PIPS 2025 Year in Review: Advancing Psychedelic Science Through Research, Training & Clinical Innovation
Dear Partners & Colleagues,
As we move into 2026, we are excited to share highlights from a remarkable year for the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science (PIPS). This year marked significant advances in our clinical trials, peer-reviewed publications, and contributions to the evolving landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapy in Oregon and beyond.
From completing our landmark MDMA-assisted therapy trial for social anxiety disorder to publishing groundbreaking research on psychedelic safety, ethics, and implementation, 2025 reinforced our role as a leader in evidence-based psychedelic science and clinical innovation.
Clinical Trial Milestone: Completing SAMATI
In 2025, PIPS completed enrollment and treatment in the Social Anxiety MDMA-Assisted Therapy Investigation (SAMATI), a Phase 2 randomized, open-label, delayed-treatment controlled trial examining MDMA-assisted therapy for adults with moderate-to-severe social anxiety disorder.
This investigator-initiated study, led by Dr. Jason Luoma as Principal Investigator, represents the first trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder outside the context of autism, and one of the first psychedelic clinical trials conducted in the Pacific Northwest. The study examined preliminary efficacy, safety, feasibility, and psychological mechanisms of change.
We are currently analyzing the data and preparing manuscripts for publication. Stay tuned for results in 2026.
Launching PIPS Clinical Services: Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
In 2025, PIPS launched clinical services providing psilocybin-assisted therapy to the community in collaboration with Oregon's Psilocybin Services (OPS) program. This represents a major milestone in translating our research expertise into direct clinical care.
Our approach integrates structured psychotherapy before and after psilocybin sessions conducted at licensed service centers. Unlike stand-alone psilocybin services, PIPS provides the depth of psychological preparation and follow-up that research suggests is important for meaningful and lasting change. Our clinicians bring direct experience from psychedelic clinical trials, including our SAMATI study of MDMA-assisted therapy.
Our psilocybin-assisted therapy program includes three key phases:
Consultation and Assessment: We begin with a thorough biopsychosocial evaluation, assessing potential risks and benefits, coordinating with other providers, and helping clients make informed decisions about whether psilocybin services are appropriate for their goals.
Psilocybin Session Coordination: We match clients with trusted, licensed facilitators and coordinate directly to ensure therapy and psilocybin services are aligned. The facilitator may sometimes be the person’s PIPS therapist.
Integration and Ongoing Support: After the psilocybin experience, we provide structured integration sessions using evidence-based methods to support behavior change, values-based action, and translation of insights into lasting life changes.
We also offer psychedelic consultation and integration services for individuals who have had psychedelic experiences outside of clinical settings and are seeking support from knowledgeable, nonjudgmental clinicians. Our team provides evidence-based information and helps people integrate their experiences safely.
What sets PIPS apart is our unique position as clinician-researchers: we have designed, delivered, and studied psychedelic-assisted treatments, and we bring that rigor to our clinical work. We offer person-centered, culturally responsive care with an emphasis on long-term wellbeing—not just a single experience.
Peer-Reviewed Publications: Advancing the Science
2025 was an excellent year for PIPS researchers. Our team contributed to seven peer-reviewed publications across leading journals, spanning topics from psychedelic experience mechanisms to ethical frameworks for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Mindset Over Molecule: Understanding Self-Transcendent Experiences
BMC Psychology | Chwyl, C., Spata, A., Lucas, W., & Luoma, J. B. | Download Here
This study compared self-transcendent and mystical experiences across recreational psilocybin, MDMA, and cannabis use in a community sample of 397 adults. The findings revealed a striking pattern: while psilocybin and MDMA produced greater mystical experiences than cannabis, psychological context was a far stronger predictor than substance type alone. Models including mindset variables accounted for up to 58% of variance compared to just 10% for substance alone. This research underscores the importance of preparation and intention-setting in psychedelic experiences.
Building Standards of Psychedelic Care
International Journal of Drug Policy | Chwyl, C., Wilson-Poe, A. R., Hoffman, K. A., Bazinet, A., Pertl, K., Luoma, J. B., ... & Korthuis, P. T. | Download Here
This qualitative study examined expert perspectives on safety, inclusion, and accountability in psychedelic care. Drawing on interviews with experienced practitioners across clinical, ceremonial, and indigenous settings, the research identified key themes for developing ethical standards as psychedelic services expand. The findings are directly informing policy development in Oregon and beyond.
