathways of opportunity in treating mental health disorders. Participants in recent clinical trials consistently report mystical-type experiences during dosing sessions, and some scholars posit that such experiences themselves help mediate clinical improvements in depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders. These reports are in keeping with the historical reality that the use of psychedelic substances and plant medicine has been tied to spiritual experience and shamanic ceremonial practice. Professional clinical chaplains are trained and experienced in providing spiritual and emotional support for people encountering illness, life change, and trauma. They regularly assist participants who seek to make meaning of their experiences in the context of their own beliefs and spirituality. This article argues that as subject matter experts in spirituality and health, chaplains are an asset to psychedelic assisted therapies and should be utilized in research trials and clinical practice, especially given a relative lack of training in spirituality and religion among interprofessional practitioners. We offer this set of competencies for chaplains to provide high quality, safe, and ethical care in the context of psychedelic medicines. These competencies include spiritual and religious care, spiritual inquiry, empathic presence, ethical engagement, and advocacy. We recognize that chaplains will need to pursue specialized education and supervised experience beyond their standard professional requirements, and pathways of personal preparation are discussed. The presence of qualified chaplains will help ensure that participants navigate non-ordinary states of consciousness with safety, sensitivity, and insight regarding improvement and growth.