Supportive Touch in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy.
Logan Neitzke-Spruill, Caroline Beit, Lynnette A. Averill, Amy L. Mcguire
The American Journal of Bioethics 2025 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2433428 (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 | Psychiatry/psychology Professional ethics Research ethics Therapeutic touch Professional boundaries Medical ethics Altered states |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key points | Argues that supportive touch in psychedelic-assisted therapy warrants a precautionary harm-reduction approach rather than being completely rejected. |
Abstract
In August 2024, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected Lykos Therapeutics, Inc.'s new drug application for midomafetamine with psychological intervention (MDMA-AT) to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the many issues raised during review was concern about a highly publicized case of alleged sexual misconduct by an unlicensed therapist during a Phase 2 study of MDMA and the potential risk of future abuse. This incident of misconduct, along with several other publicized cases of misconduct by guides, facilitators, and shaman offering psychedelic retreats, has raised the question of whether physical contact is ever appropriate during psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). Drawing on research about supportive touch in other clinical contexts and taking into consideration features of psychedelics that exacerbate the potential for harm associated with supportive touch, we advocate for a precautionary approach to harm-reduction while arguing that supportive touch ought not be thrown out whole-cloth.
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 16
- 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
- From Theory to Practice: The Importance of Operationalizing and Measuring Ethical Touch in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. The American Journal of Bioethics January 13, 2025
- Holding Without Touch: Supportive Touch in Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy The American Journal of Bioethics January 2, 2025
- Breaking the chains of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of psilocybin therapy Journal of Affective Disorders December 17, 2025
and 11 more in the library
Cites 22
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Subjective Reports of the Effects of MDMA in a Clinical Setting Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1986
- Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review Frontiers in Psychiatry July 12, 2022
- A review of the acute subjective effects of MDMA/ecstasy Addiction March 24, 2006
- Unifying Theories of Psychedelic Drug Effects Frontiers in Pharmacology March 2, 2018
and 17 more in the library