What research does Jason Luoma, Ph.D. focus on?

Jason Luoma, Ph.D. studies three overlapping areas: psychedelic-assisted therapy with an emphasis on the psychological processes of change, shame and the social functions of emotions, and processes of change linked to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). His site also frames this work as applied — he trains clinicians worldwide in ACT and psychedelic-assisted therapy, and he co-founded a clinic run as a social enterprise where profits fund scientific research.

The three research threads

Psychedelic-assisted therapy and processes of change

Luoma describes his psychedelic research as focused on the psychological processes of change — not simply whether a treatment works, but what shifts inside a person that accounts for the change. That framing matters if you are trying to understand his work: the unit of interest is the mechanism, which is also what makes it transferable to non-psychedelic therapy.

Shame and the social functions of emotions

A second thread concerns shame and the social functions of emotions. This connects directly to his clinical training work: he trains therapists on how to work with highly self-critical and shame-prone clients. If you are a clinician looking for where his shame research lands in practice, that training focus is the clearest signal.

ACT-linked processes of change

The third thread is processes of change linked to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. He has written books related to ACT and has provided ACT training to clinicians internationally. The through-line across all three areas is the same: identifying the processes that produce change, then teaching therapists to work with them.

How the research connects to practice

Luoma's site presents him under three roles, and they are not separate tracks:

The social-enterprise model is the structural link: the clinic's profits fund scientific research, which is how the research and clinical arms reinforce each other.

Where to follow the work

• Research Matters Podcast — Luoma interviews researchers about how they actually do their work. Listed episodes include Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. (on controversy, lab culture, and political organizing in science), Tony Biglan, Ph.D. (on balancing funding with following your passions), Patricia Areán, Ph.D. (community engagement and digital innovations in mental health research), Dean McKay, Ph.D., A.B.B.P.P. (mental health in academia, grad school, authorship, planning), Dr. Jackie Persons (integrating research into private practice and advancing CBT), Louis Castonguay, Ph.D. (practice research networks and collaboration), and Mary Alvord, Ph.D. (building resilience, scaling access, and practice-based research).
• Articles/chapters, books, workshops and events — the site lists these as separate sections for readers who want the written or training side rather than the podcast.
• Latest content — a three-part series, "Research in Practice," covering rethinking incentives, designing the engine, and making research inevitable.

Who this is useful for

• Clinicians — the shame/self-criticism training and the ACT training are the most directly applicable parts; the psychedelic-assisted therapy training is the newer area.
• Researchers — the podcast is effectively a methods-and-career resource, since guests discuss how they run labs, build networks, and sustain funding.
• Readers trying to place his work — the unifying question is what process produces change, whether the context is psychedelics, shame, or ACT.

One caveat: the site describes research interests and roles but does not list current studies, publications, or enrollment details on the page summarized here. For specific findings or participation, the articles/chapters and books sections are the next place to look.