Psilocybin Therapy for Grief and Serious Illness in Colorado: What the Research Shows

What the research shows about psilocybin and the distress of a serious diagnosis

Two randomized trials from 2016 found that one high dose of psilocybin with psychological support lowered anxiety and depression in people facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, and a follow-up found the changes still present years later (Griffiths et al. 2016; Ross et al. 2016; Agin-Liebes et al. 2020). Both measured distress. Neither measured the course of anyone’s disease, and nothing on this page should be read as saying a session does anything for it.

Johns Hopkins, 2016

Griffiths and colleagues enrolled 51 people with a life-threatening cancer diagnosis and an anxiety or mood disorder tied to it, and gave each a very low dose and a high dose five weeks apart, in random order, double-blind (Griffiths et al., Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2016). Five weeks after the first session, 92 percent of those who took the high dose first met the response threshold on a clinician-rated depression scale, against 32 percent of those who took it second, and at six months about 80 percent still showed clinically significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety (Griffiths et al. 2016). Limits: one site, 46 people with six-month data, and no comparison group after the crossover.

NYU, 2016

Ross and colleagues randomized 29 people with cancer and an anxiety disorder tied to it to one dose of psilocybin or an active placebo, each with psychotherapy (Ross et al., Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2016). At seven weeks, before the crossover, the psilocybin group showed larger decreases in anxiety and depression, less hopelessness and demoralization, and improved attitudes toward death; at six and a half months, 60 to 80 percent still met the threshold for a clinically significant response (Ross et al. 2016). Limits: one site; 18 of the 29 had stage III or IV disease; and a projected life expectancy of at least one year was required, so the trial says nothing about the final weeks of life (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00957359).

The follow-up, 2020

Agin-Liebes and colleagues went back to the NYU participants an average of 3.2 and 4.5 years later; of the 16 still living, 15 took part (Agin-Liebes et al., Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2020). The reductions had held, and 60 to 80 percent still met the response threshold (Agin-Liebes et al. 2020). The authors’ own limit: the parent trial’s crossover design allows only limited conclusions about efficacy.

A hospice pilot, 2026

One small open-label pilot has since taken the work into a hospice program. Of 15 people enrolled from home hospice care, 10 received a single dose, with two preparation and two integration visits at home; no serious adverse events were attributed to psilocybin, and demoralization scores were lower three weeks later (Beaussant et al., BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, 2026). Ten people and no comparison group, so it shows that the work can be done in that setting, and nothing more.

For how the medicine works and why the support around it carries so much of the result, read the science behind psilocybin therapy.

What the research says about grief itself

Very little so far. A 2025 scoping review of psychedelics and grief after a death from advanced illness found seven empirical studies, none of them randomized, and concluded there is not a strong evidence base to guide clinical recommendations (Rosenbaum et al., Omega, 2025).

Three small studies are under way, none with results: the PARTING trial in Brisbane, about 15 adults with prolonged grief disorder more than a year after a relative or friend died of cancer, which its protocol calls the first study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for prolonged grief (Beesley et al., BMJ Open, 2025); a University of Virginia pilot of 12 adults (NCT06724289); and a Toronto pilot of 15 caregivers of people with advanced cancer (NCT07048743).

What the diagnosis trials tell us about loss is indirect. Their participants faced the possibility of their own death, and the measures that moved, death anxiety, hopelessness and demoralization, also run through grief (Griffiths et al. 2016; Ross et al. 2016). Nobody was enrolled for a bereavement, and grief was not measured. When we work with someone carrying a loss, we are working from clinical experience and from what those trials suggest about distress, and we say so.

A note on chronic pain

People also come to us living with pain. The research on psilocybin and chronic pain is a handful of small pilot studies and surveys, and we do not cite it here. Nothing on this page says a session does anything for pain or for a disease. What we can speak to is the distress of living in a body that hurts or is ill, which Katy describes below.

Who the trials excluded, and what our screening looks for

Both 2016 trials excluded a personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, a current substance use disorder, uncontrolled high blood pressure and serious heart disease, epilepsy, and regular use of psychiatric medication (NCT00465595 and NCT00957359). Johns Hopkins also excluded depression or anxiety severe enough to need medication at once (NCT00465595).

Who they let in matters too. Johns Hopkins took people from 21 to 80 who were well enough to look after themselves, allowed people with no active disease if at least a year had passed since diagnosis, and let people continue chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation or biologic therapy if they were tolerating it (NCT00465595).

