Eddie Jacobs - Foregrounding the matrix in adolescent psychedelic-assisted therapy trials

Adolescent clinical trials for psychedelics raise significant questions regarding the socio-ecological environment, defined here as the matrix, in which young patients reside. Focusing exclusively on the individual patient risks ignoring critical environmental factors that may either support or hinder therapeutic outcomes. Standardized clinical practice often fails to account for the lack of autonomy and environmental agency inherent to teenage life. Psychedelic-assisted family therapy is argued to be a more comprehensive approach. By moving beyond a singular focus on the identified patient, interventions can better address systemic and relational dynamics within the family unit. This approach draws on established precedents in psychiatric care, such as couple-based therapy, to ensure therapeutic progress persists beyond a clinic setting.