Psilocybin Experiential Therapist Training: Insights from a World-First Study
Georgia Ioakimidis-Macdougall, John Gardner, Paul Liknaitzky
medRxiv November 17, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.1101/2025.11.15.25340324 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study with quantitative measures and semi-structured interviews |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Mental healthcare professionals training to provide psilocybin-assisted therapy |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Dose | 25 mg |
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Experiential learning Context archaeology Mental health Reflective practice Alliance Psychotherapist Patient experience Health care Clinical psychology Embodied cognition Therapeutic relationship Exposure therapy |
| Key findings | A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin in a clinical context helped mental health professionals develop embodied understanding of therapeutic principles and increased therapeutic qualities such as empathy, attunement, and emotion regulation. |
Abstract
Abstract First-hand experience with psychedelics may help clinicians develop skills and knowledge needed to work with the profound changes to conscious awareness occasioned by psychedelics. However, the topic remains contentious and underexplored. In this world-first study, we investigated the utility of psilocybin experiential therapist training in a sample of 14 mental healthcare professionals training to provide psilocybin-assisted therapy. Participants received one 25 mg dose of psilocybin in a clinical research context alongside psychological support before, during, and after dosing. Quantitative measures and semi-structured interviews were then undertaken by participants to explore their experiences and reflections. Through the intervention, participants reported developing a greater and embodied understanding of key therapeutic principles and processes. Moreover, they reported increases in therapeutic qualities (e.g., empathy, attunement, emotion regulation) that underpin therapeutic alliance and promote trust and safety. While participants did not report experiencing harms from participation, they speculated about two potential risks of psychedelic experiential therapist training: first, that it could elicit challenging material that feels destabilising for a period; and second, that therapists could project their experience onto clients in a manner that narrows interpretative range and reduces attunement. Recommendations were made for psychedelic experiential therapist training design and implementation, including strategies to mitigate such risks. Participants indicated that psychedelic experiential therapist training is necessary but not sufficient for providing the highest quality of care in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Findings support the inclusion of an optional psychedelic experiential component within psychedelic therapist training programs for clinicians with prior psychotherapeutic training and well-developed reflective capacity.