CMPS - Do Psychedelic Treatments Always Require Psychotherapy? Well We Need To Look 'Beyond Reductionism' | Benzinga
The question of whether psychedelic treatments always require psychotherapy is one hotly debated among researchers, and answers -as well as backstories- vary throughout the whole spectrum.
For instance, on a recent edition of the Psychedelic Safety Seminars organized by philosopher and researcher Jules Evans, COMPASS Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS)'s chief medical officer Dr. Guy Goodwin stood with a no, while on the opposite end, MIND Foundation's head of therapy and training Dr. Max Wolff said yes.
Note: Opinions below contemplate psychedelic therapy as provided within a clinical environment, not real-world, unsupervised use.
The Drug’s Effect
Dr Goodwin has previously argued (see article in the American Journal of Psychiatry) that the proven benefits of psilocybin were studied when the substance was paired with "psychological support” and not traditional psychotherapy.
Particularly when high doses are being delivered, he said, "it is not really possible for a patient to interact very meaningfully with a therapist” given their inward state. And even preparation and integration sessions, in his view, need not be done by a licensed psychotherapist.
For Goodwin (and the management and team at COMPASS), one of the reasons supporting the opinion that psilocybin’s clinical effects owe more to the drug than to the psychotherapy is that ...