Written by Tommaso Barba
Tommaso is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London

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Psychedelic experiences are profoundly influenced by “set and setting,” including the social context of a session. An important aspect of setting is whether one undergoes a psilocybin journey privately (solitary) or as part of a group. While clinical research has largely focused on individual sessions for standardization and safety, historical and cross-cultural evidence highlights the significance of communal use in ritualistic and therapeutic contexts. This article explores the acute effects and long-term outcomes of private vs. group psilocybin experiences, analyzing their impact on psychological processes, therapeutic potential, and integration. By comparing these two settings, we assess how social interaction, or the absence of it, shapes the subjective and clinical effects of psychedelic experiences.

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Acute Effects: Communal vs. Solitary Psychedelic States

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Group Psychedelic Experiences (Communal Setting)

When people take psilocybin together, they often report unique intersubjective phenomena that seldom occur in isolation. Researchers describe a state of “psychedelic communitas”, an intense feeling of togetherness and shared humanity among participants​. In group sessions (such as ceremonial or retreat settings), individuals can experience emotional synchrony, identity fusion, and a blurring of self-other boundaries, akin to the collective effervescence felt at raves or spiritual gatherings​ (Kettner et al. 2021). For example, the study noted that when psychedelics were taken in groups (sometimes 20–30 people), participants frequently felt as if “there was magic in the air,” reflecting a powerful shared experience​. Communal psilocybin sessions may induce unity or oneness experiences not just with the universe, but specifically with each other. In a mixed Israeli-Palestinian ayahuasca group, for instance, participants reported unity-based connections where social identities dissolved and a sense of shared humanity emerged​ (Roseman et al., 2021), a striking demonstration of psychedelics’ capacity to foster communal bonds.

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When psychedelics are used in a group therapy context, they tap into powerful interpersonal dynamics that complement the drug’s effects. Researchers have argued that combining psychedelics with group psychotherapy could amplify classic therapeutic factors identified by Irvin Yalom – for example, increasing group cohesiveness, promoting interpersonal learning, and fostering altruism among participants ​(Ponomarenko et al., 2023). During a psychedelic group session, participants often report a rapid breakdown of social barriers and a surge of empathy; people become notably open and emotionally honest with one another. This openness can manifest in two different ways, depending on the structure of the group. In groups where interpersonal engagement is encouraged throughout the session, this breakdown of social barriers is particularly pronounced. People may share their deepest vulnerabilities and experiences in real time, with minimal defensiveness. In these sessions, the immediacy of connection can deepen the sense of shared humanity, amplifying the therapeutic process. Vulnerabilities become invitations for others to confront similar issues, and this exchange can trigger therapeutic breakthroughs. For example, one participant's emotional release might prompt another to confront a parallel trauma, or members may comfort someone who is releasing long-held grief, transforming an individual catharsis into a collective healing moment.

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However, in groups where participants are primarily focused on individual experiences during the session, the sense of shared empathy still exists, but in a subtler form. While the group's presence provides a supportive backdrop, the therapeutic work tends to be more internal. Participants may still feel a surge of empathy for others, but this empathy might manifest more in the form of witnessing one another's process before or after the session, rather than during the journey itself. The sense of universality and shared experience can still emerge when individuals share reflections on their experiences, but the depth of real-time, interpersonal feedback is more limited. In these settings, group members support each other before and after the session, offering empathy and understanding, but not necessarily during the peak emotional moments.

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In both formats, hearing others articulate struggles that echo one's own can instill a powerful sense of universality, the realization that “I am not alone in feeling this.” In practical terms, group settings provide peer support, and in either format, participants often find this support especially helpful when tolerating and understanding difficult content that arises during their trip (Ponomarenko et al., 2023). All of these elements, cohesion, universality, altruistic support, real-time interpersonal feedback, are unique advantages of the group format. Whether through immediate connection or post-session reflection, the group can serve as a powerful tool for addressing conditions like social anxiety, trauma, or addiction, where social connection and trust are central to the healing process.

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Group Challenges

Despite these advantages, group experiences are not without challenges. Group sessions can vary depending on whether participants are interacting with one another during the session or are primarily having individual, internal experiences, with the group dynamics coming into play before and after the journey itself. In group sessions where participants engage with one another during the session, interpersonal interactions play a central role. In these settings, people share their experiences in real-time, offering feedback, emotional support, and a sense of connection throughout the experience. This active interpersonal engagement can enhance group cohesion, increase empathy, and provide immediate emotional support, allowing for a more collective healing process. However, the heightened emotional intensity of these interactions might also amplify potential risks, such as misunderstandings or discomfort if participants aren’t ready to fully engage or share their vulnerabilities.

