Charting a New Frontier: Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Approaches with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine

Clinical psychology has seen a resurgence of interest in the use of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) for the treatment of a range of mental health diagnoses in the past several years. Although PAT research outcomes are promising, many questions remain unanswered, including identifying the most effective approaches to integrating psychedelics with existing cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs) for different indications, populations, and settings. This special feature highlights cutting-edge research on the integration of psychedelics with several established CBTs, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy. We focus primarily on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), an agent that has shown promise in having unique synergy with the psychotherapeutic mechanisms of change in many of our current CBT approaches. The authors aim to explore this potential synergy, including how psychedelics may enhance CBTs as well as the role of CBTs in facilitating the long-term integration of psychedelic-driven changes.