Holding space on shifting ground: an interpretative phenomenological analysis into counsellors' journeys through the psychedelic renaissance
ERA April 29, 2026 Camilla Akoo
Counsellors navigating the emergence of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies (PAPs) in the UK face ethical, professional, and personal complexities. Through in-depth interviews with five qualified counsellors, three key themes emerged: the role of personal psychedelic experience in preparing for PAP work, the impact of stigmas related to psychedelics and PAPs on counsellors, and ethical concerns including legal ambiguity, practitioner responsibility, and cultural appropriation. The analysis drew on person-centred and psychodynamic counselling theory to provide therapeutic context.