Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) affects about 10% of bereaved individuals and often does not respond well to traditional therapies. This manuscript describes the protocol for an early-stage open-label feasibility trial testing psilocybin as a treatment for PGD in 20 adults, with a focus on young adults. Participants receive a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin within a structured therapeutic process that includes preparation and integration sessions. The main aims are to assess safety, feasibility, and acceptability. Outcome measures include changes in PGD and trauma symptoms, cognitive flexibility, openness to experience, meaning in life, and subjective experiences. Functional MRIs are collected pre- and post-dosing during a standardized grief-elicitation task to evaluate neural activity.
Chronic pain and functional disabilities can transform a person's identity and sense of meaning. Existing treatments often fail to provide adequate pain relief or functional recovery, and psychological issues like depression, anxiety, and fear of movement can worsen outcomes by reducing engagement in rehabilitation. Psilocybin alters consciousness by changing connectivity in brain regions involved in self-perception and movement. Early evidence suggests it helps with psychiatric disorders and unhelpful coping, but its potential for pain relief and improving rehabilitation participation through changes in self-perception and meaning-making is underexplored. This article proposes using psilocybin as a psychophysical adaptogen to reframe perceived barriers to exercise and improve both illness identity and neuromotor outcomes.