Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Alexander Belser, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Thomas Cody Swift, Sara Terrana, Neşe Devenot, Harris L. Friedman, Jeffrey Guss, Anthony P. Bossis, Stephen Ross
Journal of Humanistic Psychology April 28, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/0022167817706884 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis |
| Intervention | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy |
| Dose | moderate dose |
| Topics | Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Interpretative phenomenological analysis Psychotherapist Feeling Distress Qualitative research Trance |
| Citations | 305 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may provide an effective treatment for psychological distress in cancer patients, with common themes including relational embeddedness, emotional range, meaningful visual phenomena, and revised life priorities. |
Abstract
The psychological mechanisms of action involved in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy are not yet well understood. Despite a resurgence of quantitative research regarding psilocybin, the current study is the first qualitative study of participant experiences in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 13 adult participants aged 22 to 69 years ( M = 50 years) with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis. Participants received a moderate dose of psilocybin and adjunctive psychotherapy with an emphasis on the process of meaning-making. Verbatim transcribed interviews were analyzed by a five-member research team using interpretative phenomenological analysis. General themes found in all or nearly all transcripts included relational embeddedness, emotional range, the role of music as conveyor of experience, meaningful visual phenomena, wisdom lessons, revised life priorities, and a desire to repeat the psilocybin experience. Typical themes found in the majority of transcripts included the following: exalted feelings of joy, bliss, and love; embodiment; ineffability; alterations to identity; a movement from feelings of separateness to interconnectedness; experiences of transient psychological distress; the appearance of loved ones as guiding spirits; and sharing the experience with loved ones posttreatment. Variant themes found in a minority of participant transcripts include lasting changes to sense of identity, synesthesia experiences, catharsis of powerful emotion, improved relationships after treatment, surrender or “letting go,” forgiveness, and a continued struggle to integrate experience. The findings support the conclusion that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may provide an effective treatment for psychological distress in cancer patients. Implications for theory and treatment are discussed.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Participants described psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as providing meaningful experiences and revised life priorities, suggesting it may be an effective treatment for psychological distress in cancer patients.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| Cancer at the Dinner Table: Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Distress Adult participants with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis | n = 13 |
| Reports of self-compassion and affect regulation in psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. non-Hispanic White cisgender men and women with alcohol use disorder | 2023 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| Expert Opinion on Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Psychotic Symptoms Experts in psychiatry, clinical psychology, medicine, and psychedelics | 2022 | Qualitative study | n = 12 |