Mitigating Ethical Issues in Training for Psychedelic Therapy
Christopher Poppe, Daniel Villiger, Dimitris Repantis, Manuel Trachsel
Neuroethics April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12152-025-09596-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Neuropsychology Training meteorology Psychotherapist Medical education Engineering ethics Cognition |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key points | Argues that ethical issues in psychedelic therapy training require mitigation strategies including ethics codes, video monitoring, licensure, psychotherapy training, and a cooling-off period after personal psychedelic experience. |
Abstract
Abstract In the present paper, we analyze the ethical issues in training for psychedelic therapy and discuss mitigation strategies for these issues. Specifically, after describing models of psychedelic training, we describe four problems of psychedelic training: (1) the imperative for comprehensive training due to vulnerability of participants, (2) psychedelic but not psychotherapeutic experience in training, (3) self-disclosure of psychedelic experience, and (4) guruism. In the following, we will delineate mitigation strategies with regard to these ethical issues: we underline the necessity of ethics codes and training, but also argue for the importance of monitoring and control, also through video recording. For accountability, psychedelic practitioners should hold professional licensure. When they offer psychotherapy, they should be trained in psychotherapy. Furthermore, a cooling off period after therapists’ personal experience with psychedelics (“honeymoon”) is warranted.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theorizing that Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May Play a Role in the Treatment of Trauma-Induced Personality Disorders. | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Awe: a putative mechanism underlying the effects of classic psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Ethical and legal issues in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Towards psychedelic apprenticeship: Developing a gentle touch for the mediation and validation of psychedelic-induced insights and revelations. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Key competencies for psychedelic treatment in real-world mental health care settings. General Hospital Psychiatry 2025
- Ethical issues with psychedelic-assisted treatments in psychiatry: A systematic scoping review Psychological Medicine 2025
- Expectations and Motivations for Participation in Clinical Trials Utilizing Psychedelics for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Qualitative Study. Brain and Behavior June 1, 2026
- Integration in classic psychedelic-assisted therapies for mental health conditions: a scoping review Psychedelics July 1, 2026
- A landscape analysis of psychedelic facilitation training in the US. PLoS One May 29, 2026
and 5 more in the library
Cites 25
- Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
- MDMA-assisted therapy for moderate to severe PTSD: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Nature Medicine October 1, 2023
- Single-dose psilocybin for a treatment-resistant episode of major depression: Impact on patient-reported depression severity, anxiety, function, and quality of life Journal of Affective Disorders February 3, 2023
- Studying Harms Is Key to Improving Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy—Participants Call for Changes to Research Landscape JAMA Psychiatry March 29, 2023
- Consciousness, Religion, and Gurus: Pitfalls of Psychedelic Medicine. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science April 9, 2021
and 20 more in the library