MDMA-Assisted Couples Therapy Practitioner Study

Background & Context

Before MDMA was criminalized, couples therapists, guides, ceremonial practitioners, and community-based clinicians used MDMA to support emotional honesty, deeper communication, and relational healing between partners. These practices have occurred across a wide range of settings and traditions, yet very little of this real-world experience has been formally documented.

Today, as interest grows in psychedelic-assisted therapy and as future clinical research on MDMA-assisted couples therapy is being planned, MAPS and Columbia University have launched the first systematic study to better understand how MDMA-assisted couples therapy is facilitated.

This qualitative research focuses not on administering MDMA, but on learning from practitioners and documenting their methods, training, safety practices, and experiences to inform future ethical guidelines, training programs, and clinical research protocols.

About the Study

This is not a clinical trial. It is a qualitative research study collecting information from practitioners with real-world experience. No MDMA will be administered.

The study is led by an experienced multidisciplinary research team and has been approved by Columbia University’s Institutional Review Board. The team includes:

• Jae Sevelius, Ph.D. – Principal Investigator; Professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University and Senior Research Strategist at the Relational Life Foundation
• Natalie Lyla Ginsberg, MSW – Co-Investigator; Couples Therapist; Former MAPS Global Impact Officer
• Baya Voce, MSW – Co-Investigator; Relationship Repair Expert and Educator; Former MAPS Fellow
• McKenna Leighton – Co-Investigator; Clinical Research Associate at UCSF; Former MAPS Clinical Research Manager
• Sabrina Cluesman, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW – Co-Investigator, Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Columbia University; Research Director at the Relational Life Foundation

This IRB-approved study (Columbia IRB-AAAV3455, exempt determination 12/19/24) combines:

1. An Anonymous Online Survey

A ~30-minute Qualtrics survey for practitioners who have facilitated MDMA-assisted couples sessions.

The survey gathers information about:

• Practitioner training and background
• Therapeutic modalities used
• Screening and safety practices
• Session structures and pacing
• Reasons couples seek this work
• Observed outcomes and challenges

2. Optional Confidential Interview

A subset of survey participants will be invited to a 60-90 minute confidential Zoom interview (with $50 compensation) to explore:

• How practitioners structure preparation and integration
• How MDMA changes the therapeutic process for couples
• Approaches to risk mitigation, ethics, and consent
• Differences from traditional talk-based couples therapy
  

Who’s Eligible to Participate?

We are seeking current or former practitioners who have facilitated MDMA-assisted work with couples in any setting, including:

• Licensed or unlicensed therapists
• Somatic or trauma-oriented practitioners
• Guides working in community or ceremonial contexts
• Clinicians or researchers with current or past dyadic MDMA-assisted facilitation experience

To participate, you must:

• Have experience facilitating MDMA-assisted sessions with couples
• Be willing to complete an anonymous survey about your background and professional experience
• (Optional) Indicate interest in a confidential follow-up interview

No identifying information is collected unless you choose to volunteer your contact details for the interview. All data are stored securely on Columbia University’s HIPAA-compliant systems (SharePoint, Box, Qualtrics), consistent with IRB-approved confidentiality procedures.

How to Participate

Step 1 — Complete the Anonymous Survey

The survey takes approximately 30 minutes and includes questions about your training, modalities, safety practices, and experience facilitating MDMA-assisted couples sessions.

Step 2 — (Optional) Volunteer for an Interview

At the end of the survey, you may indicate your interest in a confidential 60–90 minute interview conducted via HIPAA-compliant Zoom.

*Interview participants receive a $50 Amazon gift card in appreciation for their time.

Privacy & Data Security

Your privacy is a top priority. Per the IRB-approved protocol:

• Survey responses are anonymous unless you choose to leave contact information.
• Audio-only interview recordings are stored on encrypted Box folders and deleted after transcript verification.
• All identifying details are removed from transcripts.
• All data are stored on secure Columbia University systems (SharePoint, Box, Qualtrics).
• Only members of the study team have access to de-identified data. 
• Dissemination of results (e.g., conference presentations, publications, reports) will include only aggregated and anonymized data.

Participation is voluntary, and you may skip any question.

Why This Study Matters

A first-of-its-kind scientific effort

While MDMA-assisted therapy has been studied extensively for PTSD, no published research has systematically examined its use in couples therapy, despite decades of community practice. This study is the first to map today’s landscape of MDMA-assisted couples therapy across clinical, ceremonial, and community-based settings.

Grounding future clinical research in lived experience

Findings will directly inform the design of upcoming MAPS-supported dyadic clinical trials, ensuring protocols reflect what practitioners have already found useful, safe, and effective.

Contributing to ethical guidelines and training standards

Practitioners face unique relational, ethical, and safety considerations when working with two people simultaneously. Documenting real-world models supports:

• improved screening practices
• clearer ethical frameworks
• evidence-informed training pathways
• responsible policy development
• community frameworks for providing supervision and practicing accountability

Supporting couples’ wellbeing, regardless of outcome

As emphasized by both practitioners and MAPS researchers, “success” in couples therapy is not defined by whether partners stay together. MDMA-assisted processes may support:

• deeper honesty
• compassionate communication
• healthier conflict navigation
• respectful separation when appropriate

Shaping policy in a moment of rapidly expanding interest

As psychedelic-assisted therapy moves toward regulation, this study ensures that future guidelines are built on evidence, not assumption.

Future Directions & Philanthropic Support

Initial phases of the study are funded, but MAPS is seeking additional philanthropic support to:

• Expand qualitative interviews
• Develop future clinical trial protocols
• Advance research in non-medicalized MDMA-assisted couples therapy

To support this work, visit maps.org/donate.