Survey on Psychedelic Therapy Curricula in Academia

Research gauged level of clinician workforce preparedness in anticipation of possible FDA approval for psychedelic therapy.

Download the executive summary here

Download the full report here

As the psychedelic therapy field expands, it is essential to recognize the opportunities and obstacles that academic institutions face in preparing future mental health providers to deliver psychedelic therapy. BrainFutures partnered with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) from the University of Chicago to create The Survey on Psychedelic Therapy and Curricula in Higher Education, a survey report that assessed the current state of psychedelic therapy curriculum in higher education.

This survey features insights from over 400 academic leaders in disciplines such as social work, counseling, nursing, and psychology.

Key findings include:  

• While 30% of respondents reported offering some form of psychedelic therapy education, only 5% include psychedelic therapy content in required, graduate-level courses. 

• Respondents overwhelmingly agree that the use of psychedelics shows promise in treating psychiatric disorders, with over three-fourths (79.0%) at least somewhat agreeing with this belief. 

• When asked if there should be additional research into psychedelics as potential psychiatric treatments, 83% agreed. 

• 92% of respondents said they did not have sufficient faculty to teach advanced coursework in psychedelic-assisted therapy, but 71% said their programs could offer funding for faculty training opportunities in psychedelics. 

These findings not only underscore the growing interest in psychedelic therapy as a professional discipline but also reveal gaps in training and illuminate ways the field can accelerate the integration of evidence-based curriculum into academic settings. 

To learn more about psychedelic therapy training and curricula and view our other resources, please click here.  

BrainFutures is grateful to the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, the Darla Moore Foundation, the Cammack Family Charitable Gift Fund, and an anonymous donor for making this project possible.