This three-arm open-label study (n=84) found that ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy (A-MR) produced significantly greater reductions in severe grief compared to meaning reconstruction therapy alone (d=0.86) or no treatment (d=1.07), with the A-MR group showing the largest effect size (d=2.44) and additional improvements in prolonged grief symptoms, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life.
Abstract of Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement
“Preliminary evidence suggests that ayahuasca may alleviate severe grief symptoms. This three-arm, sequentially allocated, open-label study examines the therapeutic changes associated with ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy (A-MR) compared to meaning reconstruction therapy alone (MR) and a no-treatment control (NT). A total of 84 adults experiencing severe grief within 12 months of losing a first-degree relative were allocated to A-MR (n = 28), MR (n = 28), or NT (n = 28). Grief severity, prolonged grief disorder symptoms, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life were assessed at baseline, after the intervention, and 3 months post-intervention. Ayahuasca was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. All groups showed significant grief severity reduction (A-MR: p < .0001, d = 2.44; MR: p < .0001, d = 1.84; NT: p < .002, d = 0.74). Greater reductions were observed in the A-MR compared to MR (p = .012, d = 0.86) and NT (p = .0008, d = 1.07). A-MR was also associated with significant improvements in prolonged grief symptomatology, post-traumatic growth, and quality of life, with medium-to-large effect sizes. This is the first controlled prospective study to provide preliminary support for A-MR as a safe and potentially effective intervention for severe grief, though replication in larger randomized trials is required.“
Authors: Oscar Soto-Angona, Oscar Andión, Pablo Sabucedo, Robert A. Neimeyer, Josep Maria Haro, Julia Javkin, Magí Farré & Débora González
Summary of Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement
The authors begin by describing ayahuasca, a plant-based brew traditionally used by Amazonian cultures for healing, community, and spiritual purposes. The preparation combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, which contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), with the leaves of Psychotria viridis, which contain the psychedelic compound DMT. Normally, DMT would be broken down before reaching the brain, but the MAOIs allow it to become active. DMT primarily affects serotonin 5-HT2A receptors but also interacts with dopamine, glutamate, acetylcholine, and sigma-1 receptors, producing a wide range of effects on mood, perception, and cognition.
Research shows that ayahuasca and similar psychedelics promote neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity to form new neural connections—and adult neurogenesis, the creation of new neurons. These changes can persist for days or weeks. On a psychological level, people often experience enhanced mindfulness, creativity, cognitive flexibility, and new ways of reinterpreting difficult experiences. A single dose of ayahuasca has been linked to rapid reductions in depression and suicidal ideation. Importantly, the quality of the subjective experience appears central to these effects.
The authors highlight growing interest in ayahuasca as a potential therapy for grief. Preliminary evidence suggests it can facilitate emotional processing, meaning-making, and reconstruction of identity after loss. It may also help bereaved individuals maintain a continuing bond with the deceased, by evoking positive internal representations. Grief itself is acknowledged as both natural and profoundly challenging. Most bereaved people improve over time, but some develop prolonged grief disorder (PGD), which is associated with elevated risks of suicide, psychiatric illness, and physical health decline, especially in the first year.
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13251-5
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Cite this paper (APA)
Soto-Angona, O., Andión, O., Sabucedo, P., Neimeyer, R. A., Haro, J. M., Javkin, J., ... & González, D. (2025). Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy as an early resource for bereavement: a non-randomized clinical trial. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 32158.
Compound Details
The psychedelics given at which dose and how many times
DMT 750 μg | 2xLinked Clinical Trial
Ayahuasca Assisted Psychotherapy for GriefThis open-label trial (n=84) will evaluate the efficacy of ayahuasca-assisted constructivist therapy in reducing the severity of grief.