Zachary Walsh
Professor of Psychology
Data updated
Research Footprint
Zachary Walsh appears in 8 tracked papers (2016–2023), most studied alongside Psilocybin, MDMA and LSD, across Anxiety Disorders, Depressive Disorders and Substance Use Disorders (SUD).
Most-cited paper: MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD: study design and rationale for phase 3 trials based on pooled analysis of six phase 2 randomized controlled trials (362 citations).
Frequent co-authors: Kim Kuypers, Pamela Kryskow and Kalin Harvey.
Background & Research
Zachary Walsh is a psychologist whose research focuses on the clinical and epidemiological study of psychedelics and related psychoactive substances. He has led and co‑authored multiple observational studies of psilocybin microdosing and classic psychedelic use, characterising motivations for use and associations with anxiety, depression and well‑being. His work interrogates psychological mechanisms such as spirituality and emotion processing that may mediate relationships between psychedelic use and mental‑health outcomes. In community and prospective samples he has examined broader population effects of hallucinogen use, including research suggesting potentially protective associations with intimate partner violence among men with histories of problematic substance use.
In addition to observational research, Walsh has contributed to clinical research efforts, including authorship on work that synthesises phase 2 randomized controlled trials of MDMA‑assisted psychotherapy to inform the design and rationale for phase 3 PTSD trials. His scholarship spans microdosing, psychedelic epidemiology, mechanism‑focused analyses, and translational clinical trial methodology, with a consistent emphasis on rigorous measurement, public‑health implications and harm‑reduction perspectives.
Key Impact
Noted for leading observational and clinical research on psychedelic microdosing, mechanisms of psychedelic-related mental health effects, and contributions to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy trial design.
Collaboration Network
16 collaborators· click a node to visit their profile
Full network →Compounds
Topics
Top Collaborators
Affiliations
Institutions, companies, and organisations Zachary Walsh is associated with.
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a Canadian public research university with major campuses in Vancouver and the Okanagan. Its clinical and behavioural research activity includes investigator-led studies relevant to psychedelic-assisted therapy and mental health.
View stakeholder →BC Centre on Substance Use
The BC Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) is an academic centre based in British Columbia that conducts research, develops clinical guidance and training, and supports evidence-based treatment and policy for substance use. It partners with health authorities, academic institutions, and community providers to improve care and reduce harms.
View stakeholder →MAPS
nonprofitMAPS, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization founded in 1986. It works nationally and with a broader global audience to develop medical, legal, and cultural contexts for the careful use of psychedelics and marijuana. Its core activities include research, education, advocacy, and convening the field through large public events. In psychedelic medicine and policy, MAPS positions itself as an advocate for legal access, drug policy reform, harm reduction, and health equity. Its Policy & Advocacy work includes legislative advocacy, community organizing, and impact litigation, and it has also launched work on access for system-impacted people and broader health equity in the legal psychedelic ecosystem. Current documented initiatives include the Psychedelic Science conference series, the Health Equity Program, The Zendo Project, and Ask MAPS, which handles public inquiries about therapy, research, and policy reform.
View stakeholder →MycoMedica Life Sciences
Public Benefit CorpMycoMedica Life Sciences PBC is a public benefit corporation developing low-dose psilocybin medicines for psychiatric and neurological disorders. Their lead candidate MLS101 is in Phase 1 clinical development, with PMDD as the lead indication and OUD and OCD as additional targets. Based in Shelton, Washington.
View stakeholder →