Psychedelic Therapy Never Includes Sexual Behavior
In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
If you have experienced abuse in a psychedelic setting you are not alone and it is not your fault. These transgressions are harmful, unethical, and illegal – and always the fault of the perpetrator. In this article you will find validation, helpful knowledge, and links to relevant resources.
Psychedelic Assisted Therapy with Ketamine, psilocybin, or MDMA is a powerful pathway to symptom relief and deep healing from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other issues. But this is possibly only when conducted in a safe, supportive, therapeutic environment.
What makes psychedelic therapy particularly vulnerable to abuse are three aspects:
The importance of touch in psychedelic therapy:
Unlike conventional psychotherapy, nurturing, non-sexual touch can play an important role in psychedelic therapy and can help repair traumatic experiences. Touch offers non-verbal support and care when you go through intense or difficult moments during therapy. Please know that, as part of informed consent, it is always your choice whether you want to be touched or not. A responsible, ethical provider will discuss this with you, including limits and boundaries.
Entering a non-ordinary state of consciousness (NOSC):
This creates uniquely vulnerable situations, for example, during MDMA therapy you might experience an expansive sense of love and might transfer this onto the therapist. Sexual abuse memories might resurface and lead to reenactments or sexualized responses and reactions. Again, a responsible provider will discuss this as part of informed consent and preparation and offer support, information, as well as caring boundaries.
Power dynamics, including but not limited to issues of privilege, oppression, and the “guru status” of certain people:
This is a concern both under- and above ground. Notably, several well-known, legal psychedelic therapy trainers/providers have come under fire for boundary transgressions (see here and here), and it has been reported in underground settings. Power dynamics are always something to be aware of in therapy – and when we bring in NOSCs this can become even more pronounced. A good therapist acknowledges these dynamics and actively works to counter them, including bringing up issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, oppression, and privilege. This article about accountability and transformative justice outlines in great detail how to work as individuals and as a community to make psychedelics safer for everyone.
Like all other psychotherapy domains, it is very regrettable that this special field has been shaken by recent boundary transgressions and sexual abuse scandals. See, for example, articles about ending the silence around psychedelic therapy abuse, focused on ayahuasca, addressing abuse that happened during MDMA therapy, and the article that played a major role in starting the discussion and bringing this topic to the forefront.
Healthy therapeutic relationships are based on a strong sense of ethics, awareness of power dynamics and differential levels of knowledge. Guiding altered states of conscious through psychedelics require training and experience. Ask your therapist or guide about their training in that area. This article outlines this more specifically, especially in group settings, and offers guidance about ethics, education, and accountability to avoid causing harm, and Chacruna created a Community Guide for the Awareness of Sexual Abuse. Two articles from Women’s Visionary Council address psychic self-defense and 20 safety tips for participation in ceremonies.
Unfortunately, there has been silencing, perhaps out of fear of a backlash against psychedelics. ASKP3 and especially Kriya Institute have created excellent codes of ethics, but they are not (yet) explicitly addressing sexual transgressions. Leading the field is the MAPS Code of Ethics, which does. An article in the Journal of Medical Ethics outlines the importance of respecting autonomy in altered states. And, an open letter to the psychedelic community, signed by 233 practitioners in the field outlines the challenge, provides resources and a strongly stated commitment to change the oversight problem within the psychedelic community. Look at those names when you are searching for an ethical therapist in this field.
If you have experienced sexual or other boundary transgressions, this and this website offer support and resources. If the person perpetrating the transgression is licensed professional, you have the right to file a complaint. This brochure might help. It is never your fault or your responsibility. It is the therapists / guides responsibility to uphold boundaries and keep you safe.
For more detail and guidance please listen to this important podcast.
This podcast offers additional resources about ethics and safety in psychedelic medicine.
If you want to dive deeper, especially as a practitioner, this research paper outlines relational ethical challenges in psychedelic healing, and this one ethical and legal challenges in psychedelic harm reduction and integration therapy.