This first session will focus on sexual abuse and therapist misconduct in psychedelic-assisted therapy — an issue that has gained increasing attention as psychedelic treatments move toward mainstream acceptance. While misconduct and boundary violations can occur across all forms of therapy, the non-ordinary states of consciousness, emotional openness, and suggestibility induced by psychedelics can greatly intensify existing power dynamics between therapist and client.

To ground our discussion, participants are asked to review a few short readings in advance:

Evans reflects on psychiatrist Ben Sessa’s suspension following boundary violations with a former patient, using the case to explore how psychedelics can deepen existing power imbalances in therapy. He calls for stronger ethical accountability and greater awareness of vulnerability in altered states.

This article examines how stories of abuse in psychedelic therapy have been minimised or erased, revealing structural forces, such as prestige, profit, and cultural optimism, that sustain silence. The authors call for transparency, accountability, and historical reckoning in the field.

Rosin investigates footage from an MDMA-assisted therapy trial that raises important questions about consent, autonomy, and therapist influence. Her reporting underscores how power dynamics and emotional vulnerability can blur ethical boundaries in psychedelic research. The video includes a testimony of sexual abuse and depictions of trauma; please view it only if you feel adequately resourced and supported to do so.

Together, these readings highlight the persistent silencing of abuse within psychedelic therapy and the systemic conditions that enable such misconduct to recur. While much of the reporting adopts a critical stance, a balanced reading also calls for examining the broader dynamics at play, including how structural, cultural, and institutional forces interact with individual responsibility. This perspective allows for a more comprehensive understanding of how ethical failures emerge and how the field might move toward greater accountability and integrity.

During the session, we will use these resources as a springboard for small-group and whole-group discussion. Together, we will explore questions around consent, power, and accountability; examine how psychedelic exceptionalism can obscure ethical violations; and reflect on what genuine safety and integrity might look like in this work.

Our goal for the Psyche & Praxis Forums is to create a supportive yet critically engaged space where professionals can connect through meaningful dialogue on the complex realities shaping the psychedelic field. Please read the preparatory materials beforehand and come ready to engage with openness, humility, and curiosity.

As this is a sensitive and emotionally charged topic, we will begin the session by revisiting our community guidelines and taking time to ground together in our bodies. Jasmine Virdi, Coordinator of Professional Events at the OPEN Foundation, will facilitate and moderate the discussion, offering somatic grounding tools and gentle guidance to help participants engage with care, awareness, and mutual respect.