Restorative Retelling for Processing Psychedelic Experiences: Rationale and Case Study of Complicated Grief
Débora González, Marc Aixalà, Robert A Neimeyer, Jordi Cantillo, Donald Nicolson, Magı́ Farré
Frontiers in Psychology May 3, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832879 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A woman suffering from Complicated Grief after her mother's suicide |
| Interventions | Ayahuasca Restorative Retelling |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Grief Autobiographical memory Psychotherapist Psychopathology Meaning existential Content measure theory Cognitive psychology Clinical psychology Recall |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca combined with Restorative Retelling reduced symptoms of complicated grief and psychopathology in a single case. |
Abstract
Rationale: Many psychedelic experiences are meaningful, but ineffable. Engaging in meaning-making regarding emerging symbolic content and changing previous schemas have been proposed as mechanisms of change in psychedelic therapy.
Objective: Firstly, we suggest the implementation of a Restorative Retelling (RR) technique to process and integrate the psychedelic experience into autobiographical memory, in a way that fosters meaning-making. We also show how ayahuasca has the potential to evoke key psychological content in survivors, during the process of grief adjustment following the death of a loved one.
Methods: The rationale for the implementation of RR to process psychedelic experiences and a case study of a woman suffering from Complicated Grief (CG) after her mother’s suicide are presented.
Results: Evaluations conducted before the ayahuasca experience and after RR suggest the effectiveness of ayahuasca and RR in reducing symptoms of CG and psychopathology.
Conclusion: This case report illustrates an effective adaptation of the RR technique for processing the psychedelic experience. The significance of the study and its limitations are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A fatal intoxication following the ingestion of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in an ayahuasca preparation. 25-year-old white male | 2005 | Case study | n = 1 |
| The Diaspora of Brazilian Religions | 2013 | Ethnographic case studies | |
| EEG Gamma Coherence and Other Correlates of Subjective Reports During Ayahuasca Experiences Experienced ayahuasca users | 2005 | Exploratory case series | n = 2 |
| Reply to “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: A case of acquired versus congenital aphantasia, as evidenced with DMT use? Individual with apparent congenital aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| “Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: Enhanced visual imagery after ayahuasca intake in a man with “blind imagination” (aphantasia) A man self-diagnosed with long-lasting aphantasia | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Coming back together: a qualitative survey study of coping and support strategies used by people to cope with extended difficulties after the use of psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Psychology May 28, 2024
- Brain Networks, Neurotransmitters and Psychedelics: Towards a Neurochemistry of Self-Awareness. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports August 1, 2024
- Narrative review of the potential for psychedelics to treat Prolonged Grief Disorder International Review of Psychiatry May 23, 2024
- Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy for grief: a non-randomized clinical trial protocol. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024
- Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial. Scientific Reports September 1, 2025
and 6 more in the library
Cites 22
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Psychological Medicine June 15, 2018
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
- Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003
and 17 more in the library