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On the other hand, in group settings where participants primarily undergo individual, introspective experiences, the emphasis is more on personal insight, with interactions occurring outside of the session. During the psychedelic journey, participants are encouraged to explore their inner world on their own, and the group’s role becomes more supportive before and after the session. While there may be moments of subtle connection or shared presence, the therapeutic work primarily happens individually. This type of structure can be beneficial for those who may be more introspective or prefer to process their emotions in solitude. The group’s role then shifts to one of support and validation, offering a space for sharing reflections, offering empathy, and building a sense of community once the experience concludes. Both formats offer distinct therapeutic benefits: active interaction during the session can enhance the collective therapeutic process, while individualized experiences with group support outside the session offer a safe container for personal growth.

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Solitary Psychedelic Experiences (Private Setting)

In a private psychedelic session (whether truly one-on-one with a therapist/guide, or completely solo), the therapeutic focus is entirely on one person’s process. This individualized attention can be extremely valuable for delving into specific personal issues. For example, in clinical settings of individual psychedelic therapy, the presence of a dedicated therapist or sitter who offers unconditional support has been identified as crucial for helping the individual navigate their inner experience​ (Murphy et al., 2022). The person is free to express anything – talk, cry, sing, or sit in silence – without worrying about anyone else’s needs or judgments. This can facilitate deep introspection and encounter with one's psyche (sometimes described as a meeting with one’s inner child, confronting a fear, or experiencing a spiritual revelation) in a way that might be harder to reach if one is concurrently managing group dynamics. As one psychonaut noted, if the goal is to “go inward to address deep issues,” some find that hearing or sensing other people around “does nothing for me” and can even be a distraction​. Thus, acute effects in a solo trip may include more self-reflective content (visions or realizations specific to one’s own life) compared to the shared narratives or outward-focused emotions in group settings. Private sessions also allow for flexibility in therapeutic techniques: a therapist might employ personalized music, direct dialogue at key moments, bodywork, or other interventions tailored to that client in the moment, which would be impractical in a group.

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Private Challenges

The flip side is that private sessions lack the social learning component. While one-on-one therapy can help an individual understand their relationships (through talking about them or projecting onto the therapist), it cannot replicate the real-time feedback of interacting with peers. For issues deeply tied to social behavior or family dynamics, a group setting can act as a microcosm to reveal these patterns; in private therapy, one relies on reflection and role-play instead​  (Rønning & Bjørkly; 2019). Also, a solo adventurer who takes psychedelics alone at home misses out on having someone to help reframe or ground them if the experience turns overwhelming, a role that group facilitators or even fellow travellers often play for each other in group contexts. In terms of psychological benefit, a solitary journey might lead to profound insight, but there’s a risk of misinterpreting or struggling with that insight in isolation. That’s why even staunch advocates of solo trips often recommend some form of integration support afterward, be it therapy or sharing with friends, to process the experience.

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Long-Term Outcomes and Integration

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Outcomes and Integration for Group Experiences

Psychedelic sessions in group settings can lead to enduring improvements in well-being, partly thanks to the bonds and insights formed collectively. A recent prospective study tracking people for six months after a guided group psilocybin retreat found significant long-term boosts in well-being for participants of all ages (Kettner et al., 2021), with older adults showing especially strong gains​ (Kettner et al., 2024). Importantly, the study noted that the degree of “Communitas”, a term for the intense feeling of togetherness and shared humanity that can arise in group rituals, was a key predictor of lasting positive change (Kettner et al., 2021). In other words, those who felt a powerful sense of community and unity during the psychedelic experience tended to have better long-term outcomes, such as reduced depression and loneliness, than those who did not (figure 1)​.

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Other research echoes these benefits. In a unique psilocybin-assisted group therapy trial, researchers at UCSF gave psilocybin to small groups of demoralized older adults (long-term AIDS survivors) in a supportive therapy setting. The outcome was promising: no serious adverse events occurred, and patients’ demoralization scores improved significantly from baseline to follow-up (with a mean reduction of about 5.8 points on a standard scale)​. The authors concluded it was feasible, relatively safe, and potentially efficacious to do psychedelic therapy in a group format​.

