Counselors’ Training Needs in Effectively Engaging With Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
Elif Bor
ODU Digital Commons October 6, 2026 DOI: 10.25777/zfy1-pt58 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory sequential mixed-methods study using Concept Mapping Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Licensure-seeking and licensed counselors |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Key points | Counselors identified 142 statements organized into 16 clusters across three conceptual regions: solidifying counselors' place in PAT, developing evidence-based PAT practice, and ensuring specialized ongoing development. The authors argue these regions highlight the importance of foundational counseling competencies, specialized clinical and interdisciplinary knowledge, and ongoing professional development and systemic awareness for counselor engagement in PAT-related work. |
Abstract
As public and scientific interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) continues to grow, counselors are increasingly encountering clients who are exploring or engaging in psychedelic use for therapeutic purposes. Such encounters introduce new ethical, clinical, and professional considerations. Counselors must develop an informed understanding of psychedelics and their effects, recognize the emotional and cognitive processes that may emerge during psychedelic experiences, and be prepared to respond to potential risks or adverse reactions (Aicher et al., 2025). They also need to competently answer client questions, assess risk and suitability, facilitate the integration of psychedelic experiences, and collaborate with medical and other professionals who involved in PAT (Curtis et al., 2020). Despite this emerging clinical reality, the counseling profession currently lacks formal guidance, established competencies, and integrated training pathways related to PAT. While other mental health disciplines have begun addressing these developments, little is known about counselors’ specific training and resource needs for ethical and competent engagement in this evolving area of practice. The purpose of this study was to identify and organize counselors’ perceived training and resource needs for ethically and effectively supporting clients involved in PAT. Using Concept Mapping (CM; Trochim, 1989), an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, this study engaged licensure-seeking and licensed counselors in a collaborative process to generate, structure, and interpret ideas regarding the knowledge, skills,and resources necessary for preparedness in PAT-related practice. Through this structured methodology, the study produced a data-driven conceptual framework reflecting counselors’ collective perspectives on professional readiness for PAT. Findings resulted in 142 statements organized into 16 clusters across three conceptual regions: (1) Solidifying Counselors’ Place in PAT, (2) Developing Evidence-based PAT Practice, and (3) Ensuring Specialized Ongoing Development in PAT. Together, these regions highlighted the importance of foundational counseling competencies, specialized clinical and interdisciplinary knowledge, and ongoing professional development and systemic awareness for counselor engagement in PAT-related work. Implications are discussed for counselors, counselor educators, clinical supervisors, and future research.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis | n = 10 |
| Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| The hidden therapist: evidence for a central role of music in psychedelic therapy Patients undergoing psychedelic therapy with psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 19 |