Michiel van Elk in The Conversation on the importance of mystical experiences for therapy
In a new piece for The Conversation UK, Michiel van Elk examines whether mystical experiences are essential to psychedelic therapy. Drawing on clinical research, he highlights the roles of expectation, context, and integration. Lasting change, he argues, may depend less on “mystical peaks” and more on psychological processes and supportive environments. 'If the field is to mature, it may need to move beyond the assumption that transcendence is the secret ingredient.'
The Conversation UK
Can a psychedelic-induced mystical experience really improve your mental health? (February 18, 2026)
Michiel van Elk is a Dutch cognitive neuroscientist who focusses his research on the effects psychedelics and the psychology of religion. He is interested in the altered states of consciousness (ASCs), as induced through meditation, sensory deprivation, psychedelics and other means.
National Geographic
Many articles in the media highlight the positive effects of using psychedelics, with some US states even using them for mental health treatments. However, we cannot conclude anything as of yet about the safety or efficacy of psychedelic therapy, says Michiel van Elk in an interview with National Geographic. Read about this and more in the full article.
'Will psychedelics ever live up to their hype?' (24 July 2025).
Technology Networks
The scientific journal Biological Psychiatry has published a clinical study of the University of Basel and the clinic of Peter Gasser that investigated the effecicacy of LSD-assisted psychotherapie for the treatment of anxiety. Participants given LSD showed greater reductions in their self-reported anxiety than those given a placebo. However, the data on which the results are based is somewhat complicated. In an interview with Technology Networks, Van Elk comments on the research design and gives a possible explanation for the mixed data results. LSD for Anxiety: A Deep Dive Into a New Clinical Trial (October 7, 2022).
Lonely Planet
New York Times/ BDNews24.com
More people are microdosing for mental health. But does it work? This New York Times article discusses the efficacy of taking tiny amounts of hallucinogenic drugs for mental health improvement. Various microdoser share their experience with psychedelics and several scientists, including Michiel van Elk, tell us more about the efficacy of microdosing and the effects psychedelics have on the brain (February 28, 2022).
Psychedelicspotlight.com
'The awarded grant not only increases the credibility of psychedelic research, it also lays the groundwork for the psychedelic field to flourish in years to come.'
Professor Michiel van Elk Awarded More Than $970,000 Grant to Study Psychedelics (December 15, 2020)
For more appearances by Michiel van Elk in Dutch media about his research on Psychedelics: 'Michiel van Elk in de media over psychedelica'
Van Elk won the Vidi-grant for his research on the effects of psychedelics. 'It's the first time in history that the Dutch government has made public resources available for this kind of research', says the neuroscientist. The reason? 'Because it creates opportunities. The current means against depression and anxiety-disorders are only mildly effective.'