Australia’s world-first psilocybin studies: clinical insights, therapist training applications, and future innovations

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy has shown promising safety and efficacy in treating depression, substance use disorders, and end-of-life distress. Although many trials report reductions in anxiety symptoms, no study to date has directly tested psilocybin's effectiveness in treating a primary anxiety disorder. Relatedly, while both psychedelic therapists often claim that prior personal experience with psychedelics is crucial for developing therapeutic competence, no study has assessed this before.

We conducted two world-first studies with psilocybin: one focused on therapist training and the other on treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). In the therapist training study, 14 therapist volunteers underwent a structured protocol involving preparation, psilocybin dosing (25 mg), and integration, with changes in self-reported professional competencies assessed. The GAD trial was a randomized active-placebo-controlled study with 73 participants, assessing the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a brief treatment protocol involving nine psychotherapy sessions and two psilocybin sessions (25 mg and 30 mg). Additional measures included quality of life, depression, and substance use.

This talk will provide an overview of the rationale, design, key outcomes, and lessons learned from both studies, and flag new and innovative research on psilocybin from our group.

Dr Paul Liknaitzky is Head of the Clinical Psychedelic Lab, and Senior Research Fellow within the Dept of Psychiatry at Monash University. He has played a central role in establishing the field of clinical psychedelic research in Australia, and is the Principal Investigator on a program of psychedelic trials.

Liknaitzky leads the country’s largest and most experienced group of psychedelic researchers and clinicians, and collaborates with numerous psychedelic groups nationally and internationally. In Australia, Liknaitzky established the first psychedelic lab, coordinated the first applied psychedelic therapist training program, obtained the first industry funding for psychedelic research, and co-convenes the Australasian Research Group on Psychedelic Science. Liknaitzky’s work is focused on investigating novel applications for psychedelic therapies, translating evidence into best clinical practice, exploring under-examined risks, delivering next-generation therapist training, and improving access and affordability.

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Date: Wednesday 26th Feb, 2025

Venue: Online

Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm AEST

Cost: Free - Talking Point is a free seminar series but registrations are essential

Register: click here to register there is no cost to attend but registrations are essential