AJN American Journal of Nursing
May 16, 2021
Andrew Penn, Caroline Dorsen, Stephanie Hope et al.
40 citations
Psychedelics, studied from 1943 to 1970 as potential treatments for mental health disorders including addiction, were halted in the early 1970s by the U.S. Controlled Substances Act. As psychedelic-assisted therapy develops, nurses can decide their role in clinical and scholarly research. The article proposes that nurses become familiar with the history, language, and scientific findings of psychedelic research, learn about existing therapy and research resources, examine their own thoughts and judgments about therapeutic psychedelic use, and consider nursing's potential role in these therapies going forward.
Addiction Research & Theory
March 30, 2018
Caroline Dorsen, Joseph J Palamar, Michele G. Shedlin
21 citations
Ceremonial use of psychoactive plant-based drugs like ayahuasca and psilocybin is growing in the US, but little is known about the users or how they distinguish such use from recreational drug use. Interviews with 15 plant medicine facilitators revealed they view ceremonial use as a natural healing practice within community and ritual, clearly separate from recreational use. They see plant medicine as a potential treatment for addiction, though concerns exist about interference with recovery. The use may also influence recreational drug habits. More research is needed on who uses plant medicines, their motivations, and risks.
J Midwifery Womens Health
May 6, 2022
Cindy A. Stein, Andrew Penn, Stephanie Van Hope et al.
9 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy shows promise for treating common mental health disorders, yet many midwives lack knowledge about its benefits, best practices, and integration into treatment plans. This review describes current applications and legal status of psychedelic medicines, and explores how midwifery practice could expand with further training. It also highlights disparities in research and treatment access for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC populations, who have been historically excluded from this field.
Palliative & Supportive Care
January 21, 2025
Caroline Dorsen, Lola Noero, Michelle Knapp et al.
5 citations
Fifteen facilitators of naturalistic psychedelic groups in the United States described community as essential to every aspect of psychedelic work: from motivation to use psychedelics, through the dosing experience, to integrating lessons into daily life. Thematic analysis identified two overarching themes: the arc of healing through community (with subthemes of intention, the group journey experience, and integration) and naturally occurring psychedelic communities as group therapy (with subthemes of belonging, authenticity, corrective experience, trust, and touch). The findings suggest that existing knowledge about therapeutic group processes may help structure and optimize group psychedelic work. More research is needed on group size, composition, substance selection, facilitator training, and community integration. Psychedelic groups may provide benefits that individual work does not.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
September 1, 2024
Carolyn M. Porta, Madison E. Weirick, Anna Graefe et al.
4 citations
A survey of 1,133 Minnesota nurses in 2023 found mixed attitudes toward psychedelic decriminalization: 45.7% in favor, 20.1% against, and 34.2% unsure. Most nurses were open to therapeutic use and 80.7% were interested in observing psychedelic sessions, while 74.1% believed nurses have an important role in psychedelic health care. However, only 26.5% were confident in their knowledge about potential benefits for mental health conditions and 21.2% about mechanisms of action. As psychedelics may be reclassified by the FDA, nurses need more education to support evidence-based use for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction.
Journal of hospice and palliative nursing : JHPN : the official journal of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
April 1, 2025
Megan Miller, Molly Meyers, Annona Martin et al.
3 citations
A rapid review of 34 articles from 2021 to 2024 finds that psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is safe and shows initial efficacy for improving psycho-spiritual-existential outcomes in carefully screened patients with serious illness, predominantly cancer. Psilocybin was the most studied compound. Protocols commonly included participant screening, preparation, dosing, and integration. The review highlights current efforts and challenges in integrating PAT into palliative care systems. More research is needed with diverse samples, provider training, care delivery models, and policy solutions. Many patients lack basic psychosocial-spiritual-existential care, so careful integration is essential. The psychedelic substances discussed are not FDA approved.
J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs
November 19, 2024
Anna Graefe, Madison E. Weirick, Scott B. Harpin et al.
3 citations
Registered nurses in one U.S. state generally hold positive attitudes toward psychedelics in healthcare, but opinions on the legal landscape, including decriminalization, are mixed. Only 12.7% reported any psychedelic content in their training, and most expressed low confidence in their knowledge. The findings align with prior research on provider attitudes, though this sample showed slightly more favorable views and higher knowledge scores. The study suggests that additional education in psychedelic science is needed to prepare nurses for this emerging area of mental health care.
Psychedelic Medicine
February 8, 2026
Carolyn M. Porta, Cheng-Chang Wu, Anna Graefe et al.
A survey of 1,092 registered nurses in Minnesota found that age, gender identity, spiritual orientation, awareness of Colorado's psychedelic decriminalization, and attitudes about psychedelics' legal status and effects best predict whether a nurse supports decriminalization. The predictive model showed excellent accuracy, with a multiclass AUC of 0.870. Younger age, awareness of Colorado's laws, and less concern about psychedelics' effects and legal status were associated with more positive attitudes. The model provides a starting point for tailoring educational resources on psychedelics for nurses nationwide.
Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing
April 1, 2025
Megan Miller, Molly Meyers, Annona Martin et al.
A rapid review of 34 articles published between January 2021 and July 2024 synthesizes evidence on psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) in palliative care. Psilocybin was the most studied compound. Results support the safety and initial efficacy of PAT for psycho-spiritual-existential outcomes among carefully screened, highly homogeneous samples of patients with serious illness, predominantly cancer. The review highlights current efforts and challenges in integrating PAT into palliative care systems. Additional work is needed to explore safety and efficacy in more diverse samples, train providers, determine optimal care delivery models, and develop policy solutions for safe and equitable access. The authors argue that careful consideration is required because many patients lack basic psychosocial-spiritual-existential care.