Psychedelics & Spirituality Preprint

The Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) announces the release of “Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Training in the US: A Landscape Analysis,” an assessment of the current state of psychedelic facilitation training programs across the United States.

Commissioned by the CSWR and conducted by leading experts Roman Palitsky, MDiv, PhD (Emory Spiritual Health, Woodruff Health Sciences Center and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine) and Caroline Peacock, LCSW, DMin (Emory Spiritual Health and Winship Cancer Center Institute), the report’s findings are based on 13 established and emerging psychedelic facilitation training programs and presents the first detailed systematic analysis of both growing strengths and notable gaps in spiritual, existential, religious, and theological (SERT) care training.

View the preprint below or visit the article page on PsyArXiv.

The project is part of the Center’s work on psychedelics and spirituality and reflects its commitment to bringing scholarly rigor to emerging questions at the intersection of consciousness, healing, and spiritual practice.

Abstract 

Skilled interpersonal support and safety monitoring can enhance the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds and reduce the potential for harm. In the anticipation of legalized psychedelic care, and the recognition of ongoing psychedelic use across a variety of contexts, numerous training programs have been established to educate psychedelic facilitators in supporting individuals who take psychedelics. However psychedelic facilitation training in the US has not been well characterized, making it difficult to appraise the strengths, needs, and gaps in in this emerging discipline, especially with regard to the development of competencies in spiritually responsive care. This project used a quality improvement approach to identify common priorities, practices, needs, and gaps in the emerging field of psychedelic facilitation training from the standpoint of 13 established and emerging training organizations from the US. Interviews were conducted with one or more representatives from each participating organization. Notes from these interviews, once confirmed by the interviewees, were synthesized to identify common practices, procedures, priorities, and gaps. Areas of focus among the programs included: careful selection of trainees and faculty; content emphases in instruction; addressing spiritual, existential, religious, and theological topics; and teaching strategies used in programs. Several gaps were also identified, pointing to the need for continuing education among program graduates, parity with other disciplines, and development of field standards in training facilitators. Psychedelic facilitation training is an evolving discipline. Training programs and trainees may benefit from greater collaboration, including ongoing exchange about best practices and adjustments to scientific, social, economic, and regulatory developments.