Interpersonal neurobiology in somatic & psychedelic assisted therapy: A somatic relational framework for psychedelic practitioners
UWA Profiles and Research Repository November 28, 2025 DOI: 10.26182/fkd5-5131 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Practitioners of psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Attunement Liminality Interpersonal communication Perspective graphical Somatic cell Psychotherapist Interpersonal relationship Developmental psychology Jungian analytical psychology |
| Key findings | A framework integrating somatic preparation, relational attunement during dosing, and body-based integration is proposed for psychedelic-assisted therapy. |
Abstract
This doctoral thesis develops a somatic psychotherapeutic framework for psychedelic-assisted therapy through interviews with twelve practitioners. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, Heuristic Inquiry, and Integral Inquiry, it suggests that psychedelics deepen somatic experience, reopen attachment critical windows, and amplify relational processes. The framework integrates three phases: somatic preparation, relational attunement during dosing, and body-based integration. Effective practice requires ongoing practitioner somatic work, personal experience with liminal states, and capacity for relational depth. The framework contributes essential clinical rationale for somatic-relational training in psychedelic-assisted therapy and others directions for future neurobiological and phenomenological research.