Joel Gruneau Brulin

Joel Gruneau Brulin is a clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience in affect-focused psychotherapy. He is a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Psychology at Stockholm University, where his work focuses on attachment, interpersonal trust, and psychological well-being. His doctoral research examined how individuals derive a sense of security from institutions such as the welfare state and religion. In recent years, Joel has explored the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, with a particular interest in how psychedelics may support emotional processing and transformation of interpersonal patterns. He currently leads a longitudinal, naturalistic study tracking changes in well-being and attachment security among participants in a psychedelic retreat program.

Attachment security following psychedelic use: A naturalistic study

Attachment theory describes how close relationships shape self-perception, emotion regulation, and interpersonal patterns—areas often affected in clinical populations. Psychedelic experiences may help loosen rigid attachment representations, potentially fostering increased attachment security. This presentation shares new data from a non-clinical sample (n = 174) who took part in a retreat program in the Netherlands led by Swedish psychologists. Participants completed surveys before the retreat, shortly after, and up to one year later, assessing attachment patterns, psychedelic experiences, and mental well-being. Results indicate consistent improvements in attachment security and overall well-being over time. The presentation will examine how these changes relate to specific features of the psychedelic experience and retreat context, and how attachment theory may illuminate key processes underlying both beneficial and adverse effects of psychedelics.