Psilocybin-containing mushroom-assisted psychotherapy is associated with sustained psychological and somatic improvements: two case studies from Jamaica
Caitlyn Hanna Sams, Jasmine Davis, Anuradha Ramdas, Rupika Delgoda, Denise C. Vidot, Marvin Reid, Winston de la Haye
Frontiers in Psychiatry July 29, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1876189 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Two female patients undergoing the De La Haye Psilocybin Treatment Protocol |
| Interventions | Psilocybin-containing mushroom biomass Psychohistoriographic psychotherapy |
| Dose | combined psilocybin and psilocin content of 1-2 mg versus 40-60 mg |
| Duration | Two months post-treatment follow-up |
| Measures | Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ-30) |
| Topics | Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Key findings | Both patients reported improvements in psychological and somatic symptoms after the DPTP, including reduced shame, increased self-confidence, pain reduction, improved mood, and in one case 80-90% recovery of smell and taste. The authors caution that spontaneous improvements cannot be excluded. |
Abstract
We report two case studies that examine the therapeutic potential of structured psilocybin-containing mushroom biomass regimens administered within a clinical framework, evaluating their impact on mental health outcomes as well as associated somatic symptoms. Two patients underwent the De La Haye Psilocybin Treatment Protocol (DPTP), which integrates micro- and high-doses (combined psilocybin and psilocin content of 1-2 mg versus 40-60 mg) with psychohistoriographic psychotherapy. Follow-up included an integration session and subsequent office visits, including the completion of the Revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ-30) two months post-treatment. Case 1 described a 29-year-old female with social anxiety, self-criticism, chronic musculoskeletal pain, and a recent diagnosis of diabetes. Post-treatment, she reported reduced shame, increased self-confidence, and substantial reductions in pain severity. Case 2 involved a 44-year-old female presenting with depression, hopelessness, and long-COVID-related anosmia and ageusia. She reported enhanced psychological resilience, improved mood, and resolution of diffuse body aches. Following the therapeutic dose, she also reported a 80-90% recovery of smell and taste after three years of dysfunction, post COVID-19 infection. The MEQ-30 scores were both high, indicating profound mystical-type experiences. These cases demonstrate improvements in psychological and somatic symptoms following participation in the DPTP. While the pain reduction and observed recovery of olfactory and gustatory function is noteworthy, spontaneous improvements cannot be excluded and further controlled investigation is warranted.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Both patients reported psychological and somatic improvements after a structured mushroom protocol, though authors caution spontaneous improvement cannot be excluded.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prolonged adverse effects from repeated psilocybin use in an underground psychedelic therapy training program: a case report | 2025 | Case study | |
| Suicide of a patient shortly after psilocybin-assisted psychedelic therapy: A case report 60-year-old man with recurrent depression and history of delusions | 2025 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Refractory CRPS pain treated with psilocybin: A case report A patient with refractory complex regional pain syndrome | 2024 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Underground small-group therapy of treatment-resistant depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) with psilocybin—A retrospective case study A woman in her early forties with early complex trauma and treatment-resistant depression | 2023 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine dependence: a case report involving daily methamphetamine use A 36-year-old transwoman who was a daily methamphetamine user | 2024 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cites 25
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Validation of the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin Journal of Psychopharmacology October 6, 2015
- Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Journal of Psychopharmacology October 11, 2017
- Single-Dose Psilocybin Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder JAMA August 31, 2023
- Factor Analysis of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire: A Study of Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 2012
and 20 more in the library