Zsofia Elek

Compass Pathways plc, London, UK.

2 papers in the library · 2 citations · publishing 2025-2026

Papers

Investigational psilocybin treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder: a qualitative study of participant experience, trauma engagement, and differences from standard treatment.

EClinicalMedicine December 1, 2025 Nadav Liam Modlin, Victoria Williamson, Guy M Goodwin et al. 2 citations

Psilocybin treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, when delivered with standardized preparation and support, may allow patients to engage with trauma-related material indirectly through affective, somatic, and self-transcendent experiences, such as feelings of unity or dissolution of self, rather than requiring direct confrontation with traumatic memories as in standard therapies. This qualitative study, nested within a phase 2 trial involving 21 adults with PTSD, identified four core themes: non-pharmacological factors for psychological safety and trust, the experiential nature of psilocybin treatment, engagement with trauma-related material, and comparative reflections on prior therapies. The findings suggest psilocybin offers a meaningful therapeutic opportunity, but larger controlled studies are needed.

DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103692 Full text Post-traumatic stress disorder Psychedelic therapy Comp360 psilocybin Patient experience +1

Psychodynamic Perspectives on Psychedelic States and Treatment Contexts: A Conceptual and Clinical Introduction.

Psychodynamic psychiatry June 1, 2026 Nadav Liam Modlin, Zsofia Elek, Carolina Maggio et al.

Psychedelic therapy may help people access unconscious mental content—preverbal, dissociated, or developmentally buried material—that emerges through bodily sensations, symbolic images, and intense emotions. A psychodynamic framework, drawing on psychoanalytic theory, can guide clinicians in working with this material across four phases: screening, preparation, the treatment session, and follow-up integration. Although neurobiological mechanisms like 5-HT2A receptor activation are well studied, unconscious processes remain underexplored. The authors argue that psychoanalytic models, though currently underrepresented, can deepen understanding of therapeutic change beyond symptom reduction and should inform future research, training, and individualized care as psychedelic treatments move toward broader clinical use.

DOI: 10.1521/pdps.2026.54.2.338 Full text MDMA-Assisted Therapy Classical psychedelics Psychedelic treatment Psychodynamic psychiatry +1