Media Interviews & Mentions
2023 Psychedelics Could Revolutionize Couples Therapy. Time Magazine article here.
2023 Colorado Psilocybin Board Not Particularly Psychedelic. Double Blind Magazine article here.
2022 Psilocybin Comes to Colorado. Back From the Abyss podcast. Listen here.
2022 Colorado may be the next state to decriminalize “magic” mushrooms as new research shows potential benefits. Colorado Sun article here.
2022 Can MDMA Save a Marriage? New York Times article here.
2022 Coloradans to vote on Proposition 122: The Natural Medicines Health Act Denver7 News video here.
2022 Psychedelic research, healing, & advocacy with Dr. Shannon Hughes, State of Mind podcast. Listen here.
2019 Beyond Well: Science with Sheila Hamilton, Ep 18 – The help young adults are looking for. Listen here.
2019 Denver decriminalized magic mushrooms. Can they actually be used as medicine? Denver 9News video here.
Multimedia Productions & Workshops
Hughes, S., & Colbert, R. (Producers). (2021). An introduction to psychedelic-assisted therapy for counselors and therapists [Video Series]. Available at: Colorado Counseling Association.
Hughes, S., & Colbert, R., & Lewis, D. Psychedelics on the couch: Introduction to psychedelics for therapists, counselors, and helping professionals. Continuing Professional Development Workshop.
Hughes, S., & Colbert, R. of An Enduring Love, Co. and Lewis, D. of Reflective Healing, LLC. Psychedelic Facilitator Training Immersive, Part 1: Psychedelic Space-holding and Integration.
Cohen, D., Hughes, S., & Lacasse, J. (Producers). (2018). CriticalThinkRx: Critical skills curriculum on psychotropic medications for child welfare professionals [Video Series].
Hughes, S., Colbert, R., Holloway, M., Klumb, K., Van Sweden, A., & Fishbein, L. (2018). Consciousness-raising workbook for re-telling the story of ourselves, part of the Learning and Self-development Collaborative. Available here.
Conference Presentations (last 4 years)
Wellington, S., Jones, A., & Hughes, S. (2022, May). Non-clinical, non-coercive peer support based on the Alternatives to Suicide model. Paper presented at the Bridging the Divide Suicide Awareness and Prevention Summit, Denver, CO.
Hughes, S. (2021, October). Evolving paradigms of mental health care through psychedelic-assisted therapy. Paper presented at the Colorado Behavioral Health and Wellness Summit, Denver, CO.
Hughes, S. & Colbert, R. (2021, April). Mushrooms as medicine for end of life. Paper presented at the Palliative Care in Social Work Conference, Denver, CO.
Hughes, S. (2020, November). Psychedelics and social justice: New perspectives on psychoactive medicines in behavioral health. Paper accepted for presentation at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO. [not presented due to covid-19 pandemic]
Hughes, S. & Colbert, R. (2020, January). Valuing whole complex lives: A qualitative examination of young adults’ help-seeking experiences and preferences for mental health care. Paper presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, D.C.
Hughes, S., Colbert, R., Ivins, G., Lee, J., & Taylor, I. (2020, January). Quasi-experimental evaluation of a holistic self-learning approach for mood-related distress in young adults compared to standard outpatient psychiatric care. Poster presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, D.C.
Hughes, S., Cohen, D., & Lacasse, J. (2019, October). CriticalThinkRx professional education: Challenges, insights, and lessons learned from three real-world evaluations. Panel presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.
Cohen, D., Hughes, S., & Lacasse, J. (2019. October). Psychopharmacology in social work education: Looking back and looking forward. Panel presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.
Hughes, S., Colbert, R., Klumb, K., & Fishbein, L. (2019, August). The Learning & Self-development Collaborative: A consciousness-raising educational and holistic approach for young adults experiencing depression and anxiety. Paper presented at the Colorado Counseling Association Conference, Denver, CO.
Hughes, S., & Colbert, R. (2019, April). Transforming psychosocial-spiritual care for end of life: Mushrooms as medicine. Paper presented at the Palliative Care Social Work Conference, Denver, CO.
Spaulding-Givens, J., Hughes, S., & Lacasse, J. (2019, January). Money matters: Participants’ purchasing experiences in a budget authority model of self-directed care. Poster presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, San Francisco, CA.
Hughes, S., & Colbert, R. (2019, February). What is medicine? Navigating the evolving landscape of psychedelics and psychopharmaceuticals. Paper presented at the Colorado Counseling Association, Denver, CO.
Cohen, D., Hughes, S., & Lacasse, J. (2018, May). Evaluation of a critical skills curriculum on psychotropic medications for child welfare professionals. Paper presented at the National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium, Berkeley, CA.
Lacasse, J., Hughes, S., & Spaulding-Givens, J. (2018, January). Adverse effects and treatment satisfaction among online users of four antidepressants. Poster presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, D.C.
Publications & Academic Career
Education and Positions
2010 PhD in Social Work, Florida International University.
2004 Master of Science in Social Work, Florida State University.
2002 Bachelor of Science in Social Work, Florida State University.
2021-present Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Colorado State University
2021-present Associate Professor, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health
2013-2021 Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Colorado State University
2010-2013 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Social Work, and Anthropology, Utah State University
2019-present Inner Guidance & Spiritual Coaching, An Enduring Love, Co.
