In psilocybin-assisted therapy, therapeutic touch can foster emotional connection, provide grounding during intense experiences, and modulate the depth of the psychedelic state, but its acceptability depends on the quality of the therapeutic relationship and robust consent processes. Most participants valued having touch available, especially after firsthand experience, and several attributed therapeutic benefit directly to touch. However, some also identified potential for discomfort or distraction, highlighting the need for sensitivity to individual history and context. The findings underscore the importance of explicit preparation, consent, and attunement when incorporating touch into psychedelic therapy.
Physical touch is often used as a supportive tool in psychedelic-assisted therapy, but participants under the influence of psychedelics have reduced capacity to consent and are more suggestible. Interviews with 16 researchers revealed three themes: flexible frameworks, therapeutic alliance, and boundary management. Researchers noted that consent to therapeutic touch should be established before dosing sessions and continually managed. Flexibility in consent protocols helped build therapeutic alliance but also created challenges in boundary management. Researchers emphasized the need for clearer ethical guidelines for handling changing preferences during dosing sessions and limits on expanding consent after drug administration.