We launched the Challenging Psychedelic Experiences project in September 2022. We raised $100,000 in funding from two funders, neither of whom work in the psychedelic industry, both of whom requested to remain anonymous donors. We're seeking funding for 2024 - see our project pitch deck in the column on the left.
You can see the poster we presented at Psychedelic Science here. And here is our article 'Extended Difficulties after a Psychedelic Experience', published in PLOS One.
You can see a short animated video of our findings here
We are now producing a paper on what helps people who experience extended difficulties after a psychedelic experience, and another study on existential confusion following psychedelic experiences.
In January 2023, two of our team - Anna Lutkajtis and Jules Evans - published a qualitative study of short-term integration challenges following a psilocybin retreat. You can read that paper here.
Our team has an unrivalled track record of research on spiritual emergencies, difficult meditative experiences and psychedelic integration. Here's some of our research publication highlights:
Jules Evans
Evans, Jules (2017), The Art of Losing Control, Canongate Books
Evans, Jules and Read, Tim (Eds). (2020). Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency . Aeon Books
Lutkajtis, A., & Evans, J. (2023). Psychedelic integration challenges: Participant experiences after a psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands, Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 6(3), 211-221. doi: https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2022.00232
Dr David Luke:
Irvine, Alexander and Luke, David (2022), Apophenia, absorption and anxiety: evidence for individual differences in positive and negative experiences of Hallucinogen Persisting Perceptual Disorder. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 6 (2) . pp. 1-16 ISSN: 2559-9283 (Print), 2559-9283 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2022.00195).
Luke, David (2019), Otherworlds: Psychedelics and Exceptional Human Experience., Aeon Books
Anna Lutkajtis
Lutkajtis, Anna. (2020). The Dark Side of Dharma: Meditation, Madness and Other Maladies on the Contemplative Path. Aeon Books.
Lutkajtis, Anna. (2021). Entity encounters and the therapeutic effect of the psychedelic mystical experience, Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 4(3), 171-178. Retrieved Aug 31, 2022, from https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/4/3/article-p171.xml
Lutkajtis, A., & Evans, J. (2023). Psychedelic integration challenges: Participant experiences after a psilocybin truffle retreat in the Netherlands, Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 6(3), 211-221. doi: https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2022.00232
Dr Katrina Michelle
Michelle, Katrina. (2017). Exploring Resistance to Spiritual Emergence: A Heuristic Inquiry. PhD submitted to Sofia University.
Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner:
Carhart-Harris et al (2021). Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for depression. New England Journal of Medicine. 384:1402-1411, DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032994
Murphy et al (2022), Therapeutic alliance and rapport modulate responses to psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12:788155 DOI:10.3389/fphar.2021.788155
Dr Oliver Robinson
Michael, Pascal; Luke, David; Robinson, Oliver (2021), An encounter with the other: a thematic and content analysis of DMT experiences from a naturalistic field study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12: 720717 . pp. 1-20 1664-1078 (Online) (doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720717).
Robinson, Oliver (2018). Paths Between Head and Heart: Exploring the Harmonies of Science and Spirituality. O Books.
In addition, our supervisory team includes psychologists and psychotherapists with field-leading experience in psychedelic therapy and spiritual emergencies, including Robin Carthart-Harris, Daniel Ingram, Nir Tadmor and Julieta Galante.