Ep. 48 - From Anxiety to Acceptance: Psychedelics and the Hospice and Palliative Journey Possibilities

What role can psychedelics play in helping terminally ill patients face death with peace, clarity, and meaning? 

In this episode, we welcome Hannah Whitmore, PhD, RN, CHPN®, a Registered Nurse and PhD researcher whose work—The Pragmatism of Palliative Care—explores the clinical potential of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) to support death acceptance in patients at the end of life. Dr. Whitmore brings a compassionate and evidence-based lens to a topic that challenges long-standing models of care, offering insight into how PAT could be thoughtfully integrated into palliative and hospice settings. 

Together, we explore: 

• The latest research on PAT for existential distress and death anxiety 

• Clinical and ethical considerations when working with terminally ill populations 

• Barriers to implementation and the future possibilities for PAT in end-of-life care 

• How nursing science is shaping new approaches to healing at the end of life 

This episode is a grounded, deeply human conversation at the intersection of medicine, mortality, and meaning—guided by a nurse scientist dedicated to easing suffering when it matters most. 

 

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Hannah Whitmore, PhD, RN, CHPN 
Certified hospice and palliative care nurse and clinician scientist, Dr. Whitmore supports individuals, families, and healthcare teams navigating serious illness and end-of-life transitions. Currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), she combines hands-on experience with a holistic approach informed by the latest research, mindfulness practices, and symptom management expertise. Her research focuses on symptom science and the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapy to address existential distress, depression, and promote death acceptance in seriously ill individuals. A member of Sigma Global Nursing Excellence, Dr. Whitmore guides healthcare teams and provides culturally sensitive care to diverse populations. She collaborates with healthcare organizations to enhance palliative care services and empowers individuals and teams to find resilience and dignity in complex end-of-life situations. 

 

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
Dr. Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse for 28 years and a Family Nurse Practitioner for 18 years, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner speaker and teacher. Brett is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain and palliative patients in a variety of settings. She is honored to be the HPNA 2025 podcast host. She is married with two daughters, two son in laws, one grandson, and now an empty nest cat. She and her family are actively involved in their church and she is an avid reader.