What does psychedelic-informed care mean for clinicians?

Psychedelic-informed care does not require clinicians to administer psychedelic medicines, endorse their use, or refer every curious patient down a treatment pathway. It means being able to respond responsibly when the subject enters the room — with basic mechanism and risk literacy, awareness of medication interactions, the ability to recognize when harm-reduction counseling is appropriate, careful documentation practices, and a real referral pathway rather than a vague sense that someone out there does this work.

What is the legal status of ketamine therapy for depression?

Ketamine is FDA-approved for anesthesia and, as esketamine (Spravato nasal spray by J&J), for treatment-resistant depression. Off-label ketamine use for depression, anxiety, and other conditions is legal, common, and practiced widely in outpatient settings across the United States. This is the one psychedelic-adjacent medicine most clinicians can prescribe or refer for without navigating a separate regulatory framework.

Can clinicians refer patients to psilocybin therapy?

Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance federally. However, Oregon and Colorado have built state-regulated psilocybin service frameworks that operate legally within those states. Making an informational referral — telling a patient a state-licensed program exists and how to find it — is different from prescribing or administering the substance yourself. Most clinicians can discuss and refer to these programs without personally holding any psilocybin-related license, though clinicians should consult a healthcare attorney in their state before formalizing any referral relationship around it.

What medications interact with psychedelics?

SSRIs and SNRIs can blunt the subjective effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD, and in some combinations raise serotonin syndrome risk. Lithium carries documented case reports of seizure with psychedelic use and is generally considered a contraindication. MAOIs carry significant cardiovascular and serotonergic risks with MDMA specifically. A personal or family history of psychosis or certain bipolar presentations warrants serious clinical conversation before any psychedelic use.

How should clinicians document psychedelic use in patient charts?

Disclosed psychedelic use can be charted the way any substance use history is charted: what was used, approximate frequency and recency, context (clinical, ceremonial, recreational, or underground), and any reported effects relevant to the patient's presenting concerns. Document the counseling provided and any referrals made or declined and why. Note that patients may not want this information recorded; depending on the nature of the inquiry and the medical consultation, a clinician may be ethically or legally obligated to document clinical findings regardless. Consult your legal advisor if uncertain.

Stephanie Karzon 10/6/26 Stephanie Karzon 10/6/26

The Psychedelic-Informed Care & Referrals Primer for Practitioners

What psychedelic-informed care actually means

Psychedelic-informed care does not require you to administer psychedelic medicines, endorse their use, or refer every curious patient down a treatment pathway. It means you can respond responsibly when the subject enters the room, because it will, whether or not you invited it in.

In practice, that comes down to five things.

Stephanie Karzon 7/29/26 Stephanie Karzon 7/29/26

Collecting Women's Health Data in Clinical Practice: A Guide for Clinicians, Clinic Owners, and Research Directors

Most clinics are sitting on valuable data; data that can inform how care is provided, what medication labels say, and what future clinical trials get funded to study!

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How to Open a Ketamine Clinic: The Complete Guide

Everything you need to know to open a ketamine clinic in 2026 — from legal structure and DEA registration to clinical protocols, financial modeling, staffing, and patient experience. By Beyond Consulting.

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How to talk to your patients about Ketamine Therapy

A 6-step framework for clinicians.

Raising the ketamine therapy conversation with a patient can feel challenging. This guide gives you the framework to start it, sustain it, and close it with a referral.

Stephanie Karzon 5/21/26 Stephanie Karzon 5/21/26

COMP360 REMS & Future Practice: What Clinics Need to Know

COMP360, Compass Pathways' investigational synthetic psilocybin, is one FDA approval away from becoming the first classic psychedelic cleared for the U.S. market. With positive results from two large Phase 3 trials in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and a rolling New Drug Application (NDA) targeted for Q4 2026, the regulatory path is coming into sharp focus — and so is the likely structure of the FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS).

Stephanie Karzon 3/1/26 Stephanie Karzon 3/1/26

The Women's Health Toolkit by GALILEA®

A women’s health toolkit that can be integrated into any practice!