Treatment with psychedelics is psychotherapy: beyond reductionism
The Lancet Psychiatry December 12, 2023 Gerhard Gründer, Manuela Brand, Lea J. Mertens et al. 103 citations
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Manuela Brand
Swiss Medical Society for Psychedelic Therapy, Berne, Switzerland.
4 papers in the library · 108 citations · publishing 2023-2026
Papers
The Role and Ethics of Touch and Non-touch in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences November 22, 2025 Helena D Aicher, Anke Röskamp, Marianne Moser et al. 4 citations
Touch has long been central to human communication and healing, but in psychedelic-assisted therapy it raises complex ethical and practical challenges due to patients' heightened vulnerability. Recent reports of boundary violations have sharpened the debate. From a harm reduction perspective, the chapter acknowledges risks and the need for clear boundaries, transparency, informed consent, and cultural sensitivity, while arguing that touch can offer grounding, emotional support, and therapeutic value when used responsibly. Both touch and non-touch interventions are explored, including historical roots and therapeutic potentials, with ethical frameworks outlined to support safe, ethical, and effective practices.
Psychotherapeutisches Setting und Integration bei psychedelikaassistierter Therapie
Nervenheilkunde April 1, 2024 Manuela Brand, Luca V. Faerber, Laura Kaertner et al. 1 citation
This article examines the treatment of mental illnesses with psychedelic substances from a psychotherapeutic perspective, focusing on the role of integrating psychedelic experiences. It asks how extraordinary experiences under the influence of psychedelics can be harnessed for psychotherapeutic progress. After an introductory overview of phases of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), it describes a possibility for psychotherapeutically guided integration of psychedelic experiences using the example of treating treatment-resistant depressed patients with psilocybin in a clinical trial (EudraCT: 2019–003984–24; NCT04670081). The integration of psychedelic experiences into daily life is a scientifically little-studied but essential part of PAT. Evidence-based protocols should be developed to increase the efficacy and safety of therapy through integration methods. With the introduction of PAT into established healthcare systems, integration of psychedelic experiences is expected to become increasingly important.
Long-Term Efficacy of Psilocybin with Adjunct Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression (EPIsoDE): 6- and 12-Month Naturalistic Follow-Up of a Phase 2b Trial.
Psychotherapy and psychosomatics May 27, 2026 Lea J Mertens, Felix Betzler, Manuela Brand et al.
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, or two such doses given six weeks apart, combined with psychotherapy produced a stable and clinically meaningful reduction in depression symptoms for up to twelve months in people with treatment-resistant depression. The average improvement on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was about 7.9 points at six months and 7.7 points at twelve months, with no significant difference between dosing groups. Restarting standard antidepressant medication during follow-up was strongly linked to higher depression scores. This naturalistic follow-up of a phase 2b trial is the largest and most complete long-term assessment of psilocybin for depression to date.