Mitigating Ethical Issues in Training for Psychedelic Therapy

Abstract In the present paper, we analyze the ethical issues in training for psychedelic therapy and discuss mitigation strategies for these issues. Specifically, after describing models of psychedelic training, we describe four problems of psychedelic training: (1) the imperative for comprehensive training due to vulnerability of participants, (2) psychedelic but not psychotherapeutic experience in training, (3) self-disclosure of psychedelic experience, and (4) guruism. In the following, we will delineate mitigation strategies with regard to these ethical issues: we underline the necessity of ethics codes and training, but also argue for the importance of monitoring and control, also through video recording. For accountability, psychedelic practitioners should hold professional licensure. When they offer psychotherapy, they should be trained in psychotherapy. Furthermore, a cooling off period after therapists’ personal experience with psychedelics (“honeymoon”) is warranted.