Martha Newson – Engaging with ritual: applying the social cure to psychedelic science | Webinar January 19th 2026

Much of the current discourse surrounding psychedelic drugs and their therapeutic uses revolves around treating single individuals in clinical settings. However, much of both traditional and contemporary psychedelic use has happened in group settings. How do social elements affect the course and long-term effects of psychedelics experiences? In a webinar lecture organized by the Finnish Association for Psychedelic Research this January, we’ll take a look at this question. 

Dr Martha Newson brings together social psychology, anthropology, and psychedelic science to explore how a sense of belonging is pivotal in enhancing therapeutic psychedelic experiences. Having conducted fieldwork with diverse populations—from football gangs in Brazil to European sauna communities and raving culture—she examines how ritual can foster profound social bonding. Her first psychedelic-adjacent study, a retrospective cross-sectional survey of rave and free-party events, showed that the “4Ds” (drums, dance, drugs, and sleep deprivation) elicited awe, feelings of personal transformation, and long-term fusion of self with group—a psychological mechanism in turn associated with cooperation.

Building on this, Newson and her associates have introduced a theoretical underpinning for social connection in psychedelic research. The intention is to address a critical gap in current clinical models, which often treat psychedelic therapy as an individual intervention, despite evidence that social relationships are central to mental health recovery and indigenous knowledge about group-oriented psychedelic practices. She argues that preparation and integration groups, as well as treatment itself, can draw vital lessons from recreational and Indigenous use, where identity change is held, witnessed, and reinforced socially. Newson will also reflect on the practical and ethical challenges of researching these experiences.

The webinar will take place on Monday January 19th 2026 at 6PM UTC+2. The event contains a Q&A section. Please note that the event is shorter than usual, with a total length of an hour.

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About the speaker:

Dr Martha Newson is an internationally recognised expert on belonging and the rituals that bind us—core themes that underpin both her award-winning academic research and her high-impact consultancy practice. She has worked with clients including the Premier League, Guinness, and Hyundai, and has advised on identity and group behaviour in settings as diverse as British prisons, global charities, and major brands. Martha is known for her engaging, thought-provoking talks delivered to audiences around the world—from corporate boardrooms to grassroots communities. Her leadership coaching practice draws on deep, cross-sectoral experience to support leaders in transforming complex challenges and realising their full potential. 

Martha’s research spans four continents and has taken her from Brazilian football hooligans to Indonesian fundamentalist groups and the UK’s underground rave scene. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led global studies on social contact and wellbeing, involving over 10,000 participants across 122 countries. Currently, Martha leads research with the UK’s Ministry of Justice and major football clubs to explore how strong group identities—like those formed around football—can be used to improve behaviour in prisons and reduce reoffending. Her work has been widely featured in the media, including on the BBC, Sky TV, Discovery Channel, BBC Radio 4, and the World Service. Martha holds a prestigious £1.5 million UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich. She is also a Research Affiliate at the University of Oxford, where she earned her master’s and doctorate in cognitive anthropology and now leads the Changing Lives Lab.