Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy preparation and integration

The manuals converge on psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy as a structured process with clear pre-dose preparation and post-dose integration. Across protocols, preparation is used to build therapeutic alliance, establish rapport, clarify intentions and expectations, provide psychoeducation about likely drug effects and the session structure, and orient participants to set, setting, and safety. Several sources also frame preparation as a way to reduce distress, support present-focused or grounded attention, and help participants approach intense emotional or perceptual experiences with readiness. They also converge on integration as a distinct therapeutic phase after dosing. The manuals describe follow-up sessions that review the session in detail, make meaning of thoughts, feelings, and insights, and help translate the experience into ongoing psychological work or behavioural change. In some studies, integration is explicitly linked to readiness for later sessions, ongoing support, or consolidation of treatment goals. The main differences are in emphasis and format. Some manuals specify a brief, highly structured preparation sequence, such as two introductory sessions or a minimum of three preparatory sessions, while others describe longer preparatory work over months. The content also varies by indication and model, with grief, PTSD, depression, alcohol use disorder, anxiety in life-threatening illness, and residential addiction treatment each shaping the focus of preparation and integration.