Frontiers in Pharmacology
February 21, 2018
Elizabeth M. Nielson, Darrick G. May, Alyssa A. Forcehimes et al.
111 citations
In an open-label pilot study of psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence, researchers analyzed 17 debriefing sessions conducted the day after psilocybin medication sessions. Participants described key phenomena related to changes in their drinking behavior and the acute subjective effects of psilocybin. The findings illuminate change processes in patients' own words during clinical sessions, shedding light on potential therapeutic mechanisms and how participants express the effects of psilocybin. This study is unique in analyzing actual clinical sessions rather than interviews conducted separately from treatment.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
October 5, 2018
Elizabeth M. Nielson, Jeffrey Guss
104 citations
Clinical research on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is advancing in the USA, with psilocybin and MDMA in FDA-approved trials. In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers' and clinicians' personal use of psychedelics was considered a potential confound, contributing to a 20-year research hiatus. Currently, no empirical research exists on personal use by current academic researchers and clinicians; its influence is undocumented and undertheorized. This paper explores the history of personal use, its potential impact on therapy and research, and argues that training for psychedelic-assisted therapy cannot fit neatly into modern psychopharmacology or psychotherapy frameworks. It contends that scientific exploration of therapists' firsthand psychedelic experience on therapy outcomes is feasible, timely, and necessary.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
February 3, 2021
Sara Tai, Elizabeth M. Nielson, Molly Lennard-Jones et al.
87 citations
A therapist training program for psilocybin therapy, developed for a phase IIb international, multicenter, randomized controlled study of treatment-resistant depression, is described. The manualized approach, based on evidence-based psychotherapeutic methods and approved by the FDA, includes online learning, in-person training, applied clinical training, and ongoing mentoring. After training 65 health care professionals across the US, Canada, and Europe, feedback indicated that didactic and experiential learning helped build conceptual understanding and skills. Clinical training and participant care under experienced therapists were most beneficial and challenging. Rigorous, scalable training requires collaboration among public, academic, and industry partners.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
June 23, 2021
Elizabeth M. Nielson
26 citations
As psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin expands, hundreds of therapists need training, yet current programs do not include a personal psilocybin experience. The last such training with a similar compound occurred in the Spring Grove LSD Training Study (1969–1974). This article examines archival data from that study to guide modern training efforts, suggesting that incorporating nonordinary states of consciousness may benefit therapist preparation.
Frontiers in Psychology
March 15, 2021
Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman et al.
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) is a clinical approach for mental health providers working with patients who use or consider using psychedelics in any setting. It combines harm reduction psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, applicable in brief or ongoing therapy. PHRI shifts from focusing only on negative outcomes and abstinence-based addiction treatment toward compassionate, destigmatizing acceptance of patients' choices. The approach addresses assessment, preparation, and managing difficult experiences, responding to increased psychedelic research, media attention, and legal changes.
Frontiers in Psychology
March 15, 2021
Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman et al.
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) is a clinical approach for mental health providers working with patients who use or consider using psychedelics in any setting. It combines harm reduction psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, applicable in brief or ongoing therapy. PHRI shifts from focusing only on negative outcomes and abstinence-based addiction treatment toward compassionate, destigmatizing acceptance of patients' choices. The approach addresses assessment, preparation, and managing difficult experiences, responding to increased psychedelic research, media attention, and legal changes.
Frontiers in Psychology
March 15, 2021
Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman, Ingmar Gorman et al.
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI) is a clinical approach for mental health providers working with patients who use or consider using psychedelics in any setting. It combines harm reduction psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, applicable in brief or ongoing therapy. PHRI shifts from focusing only on negative outcomes and abstinence-based addiction treatment toward compassionate, destigmatizing acceptance of patients' choices. The approach addresses assessment, preparation, and managing difficult experiences, responding to increased psychedelic research, media attention, and legal changes.