Our Research

Psilocybin-Assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) Therapy for End-of-Life Distress in Patients with Advanced Cancer

We have developed a new method of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for end-of-life distress in patients with advanced cancer called PEARL Therapy. A series of studies will be conducted at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre to examine the feasibility, safety and efficacy of PEARL Therapy.

Learn more about the PEARL Therapy research study.

Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) Therapy for Caregivers

The loved ones of advanced cancer patients often report higher levels of distress than the patients themselves. We are planning pilot studies of PEARL therapy for caregivers of advanced cancer patients and for bereaved caregivers.

Educational Scholarship

Researchers at the UHN PPRG are interested in how to best train competent psychedelic practitioners who are equipped to provide high-quality, ethical psychedelic therapy. As part of this effort, the team conducted an in-depth mixed-methods evaluation of the Foundations of Psychedelic Psychotherapy Course hosted in conjunction with the Michener Institute of Education. Researchers have also conducted a qualitative study examining trainee perspectives of Holotropic Breathwork as a form of experiential training for psychedelic therapists. In collaboration with bioethics researchers, the UHN PPRG team completed an ethical analysis of the risks and benefits of experiential training in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy published in the Hastings Center Report.

A Survey Study of Ayahuasca Drinking Practices in Canada and the USA: Preparation, Setting and Integration

Ayahuasca is the Quechua-language name for a psychoactive tea used for centuries by various peoples in the Amazon rainforest. While there is a long history of ritual ayahuasca use among select Indigenous and mestizo Amazonian communities, more recently its use has expanded to a variety of contexts around the world.

Researchers at the UHN Psychedelic Psychotherapy Research Group are conducting a mixed-methods survey-based study on the drinking practices of people using ayahuasca in Canada and the USA. This will help us learn more about how people in North America are using ayahuasca and what happens afterwards including perceived benefits and risks, integration practices and extended challenging experiences.

Learn more about the survey-based study of ayahuasca drinking practices.

The Risks and Benefits of Using 5-MeO-DMT in a Retreat Setting

This mixed-methods observational study conducted in collaboration with Enfold in British Columbia will provide real-world data about the risks, benefits and observed effects of using 5-MeO-DMT in a retreat setting in Canada. 5-Methoxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a potent classic psychedelic found in nature in the secretions of the Bufo Alvarius toad and made synthetically in the lab. Known as the "God Molecule" it can induce strong ego-dissolution, somatic release and mystical experiences. This prospective study will allow UHN PPRG researchers to follow participants before and after their retreat experience and will examine changes in well-being, stress and behavioural habits.

Learn more about Enfold's 5-MeO-DMT Research Study.