Inspired by Denver’s decriminalization of psilocybin, Clarity Project was founded in 2019.

What began as a focused effort around psilocybin has since evolved into a broader initiative supporting the thoughtful exploration of emerging therapies — including psychedelic-assisted treatments and other breakthrough modalities.

Our community includes doctors, therapists, medical professionals, researchers, advocates, and cultural practitioners working at the intersection of science, policy, and care. We are also supported by veterans, patient advocates, members of the hospice and end-of-life care community, and those engaged in conversations around cognitive liberty and consciousness.

Today, Clarity Project is part of a growing movement to advance evidence-based policy, expand access to innovative mental health treatments, and ensure these approaches are developed responsibly, safely, and in alignment with community values in Hawaiʻi.

What are emerging therapies?

Emerging therapies refer to a growing category of innovative, research-backed approaches to mental health treatment — including psychedelic-assisted therapies and other breakthrough modalities.

Compounds like psilocybin, along with MDMA and others, are being studied by leading institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Imperial College London, and research centers around the world. In controlled, clinical settings, these therapies have shown promising potential to support individuals experiencing conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders.

While these treatments are not yet widely accessible, momentum is building. Policymakers, researchers, and communities are working together to better understand their benefits, risks, and appropriate pathways for safe, regulated use.

Clarity Project supports thoughtful, evidence-based approaches to exploring these therapies in Hawaiʻi — grounded in science, safety, and community care.

The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation of psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression in 2018.

Psilocybin in Clinical Settings

While research is still young, the current clinical findings for the therapeutic use of psilocybin is promising. A series of small but rigorous studies suggest that a single psilocybin trip guided by trained professionals has the potential to relieve anxiety in cancer patients, bring relief to people struggling with depression, and break addictions to cigarettes, alcohol, and cocaine.

Based on clinical findings, psilocybin may have facilitated understanding about the origins of depression and other psychiatric disorders. Researchers at Imperial College studied fMRI brain scan images of participants experiencing ego dissolution during psilocybin therapy and found significant reduced brain activity in the default mode network, which is involved in “metacognitive” processes including self-reflection, mental time travel, theory of mind, and the self-narrative. It seems that psilocybin has the power to disrupt harmful mental habits. Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College of London, states, “taking the default mode network offline for a period of time [...] can, in effect, ‘reboot’ the brain, jog it out of its accustomed grooves, and open a space for new pathways to arise.”

As a result, these scientists suggest that the default mode network could be the source of the ego. Under psychedelics, the ego defenses relax and allow unconscious material and emotions to enter awareness and allow for the sensation of togetherness or oneness with the world. Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and obsession all contribute to a lack of connection to other people and the outside world. This study suggests that these illnesses manifest as a result of an overactive ego.

Research Institutions

Research on psilocybin is being funded at the following institutions:

• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine - Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

• Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Brain Sciences - Centre for Psychedelic Research

• New York University Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety Study

• Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Research