Psychedelic Medicine
January 12, 2026
Kelsey T. Laird, Prabha Siddarth, Ashley Ramos et al.
Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that mystical experiences mediate the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The current study examines associations between mystical experiences and components of “set” (positive mindset, participant intentions, and spirituality) and “setting” (perceived positivity of the dosing environment) in the context of psilocybin-assisted therapy for...
Psychedelic Medicine
December 26, 2025
Rhianna Rich, Kelsey T. Laird, Prabha Siddarth et al.
Background: Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has shown promising results for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other mental health conditions. Although the precise mechanisms of psychedelic therapies remain unclear, many studies report increased feelings of connectedness following psychedelic experiences. Specifically, both nature relatedness (one’s subjective sense of being connected...
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
August 2021
Kelsey T. Laird, Ineke Vergeer, Sarah E Hennelly et al.
Meta-analyses suggest that dance has potential to decrease psychological distress, increase trait mindfulness, and enhance quality of life. Conscious dance can be defined as unchoreographed, intentionally nonevaluative mindful movement commonly practiced in a group setting for purposes of authentic self-expression, self-discovery, interpersonal connectedness, and personal healing or growth. To...
2021
Kelsey T. Laird, Felipe A Jain, Helen Lavretsky
Mind–body therapies that include meditation (e.g., mindfulness-based therapies, transcendental meditation, mantra meditation, and yoga) have demonstrated efficacy for enhancing mental health in a range of clinical and healthy populations. Of the forms of meditation, empirical research has most commonly focused on mindfulness-based approaches. Existing evidence suggests that, on average, both...
Neurogastroenterology & Motility
April 7, 2020
Bruce Naliboff, Suzanne R. Smith, J. G. Serpa et al.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common and often debilitating chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Pharmacological treatments are often ineffective, leading to the development of a variety of behavioral interventions. Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) is one such program that has shown efficacy in reducing gastrointestinal (GI)...
Current Psychiatry Reports
January 25, 2018
Kelsey T. Laird, Pattharee Paholpak, Michael Roman et al.
A growing body of research supports the use of mind-body therapies (MBTs) as minimally invasive and effective approaches for the management of late-life mood and cognitive disorders. Recent randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses indicate that MBTs are effective for enhancing well-being, mood, sleep, and cognition in older adults. Evidence suggests that mindful movement (e.g., yoga, tai...