Human psychopharmacology
May 1, 2022
Jason B Luoma, Ben Shahar, M Kati Lear et al.
26 citations
Adding MDMA to psychotherapy may help treat social anxiety disorder by triggering three key processes of change. MDMA can enhance memory reconsolidation, allowing patients to reprocess painful social memories. It can also induce self-transcendent emotions like compassion, love, and awe, which counteract shame and social disconnection. Finally, MDMA may strengthen the therapeutic relationship, a robust predictor of positive outcomes. These effects likely extend beyond the drug sessions themselves.
The International journal on drug policy
January 1, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Adrianne R Wilson-Poe, Kim A Hoffman et al.
3 citations
Experts in psychedelic care and harm reduction identified five key areas for improving standards of care: strengthening provider accountability and credibility, advancing culturally responsive and inclusive practices, emphasizing community-based support and integration, ensuring safety through preparation and screening, and navigating legal and informational gray areas. The findings highlight the need for clearer guidelines, robust safety protocols, and accessible support systems to optimize outcomes across diverse populations and settings.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 29, 2025
Jason B Luoma, Kim Hoffman, Adrianne R Wilson-Poe et al.
3 citations
Oregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce is relatively diverse, with many holding existing healthcare licenses. Among 16 active training programs, mean tuition was $9,359 and half offered diversity scholarships. Survey respondents (n=106) reported that training expenses were a moderate-to-severe financial strain, though most were satisfied with their training. The mean planned price for a session was $1,388, and common specializations included trauma, mental disorders, consciousness exploration, and spirituality. Facilitators requested ongoing training opportunities. These findings are crucial for informing future policy and training program development to support a diverse and effective workforce.
Jason B Luoma, Luke Roy Allen, Veronika Gold et al.
1 citation
preprint
MDMA is being tested as an adjunct to psychotherapy in controlled trials, including two completed Phase 3 trials, and could become a legally available medicine for MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) within a few years. The treatment manual for MDMA-AT research considers touch an important part of therapy, but no empirical evaluation has examined how touch functions in MDMA-AT, and research on touch in psychotherapy generally is scarce. Concerns exist that touch combined with MDMA could intensify power imbalances or contribute to boundary crossings and unethical behavior.
June 4, 2026
Jason B Luoma, M. Kati Lear, Brian Pilecki et al.
preprint
MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) produced a large reduction in social anxiety symptoms compared to a waitlist condition in adults with social anxiety disorder. In a randomized open-label trial of 20 participants, those receiving MDMA-AT showed an average decrease of 43.3 points on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale after 16 weeks, while the waitlist group did not. Improvements also occurred in functioning, shame, acceptance, belongingness, self-concealment, and self-compassion. Adverse events were mild to moderate and temporary; no serious adverse events occurred. These preliminary findings suggest MDMA-AT is safe and feasible for social anxiety disorder and warrant further research.
March 11, 2026
Jason B Luoma, Kim Hoffman, Adie Wilson-Poe et al.
preprint
Oregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce is relatively diverse, with many holding existing healthcare licenses, though training expenses pose a moderate-to-severe financial strain for most. The mean tuition across 16 active training programs was $9,359, half offered diversity scholarships, and the mean planned session price was $1,388. Facilitators most commonly specialized in trauma, mental disorders, consciousness exploration, and spirituality, and most were satisfied with training while requesting ongoing opportunities. These findings inform future policy and program development for a diverse and effective workforce.
Jason B Luoma, M. Kati Lear, Kyong Yi et al.
preprint
A man in his late 30s with generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) received MDMA-assisted therapy that included imaginal exposure to shame-related memories and in vivo social exposures during drug sessions, plus imagery rescripting and social activation homework. His symptoms and functional impairment, measured by the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale and Sheehan Disability Scale, showed significant reduction. He reported increased social engagement, less anxiety in social situations, and more self-compassion. The participant found exposures during MDMA sessions particularly impactful, allowing access to intrinsic desires for social connection. The authors suggest MDMA-assisted therapy with exposure techniques may be a promising treatment for SAD, warranting further research.