If a screen would have kept you out, the research cannot say what psilocybin would do for you, and our screening draws similar lines. Colorado requires a safety screening before any session and, when risk factors appear, a referral, a clearance from your own provider or a consultation with a provider whose license covers the condition (4 CCR 755-1, Rule 6.16(F)). Our page on how we screen and what the research says about safety walks through each step.

A word about medications. Please tell us about every medication and supplement you take when you book, along with any cannabis or other substances you use, even the ones that seem minor. Your facilitator therapist reviews the full list with you from the start. Some medications call for a conversation with your prescriber well before journey day, and a few mean psilocybin is not a safe choice for you right now. When that is the case, we tell you plainly. Please do not stop, reduce or change any medication on your own, or because of something you read online. Those decisions belong to you and your prescriber. On the morning of your session, take your prescribed medications as normal unless your facilitator therapist has advised otherwise.

If you are in active medical care, the same applies to the care itself. Whether and when a session fits around it is a question for you and the team in charge of your care, and with your permission we work alongside them during screening.

What the sessions look like when you are carrying a loss or a diagnosis

The same protocol as every private session at Numia, with one licensed facilitator therapist from the first preparation session through integration, and closer attention beforehand to your medical picture and to who will be with you afterward.

• Preparation. Two sessions of an hour or more: by video about two weeks before journey day, and in person, usually the day before. You set intentions, name fears, plan the day and practice the grounding skills you will use if a hard moment comes. If you are carrying a loss, you talk about it together here first. If you are living with pain or an illness, you talk through what the day asks of your body, including whether supportive touch would be welcome, which is optional and always yours to decline. Our page on how to prepare for a psilocybin session covers the practices and the medication rules.
• Journey day. Five to eight hours at our center in Cherry Creek, with your facilitator therapist beside you the entire time. Nobody drives home that day, so your ride and your evening are planned in preparation.
• Integration. Two sessions, the day after your journey and about two weeks later. Our page on psilocybin integration therapy in Denver describes how it works, and our page on psilocybin therapy in Denver covers the protocol as a whole.

What I see in the room

Katy Barrs, PsyD, LP, in her own words.

Grief and loss

What people bring into preparation

In my work, clients often seek psilocybin services to help them navigate grief and loss, whether following the death of a loved one, the end of an important relationship, or changes in physical or mental health. Many individuals are looking for a safe, supported space to connect with their grief but feel uncertain about how to sit with the pain. During preparation, clients often report that loss has affected their relationships, work, health, and ability to experience enjoyment in everyday life. Clients often express fear about how intense, tangible, or visceral their sadness might become during the experience. We make room for those fears, discuss their hopes without prescribing a particular outcome, and identify ways they can feel supported. This includes practicing self-soothing and grounding skills and planning for support before and after the session.

What the session day can be like, and how I hold difficult moments

I have witnessed a wide range of responses during sessions focused on grief, including profound sadness and longing, alongside unexpected feelings of love, gratitude, and connection. It is not uncommon for individuals to cry or express strong emotions once the medicine begins to take effect. During their journey, clients sometimes describe feeling connected to or close to a loved one who has died, while others experience a sense of connection with a higher power, nature, or the universe. I allow clients to make their own meaning of these experiences. When difficult emotions arise, my role is to offer a calm, steady presence, without rushing to resolve the sadness or move the person away from it. Depending on what feels helpful to the client, this may involve gentle reminders to breathe, grounding in the body, reassurance, or simply sitting quietly together. The intention is to help them feel supported as they encounter painful emotions, while respecting their pace and honoring the significance of their loss along with any resulting emotions or bodily sensations.

What integration focuses on afterward

After a psilocybin journey, some clients describe relief at having connected with sadness, loss and other feelings they had struggled to access. Sometimes they report that the medicine helped them gain a greater sense of connection to themselves, those they have lost or the universe. Integration focuses on how to carry these experiences into daily life while allowing grief to continue unfolding. This can be one of the most challenging parts of the process: grief does not disappear after a psilocybin journey, even though a person’s relationship to it can begin to change, and some people describe feeling further along toward acceptance. We often explore what they learned about their capacity to be with painful emotions, what remains unresolved, and what support they need moving forward. Reaching out to loved ones, connecting with community, caring for themselves, and creating meaningful ways to remember or honor what or who they have lost are often part of the integration process. Grief often unfolds in a nonlinear manner. What I see is people moving through it in a more mindful, conscientious and grounded way, at their own pace.

