Frontiers in Psychiatry
September 1, 2026
Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Sarah Shnayder, Geena Fram et al.
Introduction Psilocybin treatment has shown promise for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet clinical response is variable. Little is known about the subjective experiences associated with divergent outcomes or the psychological processes differentiating responders from non-responders. Materials and methods A qualitative case comparison was conducted using...
February 11, 2026
Sarah Shnayder, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Troy Hubert et al.
preprint
Background: Psilocybin treatment has shown promise across a range of psychiatric conditions. Mystical-type experiences during dosing sessions have been shown to predict the clinical effects of psilocybin treatment in depression, anxiety, and addiction. However, no studies have examined whether acute subjective experiences predict treatment response in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)....
January 15, 2026
Benjamin Kelmendi, Thomas G. Adams, Terence H. W. Ching et al.
preprint
Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 2-3% of the population worldwide. 40-60% of patients do not respond to first-line interventions. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with treatment-resistant OCD.Methods: In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 28 adults with treatment-resistant OCD to receive a...
SSRN Electronic Journal
2026
Ben Kelemndi, Thomas G. Adams, Terence H. W. Ching et al.
1 citation
Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 2–3% of the population worldwide, and 40–60% of patients do not respond to first-line treatments. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in adults with treatment-resistant OCD.Methods: In this phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, Yale University...
2026
Sarah Shnayder, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Caitlin Laycox
This project is a scoping review examining the relationship between self-compassion, compassion, and psychedelic experiences or psychedelic-assisted therapies. The purpose of the review is to systematically identify, chart, and synthesize the existing literature on how compassion-related constructs are conceptualized, measured, and discussed in psychedelic research. The review will include...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 10, 2025
Terence H. W. Ching, B. Stahnke, Sarah Shnayder et al.
3 citations
Introduction The subjective effects of psilocybin on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are under-explored. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study of participant experiences from the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of single-dose psilocybin combined with unstructured and non-directive support for individuals with treatment-refractory OCD. Our research explored how participants...
The international journal for the psychology of religion
October 1, 2024
Joshua Lipson, Thomas Ford, Miles Beattie et al.
ABSTRACT The present study aimed to characterize the relationship between mystical experience and psychopathology measures in a general-population sample of 763 U.S. adults. The participants were assessed across various domains including psychopathology, spirituality, personality, and life experience. The analysis revealed three distinct profiles among individuals: Transcendent Wellness,...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
February 16, 2024
Terence H. W. Ching, Lucia Amoroso, Calvin Bohner et al.
correction
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1278823.].
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 9, 2024
Terence H. W. Ching, Lucia Amoroso, Calvin Bohner et al.
9 citations
Background To date, few randomized controlled trials of psilocybin with non-directive support exist for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Results and participant feedback from an interim analysis of an ongoing single-dose trial (NCT03356483) converged on the possibility of administering a higher fixed dose and/or more doses of psilocybin in future trials for presumably greater benefits....
Cancer
December 18, 2023
Manish Agrawal, Yvan Beaussant, Sarah Shnayder et al.
73 citations
Abstract Background Depression is common in patients with cancer and is associated with lower treatment adherence and reduced quality of life. Antidepressants and psychotherapy have limited success in improving depression among patients with cancer. This study explored the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of psilocybin‐assisted therapy in patients with cancer and major depressive disorder....
Journal of Clinical Oncology
June 1, 2023
Manish Agrawal, Sarah Shnayder, Heather Honstein et al.
2 citations
12021 Background: Up to 25% of people living with cancer have depression. Existing psychological interventions have limited efficacy in treating depression. Psilocybin, a 5-hydroytrptamintergic psychedelic, coupled with group therapy is safe and effective in ameliorating symptoms of depression (Agrawal et al, ASCO 2022). Response to psilocybin treatment was observed in 83.3% of patients at 8...
Journal of Affective Disorders
February 15, 2023
Sarah Shnayder, Rezvan Ameli, Ninet Sinaii et al.
67 citations
While psychedelics have been shown to improve psycho-spiritual well-being, the underlying elements of this change are not well-characterized. The NIH-HEALS posits that psycho-social-spiritual change occurs through the factors of Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in NIH-HEALS scores in a cancer population with major...
Journal of Clinical Oncology
June 1, 2022
Manish Agrawal, Paul Thambi, Sarah Shnayder
3 citations
12097 Background: More than 17 million people in the U.S. live with cancer and up to 25% of them have major depression. Depression leads to lower treatment adherence, reduced quality of life, and higher rates of mortality in cancer. Yet, interventions used to treat depression in patients with cancer have limited success. Prior trials using psilocybin to treat anxiety and depression associated...