Creating Greater Safety in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Spaces

As psychedelic-assisted therapy nears medical legalization, reports of therapist abuse against clients are increasing, revealing a pattern of exploitation and power abuses. Using a survivor-centered framework, this research synthesizes three survivors' accounts of therapy abuse and analyzes interviews with four psychedelic therapists. It finds that current protocols and safeguards to protect clients from sexual abuse or boundary violations are often insufficient. To reduce harm and promote safer experiences, the field needs a multi-faceted system of safeguards, including rigorous therapist education and certification, comprehensive misconduct reporting, immediate investigations, and clear ethical codes.

Study at a glance

Abstract

As the medical legalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy quickly approaches in Western society, more stories of abuse by psychedelic therapists against clients are emerging, tracing a disturbing pattern and history of exploitation and abuses of power in the field.Utilizing the survivor-centered approach as a theoretical framework, this research study examines the existing literature about safety within psychedelic-assisted therapy spaces, provides a synthesis of three survivors' accounts of therapy abuse, and analyzes four interviews conducted with psychedelic therapists in order to answer the research questions: 1) What are the protocols and safeguards currently in place to protect clients from sexual abuse or boundary violations during psychedelicassisted therapy treatments? 2) Which have worked, which have failed, and which need to be changed or added?To reduce harm and promote safer experiences for clients, the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy needs to implement a multi-faceted process of safeguards, including more rigorous education and training in the therapist certification process, comprehensive avenues for reporting misconduct, immediate investigations into allegations, and definitive codes of ethics and norms of conduct.