Ayahuasca Ceremonies for the LGBTQIA+ Community: A New Frontier in Healing

By Katie Pickard, Director of Education

Since our founding in 2018, Unlimited Sciences has been committed to psychedelic research that serves the community, educates the public, and informs evidence-based policies. By capturing real-world observational data, we aim to mitigate harm and reduce stigma while advancing the conversation around psychedelics. One of our most recent studies focuses on a historically underserved population in psychedelic research: the LGBTQIA+ community.

Why LGBTQIA+ Research Matters

The LGBTQIA+ community faces unique mental health challenges, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation due to societal discrimination and historical exclusion from healthcare resources. Despite the growing body of research on psychedelic-assisted therapy, LGBTQIA+ individuals have been largely underrepresented in clinical trials. Given the well-documented importance of set and setting in psychedelic experiences, it is essential to understand how these factors uniquely impact this community.

In psychedelic states, the boundaries that normally define identity often soften. People report feeling a deep sense of connection to their body, or even a joyful detachment from physical form altogether. For trans and nonbinary folks, this can lead to moments of profound clarity or relief. A compelling verbatim quote that captures the essence of gender euphoria comes from a participant,  “feeling of joy that radiates throughout my entire body, that either confirms how I might be feeling or validates who I am.”

A Complicated History

The relationship between psychedelics and LGBTQIA+ identities has a troubled past. In the mid-20th century, psychedelics were used in attempts to “treat” homosexuality through conversion therapy. Pioneers of psychedelic science such as Timothy Leary and Stanislav Grof promoted the idea that LSD could “cure” homosexuality, a damaging perspective that contributed to the medical pathologization of queer identities.

In contrast, contemporary accounts suggest that psychedelics may instead help LGBTQIA+ individuals affirm their identities, process trauma, and cultivate self-acceptance. Our research seeks to explore this potential and give voice to the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy that’s specific to the needs of LGBTQIA+ communities.

The Study and LGBTQIA+ Identity

In partnership with the Queer Wellness Collective and the Jungle Gayborhood, we conducted a naturalistic study with LGBTQIA+ participants attending an ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica. The study examined mental health, identity-related distress, and social well-being before and after the ceremony.

Participant Demographics

• Sample Size: 19 participants
• Gender Identities: Male (11), Female (2), Transgender (1), Non-Binary (4), Male & Non-Binary (1)
• Sexual Orientation: Homosexual (13), Bisexual (3), Other (3)
• Mean Age: 40.1 years
• Mental Health Background: 42% had a history of mental health struggles or diagnoses, and 37% reported a recent traumatic experience that caused them to believe they would be injured or killed
• Primary Intention: Self-exploration (10), Mental Health (4), Creativity (1), Therapy (1), Productivity (1), or Healing Inner Wounds (2)

The Ceremony

The retreat took place over seven days, including two nights of ayahuasca ceremonies guided by experienced facilitators using a hybrid ceremonial approach. Participants engaged in preparation and integration activities such as breathwork, meditation, journaling, and yoga. The ceremony took place in an hybrid indoor/outdoor open-air structure, in a darkened environment at night used as a sensory limiting tool.

Participants were provided with detailed instructions on materials allowed at the ceremony, and dietary and spiritual suggestions included a regimented diet, celibacy, and restrictions on substance and medication use. Surveys were conducted over a period of three months:

• Baseline
• Day of Psychedelic Experience
• 1-3 Days Post-Experience
• 2-4 Weeks Post-Experience
• 2-3 Months Post-Experience

Key Findings: Ayahuasca’s Impact on Well-Being

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING RESULTS ARE PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE FOLLOWING PEER REVIEW.

Mental Health Improvements

• Significant reductions in depression and anxiety scores
• Increased subjective happiness and overall well-being
• Depression symptoms dropped by more than 70% at the 2–4 week follow-up and remained over 50% lower than baseline even after 3 months.
• Trait anxiety also saw significant and sustained reductions, while state anxiety improved short-term but showed signs of returning to baseline by 3 months.

Identity and Self-Acceptance

• Decreased internalized homophobia and sexual identity distress
• Increased self-compassion and self-esteem, particularly regarding body image

Social Well-Being

• Greater feelings of connectedness
• Reduced loneliness
• Spiritual well-being, including feelings of peace, faith, and meaning, increased significantly and was sustained across time points.
• 84% of participants reported improved relationships with others at the 3-month follow-up.

Hope and Transformation

• Participants reported an increase in feelings of hope and personal empowerment
• Many described profound insights into their identities and life purpose
• Quality of life spiked at 2–4 weeks post-retreat but began to decrease slightly by the 3-month mark.

• Many participants described the experience as among the top 5 or single most meaningful events of their lives.

Participant Voices

“Ayahuasca will not modify your true self. It will just amplify it. You will be as queer as you are right now but in a healthy way.”

“There’s collective trauma in being queer. Sitting in ceremony allows you to step outside of the stories, whether they’re yours or someone else’s, and provides an opportunity for deep healing.”

“Letting go of the fear of not being good enough and coming into my own authentic self.”

“I intend to clear the debris of trauma past, including forgiving myself for my trauma responses.”

Limitations and Future Direction

While these findings are promising, they are preliminary. As a self-report study with a small sample size, further controlled research is needed to validate these observations. Additionally, ayahuasca ceremonies incorporate multiple therapeutic elements, such as group support, breathwork, and ritual. These factors may also contribute to positive outcomes.

While the authors acknowledge small sample size as a limitation, we also note a significant imbalance in gender representation in this study. Specifically, there were far more male participants than female, trans, or non-binary individuals. This may impact the generalizability of findings across gender-diverse populations.

Looking Ahead

As psychedelic research continues to evolve, it is critical to ensure that LGBTQIA+ voices are included in these discussions. This study marks an important step toward understanding how psychedelics can support healing, identity affirmation, and community resilience.

Unlimited Sciences is actively working to give voices to people that aren’t well-represented in the research landscape, and we’ve already dedicated many years to amplifying the LGBTQIA2S+ community. It’s clear that psychedelics may be uniquely meaningful for individuals navigating the queer experience. P.S. You can donate to our cause for more psychedelic research that supports queer communities.

Stay tuned for the upcoming documentary featuring participant experiences, filmed by Thiago DaDalt. View the trailer:

If you’re looking for personalized guidance and support before or after a psychedelic experience, the Unlimited Sciences Psychedelic Info Line offers free, 1:1 support for answering questions about psychedelic safety, integration, and emotional processing.