Commentary on Schettino et al.: What counts as psychotherapy? Empirically grounding a normative dispute in psychedelic research.

This commentary argues that the debate over whether psychedelic-assisted interventions qualify as psychotherapy should be grounded in empirical evidence rather than normative assumptions. The author examines the criteria typically used to define psychotherapy—such as therapeutic relationship, theoretical framework, and intentional therapeutic process—and evaluates how these apply to psychedelic sessions. The piece suggests that the classification has practical implications for research, regulation, and clinical practice. By focusing on what actually occurs during psychedelic sessions, the commentary aims to move the discussion from abstract definitions to observable features, ultimately proposing that the answer depends on the specific practices and contexts involved.

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Abstract

Commentary on Schettino et al.: What counts as psychotherapy? Empirically grounding a normative dispute in psychedelic research.