TREASURE BEACH, JAMAICA and TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2022 / Jarrett Rose, a PhD candidate from York University in Toronto, completed an ethnographic study of recent guests of MycoMeditations, a leading psilocybin-assisted retreat program based in Jamaica, finding that group dynamic is an important contributor to improved mental health.

The research shows how group psilocybin therapeutic experiences provides support for people undergoing treatment, helps them to understand the collective nature of various psychological stresses, and enables them to mutually embrace the healing process together.

Rose was recently quoted in a one-on-one interview in Psychology Today about his research at MycoMeditations stating, I was able to finally explore what my research participants have been telling me for over a year, that the collective nature of group-based retreats is a significant factor in facilitating positive self-transformation and healing.

"Social scientists have long recognized the importance of social connection for health and wellbeing," said Rose. "After sharing collective experiences, participants feel embedded in a community and provide emotional support for one another. This enhances the therapeutic efficacy on psilocybin-assisted retreats, since self-transformation and healing come to be seen as personal endeavors engaged collectively," he added.

Most research on psychedelic therapy typically takes place in clinical and laboratory settings, consequently ignoring the social dimensions involved in the healing process. Yet, recent research supports Rose's conclusion and there is momentum building for more studies on how shared experiences, such as those found in retreat settings, improve social and psychological outcomes. Rose's research will be published in the coming months following completion of his studies at York University.

"One of the benefits of group retreats is that by sharing experiences and personal reasons for attending a retreat, the isolation many people feel melts away," said Justin Townsend, CEO of MycoMeditations. "Going forward, psychedelic-assisted therapy programs should consider placing an increased focus on group therapy, both for its effectiveness in outcomes and economies of scale," he added.

About MycoMeditations

MycoMeditations, a pioneering leader in the expanding fields of legal psychedelic therapy and wellness tourism, is driven by its commitment to charting a new way forward for psychological care, therapeutics, research and legalization by providing safe, life-affirming experiences guided by expert facilitators and mental health professionals.

Media Contact:
Steve_Johnston@capolog.com

Research Contact:
Jarrett Rose: jarrettr@yorku.ca

SOURCE: MycoMeditations