Journal of Palliative Medicine
August 1, 2022
William E Rosa, Zachary Sager, Megan Miller et al.
49 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a promising treatment for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, substance use disorder, and PTSD. In palliative care, a single PAT session can produce lasting reductions in anxiety, depression, and demoralization—symptoms that harm quality of life for seriously ill and end-of-life patients. Although interest in psychedelics has revived, few resources exist for applying PAT in hospice and palliative care. This article provides 10 evidence-informed tips for palliative care clinicians, developed with international experts, to help familiarize teams with PAT, address legal and logistical barriers, discuss therapeutic competencies, and highlight approaches to maximize safety and benefits for patients and caregivers.
JAMA Network Open
December 5, 2024
Anthony L. Back, Timara K Freeman-Young, Ladybird Morgan et al.
37 citations
A double-blind randomized trial tested psilocybin therapy against niacin in 30 US clinicians (physicians, advanced practice practitioners, and nurses) who developed depression, burnout, or PTSD from frontline COVID-19 pandemic work. Participants had no prepandemic mental health diagnoses but had moderate or severe depression at enrollment. After one medication session, depression symptoms (measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) improved significantly more with psilocybin (mean decrease of 21.33 points) than with niacin (mean decrease of 9.33 points), a difference of 12.00 points. Burnout and PTSD symptoms showed numerically larger improvements with psilocybin, but these differences were not statistically significant. The findings suggest psilocybin therapy can reduce depression in this postpandemic condition.
J Palliat Med
April 13, 2021
Yvan Beaussant, James A. Tulsky, Benjamin Guérin et al.
34 citations
Researchers from palliative care, psychosocial oncology, spiritual care, oncology, and psychedelic-assisted therapies identified seven key opportunities for advancing research on psychedelic-assisted therapy for people with serious illness. Four opportunities relate to science and design: clarifying which conditions the therapy is indicated for, developing and refining therapeutic protocols, investigating how set and setting affect outcomes, and understanding mechanisms of action. Three opportunities concern institutional and societal drivers: education and certification for therapists, regulations and funding, and diversity and inclusion. Participants also noted epistemological limitations of the medical model for understanding psychedelics' therapeutic value.
Psychedelic Medicine
May 8, 2024
Susanna Myers, John Guy, Anthony L. Back et al.
7 citations
A research team developing a group retreat-based psilocybin-assisted therapy trial created initial practice guidelines for ethical and supportive facilitator use of touch. After two unexpected touch-related experiences during the first three retreats, the guidelines were iterated. The revised guidelines specify acceptable practices to ensure participant safety and a supportive therapeutic experience. The primary goal is to create a haptic experience that reinforces participants' sense of safety and supports their own experience during the psilocybin session. A secondary goal is to help facilitators maintain therapeutic boundaries while responding to participant experiences with empathy and openness.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 1, 2025
Alexa E Albert, Anthony L. Back
5 citations
Pathological narcissism is a complex, treatment-resistant disorder involving unstable self-esteem that swings between grandiosity and vulnerability, making a stable self-image difficult to maintain. Few empirically supported therapies exist, and long-term psychoanalytic approaches often have high dropout rates. Recent research suggests combining psychedelics like MDMA with psychoanalytic therapy may offer a novel treatment. MDMA enhances empathy, trust, and social bonding, and can reopen critical periods for social learning in adults. It promotes psychological flexibility and openness, strengthening the observing ego—key for recognizing and changing maladaptive patterns.
Psychedelic Medicine
January 18, 2026
Anthony L. Back, Bonnie A. Mcgregor, Leslie Lazar Thorn et al.
1 citation
A group retreat model of psilocybin therapy for people with metastatic cancer and anxiety or depression was safe and well tolerated. Fifty-two participants attended a 3-day retreat with 25 mg psilocybin, supported by virtual and in-person sessions. No episodes of unattended distress occurred during the psilocybin sessions. Anxiety and depression symptoms, measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, decreased by an average of 7.3 points from baseline to 28 days after the retreat, a statistically significant reduction. The findings suggest that a group configuration of eight participants with four core facilitators can be safe for future studies in people with serious medical illness.
Psychedelic Medicine
December 23, 2025
Anthony L. Back, Bonnie A. Mcgregor, Lindsay Billingsley et al.
1 citation
A group facilitation model for psilocybin therapy, developed for an FDA-approved Phase 1 to 2 clinical trial, draws on anthropological studies of ritual, specifically rites of passage, to structure a secular retreat for people with metastatic cancer experiencing anxiety or depression. The model uses three phases: separation (preparation), liminal (psilocybin dosing session), and reincorporation (integration). Ritual functions psychologically to support emotional regulation and meaning-making, and communally to embed individual experience in shared intention and care. This is the first FDA-approved clinical trial of a secular ritual-based group facilitation model for psychedelic therapy with empirically demonstrated safety and efficacy outcomes.
Journal of Palliative Medicine
July 15, 2020
Anthony L. Back
1 citation
No Summary
Journal of Palliative Medicine
November 9, 2018
Anthony L. Back
1 citation
No Summary
Frontiers in Public Health
April 14, 2026
Anthony L. Back, Bonnie A. Mcgregor, Leslie L. Thorn et al.
A second experience of group retreat psilocybin therapy appears safe and feasible for people with metastatic cancer who did not fully benefit from a first session. In a small study of 13 partial responders, the protocol was modified with a higher initial dose (35 mg), an optional 10 mg booster, and no requirement to taper antidepressants. Seven participants received the booster. Anxiety and depression scores improved substantially, with 69% of participants scoring below the clinical threshold at follow-up. The proportion reporting a complete mystical experience rose from 38% after the first session to 77% after the second, without more challenging experiences. Social support and group cohesion also improved and were maintained at 24 weeks.