Psychedelic Assisted Therapy or Medicine Assisted Therapy?
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT), also known as Medicine-Assisted Therapy, is a treatment approach that has gained attention in recent years for certain mental health conditions. While its origins in Western mental health treatment dates back to the 1950s and 1960s with LSD. The renaissance of clinical psychedelic assisted therapy is a 3 phase process designed to support safe, therapeutic intervention for treatment resistant depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
It is important to note that psychedelic assisted therapy is still considered an emerging field in Australia for clinical mental health treatment. PAT should only be conducted in approved clinical settings with appropriately trained health professionals.
What are the three phases of psychedelic assisted therapy?
There are three phases to psychedelic assisted therapy, preparation, dosing, and integration. Under currently clinical conditions in Australia there is technically a fourth phase, pre-PAT, and that is screening.
Screening: is a mandatory pre-phase of medicine assisted therapy, in Australia the rescheduling of psychedelic medicine for clinical use came with a strict eligibility criteria. At the time of writing, the current eligibility in Australia is demonstration of treatment resistant depression, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Screening is conducted by the clinical PAT team who will then determine if you meet the criteria requirements.
Preparation: one of the 3 key components of psychedelic assisted therapy. Preparation involves breaking down the process, emotional stabilisation and regulation, exploring expectations, information about the medicine you will receive, practice regulation techniques, meeting the full PAT team, getting comfortable with the setting, and lots of psychoeducation.
Dosing: This phase involves the administration of the medicine in clinical under controlled clinical conditions. It’s important to note that this phase can be challenging and may involve difficult experiences for patients. The presence of a trained PAT team is crucial during this phase.
Integration: Often considered a critical component of PAT, this phase focuses on exploring the meaning of the dosing experience, and developing strategies to apply insights to daily life. The clinical PAT team use various therapeutic techniques beyond traditional approaches like CBT or ACT.
PAT versus talk therapy?
While both psychedelic assisted therapy and traditional talk therapy aim to support mental health, they differ in their approaches. Medicine assisted therapy incorporates the use of specific medicines as part of the treatment process. Research suggests that PAT may enable patients to expand their awareness, open their heart, experience a fuller range of emotions without the risk of re-traumatisation. Post-medicine, studies have shown PAT may enhance prosocial behaviour, allow patients to be more open and agreeable, and develop new perspectives. However, it’s important to note that, like all forms of therapy, psychedelic assisted therapy cannot erase traumatic experiences. Instead, it may offer an alternative approach to processing these experiences and gain new personal insights.
Accessing psychedelic assisted therapy in Australia?
As of March 2025, access to PAT in Australia is limited and strictly regulated. Individuals may be self-referred or referred by a GP to a clinical psychedelic assisted therapy team. Currently, there are a small number of operational clinics offering PAT, located in Victoria and Western Australia.
It’s important to understand that the regulatory landscape and access to medicine assisted therapy is developing and may change over time as research in this area continues to evolve.
Current status and future outlook
Psychedelic assisted therapy is an emerging field in Australia, with ongoing research and development. While current eligibility criteria are strict, it’s possible that these may adjust in the future based on new evidence and regulatory decisions.
Remember, this blog post provides general information only and should not be considered as medical advice. The efficacy and safety of Medicine assisted therapy are still being studied, and individual experiences may vary. Always consult with your GP, psychiatrist or psychologist for advice tailored to your individual needs and circumstances.
For more information about legislation changes, you can visit Mind Medicine Australia.