2017-present Co-founder and Board Member of The Nowak Society, 501c3
Journal Articles, Books & Book Chapters
Bentley, K., Hughes, S., & Walsh, J. (in press). The Social Worker and Psychotropic Medication (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Colbert, R., & Hughes, S. (2022). Evenings with Molly: Adults couples’ use of MDMA for relationship enhancement. Culture, Medicine, & Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11013-021-09764-z
Bentley, K., & Hughes, S. (2021). Truth-telling about psychiatric medications: An aspirational guide for mental health providers. Best Practices in Mental Health, 17(1), 28-43.
Shannon, S., Colbert, R., & Hughes, S. (2021). Therapeutic and Social Uses of MDMA. In C. Grob & J. Grigsby (eds.), The Handbook of Medical Hallucinogens (pp. 264-276). New York: Guilford Press.
Lacasse, J., Dunleavy, D., & Hughes, S. (2021). Psychiatric prescribing in child welfare: Barriers to evidence-based practice and an agenda for reform. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-020-00731-y
Ciovacco, L., & Hughes, S. (2021). Sanity of addiction: Contemplative and humanistic reflections on the Surgeon General’s Report on Drugs. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 61(4), 591-607. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167817740464
Hughes, S., Rondeau, M., Shannon, S., Sharp, J., Ivins, G., Lee, J., Taylor, I., & Bendixsen, B. (2021). A holistic self-learning approach for young adult depression and anxiety compared to medication-based treatment-as-usual. Community Mental Health Journal, 57, 392-402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00666-9
Hughes, S., Cohen, D., Lacasse, J., Alessi, L., Colonnieves, K., & Rudisill, S. (2020). Experiences of child welfare workers in the psychotropic medication system: Results from a mixed-method evaluation of a critical medication curriculum. Children and Youth Services Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105193
Hughes, S., Colbert, R., & Baugh, A. (2020). Valuing whole complex lives: Young adults’ experiences of recovery-related principles in mental health care in the United States. Health and Social Care in the Community, 28, 357-365. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12867
Hughes, S., Spaulding-Givens, J., & Lacasse, J. (2020). The micro-to-macro realities of antidepressant taking: Users’ experiences in the context of contested science and industry promotion. Qualitative Social Work, 19(5-6), 1219-1237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325019868292
Shannon, S., Lewis, N., Lee, H., & Hughes, S. (2019) Cannabidiol in anxiety and sleep: A large case series. Permanente Journal, 23(1), 18-41.
Elms, L., Shannon, S., Hughes, S., & Lewis, N. (2019). Cannabidiol in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: A case series. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 25(4), 392-397. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2018.0437
Spaulding-Givens, J., Hughes, S., & Lacasse, J. (2018). Money matters: Participants’ purchasing experiences in a budget authority model of self-directed care. Social Work in Mental Health, 17(3), 323-343. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.2018.1555105
Hughes, S., Lacasse, J., Fuller, R., & Spaulding-Givens, J. (2017). Adverse effects and treatment satisfaction among online users of four antidepressants. Psychiatry Research, 255, 78-86.
Hughes, S., Narendorf, S., Lacasse, J. (2017). A national survey of graduate education in psychopharmacology: Advancing the social work perspective on psychiatric medication. Journal of Social Work Education, 53(3), 424-434.
Hughes, S. & Matheson, A. (2016). Subjectively experienced benefits and harms of antipsychotics according to users’ first-hand accounts on the Internet. Journal of Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 18(3), 196-217.
Hughes, S., Cohen, D., Johnson, R. (2016). Adverse event assessment methods in published trials of psychotropic drugs: Poor reporting and neglect of emerging safety concerns. International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, 28, 101-14.
Hughes, S., Cohen, D., & Jaggi, R. (2014). Differences in reporting serious adverse events in industry sponsored clinical trial registries and journal articles on antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs – A cross-sectional study. BMJ Open, 4, e005535. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005535
Hughes, S., & Peak, T. (2013). A critical perspective on the role of psychotropic medications in mental health courts. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(2), 244-265.
Hughes, S., & Peak, T. (2012). Evaluating mental health courts as an “ideal” mental health intervention. Best Practices in Mental Health: An International Journal, 8(2), 20-37.
Cohen, D., & Hughes, S. (2011). How do people taking psychiatric drugs explain their “chemical imbalance?” Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 13(3), 176-189.
Hughes, S., & Cohen, D. (2011). Can online consumers contribute to drug knowledge? A mixed-methods comparison of consumer-generated and professionally controlled psychotropic medication information on the Internet. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3), e53.
Hughes, S., & Cohen, D. (2010). Understanding the assessment of psychotropic drug harms in clinical trials to improve social workers’ role in medication monitoring. Social Work, 55(2), 105-115.
Hughes, S., & Cohen, D. (2009). A systematic review of long-term studies of drug treated and non-drug treated depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 118(1), 9-18.
Cohen, D., Hughes, S., & Jacobs, D. (2009). The deficiencies of drug treatment: The case of Strattera. In S. Timimi & J. Leo (eds.), Rethinking ADHD: From brain to culture (pp. 313-333). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Funded Grant Projects
2022 Peer support expansion and recovery learning community - part II
Larimer County Behavioral Health Impact Fund, $100,000
2021 Peer support expansion and recovery learning community
Larimer County Behavioral Health Impact Fund, $150,000
2018-19 A learning and self-development approach for supporting young persons with mood-related distress
Co-PI: Scott Shannon, MD [psychiatrist; external community partner]
Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care, $91,596.
2017-19 CriticalThinkRx: A psychotropic medication curriculum for child welfare workers in the foster care system
PI: David Cohen, PhD [Professor, University of California, Los Angeles]
Co-PI: Jeffrey Lacasse, PhD [Associate Professor, Florida State University]
University of California, Los Angeles, Luskin School of Public Affairs, $8,800