A Qualitative Exploration of Relational Ethical Challenges and Practices in Psychedelic Healing
Journal of Humanistic Psychology September 16, 2021 Margo A. Jackson, Joseph G. Ponterotto, Bill Brennan et al. 53 citations
Practitioners who have administered MDMA and psilocybin in underground (extralegal) healing contexts face unique relational ethical challenges, including client nudity, the use of touch, and the belief that therapists must continue their own psychedelic experiences. Interviews with 23 practitioners revealed descriptive themes of these challenges and prescriptive themes of helpful practices. Some challenges are unique to psychedelic work, while others represent psychedelic-specific takes on standard ethical considerations like transference and supervision. The findings have implications for training psychedelic psychotherapists and regulatory decisions.