People treated with psilocybin across various health conditions—cancer, depression, HIV, substance use disorder, smoking cessation, and trauma—describe their experiences in three common themes: acceptance, connection, and transformation. A qualitative meta-synthesis of ten studies found that these themes emerged regardless of the specific health condition being treated. The review offers insights into the subjective experience of psilocybin and its effects on health, helping mental health nurses and other clinicians understand the therapeutic process from the patient's perspective.
This perspective paper examines which one-to-one psychotherapies best align with the psilocybin experience for treating treatment-resistant depression. Evidence from a Cochrane review and a qualitative meta-synthesis indicates that the chosen psychotherapy must prioritize subjective experience, facilitate emotional processing, support connectedness with others, foster self-acceptance, and encourage change based on personal insights. Interpersonal psychotherapy and intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy are found to be congruent with the psilocybin experience, though other therapies are currently being trialled.