One of my intentions for 2025 is to use plant medicine work selectively with the help of expert guided facilitators to expand my clarity and consciousness, so that I can achieve my highest purpose and impact. Whenever I share this, I get a lot of questions and a few raised eyebrows, so let’s dive in.
The term “plant medicine” could describe any number of therapeutic drugs and traditional remedies derived from plants but it most often refers to psychoactive drugs. These include psilocybin, ayahuasca and MDMA, the latter of which is synthesized in a lab but has plant-based roots. I’m also going to talk about ketamine, which is a purely synthetic psychedelic.
These drugs have been used in healing and spiritual practices for centuries and have recently seen a resurgence of interest in conventional medicine. Major research institutions and medical schools including NYU Langone Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins, Imperial College London and UCSF are all currently studying therapeutic psychedelics.
Results from this newly invigorated round of research are early but promising, with psychedelics currently being studied as effective therapies for:
- Mood disorders (especially treatment resistant depression)
- PTSD
- Headaches
- Chronic pain
In recent years, psychedelic plant medicines have become part of my personal practice—occasionally.
I’ve also watched as more and more of my patients have incorporated psychedelics with the help of trained therapists to great benefit.
I think about one patient who had long suffered from severe eating disorders. Years of therapy and medication had not freed her. Her long time therapist, trained in psychedelic assisted therapy, and working with her using a combination of psilocybin and MDMA. Through this work, my patient remembered long suppressed childhood trauma and while these memories were deeply painful, their acknowledgement catalyzed recovery for her that had been out of reach for decades.
I also think about another patient whose postpartum mood disorder (PMD) was so severe she couldn’t get out of bed after her first baby. Through bi-weekly ketamine therapy at a clinic, she was able to nearly completely resolve her PMD. The treatment became a powerful tool for her after her second and third child when the PMD returned.
Beyond my patients, my community is actively engaged in psychedelic use. I’m often amazed by the offerings and practices being discussed on Whatsapp from business groups to mom chats. This is not something that is going away.
That said, psychedelics are just one tool we can use to facilitate emotional well-being.
For me personally, I see plant medicine work mainly as a powerful addition to a well-established meditation practice (15 years strong in my case) and therapy.
The handful of guided ceremonies I have done have brought clarity to current situations I’m facing, have helped me tap into my own north star, and better understand my past and my patterns. These sessions have been at moments emotionally challenging, and at others beautiful and serene. I have left each with a greater understanding of myself that has shifted my overall well-being for the positive.
I do not recommend entering into the world of psychedelics recreationally or lightly. In my view, psychedelic medicine, if used at all, should be used in therapeutic or guided ceremonial settings run by well-trained and experienced facilitators.
These are not recreational party drugs; there are risks to these medicines, including the potential to trigger a serious psychotic or manic episode. Even without serious adverse effects, they can create intense experiences that warrant the comfort and safety of expert support.
Unfortunately with their current in-vogue status, I see too many people using them as a shortcut and, as a result, not seeing meaningful benefit. I believe they have the most impact when they are followed by integration therapy and deep reflection.
I’m skeptical of the hundreds of “ketamine clinics” popping up on street corners across the U.S. as well as of online purveyors of the drug, which lend themselves to a more transactional experience.
More on what I do recommend below, but first let’s dive into the research.
The research says
While many studies indicate promising results, there are still a vast number of questions about the safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies that can only be answered by large-scale, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Which we just don’t have yet.
The research below has informed my own practice and opinion on psychedelics, but I’ll stress again that it is so important to undertake psychedelic medicine work in a therapeutic setting with a well-trained facilitator for a safe and effective experience.
Ketamine
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects.
The most promising research on ketamine is as a treatment for otherwise treatment resistant depression. In a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2024, for example, 74 participants across four treatment sites ages 18-65 received IV ketamine infusions over an 11-day period. After three treatments, over half of the participants achieved total remission. That’s huge.
More placebo-controlled research is needed to understand the mechanism by which ketamine might work, however.
A study published in Nature Mental Health in 2023, for example, found that participants with moderate to severe depression who received a placebo were just as likely to experience a large improvement in depression symptoms. In the 40-person study, researchers gave participants either ketamine or a placebo during previously scheduled routine surgeries where participants were under general anesthesia and therefore unable to feel the drug’s hallucinatory effects (or the placebo’s lack thereof). The researchers were “amazed” that both groups reported significant reductions in depression symptoms—that result prompts more questions than it answers.
Importantly, ketamine should not be used as a recreational drug, nor should it be used without the direction and supervision of a well-trained practitioner. Even in lower doses, when used chronically, studies show that ketamine can impair short- and long-term cognition.
Psilocybin
Mushrooms containing the psychoactive compound psilocybin have been used for thousands of years in spiritual ceremonies and medicinal practices by cultures around the globe.
