Psychedelics & Racial Justice

Psychedelics have been studied for the treatment of PTSD, depression, end-of-life anxiety, OCD, addictions, and a number of other mental health conditions. However, research studies of psychedelic psychotherapies have largely excluded people of color, leaving important questions unaddressed for these populations.

Dr. Williams will review relevant research, documenting exclusion based on the international literature. She will discuss ethnic minority mental health and how psychedelic therapies may help or hinder healing for people of color. Also discussed are next steps in ensuring that access to culturally-informed care is prioritized as several psychedelics move into late phase trials and expanded access, including the importance of culturally-informed approaches and training focused on therapy providers of color.