Grief is a universal human experience — yet for some, its weight lingers far beyond what feels bearable. Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is marked by persistent yearning for a loved one, lasting over a year, and often accompanied by identity disruption, emotional paralysis, and functional impairment. Traditional treatments have offered limited relief for those caught in its grip.
At the American Psychological Association’s annual conference in Denver this August, Dr. Jennifer Kim Penberthy of the University of Virginia shared promising new research exploring psilocybin-assisted therapy as a potential intervention for PGD. This is part of a broader movement in clinical psychology to look beyond symptom management toward deeper, transformative healing.
Why Psilocybin Might Help
Psilocybin — the psychoactive compound in certain mushrooms — has been shown in other studies to disrupt rigid thought loops, enhance neuroplasticity, and foster openness to new perspectives. For someone living with prolonged grief, these shifts can be profound. Penberthy’s work focuses on how psilocybin may help loosen the mental and emotional patterns that keep people tethered to the sharpest edges of loss.
The therapy aims not to erase grief (which, after all, is a reflection of love) but to create conditions for new meaning, greater emotional flexibility, and a renewed sense of connection to life.
Measuring More Than Symptoms
What makes this study particularly compelling is its focus on the subjective experiences of participants. The research team hypothesizes that certain qualities of the psilocybin experience like moments of insight, emotional release, or feelings of unity, may be strong predictors of symptom reduction. They are also investigating neural correlates, looking at how the brain may reorganize itself after such experiences.
While results are not yet available, the framework reflects a shift in mental health research: valuing both the measurable outcomes and the lived, personal truths of participants.
Finding Legal Psychedelic Services
This exploration is still in early stages. Psilocybin remains a controlled substance in most places, and its use in therapy requires careful safeguards, trained facilitators, and integration support. But for those living with prolonged grief, the possibility of a therapy that can meet them in the depths and guide them toward a renewed sense of self is worth pursuing.
As regulated psychedelic care evolves, research like Penberthy’s invites us to imagine a future where grief is not pathologized or rushed away, but honored ,and where safe, intentional psychedelic therapy becomes a bridge between pain and transformation. Dr. Penberthy will be recruiting participants experiencing Prolonged Grief Disorder in the coming months.
Psilocybin therapy is currently legal and available in state-regulated models in Oregon and Colorado. Find licensed providers in Althea’s directory. Or, complete this questionnaire to be matched with a facilitator who specializes in working with psilocybin therapy for grief.
