“Ayahuasca is a mixture composed of psychedelic and other ingredients, historically brewed by indigenous people for centuries to heal physical and mental ailments and for spiritual purposes. in recent years, it has become more widespread and gained an appeal outside of the indigenous tribes of the amazon, ecuador and south america regions. this study explored ayahuasca experiences among individuals who were seeking help for substance abuse issues. eleven eligible volunteers (5 male, 6 female) who attended at least one ayahuasca ceremony were recruited through social media platforms such as facebook. individuals from various ayahuasca groups responded to an uploaded flyer and were emailed interview questionnaires upon confirming their eligibility. the questionnaire examined participant demographics, background information, substance use habits, clinical history, ayahuasca experiences, and changes in substance use post ayahuasca ceremonies. results are presented as summaries of specific questions answered as well as overall themes. qualitative analysis produced the following six themes: regard for ayahuasca, love and gratitude, trauma and healing, somatic aspects, cognitive aspects, and transcendental-related experiences. associated risks and undesired effects of ayahuasca were also common topics elicited. it was concluded that, at least for these participants, ayahuasca was experienced as a therapeutic catalyst in the treatment of addiction issues when used safely and in ritual settings. partial reduction to complete elimination of substance use was reported across participants, in as little as a single ceremony. their progress was attributed to ayahuasca itself as well as the rituals and ceremonies involving support from community members. recommendations for future research include conducting randomized controlled trials to better determine ayahuasca’s therapeutic effects. (psycinfo database record (c) 2021 apa, all rights reserved)”