Date of Award

Summer 8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Counseling & Human Services

Program/Concentration

Counseling

Committee Director

Gulsah Kemer

Committee Member

Judith Wambui Preston

Committee Member

Shana L. Pribesh

Abstract

As public and scientific interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) continues to grow, counselors are increasingly encountering clients who are exploring or engaging in psychedelic use for therapeutic purposes. Such encounters introduce new ethical, clinical, and professional considerations. Counselors must develop an informed understanding of psychedelics and their effects, recognize the emotional and cognitive processes that may emerge during psychedelic experiences, and be prepared to respond to potential risks or adverse reactions (Aicher et al., 2025). They also need to competently answer client questions, assess risk and suitability, facilitate the integration of psychedelic experiences, and collaborate with medical and other professionals who involved in PAT (Curtis et al., 2020). Despite this emerging clinical reality, the counseling profession currently lacks formal guidance, established competencies, and integrated training pathways related to PAT. While other mental health disciplines have begun addressing these developments, little is known about counselors’ specific training and resource needs for ethical and competent engagement in this evolving area of practice. The purpose of this study was to identify and organize counselors’ perceived training and resource needs for ethically and effectively supporting clients involved in PAT. Using Concept Mapping (CM; Trochim, 1989), an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, this study engaged licensure-seeking and licensed counselors in a collaborative process to generate, structure, and interpret ideas regarding the knowledge, skills,and resources necessary for preparedness in PAT-related practice. Through this structured methodology, the study produced a data-driven conceptual framework reflecting counselors’ collective perspectives on professional readiness for PAT. Findings resulted in 142 statements organized into 16 clusters across three conceptual regions: (1) Solidifying Counselors’ Place in PAT, (2) Developing Evidence-based PAT Practice, and (3) Ensuring Specialized Ongoing Development in PAT. Together, these regions highlighted the importance of foundational counseling competencies, specialized clinical and interdisciplinary knowledge, and ongoing professional development and systemic awareness for counselor engagement in PAT-related work. Implications are discussed for counselors, counselor educators, clinical supervisors, and future research.

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DOI

10.25777/zfy1-pt58

ISBN

9798193214274

ORCID

0009-0001-0356-7235

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