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This suggests that group experiences can continue to “give back” long after the acute effects wear off: the friendships, support networks, or simply the memory of having gone through something profound together can help individuals integrate the experience into their lives in a meaningful way.

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Outcomes and Integration for Private Experiences

A private psychedelic journey can also yield long-lasting personal transformation, but the integration process is more self-directed. Most clinical trials (for depression, anxiety, etc.) use individual dosing with therapists, and they report enduring reductions in symptoms and increases in life satisfaction for many patients (Nutt et al., 2020). These positive outcomes are often attributed to the intense personal insights and “mystical” experiences that psilocybin can occasion in a focused, introspective setting. However, without a built-in community, individuals must find their own ways to incorporate these insights post-experience. Some might journal, seek out a therapist or integration coach, or join online forums to discuss and normalize what they went through. 

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The absence of an immediate peer group means that any boost in social well-being (unlike in group settings) has to be cultivated separately. For example, an individual may feel more connected to humanity in a broad sense after a profound solo trip, but to turn that into concrete social change, like improved relationships or overcoming loneliness, they’ll need to reach out and engage with others afterward. In summary, private sessions can spark significant inner change, but they rely on the individual’s initiative to translate that into lasting life changes, whereas group sessions inherently provide a social framework that can support integration.

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Cultural and spiritual perspectives

In indigenous traditions, psychedelics are primarily used in communal ceremonies, guided by experienced healers. Mazatec veladas and Native American Church peyote rituals are structured to foster group cohesion and collective healing, reinforcing cultural values through shared intention and ritual (Rodríguez Arce et al., 2021). Anthropologists note that these ceremonies serve as socially constructive events, strengthening communal bonds and spiritual connection. Spiritually, group settings are believed to amplify the medicine’s effects. In ayahuasca traditions, icaros (sacred songs) sung in unison are thought to summon plant spirits, guiding the experience (Winkelman, 2021). Many indigenous perspectives view psychedelic ceremonies as not just for individual healing, but for collective well-being, including the health of the community and the planet.

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Solitary psychedelic use also has cultural and spiritual precedent but is framed differently. Vision quests or shamanic journeys often involve isolation, but typically within a structured framework of preparation and post-experience integration. Shamans might take psychedelics alone for insights benefiting the group, emphasizing that even solitary experiences are often communal in purpose. Eastern traditions, such as yogic and Buddhist practices, have used meditation to reach altered states, occasionally with entheogens. However, the modern idea of completely private psychedelic use is largely a Western development, reflecting an individualistic approach to spirituality and healing.

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Today, psychedelic culture blends both traditions. Some seek group retreats for support and connection, while others prefer solitary experiences for introspection. Even in groups, personal space is often respected, with participants journeying separately within a shared environment. Meanwhile, solo users may integrate indigenous-inspired rituals, such as setting up altars or using smudging, to bring structure to their experience. As clinical research evolves, there’s growing interest in integrating communal psychedelic traditions into modern therapy. Research that focuses only on individual treatment models ignores the therapeutic potential of social settings (Roseman  et al., 2022). Psychedelics have historically been community-driven, not institutionally created, and incorporating spirit medicine principles could enhance modern approaches.

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Conclusion

Private and group psilocybin experiences offer distinct psychological and therapeutic benefits. Group settings enhance communitas, fostering social bonding, emotional support, and shared meaning, which can contribute to long-term improvements in well-being and social connectedness. This aligns with findings that communal psychedelic use can reinforce prosocial behaviors and collective integration. Private experiences, by contrast, facilitate deep introspection and personalized therapeutic engagement, allowing for focused self-exploration and individualized processing of emotions, memories, and cognitive patterns. The absence of external stimuli may enhance mystical-type experiences and self-referential insight, which have been linked to positive clinical outcomes in psychedelic therapy.

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The choice between group and private use depends on individual goals, psychological readiness, and integration strategies. Group settings may be particularly beneficial for those seeking social connection, emotional regulation, or relational healing, while solitary experiences may be preferable for introspective work and tailored therapeutic interventions. As research progresses, understanding the distinct mechanisms underlying socially mediated vs. self-directed psychedelic experiences will be essential in optimizing their applications in clinical and personal contexts.

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References

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9. Rønning, S. B., & Bjørkly, S. (2019). The use of clinical role-play and reflection in learning therapeutic communication skills in mental health education: an integrative review. Advances in medical education and practice, 415-425.

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