{"id":38079,"date":"2025-03-18T13:11:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T13:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=38079"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:03:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T13:03:05","slug":"what-to-expect-during-psychedelic-assisted-therapy-an-all-inclusive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-during-psychedelic-assisted-therapy-an-all-inclusive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Expect During Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: An All-Inclusive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

A variety of consciousness-altering drugs, known as psychedelics, have captured the attention of clinicians, patients, investors, and <\/span>policymakers worldwide<\/span><\/a> in light of a growing body of research indicating the powerful therapeutic potential of these substances. Psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) using substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine demonstrate <\/span>significant promise<\/span><\/a> to generate positive treatment outcomes for individuals affected by conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatment-resistant depression (TRD), substance use disorders (SUDs), and other mental health disorders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While clinical research on the benefits and risks of these therapies is ongoing, recent developments indicating potential mental health benefits associated with psychedelic substances have incited national and international<\/span> movements<\/span><\/a> to decriminalize and legalize certain psychedelics. Such promising results have further driven the development of new university-based research programs, FDA approval of a <\/span>ketamine-based nasal spray<\/span><\/a> for depression, and an increasing number of therapeutic centers around the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With increasing acceptance and awareness of PAT, more people are taking an interest in the benefits offered by this approach to psychotherapy. However, given that most psychedelic substances remain illegal in the US and other countries, what exactly is involved in PAT treatment and how to access such treatment remains unclear to many curious potential patients. So, what is a psychedelic-assisted therapy session like, and what exactly happens in these treatments?<\/strong> This article will shed some light on these topics, providing more information on what PAT practices have been studied and what these treatments typically involve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therapeutic Psychedelics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Also known as psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP), <\/span>psychedelic-assisted therapies<\/span> involve the supervised administration of certain psychedelic drugs<\/a> to a patient under the guidance of a specialized, licensed psychotherapist or psychiatrist. PAT involves using medically supervised administration of psychedelic drugs in conjunction with psychotherapy to address certain persistent mental health conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Drugs classified as \u201cpsychedelics\u201d (also called \u201challucinogens\u201d) are a group of natural or synthetic psychoactive substances that cause altered states of human perception and mood. Psychedelics affect various cognitive processes in ways that can transform how individuals understand themselves, others, and the world more generally. Such effects have been considered to be particularly important for people struggling with inflexible thought patterns involved in many mental health disorders.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, because the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies many of these potentially therapeutic psychedelics \u2014 such as MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin \u2014 as <\/span>Schedule I controlled substances<\/span><\/a>, these drugs are considered illegal, and they are difficult to obtain for research or medicinal application.<\/span><\/p>\n

As of now, ketamine is the only legal psychedelic substance available to the public across the US, and the only country to have legalized therapeutic uses of psilocybin and MDMA is Australia. That said, some US states are moving toward legalizing psilocybin, with <\/span>Oregon<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Colorado<\/span><\/a> having legalized therapeutic applications of the substance, and other states like <\/span>California<\/span><\/a> have seen recent efforts to legalize psychedelic treatments with psilocybin as well. However, psychedelic-assisted therapy may be available through research centers that are conducting controlled trials on PAT using a variety of psychedelics for individuals with specific conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The following substances are most commonly applied in current studies and treatment centers using psychedelic drugs to treat various mental health disorders:<\/span><\/p>\n

Psilocybin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Psilocybin<\/span><\/a> is a naturally occurring psychedelic fungal compound that interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, producing the hallucinatory experiences for which these \u201cmagic mushrooms\u201d are well-known. Such effects induced by the compound have particularly occupied the interests of researchers in recent years, as these hallucinatory experiences are often accompanied by profound antidepressant and antianxiety effects. The evidence of psilocybin\u2019s clinical significance even prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to designate the federally illegal compound as a \u201c<\/span>breakthrough therapy<\/span><\/a>\u201d\u00a0for <\/span>treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depressive disorder (MDD)<\/span><\/a> in 2018 and 2019, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

LSD\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a laboratory-synthesized psychedelic substance that also interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain to produce hallucinatory experiences. Despite being widely illegal in the United States and across the globe due to stigma associating the drug with recreational abuse and countercultural movements, LSD demonstrates <\/span>serious potential<\/span><\/a> to provide therapeutic benefits to individuals affected by anxiety and comorbid depression.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ketamine\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ketamine<\/span><\/a> is considered a dissociative anesthetic that distorts sensory perception, with approved uses in various hospital and veterinary settings. Unlike the other psychedelics on our list, ketamine is classified as a <\/span>Schedule III drug<\/span><\/a>, meaning the US federal government considers the substance to have legitimate medical applications and a lower potential to create dependence or addiction in users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In clinical medicine, ketamine is often used as a general anesthetic, but it is also used to alleviate treatment-resistant pain and seizures. Additionally, ketamine has been found to provide relief for individuals affected by symptoms associated with PTSD, TRD, and MDD. For treating depression, ketamine is available specifically in the form of esketamine (S(+)-ketamine), an FDA-approved intranasal spray taken under clinical supervision. Ketamine can also be administered off-label through an IV infusion.<\/span><\/p>\n

MDMA\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Also referred to as \u201cecstasy\u201d or \u201cmolly,\u201d the compound <\/span>3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine<\/span><\/a> (MDMA) is a laboratory-synthesized psychedelic drug derived from amphetamines. This substance is known for its hallucinogenic and stimulant effects that produce feelings of intensified sensory perception, elevated mood, sociability, and increased energy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like psilocybin and LSD, MDMA is a highly illegal substance that the US government recognizes as having no medical use and a high potential for addiction. However, MDMA shows remarkable potential as a therapeutic drug for helping those who suffer from <\/span>PTSD<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>certain eating disorders<\/span><\/a>, and anxiety experienced as a result of living with <\/span>life-threatening illnesses<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>autism<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Can Benefit from Psychedelic Therapy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Psychedelic-assisted therapies are still undergoing different experimental trials using varying techniques, with different drugs also being applied to treat different conditions. Most of the research on the medicinal benefits of using psychedelic substances for therapeutic purposes involves using these techniques to treat psychiatric disorders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Various psychedelic therapies have shown strong promise to treat the symptoms associated with the following psychiatric conditions:<\/span><\/p>\n