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ViewAttendees 5

Symposia

Treatment - Other

Understanding the Experiences of Providers and Patients in Psychedelic-Assisted CBTs

1 - (SYM 37) Using CBT to Address Common Challenges in Psychedelic-assisted Therapy: Results from a Qualitative Study of Psychedelic Therapists

Friday, November 15, 2024
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM EST
Location: 401/402, Level 4, Downtown Marriott
Abstract Body
While clinical trials have started to evaluate the efficacy of psychedelics in controlled settings, there remains a significant gap in understanding the application and challenges of psychedelic use in “real world” contexts. This qualitative study sheds light on the experiences of individuals who utilize psychedelics outside of clinical trials, focusing on the challenges they encounter and how CBT interventions can be used to address these issues. This community sample is likely more representative of the population when psychedelic-assisted therapy eventually becomes disseminated given the high number of exclusionary criteria that is typical of early clinical research. This paper discusses qualitative results from in-depth interviews of 6 therapists experienced in conducting psychedelic integration therapy with clients in the community. Interviews focused on the therapists’ perceptions of the most common challenges faced by individuals following psychedelic use. Results of these interviews revealed a range of difficulties encountered by their clients, including: 1) distress triggered by newfound insights or confrontations with previously avoided memories, problems, or aspects of the self, 2) resurfaced trauma memories, 3) identity crises, 4) disconnection from relationships, 5) disappointment in lack of expected results, and 6) difficulty readjusting to daily life. This presentation will discuss how CBT approaches can be effectively employed to address these common challenges during psychedelic integration. These results will be highly relevant when psychedelic-assisted therapy becomes legally available and therapists begin to encounter more complex clients who will experience more frequent difficulties after psychedelic administration.