Psychedelics
August 13, 2026
Stephanie R. Rodriguez, PSS Daniel Friedrich, Kim Hoffman et al.
Psychedelics have been researched for decades, yet clinical investigations represent only a small fraction of their use. Some states have launched supervised psychedelic wellness services, outpacing controlled trials in the numbers of participants served. Veterans are key advocates for legal therapeutic access to psychedelics, seeking options through grassroots veteran-run organizations that...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 5, 2026
Catherine S. Hwang, David C. Cameron, Allison O’Neill et al.
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy has emerged as a potential strategy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We conducted a national serial cross-sectional study of U.S. Veterans with PTSD from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023, to quantify the prevalence of potential contraindications, risk factors, and drug-drug interactions relevant to MDMA-assisted...
Open MIND
July 14, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Jason B. Luoma, Stephanie R. Rodriguez et al.
PTSD is a prevalent and debilitating condition, for which many individuals do not seek or complete treatment. As new PTSD treatments are being evaluated, such as psychedelic-assisted therapies, it’s important to understand the preferences of individuals for whom these treatments are being developed. To date, no research has directly compared preferences for psychedelic-assisted therapies...
June 4, 2026
Jason B. Luoma, M. Kati Lear, Brian Pilecki et al.
preprint
Background: ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has positive effects on socio-emotional processing and MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) showed promise for treating SAD in a previous placebo-controlled trial. Aims: Develop a preliminary estimate of clinical response and safety for MDMA-AT versus waitlist in adults with SAD. Secondary aims included refinement of a standardized psychotherapy...
Frontiers in Neuroscience
2026
Jenna E Kachmarik, Jennifer M Loftis, Christopher S. Stauffer
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with elevated inflammation and risk for chronic illness, yet few studies have examined inflammatory biomarker outcomes of PTSD interventions. Rapid PTSD symptom reduction has been observed following 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy, which leverages MDMA as a prosocial adjunct to psychotherapy. No studies have evaluated...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
July 1, 2025
Dilara Bahceci, Krista J. Siefried, Maureen Steele et al.
Methamphetamine use disorder, associated with significant morbidity and mortality, has limited effective treatments. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy shows promise, but data on its safety and efficacy in this population are limited. This exploratory study describes the demographic, substance use, and mental health characteristics of people who used methamphetamine and psychedelics and the...
Research Square
February 13, 2025
Ayanna K. Bell, Bianca R. Watt, Arturo S. Lopez Flores et al.
1 citation
Abstract Background Cultural biases within healthcare systems result in inequitable treatment, harms, and mistrust—particularly for individuals with marginalized identities. Cultural humility training is dynamic, reflective, and emphasizes person-centered care and mutual respect. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging modality for treating psychiatric disorders. Practice manuals and...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 29, 2025
Jason B. Luoma, Kim Hoffman, Adrianne R Wilson-Poe et al.
3 citations
New legal frameworks for supervised psychedelic services are emerging, with Oregon and Colorado implementing programs to train and license psilocybin facilitators. This study describes Oregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce and assesses state-approved training programs. The Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN) reviewed Oregon Health Authority-approved training programs and surveyed...
Am J Psychiatry
2025
Aaron Wolfgang, Vetisha L. McClair, Paula P. Schnurr et al.
6 citations
Research and Implementation of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in the Veterans Health Administration.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
2025
Dimitri Perivoliotis, Kayla Knopp, Shannon Remick et al.
2 citations
Although effective evidence-based trauma-focused psychotherapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are available, a significant proportion of patients show a suboptimal response or do not complete them. MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for PTSD is a promising intervention currently being evaluated in numerous studies worldwide, including investigation for potential Food and Drug...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
June 18, 2024
Kim Hoffman, Alissa Bazinet, Kellie Pertl et al.
