Tripping in “Non-Place”: Emplacement, Religious Freedom, and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy?

This paper explores the intersection of psychedelic-assisted therapy, religious freedom, and the legal recognition of place as central to meaning-making. Drawing on Vine Deloria Jr.’s critique of Western legal frameworks, it highlights how U.S. law has historically marginalized the significance of place in Native American religious practices. While the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) has provided protections for some religious uses of psychoactive substances, it often fails to fully address the communal and spatial dimensions of Indigenous traditions. Furthermore, contemporary research on “emplacement” and extended mind theory underscores the importance of culturally meaningful environments in shaping cognitive and emotional experiences. This paper critiques the limitations of standardized therapeutic environments, or “non-places,” and advocates for integrating emplacement as a core design principle in psychedelic-assisted therapy. By bridging religious, legal, and therapeutic contexts, this research highlights how meaningful environments can foster spiritual transformation and inform discussions on religious freedom and healing practices.