Psychedelic Therapists and Personal Experience With Psychedelics: A Scoping Review of the Empirical Literature and Considerations for Psychedelic Experiential Therapist Training

Abstract

In the context of substantial and persistent unmet need in mental healthcare, there is a pressing demand for innovative therapeutic approaches. Against this backdrop, psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising intervention for a range of mental health disorders (Bogenschultz et al., 2022; Carhart-Harris et al., 2021; Hendricks et al., 2026; Johnson et al., 2026; Mitchell et al., 2021; Raison et al., 2023). Alongside a growing empirical evidence base, authorised clinical access to PAT is expanding globally. To meet growing workforce demands and safeguard the quality of PAT, it is crucial to determine how best to train psychedelic therapists. Experiential learning may represent a vital component of PAT training. This view is reflected in longstanding historical consensus regarding the importance of personal psychedelic experience among those facilitating its therapeutic use (George et al., 2019; Mangini, 1998; Strassman, 2001). Personal experience is proposed to enhance a range of skills and qualities vital for psychedelic therapists, including empathy and attunement, therapeutic presence, and proficiency navigating non-ordinary states of consciousness (Dames et al., 2024; Nielson, 2024; Phelps, 2017). Contemporary experts and trainers increasingly advocate for the incorporation of optional Psychedelic Experiential Therapist Training (PETT) components into PAT training programs (Dames et al., 2024; Negrine et al., 2026; Passie et al., 2025), with some organisations already implementing this (Aicher et al., 2025; Ioakimidis-MacDougall et al., in press; Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, 2021). Despite this growing momentum, empirical data on the methodology, safety, feasibility, and potential benefits and challenges of PETT remains limited. This paper addresses this gap through a scoping review mapping the existing empirical and scholarly literature related to personal psychedelic experience in psychedelic therapists, with the aim of developing a set of evidence-informed considerations to guide the design and implementation of PETT. This research contributes to building the training infrastructure necessary to develop competent psychedelic therapists and support the broader clinical implementation of PAT.

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