Paul Gillis-Smith

Paul Gillis-Smith serves as Professor of Law at Boston University School of Law and holds a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Harvard Divinity School (2024), where he functions as program lead for psychedelics and spirituality within the Transcendence and Transformation Initiative at the Center for the Study of World Religions.

His research bridges psychedelic studies, history of psychiatry, and philosophy of religion, with emphasis on psychometric tools for mystical experiences and historical connections between psychoanalysis, psychiatric chaplaincy, and critical psychiatry through the works of R.D. Laing, Gilles Deleuze, and Felix Guattari. He grounds theoretical work in practical chaplaincy applications, notably as inaugural student chaplain in Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s ketamine chaplaincy program.

His 2023 co-authored publication on the Mystical Experience Questionnaire demonstrates interdisciplinary trends spanning psychology, religious studies, and psychedelic therapeutics, reflecting his focus on spirituality-mental health integration in clinical research.

Scientific recognition includes:

• N. Neal Pike Scholar

He actively shapes academic discourse through the Harvard Psychedelic Walking Tour, reading groups on psychedelics and religion, and annual conference organization since 2023, while advancing clinical chaplaincy frameworks for psychedelic-assisted therapy.