Beyond the Clinical Trial: A Culturally Grounded Research Approach to Understanding Black Learners and Our Psychedelic Training Programs

 This presentation will share preliminary findings from our ongoing research evaluating the efficacy and safety of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Training Institutions (PATTIs) for African American trainees, focusing on their reflections regarding both met and unmet needs in their programs. Alongside these early insights, we will showcase our research methodology, which centers principles from African Psychology and Indigenous Research Methodologies. We argue that incorporating cultural frameworks into the research process enhances participant engagement, particularly within populations consistently underrepresented in mainstream psychedelic research, leading to a more accurate representation of their experiences. This culturally grounded approach also serves as a crucial step toward dismantling systemic biases in psychedelic research practices. The presentation will provide valuable insights into the Black experience as a psychedelic learner, while offering a model for inclusive, ethical, and culturally responsive research practices in the field.