14 citations
Background: Voter initiatives in Oregon and Colorado authorize legal frameworks for supervised psilocybin services, but no measures monitor safety or outcomes. Aims: To develop core measures of best practices. Methods: A three-phase e-Delphi process recruited 36 experts with 5 or more years’ experience facilitating psilocybin experiences in various contexts (e.g., ceremonial settings,...
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
March 1, 2024
Jason B. Luoma, Luke R Allen, Veronika Gold et al.
14 citations
MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) is an emerging treatment modality, with recent phase 3 trials indicating its potential for regulatory approval. Central to this therapy is the role of touch, yet its empirical evaluation in MDMA-AT, and psychotherapy in general, remains limited. The use of touch in combination with MDMA raises concerns about power imbalances and ethical boundaries. This article...
Am J Psychiatry
2024
Kelley C. O’donnell, Brian T Anderson, Frederick S. Barrett et al.
31 citations
Misinterpretations and Omissions: A Critical Response to Goodwin and Colleagues' Commentary on Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy.
Am J Psychiatry
2024
Michael Alpert, Kelley C. O’donnell, Casey Paleos et al.
22 citations
Psychotherapy in Psychedelic Treatment: Safe, Evidence-Based, and Necessary.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 6, 2023
Elliot Marseille, Manish Agrawal, Paul Thambi et al.
40 citations
Objective To compare group and individual psychedelic-assisted therapy in terms of clinician time, costs and patient access. Methods Using 2023 data from two group therapy trial sites, one using 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and one using psilocybin to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), we compared overall variable costs, clinician...
Journal of military, veteran and family health
December 1, 2023
Zachary Skiles, James R Dixon, Dan Friedrich et al.
The field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and state-run psychedelic services will need to adequately train and certify facilitators to meet the anticipated demand for access. This article explores the role of peer support in the setting of medical and non-medical supervised psychedelic administration. Existing peer-support frameworks from both the psychedelic and the Veteran communities...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
March 14, 2023
Jonathan Brett, Elizabeth Knock, Paul Liknaitzky et al.
16 citations
Methamphetamine use disorder is a chronic relapsing condition associated with substantial mental, physical, and social harms and increasing rates of mortality. Contingency management and psychotherapy interventions are the mainstays of treatment but are modestly effective with high relapse rates, while pharmacological treatments have shown little to no efficacy. Psilocybin-assisted...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 10, 2022
Christopher S. Stauffer, Melanie Brown, Dee Adams et al.
40 citations
Introduction Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience stigma, discrimination, trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at higher rates compared to the general population; however, TGD people have been underrepresented in PTSD research. Clinical trials of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy demonstrate promising safety and efficacy for the...
Psychopharmacology
March 7, 2022
Aryan Sarparast, Kelan Thomas, Benjamin Malcolm et al.
85 citations
As MDMA and psilocybin continue to move through the FDA drug development process, this systematic review offers a compilation of existing research on psychiatric drug-drug interactions with MDMA or psilocybin.
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
December 9, 2020
Christopher S. Stauffer, B. Anderson, Kile Ortigo et al.
65 citations
Attachment insecurity is determined early in life, is a risk factor for psychopathology, and can be measured on two separate continuous dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Therapeutic changes toward more secure attachment correlate with reduction in psychiatric symptoms. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated promise in the treatment of psychopathology, such as...
EClinicalMedicine
September 24, 2020
B. Anderson, Alicia Danforth, Prof Robert Daroff et al.
271 citations
BACKGROUND: Psilocybin therapy has shown promise as a rapid-acting treatment for depression, anxiety, and demoralization in patients with serious medical illness (e.g., cancer) when paired with individual psychotherapy. This study assessed the safety and feasibility of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in older long-term AIDS survivor (OLTAS) men, a population with a high...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Alexander Trope, B. Anderson, Andrew R. Hooker et al.
113 citations
Contemporary research with classic psychedelic drugs (e.g., lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin) is indebted to the twentieth-century researchers and clinicians who generated valuable clinical knowledge of these substances through experimentation. Several recent reviews that highlight the contributions of this early literature have focused on psychedelic-assisted individual...