September 11, 2026
Joseph M. Diehl, Christina Chwyl, Liliana Kennedy et al.
preprint
The therapeutic relationship is considered central to psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet little empirical research has examined how it changes during 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) or relates to acute MDMA experiences and clinical outcomes, particularly for social anxiety disorder (SAD). This preregistered secondary analysis examined therapeutic alliance and...
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...
Open MIND
July 1, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Ryan Cook, Devin Gregoire
Data from the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN), which runs an ongoing single-arm prospective longitudinal cohort study of safety and outcomes for individuals receiving state-regulated psilocybin services.
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...
World Psychiatry
June 1, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Michael S. Ladka, Joshua C. Black et al.
Prevalence and predictors of sexual and physical violence during psychedelic use in a US population-based study.
Neuroethics
May 13, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Alissa Bazinet, Adrianne R Wilson-Poe et al.
Informed consent in psychedelic-assisted services is ethically complex, difficult to implement, and remains largely unstudied and unstandardized. The current study sought expert recommendations on informed consent challenges, best practices and recommendations for supervised psilocybin experiences across various settings. Participants with psilocybin content expertise and psilocybin providers...
February 19, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Alissa Bazinet, Adie Wilson-Poe et al.
1 citation
preprint
Background: Informed consent in psychedelic-assisted services is ethically complex, difficult to implement, and remains largely unstudied and unstandardized. Objective: The current study sought expert recommendations from experienced psychedelic facilitators on what constitutes informed consent best practices for supervised psychedelic experiences across various settings. Methods: Participants...
BMC Psychology
January 21, 2026
Christina Chwyl, Angelica Spata, Will Lucas et al.
Findings indicate a "mindset-over-molecule" pattern wherein psychological context ("set") is more strongly associated with psychedelic outcomes than substance type alone.
The International journal on drug policy
2026
Christina Chwyl, Adrianne R Wilson-Poe, Kim Hoffman et al.
3 citations
There remain significant gaps in knowledge about best practices for facilitated psychedelic care and psychedelic-assisted therapy. To inform the development of service models that support safe and beneficial experiences, this qualitative study explored expert perspectives on current and ideal standards of care, including key practices (e.g., screening, adapting care to diverse contexts) and...
Open Science Framework
2026
Christina Chwyl, M. Kati Lear, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
Self-compassion is theorized to play a central role in promoting mental health and wellbeing, including for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One proposed mechanism of MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for SAD is the cultivation of self-compassion. Across five aims, we will characterize self-compassion experiences during MDMA-AT and evaluate its role as a potential mechanism of...
Research Square
September 12, 2025
Christina Chwyl, Angelica Spata, Will Lucas et al.
Abstract Background Self-transcendent and mystical experiences may be key mechanisms underlying psychedelics’ therapeutic effects, yet how these experiences differ across substances remains unclear. This study compared mystical and self-transcendent experiences across psilocybin, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and cannabis in a diverse, community-based sample, while accounting for...
Research Square
August 5, 2025
Christina Chwyl, Odin S. Elvenes, Andrew S. R. Kleven et al.
2 citations
Abstract Background Psychedelic integration is widely acknowledged as essential, yet limited empirical data exists on challenges faced during integration. Objective To explore therapists' perspectives on post-psychedelic integration challenges and their approaches to supporting clients. Methods Online interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of licensed mental health professionals who...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 12, 2020
Jason B. Luoma, Christina Chwyl, Geoff J. Bathje et al.
206 citations
After a two-decade hiatus in which research on psychedelics was essentially halted, placebo-controlled clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental health conditions have begun to be published. We identified nine randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy published since 1994. Studies examined psilocybin, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide),...