Episode 287: Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychedelic Therapy
April 26, 2024 by Justin Lehmiller
In the previous episode, we talked all about how psychedelics can help in treating sexual problems. In this episode, we’re going to dive into the ethical and legal considerations of psychedelic-assisted sex therapy. For example, how does consent work when patients are under the influence of a psychedelic drug? Likewise, how do therapists maintain appropriate ethical boundaries when working with clients who are in an altered and potentially vulnerable state?
I am joined once again by is Jeff Lundgren, a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, AASECT-certified sex therapist, and a psychedelic-assisted therapy provider. He runs a private practice based in Salt Lake City, Utah and is author of the new book “Unfolding Eros: A Journey into Psychedelic-Assisted Sex Therapy.”
Some of the specific questions we address this episode include:
- What kinds of safeguards do practitioners need to be thinking about in order to minimize the risk of harm when someone is undergoing psychedelic-assisted therapy?
- What do people need to know about the potential side effects and health risks of psychedelic substances?
- What is the current legal landscape for psychedelic-assisted sex therapy?
- How do laws need to change in order to accommodate the practice of psychedelic therapy?
- What should you look for in a provider, and what are some red flags to watch out for?
Check out Jeff’s website to learn more about his work.
Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.
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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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