A Missing Voice? Peer Support Workers' Perceptions of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
Aloysius Amos Lau, Shalini Arunogiri, Boen Raner-Galutera, Siegfried Lichtwark, Sarah J Catchlove
Brain and behavior June 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.71521 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeer Support Workers (PSWs) in mental health and substance use treatment largely support psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) and are willing to recommend it to clients. A survey and follow-up interviews with five PSWs revealed that while interest is strong, concerns exist around client safety, psychoeducation, stigma, and accessibility. The study identifies key factors shaping PSWs' perspectives on PAT, which can inform safe implementation and the potential role of PSWs in this emerging treatment modality.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Mixed methods design with cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Peer Support Workers in mental health and substance use treatment |
| Keywords | Attitudes Mental health Peer support Psychedelic‐assisted therapy Substance use disorders |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Peer Support Workers express strong support for psychedelic-assisted therapy and willingness to recommend it, but have concerns about client safety, psychoeducation, stigma, and accessibility. |
Abstract
Peer Support Workers (PSWs) in mental health and substance use treatment draw on their lived experience (LE) to support clients through mutual understanding and trust. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is emerging as a mental health and substance use treatment modality. As interest grows, understanding PSWs' perspectives on PAT is critical to inform safe and effective implementation, and the potential role PSWs can play in models of care. This study examined factors shaping PSWs' perspectives toward PAT and perceived barriers to its adoption and implementation. A mixed methods design was employed. A cross-sectional survey informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) captured PSWs' perceptions of PAT and potential barriers to its use. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with five survey participants. Interview transcripts were analyzed to provide a qualitative description and identify topics and patterns to enrich and contextualize the survey findings. Survey responses indicated strong PSW support for PAT, with most participants expressing willingness to recommend it to clients. Qualitative findings expanded on this interest, highlighting concerns around client safety, psychoeducation, stigma, and accessibility. The qualitative description of interview results identified key influences on PSWs' attitudes toward PAT, complementing survey results and aligning with existing literature.