Integrating Holistic Communication into Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies in Hospice and Palliative Care: An Approach Based on Peplau's Theory.
Ana Cláudia Mesquita Garcia, Felipe Teixeira, Lucas Oliveira Maia
Journal of Holistic Nursing September 3, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/08980101251374371 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | End-of-life distress Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Hospice Interpersonal relations Nursing Palliative care. Psychedelics |
| Key points | Proposes that Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations provides a structured yet flexible framework for therapeutic communication in psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly in hospice and palliative care. |
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown promising results in alleviating psychological and existential suffering among individuals with serious illnesses. In parallel, nursing offers a robust theoretical framework to guide therapeutic communication in this context. This article explores the application of Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations (PTIR) as a foundation for holistic communication in PAT, particularly in hospice and palliative care. We examine how PTIR's core concepts (person, health, environment, and nursing) along with its articulation of therapeutic roles, phases of the nurse-patient relationship, and the concept of anxiety as a signal of unmet needs, can be integrated into PAT's preparation, dosing, and integration phases. Drawing on a fictional case study involving a patient with advanced cancer, we illustrate how nurses can use PTIR to support emotional processing, foster insight, and promote personal growth during psilocybin-assisted therapy. By aligning Peplau's theory with the emerging field of PAT, this article highlights nursing's vital contribution to the development of safe, ethical, and compassionate psychedelic care practices. The integration of PTIR into PAT provides a valuable model for holistic nursing, offering structured yet flexible guidance for therapeutic communication with patients facing the complex emotional, spiritual, and existential dimensions of life-limiting illness.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on end-of-life distress, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palliative Nursing and Sacred Medicine: A Holistic Stance on Entheogens, Healing, and Spiritual Care. Patients with advanced serious illness | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psychedelics and Dying Care: A Historical Look at the Relationship between Psychedelics and Palliative Care. Historical context of dying care | 2019 | Historical analysis | |
| Psychedelics, spirituality, and existential distress in patients at the end of life. | 2025 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psychedelic Ethics in Palliative Care. | 2025 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Responding to existential distress at the end of life: Psychedelics and psychedelic experiences and/ as medicine | 2024 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 20
- 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
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Set and setting, psychedelics and the placebo response: An extra-pharmacological perspective on psychopharmacology Journal of Psychopharmacology November 16, 2016
- Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for psychiatric and existential distress in patients with life-threatening cancer Journal of Psychopharmacology January 9, 2020
and 15 more in the library