Understanding Change Following Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: A Phenomenological Study

The field of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is growing and broadening, with significant implications for treatment-resistant behavioral health disorders for which traditional therapies have limited impact. Determining the efficacy of such treatments with populations seeking relief from trauma-related chronic behaviors must include an understanding of trauma’s complex impact on regulatory functioning, the perceptual and functional changes experienced as a result of PAT, and implications for future research in addressing trauma-related treatment resistance. To understand the phenomenon of change, questions of motivation, experience, and outcomes in this treatment type must be understood. In this qualitative phenomenological study, 10 patients at a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinic with 6 or more months of PAT shared their lived experiences of the treatment and its aftereffects. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted over a period of 7 weeks. Patients were also asked to complete an adverse childhood experiences questionnaire and basic demographics. Following the interviews, transcription review for codes and themes resulted in distinct concepts across all interviews, including, but not limited to, emotional catharsis, self-worth and acceptance, boundary setting, equanimity, purpose and meaning, healing through ritual and intention, and acceptance of life’s cycles. A discussion of shared motivational factors, treatment experiences, therapy outcomes, and implications for further research and the application of PAT for chronic and treatment-resistant disorders provides insights for the field and practice of psychology.