Addressing Our National & Regional Mental Health Needs: Clinical Trials Open for Depression & Anxiety
Who We Are: Psychedelic Science Institute (PSI) officially launched on July 1, 2025, uniting two pioneering mental health organizations: the Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s TRIP Center (est. 2019 in Santa Monica) and the California Center for Psychedelic Therapy (est. 2018 in Hollywood). Our PSI team brings decades of clinical and operational experience to the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Our TRIP Clinics in Santa Monica and Hollywood provide a safe and supportive patient-centered experience that integrates compassionate care with FDA-regulated research.
PSI stands as one of the few sites in the United States actively conducting multiple psychedelic-assisted therapy clinical trials. We are proud to be an affirming space for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, striving to ensure these trials reflect and benefit diverse populations.
Current Clinical Trials:
We are excited to be screening patients for multiple clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy:
- Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD): Santa Monica TRIP Clinic
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Hollywood TRIP Clinic.
Upcoming Clinical Trials:
In the coming weeks, we will also be screening patients for the following psychedelic trials:
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Santa Monica TRIP Clinic
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Santa Monica TRIP Clinic
Why This Matters: MDD, TRD, and GAD remain some of the most persistent challenges in mental health care. Nationally, over 21 million U.S. adults (about 8%) experience at least one major depressive episode each year and nearly one-third of these individuals have TRD, meaning standard treatments have failed them. Anxiety disorders are even more widespread, affecting over 40 million U.S. adults annually, with GAD being one of the most common.
Here in Los Angeles County, nearly 1 in 10 adults experience depression each year and about 15% report frequent anxiety severe enough to interfere with daily life. Despite the enormous burden, many residents struggle to access care and current medications and therapies are often ineffective with undesirable side effects. Our Santa Monica and Hollywood clinics are here to serve the very communities most affected by these challenges.
What Makes PSI Different:
- Gold Standard Research: All Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted therapy offered at our TRIP Clinics are randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, which is considered the gold standard in clinical research.
- Innovative Treatments: The psychedelic medicines being studied include psilocybin, LSD, and DMT.
- Ethical Review: Each study undergoes rigorous review by the FDA, DEA, and independent ethics boards and has been carefully reviewed by the PSI Leadership Team.
- These studies are sponsored by leading research organizations and biotech partners committed to advancing safe, effective therapies for mental health conditions.
- Expert Team: Our clinicians, therapists, and researchers bring years of experience in both psychedelic research and patient care.
These trials along with others in the pipeline represent bold steps toward developing transformative, evidence-based therapies. While earlier studies of psilocybin, LSD, and DMT have shown promising safety and efficacy signals, additional clinical trials are essential to determine whether these treatments can provide durable benefits and ultimately meet FDA standards for approval.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Patients who do not meet all eligibility criteria for one of our clinical trials for depression or anxiety or who have other mental health concerns, such as suicidal ideation or PTSD, may be good candidates for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Our TRIP Clinic teams have extensive experience with KAP and can determine if it might be a good option for a given patient.
How to Learn More and Get Involved: We invite patients, caregivers, clinicians, and community advocates to help raise awareness about these critical research opportunities. Here’s how to get started:
- Learn More: Visit our website at www.psychedelicsci.com to explore current trials and eligibility details.
- Connect with Us: Contact our team at either TRIP Clinic location to learn more about enrollment, screening, and what participation entails, from preparation to dosing and integration.
- Spread the Word: Share this information with your networks and refer individuals who may benefit from these studies.
Together, we can accelerate the development of safe, effective therapeutic options and build a future where mental health care is not only innovative, but inclusive and accessible.