Psychedelic Use and Psychological Healing Among Gender Exploring Clients: Clinicians’ Perspectives

Gender-exploring individuals use psychedelics outside clinical settings for psychological healing, and these experiences influence their psychotherapy, according to mental health professionals interviewed. Four themes emerged: processing gender-based rejection, engaging with gender role models, seeking exploration and authenticity, and striving for healing through psychedelics—including breakthrough moments and self-acceptance. The findings suggest psychedelics can facilitate gender exploration and psychological healing, pointing to a need for more inclusive approaches in psychedelic research and therapy.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Background The use of psychedelics for clinical purposes and psychological healing is well-documented across many settings, often addressing trauma or mood disorders. Two gaps remain underexplored: (1) the use of psychedelics for psychological healing by gender-diverse individuals, and (2) the personal therapeutic use of psychedelics in non-clinical settings and how this shows up in psychotherapy as understood by clinicians. We address these gaps by examining how gender-exploring folks report personal therapeutic psychedelic use for psychological healing to clinicians during psychotherapy, as relayed by “key informants” (mental health professionals).Objective We investigate how accounts of personal therapeutic psychedelic use surface in therapy and shape clients’ processes of gender identity exploration and psychological healing, according to their therapists.Materials and Methods Drawing on semi-structured interviews with five mental health professionals, an inductive thematic analysis was conducted, identifying four themes.Results Themes were (1) Processing Gender-Based Rejection, (2) Engaging with Gender Role Models, (3) Seeking Exploration and Authenticity, and (4) Striving for Healing through Psychedelics, with subthemes (4a) Navigating Breakthrough Moments and (4b) Accepting Oneself & Reclaiming Power.Conclusions Findings highlight ways psychedelics may facilitate gender exploration and psychological healing, underscoring the need for more inclusive approaches in psychedelic research and therapy.