Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown promise in treating serious mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety—especially in adults who haven’t responded to traditional treatments. But what about teenagers? As interest grows in bringing these treatments to younger people, researchers are asking a crucial question: how can we ensure psychedelic therapy is safe and effective for adolescents?
A recent review published in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health explores one key answer—caregiver support in psychedelic-assisted therapy. The study proposes that involving family members isn’t just helpful, but may be essential in making psychedelic treatment work well for teens.
Why Caregiver Involvement Is So Important
Teenagers depend heavily on their environment and relationships for emotional development and healing. For adolescents struggling with serious mental health issues, family can either support their recovery—or unintentionally reinforce unhealthy patterns.
This research highlights that caregivers can:
- Help teens prepare emotionally for psychedelic sessions
- Support integration afterward by reinforcing positive changes
- Interrupt harmful family dynamics that may contribute to ongoing mental health struggles
- Feel empowered by gaining tools and resources to cope with their own challenges as caregivers
In psychedelic therapy, there’s a growing emphasis on “set and setting”—the mindset of the person receiving treatment and the environment around them. For teens, the family itself becomes a part of that setting. Integrating caregivers into treatment planning may directly impact how well the therapy works.
Designing Psychedelic Therapy That Includes Family
Making space for caregiver support in psychedelic-assisted therapy
According to the authors, treatment protocols for youth should go beyond just focusing on the individual. They recommend:
- Involving caregivers in preparation and integration sessions
- Training therapists in family systems models, such as Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
- Designing age-appropriate and culturally sensitive programs that recognize how central families are to adolescent life
- Considering the emotional needs and burnout risks of caregivers themselves
While psychedelic therapy is still in early phases of research for adolescents, this article emphasizes the importance of developing models that don’t isolate the young person from their primary emotional support system.
Looking Ahead
As more clinical trials begin testing psychedelic-assisted therapies in adolescents, caregiver involvement is likely to become a key focus area. Building family-centered protocols could help ensure these treatments are both safe and effective—especially for young people navigating complex mental health conditions.
This evolving approach has the potential to reshape how we think about healing, not just for individuals, but for the families that support them.
Citations:
- Forsberg, S., Downey, A. E., Bruett, L. D., et al. (2025). Leveraging family and caregiver support in psychedelic-assisted therapy: considerations for the treatment of adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00930-4
- Foroughe M, Stillar A, Goldstein L, Dolhanty J, Goodcase ET, Lafrance A. “Brief Emotion Focused Family Therapy: An Intervention for Parents of Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Issues.” Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 2019 Jul;45(3):410–430. doi:10.1111/jmft.12351tandfonline.com+15pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+15pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+15