Psilocybin + Mindfulness Shows Promise for Healthcare Worker Depression: Report

Nearly half (46%) of healthcare workers who received psilocybin and meditation techniques were free of depression at 2 weeks, compared to just 8% who only did meditation

SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontline healthcare workers struggling with depression after the COVID-19 pandemic experienced significant relief from a treatment combining psilocybin group therapy with mindfulness training, according to a new study from Huntsman Mental Health Institute at University of Utah Health. Doctors and nurses who received this controlled, group psilocybin therapy along with an eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program saw far greater improvements than those who only learned mindfulness techniques.

The study, which originally appeared in PLOS Medicine, included 25 healthcare workers who worked directly with COVID patients and were battling both depression and burnout. A select group of healthcare workers were randomized to receive a single dose of psilocybin in a controlled clinical setting along with 8 weeks of mindfulness training while the other half completed the mindfulness training alone. For those that were treated with the combination therapy, the group's depression scores dropped by more than twice as much as the meditation-only group in addition to feeling less emotionally exhausted and more connected to themselves and others.

"Depression and burnout have long been serious problems for healthcare workers," says Benjamin Lewis, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at University of Utah and lead author on the study. "When the pandemic only worsened these effects, we felt it was crucial to try something different to understand how we can help this group of individuals who are dedicated to helping others."

Nearly half (46%) of healthcare workers who received psilocybin alongside mindfulness techniques were free of depression at two weeks, compared to just 8% who only learned mindfulness practices. The study showed significant sustained improvements in symptoms with a single dose of psilocybin (25mg), administered at week 6 of the meditation course.

Most psilocybin studies are expensive and hard to scale up as they use two therapists per patient with individual sessions. This study delivered treatment in groups instead, creating an easier path towards scaling and a more accessible option for healthcare workers looking for relief.

To learn more about the study, read here: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004519

To learn more about psychedelic research at HMHI, read here: https://medicine.utah.edu/psychiatry/research/labs/upsi

For an overview of group format psilocybin trials, see TEDx presentation here: https://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_lewis_could_psychedelics_help_patients_in_therapy

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, burnout, or another mental health crisis, call or text 988 or visit the Huntsman Mental Health Institute Crisis Care Center at 955 West 3300 South in South Salt Lake.

About Huntsman Mental Health Institute

Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah is a first-of-its-kind model created to address one of our nation's greatest challenges: mental health and substance use disorders. The institute combines the strength of one of America's leading research universities with the nation's best integrated mental health crisis care model and a comprehensive continuum of care that includes a 161-bed hospital and more than 85 outpatient locations. We educate hundreds of learners every year and provide both unique and wide-ranging educational opportunities in psychiatry and mental health. Our innovative approach to research uses "teams of teams" to bring together different disciplines to uncover new ways to tackle complex problems. A gift of $150 million from the Huntsman family helps power our mission to advance mental health knowledge, hope, and healing for all.

Learn more at: healthcare.utah.edu/HMHI and join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Huntsman Mental Health Institute