When I might say “not now”

Not everyone experiencing grief and loss is ready for a psilocybin experience. I may recommend waiting when grief feels so raw or overwhelming that a person has difficulty feeling grounded or managing daily life. I also consider whether they have reliable support, whether substance use has become a primary way of coping, and whether they can allow adequate time and space for recovery and integration afterward. These considerations are part of a broader assessment of readiness and safety. Saying “not now” is an opportunity to strengthen support, develop coping resources, and create conditions in which the person may be better prepared for the experience when they are ready to engage in the process.

Chronic pain and serious illness

What people bring into preparation

When clients seek psilocybin services to help them cope with chronic pain or a serious physical illness, many have already spent considerable time managing symptoms, changes in daily functioning, and a growing sense of disconnection from their bodies. Some reach out shortly after a diagnosis, while others have been living with illness for years. They bring different levels of understanding and acceptance of their health, often with a sense of grief about their circumstances, fear about the future, or a feeling that their bodies have betrayed them. They may also experience anxiety, depression, isolation, or helplessness, and some may use substances to cope. Many are grieving changes in their abilities, independence, identity, or the future they had imagined. Often, they are seeking hope, a more compassionate relationship with their bodies, and a way to find meaning while living with the uncertainty or certainty of their illness.

During preparation, we help clients identify realistic and balanced intentions for the journey and develop a plan for preparation and integration. We also identify and practice coping and grounding skills they can draw on if physical or emotional pain or discomfort arises. We discuss whether supportive therapeutic touch would feel helpful, clarify preferences and boundaries, and establish that touch is optional and consent can be withdrawn at any time. Some clients describe the journey as physically, emotionally or spiritually meaningful as they navigate life with an acute or chronic physical illness.

What the session day can be like, and how I hold difficult moments

For clients coping with chronic pain or serious illness, the session may bring forward sadness, anger, fear, or grief about what their bodies have endured and how their lives have changed. There may also be moments of tenderness, gratitude, or connection with a body they have come to experience primarily as a source of pain or disappointment. The experience can offer space to explore their relationship with illness, uncertainty, and the parts of themselves that extend beyond their diagnosis, without an expectation that they must arrive at acceptance or find a particular meaning during the journey or immediately afterward.

When a hard moment arises, my role is to remain calm, present, and responsive to what the person needs. I may invite them to notice their breathing, adjust their position, reconnect with their surroundings, or draw on the grounding skills we practiced during preparation. Sometimes what helps most is acknowledging how difficult their experience has been and allowing space for emotions or physical sensations without rushing to change them. If they request supportive touch, I follow the boundaries discussed during preparation and confirm consent in the moment. Throughout the session, the focus is on helping clients feel supported, retain a sense of choice, and move at their own pace.

What integration focuses on afterward

During integration, clients coping with acute or chronic physical illness continue to make sense of the bodily sensations and emotions that arose during their journey. We emphasize allowing time for rest, emotional processing, and a gradual return to daily routines. Clients may be holding emotions that seem contradictory: pain, grief, or sadness alongside gratitude, tenderness, and a renewed sense of connection with their bodies. Integration provides space for these experiences to coexist without pressure to resolve them or feel a particular way.

Some clients also describe a connection with something larger than themselves, whether nature, loved ones, humanity, or a higher power. As they explore the personal meaning of these experiences, some report less fear about the progression of their illness and a deeper sense of peace with their bodies and circumstances. We make room for these shifts while recognizing that pain, uncertainty, and difficult emotions may continue. Integration focuses on translating insights into everyday care: seeking support, engaging in movement that fits their abilities and medical needs, allowing rest, and practicing self-compassion while living more fully with pain or illness.

When I might say “not now”

I would be cautious about proceeding immediately after a serious diagnosis, particularly when urgent medical evaluation, medication, or care from their medical team needs to take priority. I may also recommend waiting if someone is experiencing acute medical symptoms or severe pain that could make the session physically or emotionally too overwhelming. In these circumstances, we work alongside the client and, with their permission, their trusted medical team to assess safety and determine an appropriate time for a journey.