Oregon's Emerging Psilocybin Services Workforce
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs | Luoma, J. B., Hoffman, K., Wilson-Poe, A. R., Levander, X. A., Bazinet, A., Cook, R. R., ... & Korthuis, P. T. | Download Here
In collaboration with the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN), we surveyed 106 of Oregon's first licensed psilocybin facilitators and assessed all 16 state-approved training programs. Key findings included that the mean training tuition was approximately $9,400, with half of programs offering diversity scholarships, and that training costs represented a significant financial burden for most facilitators. The study revealed that facilitators planned to charge approximately $1,400 per session on average and requested ongoing training opportunities. These findings are informing policy development to support a diverse and effective facilitator workforce.
MDMA-Assisted ACT for PTSD: A New Framework
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice | Herbert, M. S., Blanco, B. H., Perivoliotis, D., Luoma, J., Fernandes-Osterhold, G., Bismark, A., & Woolley, J. D. | Download Here
Following the FDA's decision to request additional data for MDMA-assisted therapy, this paper presents a rationale for integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The authors argue that ACT provides a structured yet flexible, evidence-based framework that aligns well with MDMA's subjective effects, supporting key therapeutic processes including experiential acceptance, values-based action, and psychological flexibility. This work addresses concerns about standardization and empirical grounding in psychedelic psychotherapy.
In Vivo and Imaginal Exposure in MDMA-Assisted Therapy: A Case Report
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice | Luoma, J. B., Lear, M. K., Yi, K., & Pilecki, B. | Download Here
This case report from our SAMATI trial demonstrates how exposure-based techniques can be integrated into MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder. The paper provides detailed clinical examples of how therapists utilized both imaginal exposure to core shame memories and in vivo social interactions during MDMA sessions to facilitate therapeutic change. This work contributes to the developing literature on specific psychotherapeutic techniques within psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Ethical Touch in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
The American Journal of Bioethics | Luoma, J. B., & LeJeune, J. | Read Here
Published in a special issue on psychedelic ethics, this commentary addresses the critical need to operationalize and measure ethical touch practices in psychedelic-assisted therapy. As the field grapples with reports of boundary violations, this work emphasizes moving from theoretical frameworks to practical, measurable standards that can protect both clients and practitioners while preserving the therapeutic potential of appropriate supportive touch.
Launching Northwest Psychedelic Services: Expanding Access Through a New Nonprofit
In 2025, PIPS provided seed funding to launch Northwest Psychedelic Services, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to safe, evidence-based psilocybin services while supporting rigorous scientific progress.
The founding team includes clinicians and researchers with direct experience in psychedelic clinical trials conducted through PIPS, including MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted therapy studies. Northwest Psychedelic Services operates with a three-part mission: providing legal, culturally responsive psilocybin services grounded in science; supporting psychedelic research with an explicit commitment to inclusion; and disseminating evidence-based information to clinicians and the wider community.
A key focus of this new organization is equity. As a mission-driven nonprofit, Northwest Psychedelic Services dedicates revenue to client scholarships and financial assistance for low-income and marginalized individuals who might otherwise be unable to access psilocybin therapy. All facilitators are dually licensed as mental health professionals, ensuring that clients receive care informed by both psychological science and direct clinical trial experience.
Learn more at www.nwpsychedelics.org
Advancing Oregon's Psilocybin Program: The Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus
PIPS researchers continue to play a leadership role in OPEN (Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus), a community-wide, non-commercial research initiative housed at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Luoma serves as a co-founder and scientist at this practice-based research network studying the implementation of Oregon and Colorado’s pioneering psilocybin services programs.
In 2025, OPEN published consensus-developed measures for assessing psilocybin service quality and safety, created through a rigorous e-Delphi process with 36 experts. The organization is now recruiting facilitators in both Oregon and Colorado to participate in ongoing research tracking client outcomes and program safety.
Looking Ahead to 2026
In the coming year, PIPS will focus on publishing results from our completed SAMATI trial, advancing our research on psilocybin-assisted therapy for chronic pelvic pain, continuing to develop ACT-informed psychedelic therapy protocols, expanding training opportunities for mental health professionals, contributing to policy development as more states consider regulated psychedelic services, and growing our clinical services including psilocybin-assisted therapy in collaboration with Oregon's program.
We are also excited to welcome our next cohort of postdoctoral fellows in clinical psychedelic science, continuing our commitment to training the next generation of psychedelic researchers and clinicians.
Our mission remains unchanged: to advance the understanding and therapeutic application of psychedelics through rigorous research, evidence-based clinical services, and professional training.
Thank You
Thank you to our research participants, collaborators, funders, and community partners for your continued trust and support. We look forward to continuing this important work together in 2026.
Learn more: www.pipsinstitute.com
Contact: info@pips.org
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