Psychedelics as a Training Experience for Psychedelic Therapists: Drawing on History to Inform Current Practice
Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 23, 2021 DOI: 10.1177/00221678211021204 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Training meteorology Consciousness Hallucinogen Variety cybernetics Medical education Applied psychology |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key points | Argues that archival data from the Spring Grove LSD Training Study can inform current efforts to include psilocybin experiences in psychedelic therapist training programs. |
Abstract
The therapeutic use of psilocybin in psychedelic-assisted therapy models is currently being tested for a variety of indications, necessitating the training of hundreds of therapists. At present, training programs do not include the provision of a psilocybin experience for therapists, and the last time such an experience was offered with a similar compound was through the Spring Grove LSD Training Study between 1969 and 1974. This article explores archival Spring Grove data to inform training programs and efforts to establish or provide training experiences with psilocybin or otherwise include experiences with nonordinary states of consciousness in the training of psychedelic therapists.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm General population | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| What Geometric Visual Hallucinations Tell Us about the Visual Cortex | 2002 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- Models of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Contemporary Assessment and an Introduction to EMBARK, a Transdiagnostic, Trans-Drug Model Frontiers in Psychology June 2, 2022
- Personal psychedelic experience of psychedelic therapists during training: should it be required, optional, or prohibited? International Review of Psychiatry June 12, 2024
- Further education in psychedelic-assisted therapy - experiences from Switzerland. BMC Medical Education March 5, 2025
- Experiential Training in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: A Risk-Benefit Analysis. The Hastings Center Report July 1, 2024
- Mitigating Ethical Issues in Training for Psychedelic Therapy Neuroethics April 1, 2025
and 16 more in the library
Cites 21
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Antidepressant Efficacy of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial American Journal of Psychiatry August 28, 2013
and 16 more in the library