Metaphysics, Philosophy & Psychedelic Therapy

Twenty-first century psychedelic therapy is developing at a fast pace. Yet much of psychedelic experience is untouched by therapists as they have no training in metaphysics: the study of reality in terms of concepts relating to both matter and mind, and more. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has recently endorsed the need for metaphysics in psychedelic therapy, citing the work of the speaker – not only to fathom the nature of such experiences, but also to uncover possible metaphysical biases of the therapist that could have an effect upon practice. To integrate psychedelic-induced metaphysical experiences requires recourse to metaphysics. In this talk, Dr Sjöstedt-Hughes will offer an outline of what this means and how it may be applied.

Bio

Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes is a Philosopher of Mind and Metaphysics who specializes in fields pertaining to panpsychism, pantheism, idealism, mental causation, and altered states of consciousness. Peter is a lecturer at The University of Exeter where he is a founder of EPIC – the Exeter Psychedelic Interdisciplinary Centre – and developer of its postgraduate courses in Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine, and Culture. He is co-director of Europe’s largest psychedelics conference, Breaking Convention, and the author of Noumenautics (2015), Modes of Sentience (2021), co-editor and contributor of Philosophy and Psychedelics(2022), Breaking Convention: Musings and Meditations on Psychedelia (2025), and author of Bloomsbury’s forthcoming book,The Psychedelics Manual: Metaphysics and Meaning, alongside numerous articles. As well as the TEDx Talker on ‘psychedelics and consciousness’, and speaker on the BBC’s show ‘The Trip’, Peter is an inspiration to the recreation of inhuman philosopher Marvel Superhero, Karnak.