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psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
Also known as: psilocybin-assisted treatment, psilocybin-facilitated psychotherapy, Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, psilocybin-assisted therapy, Psilocybin-assisted treatment, Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy
Facts (42)
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The Montreal model: an integrative biomedical-psychedelic ... frontiersin.org 19 facts
claimExisting clinical trials for Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) often have limited external validity because they enroll only 3–6% of screened patients, typically excluding those with suicidality and comorbidity.
procedureThe Montreal model protocol for ketamine treatment involves six relatively brief ketamine infusions over a period of 4 weeks, which differs from the one or two longer psilocybin sessions typically employed in other psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) studies.
referenceSloshower, Skosnik, Safi-Aghdam, et al. conducted an exploratory placebo-controlled, fixed-order trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023).
perspectiveThe Montreal model's therapeutic process resembles the gradual exploration and skill-building of conventional psychotherapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) more than it resembles breakthrough or mystical models of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
procedureThe integration phase of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy involves patients and therapists meeting after the dosing session to process the treatment experience, work through distressing content, and consolidate insights.
procedurePsilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) protocols are structured into three distinct phases: preparation, treatment, and integration.
claimPsilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) protocols serve as the primary basis for most contemporary psychedelic ketamine models, despite a lack of clinical trials specifically employing psychedelic models for ketamine.
claimThe concept of 'set and setting' in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy posits that psychedelic experiences are largely dictated by a patient's mindset and the treatment environment, with these influences amplified by the drug's effects.
measurementThe typical duration of the psychedelic experience phase in Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is several hours over one to three sessions, though practices outside of clinical trials may vary significantly.
claimClinicians in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy are often referred to as 'guides' or 'sitters' rather than therapists to emphasize a non-directive therapeutic stance.
claimThe most common approach to psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy involves one or two high doses of psilocybin, distinguishing it from the 'psycholytic' approach (smaller doses with frequent psychotherapy sessions) and microdosing (regular use of subperceptual doses without psychotherapy).
procedureThe treatment (or dosing) phase of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy involves patients undergoing approximately 6-hour psilocybin experiences, once or twice, while receiving psychological support from clinicians in comfortable, de-medicalized environments.
claimPsychedelic-assisted psychotherapy models for psilocybin are more formalized and better supported by clinical research than equivalent models for ketamine.
claimThe Montreal model describes its treatment phases as 'rolling' rather than the three distinct phases of preparation, treatment, and integration found in other psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) models, because each treatment serves as preparation for the subsequent treatment and integration of the previous one.
procedureThe preparation phase of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy involves patients and clinicians meeting for several hours to exchange information, establish rapport, and set therapeutic intentions for the drug experience, sometimes including practices like mindfulness exercises.
referenceGreenway et al. (2020) reviewed the integration of psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, specifically focusing on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and other combined treatment approaches.
claimPsychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) has demonstrated significant benefits in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), though current practices are heterogeneous and ill-defined.
referenceSloshower, Guss, Krause, et al. published a study on psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using acceptance and commitment therapy as a therapeutic frame in the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2020).
claimPsychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) is generally understood as a synergistic mind–body intervention conducted in three phases: preparatory sessions, one to two doses of psilocybin administered with attention to set and setting alongside non-directive psychological support, and post-experience integration.
Published Studies — Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and ... hopkinspsychedelic.org 12 facts
referenceThe study 'Five-year outcomes of psilocybin-assisted therapy for Major Depressive Disorder' was published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies in 2025 by Davis, A. K., DellaCrosse, M. A., Sepeda, N. D., Levin, A. W., Cosimano, M., Shaub, H., Washington, T., Gooch, P. M., Gilead, S., Gaughan, S. J., Armstrong, S. B., and Barrett, F. S.
referenceThe study 'Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder' by A. K. Davis, F. S. Barrett, D. G. May, M. P. Cosimano, N. D. Sepeda, M. W. Johnson, P. H. Finan, and R. R. Griffiths was published in JAMA Psychiatry in 2021.
referenceGraziosi et al. published a study titled 'The therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators is associated with acute effects and clinical outcomes in a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for major depressive disorder' in PLoS ONE in 2024.
referenceClifton, J. M., Belcher, A. M., Greenblatt, A. D., Welsh, C. M., Cole, T. O., & Davis, A. K. published a study titled 'Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to treat psychiatric and existential distress in life-threatening medical illnesses and palliative care' in the journal Neuropharmacology in 2022.
referenceA 2023 study published in Cancer explored innovations in group-based psilocybin-assisted therapy for patients with major depression and cancer.
referenceYaden, D. B., Earp, D., Graziosi, M., Friedman-Wheeler, D., Luoma, J. B., and Johnson, M. W. published a study in Frontiers in Psychology in 2022 regarding the use of cognitive-behavioral approaches as a default in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
referenceGukasyan, N., Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., Cosimano, M. P., Sepeda, N. D., Johnson, M. W., and Griffiths, R. R. published a study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology in 2022 regarding the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted treatment for major depressive disorder, including a prospective 12-month follow-up.
referenceOrtiz, C. E., Dourron, H. M., Sweat, N. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., MacCarthy, S., Anderson, B. T., and Hendricks, P. S. published a study in Neuropharmacology in 2022 concerning special considerations for evaluating psilocybin-facilitated psychotherapy in vulnerable populations.
referenceGukasyan, N. published 'On blinding and suicide risk in a recent trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression' in Med in 2023.
referenceHeller and Barrett published a study in Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology in 2024 exploring psychedelic use in athletes and their attitudes toward psilocybin-assisted therapy in concussion recovery.
referenceA 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis by Simonsson et al. published in 'Psychiatry Research' assessed the risk of symptom worsening in psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression.
referenceA 2024 article in The American Journal of Psychiatry provided a critical response to Goodwin and colleagues' commentary regarding psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Neuroimaging in psychedelic drug development: past, present, and ... nature.com Sep 27, 2023 4 facts
claimModern psychedelic therapy is conceptualized by many as 'psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy,' a model where therapeutic benefit is attributed to a synergistic combination of the drug and accompanying psychotherapy.
referenceThe integration of psychotherapy and psychopharmacology, specifically psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, was reviewed in Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology in 2020.
referenceDavis et al. (2021) performed a randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of psilocybin-assisted therapy on major depressive disorder.
perspectiveSome researchers challenge the model of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, asserting that the drug effects themselves hold primacy in the therapeutic action.
Psychedelics and Consciousness: Distinctions, Demarcations, and ... ouci.dntb.gov.ua 3 facts
perspectiveCognitive-behavioral approaches are advocated for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy because they avoid cultural insensitivity, make minimal speculative assumptions about the nature of the mind and reality, and have the largest empirical support base for safety and effectiveness outside of psychedelic therapy.
referenceBogenschutz published 'Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: a proof-of-concept study' in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, No. 29, p. 289.
perspectiveCognitive-behavioral therapies, including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), are argued to have the strongest rationale for future psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Psychedelics, Sociality, and Human Evolution frontiersin.org 1 fact
referenceReiff et al. (2020) published 'Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy' in the American Journal of Psychiatry, reviewing the clinical application of psychedelics in therapy.
Ancient Roots of Today's Emerging Renaissance in ... link.springer.com 1 fact
referenceCollin M. Reiff et al. published 'Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy' in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2020.
Altered States of Consciousness, Psychedelics - Academia.edu academia.edu 1 fact
claimPsychedelic-assisted group psychotherapy has received less research attention compared to individual psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy models.
Classification Schemes of Altered States of Consciousness - ORBi orbi.uliege.be 1 fact
claimRotz et al. (2023) conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial on single-dose psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder.