Psychedelic-assisted grief therapy: a mixed-method case study

A woman in her thirties grieving her father's death from cancer underwent nine sessions of Meaning Reconstruction Therapy that included two ayahuasca sessions and subsequent integration sessions. The intervention prevented the development of complicated grief. Analysis of therapy session content and psychometric measures taken before, after, and at a three-month follow-up suggests that meaning reconstruction, psychological flexibility, and maintaining a continuing bond with the deceased were key processes driving the improvement.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This paper focuses on a single case of ayahuasca-assisted grief therapy for the prevention of complicated grief, conducted within a clinical trial. The participant, a woman in her thirties who lost her father to cancer, completed a 9-session process of Meaning Reconstruction Therapy (MRT) organised around two ayahuasca sessions. Following each psychedelic experience, she also completed a psychedelic integration session. The case study investigates the effect of the intervention, the observed changes in the participant, and the potential processes of change which may account for this improvement. The analysis relies on a qualitative narrative approach to examine the content of each therapy session, as well as on the psychometric measures completed at baseline, post-treatment, and at the three-month follow-up. These results are linked to emerging theories in the field, with a particular focus on the role of meaning reconstruction, psychological flexibility, and a continuing bond with the deceased.