Psilocybin (like LSD) is 5-HT2A agonist, a chemical which activates serotonin receptors in the brain. This is what enables the drug’s hallucinatory effects and creates altered sensory perception; it’s also the key attribute that makes these drugs potential treatments for anxiety, depression and addiction.
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 104 adults published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2023, found that a 25mg dose of psilocybin—adminsitered with psychological support—produced a rapid and sustained improvement in depression scores with no adverse effects.
A survey conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins and published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in 2023, found that even outside of controlled laboratory settings, the majority of people who used psilocybin “in the wild” reported decreased anxiety, depression, alcohol misuse, neuroticism and burnout and increased emotional regulation. A minority (11% at 2-4 weeks post use), however, reported negative effects including depressive symptoms, underscoring the importance of psychological support in a controlled setting.
MDMA
MDMA is synthesized in a lab, but the psychoactive precursor safrole oil as roots in indigenous culture.
Also known as “Molly” or “ecstasy,” MDMA is one of the more dangerous psychedelics to use recreationally—as an unregulated substance, there’s no way to be sure you’re getting a safe compound.
In therapeutic settings, however, MDMA shows real promise in treating PTSD. A randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial involving 104 adults with moderate to severe PTSD found significant reductions in PTSD symptom scores (around 50%) according to the results published in Nature Medicine in 2023. However, that same trial also reported adverse reactions in 9% of participants in the treatment condition, again underscoring the need to carefully evaluate the use of the drug with trained medical providers.
The FDA was widely expected to approve an MDMA plus talk therapy treatment for those suffering from PTSD in 2024, but the application was surprisingly rejected after activist groups raised objections. You can read more about that here.
Less well-known and well-studied psychedelics
Other plant-based psychedelics like ayahuasca, peyote and salvia are less well-studied but may still have potential as therapeutic treatments.
Anecdotal reports of ayahuasca “curing” conditions including depression, eating disorders, and substance use has led to a rise in “ayahuasca tourism” for those seeking shaman-guided ceremonies. But peer-reviewed research is scant. One review of available studies published in the open-access journal Cureus in 2024 analyzed 43 published studies—most of which used self-reported or survey data—on the effects of the drug and concluded there is potential as a mental health treatment. Though much more research on safety and efficacy is needed.
What I’m doing for my own body
As I shared, one of my 2025 intentions is to engage in plant medicine work, likely psilocybin-based, with a trusted guide at least once this year. The purpose of this intention is to help me expand self-awareness, better understand the origins of some of the habits and patterns that are holding me back, and to ultimately be a better mother, partner, doctor, and leader.
There is no pressure to do this work, and for the most part, my inner work is rooted in my meditation practice, my health practices, and at times therapy. But at 43, my goal is to optimize both my potential and my wellbeing so I can be more for others. As I have experienced in the past, a plant medicine ceremony has helped me do that.
What I recommend for you
I’ll say it again: plant medicine is a tool, not a cure.
The #1 thing I recommend if you’re curious about the benefits of plant medicine is to deepen (or start) your meditation practice.
I recommend 15 minutes a day of simple box-breathing exercises, using an app like Calm or Insight Timer for guided meditation, or taking a course with a meditation teacher. If you’re looking for psychological healing, this is the place to start.
Second, consult your medical provider about whether or not these treatments might be right for you.
Never engage in psychedelic use without evaluating the risks with your medical provider. Psychedelics should not be used if you are pregnant, have a diagnosis involving psychosis like schizophrenia or a history of bipolar, have certain heart or neurological conditions, or are taking certain medications including in some cases, SSRIs. More on safety concerns here.
Third, do your research to find a qualified facilitator and don’t rely on just one recommendation.
I recommend speaking to multiple people a facilitator has worked with to get a sense of how they operate, and what to expect. From there, have conversation with them ahead of time to build a relationship and develop shared expectations of the experience.
Here are some questions you might ask your potential facilitator:
- What has their personal experience with psychedelics looked like?
- Do they have an intake process that involves a thorough screening and consultation to make sure the treatment is right for you and discuss your goals?
- Do they paint psychedelics as a cure-all or set realistic expectations of how these therapies can be used as a tool?
- What do they hope you will get out of the experience and how does that align with your goals?
- What safety protocols do they follow?
- Do you feel comfortable with them?
- What do preparation and follow-up care look like to help you integrate your experience?
(I know people will ask if I can recommend someone and the truth is, I can’t. Psychedelic treatment is off-label at best and criminalized at worst. For many practitioners, their privacy is their livelihood.)
My plant medicine work has worked for me because I have a foundational meditation practice that produces equally powerful shifts over time. Popping into a ketamine clinic or doing a ceremonial plant medicine experience with no ongoing deeper therapeutic or spiritual work is not going to help you very much in my (strongly held) opinion. If you’re interested in plant medicine, carefully consider the above and how you might use it as a tool—not a cure.
To learn more about how we approach mental health treatment at Parsley, set up a free consult call.
As always, this newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any health decisions or changes to your treatment plan.