Clinical Considerations in Psychedelic Use
| Module title | Clinical Considerations in Psychedelic Use |
|---|---|
| Module code | PSYM247Z |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Celia Morgan (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 50 |
|---|
Module description
Note: This module is of 10 weeks’ duration and will be offered in any of Terms 1, 2 or 3.
This module will provide a deep dive into the research exploring the clinical use of psychedelics and equip you with skills to evaluate and develop your own practice. You will explore the three stages of psychedelic therapy, preparation, experience and integration. This module covers wider aspects of psychedelic therapeutic practice and how this may differ from traditional therapeutic practice such as the notion of the inner healer and co-regulation in psychedelic experiences. You will deepen your understanding of the ethical and practical issues that have dogged psychedelic practice for decades and examine emerging solutions to these problems.
Module aims - intentions of the module
- To introduce you to a range of therapeutic techniques used in psychedelic therapy.
- To enable you to contrast conventional therapeutic approaches with those that have been popularised in psychedelic therapy.
- To enable you to understand the practical and medical considerations of clinical application of psychedelics
- To equip you with understanding of ethical issues affecting psychedelic therapy.
- To equip you with improved and transferable critical study skills, in terms of reading and assessing texts, and writing a case study.
The module is delivered online, with both asynchronous and (optional) synchronous (live) activities, such as pre-recorded lectures, audio discussions, online written questions and answers, reading material with associated questions and activities, live Q&A with the teacher(s), live student seminar discussions, and more.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of current psychedelic and non-psychedelic therapies
- 2. Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the methodological and conceptual advantages and disadvantages of different therapeutic approaches to psychedelic therapy
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Be able to evaluate ethical challenges as they pertain to psychological therapy
- 4. Be able to evaluate psychological research.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyse and discuss complex problems
- 6. Demonstrate the ability to research independently and write a case report on a module theme
- 7. Assess personal assumptions about the ethics of psychedelic practices and experiences, and the impact of learning on these assumptions
Syllabus plan
This module is expected to cover areas that are unique to psychedelic therapy and the three stage model of preparation, integration and session. It will explore ethical issues and transgressions within this space and how practitioners may prepare for these. We will cover the practical aspects of psychedelic therapy from a medical and psychological perspective. We will also explore literature and research that has integrated psychedelic therapy in a more mainstream therapeutic context and critically evaluate the benefits and challenges of adopting a bespoke approach or fitting psychedelics within more traditional and evidence-based models of psychology. We will also address challenging experiences and how they might be best mitigated and/or integrated.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 90 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 60 | Structured readings, videos and activities (padlets, discussion forums etc) |
| Guided Independent Study | 90 | Collaborative discussions and related activities, weekly reflections |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly reflections on progress | 30 mins-1 hour per week | All | Educator feedback within module |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 x 2000 word case report | 100 | 2000 words max | All | Feedback via ELE |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 x 2000 word Case Report | 1 x 2000 word Case Report (100%) | All | Ref/def period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Read, T and Papaspyrou, M. (2021) Psychedelics and Psychotherapy: The Healing Potential of Expanded States, Simon and Schuster, London
Aixala, M. Psychedelic Intgeration (2022) Synergetic Press, US
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 29/10/2024 |
| Last revision date | 09/12/2024 |
