How Important Is a Guide Who Has Taken Psilocybin in Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Depression?
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 23, 2022 Mitch Earleywine, Fiona Low, Brianna R. Altman et al. 31 citations
People with depressive symptoms consider it somewhat important that guides in psilocybin-assisted therapy have personally used psilocybin. In a survey of over 800 MTurk respondents with depressive symptoms, ratings for the importance of a guide who had used psilocybin exceeded the "somewhat important" level (50 on a 0–100 scale) and were higher than ratings for other guide qualities and for a cognitive behavioral therapist who shared demographics, had depression experience, or received personal therapy. People of color and those with prior therapy gave even higher importance ratings. Participants listed similar desired qualities—proper training and empathy—for both psilocybin guides and CBT therapists. The findings suggest that guides who have used psilocybin and inform clients might enhance therapy's antidepressant effects for some clients.