Māori health professionals' views on psychedelic therapy

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-03-14 00:01

New Zealand

Photo by Youssef Naddam via Unsplash

Thirteen Māori health professionals broadly supported more research into psychedelic therapy. The qualitative survey – designed to get the views of the health workers, rather than statistics – showed they think there is an opportunity for psychedelic therapy to fit with the Māori health framework of Te whare tapa whā (mental, social, spiritual, physical, and whenua wellbeing). Overall, there was a perception that psychedelic therapy has a potential to reduce health inequities if delivered in alignment with Te Ao Māori and in a culturally safe way.

Media release

From: Pasifika Medical Association Group

This study aimed to explore Māori healthcare professionals’ current awareness, attitudes and perspectives on psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Thirteen Māori healthcare professionals were recruited to participate in semi-structured qualitative interviews investigating psychedelic awareness, knowledge and attitudes using Māori health models Te Whare Tapa Whā and Te Wheke as a framework for data collection and analysis. Four key themes were identified as above. Our sample of Māori healthcare professionals generally supported research investigating psychedelic therapies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Improving awareness of this novel treatment is likely to influence its acceptability as a treatment option and will inform the cultural safety of its use with Māori.

Journal/
conference: NZMJ

Organisation/s: University of Auckland, Auckland City Hospital

Funder: The University of Auckland provided study materials and funding to complete this work. LR is a recipient of HRC Emerging Researcher First Grant and MindBio Therapeutics NZ Ltd Grant. She has been paid by Atai Life Sciences for work as a therapist on clinical trials investigating dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) during 2022–2024. She was a member of the NZ Psychologists Board Scopes Advisory Group.

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