Throughout this process, I want clients to have a meaningful voice in decisions about their care and retain a sense of agency in their relationship with their bodies. Saying “not now” can create time to address immediate medical needs, prepare the body, strengthen support, and properly prepare for the experience. My priority is for clients to feel heard, respected, and supported by their care team, including their Numia facilitator therapist.

Who this is not for

Anyone under 21. Anyone with a personal or close family history of psychosis, schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone in an active suicidal crisis, where other care comes first. Uncontrolled high blood pressure, a recent heart attack or stroke, and certain arrhythmias need a physician’s clearance before anything else. Everything else is assessed individually, and our safety page lists what we screen for and why.

It is also not hospice or palliative care. We do not provide medical, nursing or end-of-life care, and a session does not replace any of it. Whether someone who is physically very unwell can sit through a five to eight hour day is a question for their care team and our screening, and the answer is sometimes no.

And it is not a shortcut through grief. Katy’s “not now” sections above say when we ask someone to wait, and why. If you are in crisis right now, please contact your prescriber, your therapist or a crisis line before anything else.

Common questions

Can I do this while in active treatment?

That starts as a conversation with your prescriber and the team in charge of your care, and then it is part of our screening. The Johns Hopkins trial let people continue chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation or biologic therapy if they were tolerating it (NCT00465595). Whether and when a session fits around your care is their call and yours, and with your permission we work alongside them.

Is this hospice or palliative care?

No. We are a licensed psilocybin healing center in Denver offering preparation, one psilocybin session with a licensed facilitator therapist, and integration, for adults well enough to travel here for a five to eight hour day. We do not provide medical, nursing or end-of-life care, and we do not replace it.

Is a session appropriate soon after a death?

Sometimes, and sometimes not. Timing is individual and one of the first things we talk about. Katy may ask someone to wait when grief is so raw that feeling grounded or managing daily life is hard, when reliable support is missing, or when substance use has become the main way of coping. The research does not describe the early months: the one grief trial with a published protocol enrolls people more than a year after the death (Beesley et al. 2025).

Does a session do anything for my illness or my pain?

Nothing on this page says it does, and we make no such claim. The trials measured anxiety, depression, hopelessness and demoralization. None measured the course of a disease, and the research on chronic pain is a few small pilot studies. What people describe afterward is a different relationship with their body and their situation, which Katy’s section describes.

Does the research include people in remission?

Partly. Johns Hopkins enrolled people with no active disease if at least a year had passed since diagnosis, and 35 percent of its participants had a possibility of recurrence rather than current disease (Griffiths et al. 2016; NCT00465595). NYU accepted a current or past diagnosis at any stage (NCT00957359). Neither reported results separately for people in remission.

What does the research say about fear of death?

Both 2016 trials measured it. Griffiths and colleagues reported lower death anxiety after the high dose, Ross and colleagues improved attitudes toward death, and the NYU follow-up found those changes still present an average of 4.5 years later, self-reported by 15 people (Griffiths et al. 2016; Ross et al. 2016; Agin-Liebes et al. 2020).

Do I need a diagnosis or a referral to come to Numia?

No. Colorado’s program requires that you are 21 or over and pass a safety screening, and where screening finds a risk factor we need a referral, a clearance or a consultation with your own provider first. People come to us carrying a loss, a diagnosis, anxiety, depression, trauma or a long sense of being stuck.

Sources

1. Griffiths RR, et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2016;30(12):1181-1197. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27909165/
2. Ross S, et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2016;30(12):1165-1180. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27909164/
3. Agin-Liebes GI, et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2020;34(2):155-166. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31916890/
4. Beaussant Y, et al. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care. 2026;16(2):423-433. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41184102/
5. Trial registrations: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00465595 and https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00957359
6. Rosenbaum D, et al. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40639037/
7. Beesley VL, et al. BMJ Open. 2025;15(4):e095992. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40233965/
8. In progress: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06724289 and https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07048743
9. 4 CCR 755-1, Natural Medicine Licensure Rules and Regulations, Rule 6.16(F) (safety screening), Colorado Secretary of State: https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/DisplayRule.do?action=ruleinfo&ruleId=3453

About the author

Katy Barrs, PsyD, LP, is a licensed clinical psychologist and psilocybin facilitator at Numia Healing Center. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver and holds a certification in psychedelic-assisted therapy from Naropa University and an advanced psilocybin facilitation certification from Elemental Psychedelics. She specializes in trauma, moral injury, grief and loss, and the care of military veterans, first responders and their families. More about Katy.