YITONG XIN

Dr. Yitong Xin is an Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on substance use, trauma, and mental health, with a growing program in psychedelic science. She studies how plant medicines and other psychedelic-related substances, including ayahuasca, ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, psilocybin, and ketamine, may support recovery, resilience, and meaning-making among people affected by trauma and substance use. Her work spans multiple populations, including military veterans, people of color, and individuals attending ayahuasca retreats in Latin America. She uses quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, with an emphasis on ethical, accessible, and community-informed care. As a licensed social worker and researcher with clinical and fieldwork experience, Dr. Xin bridges practice and research across her areas of study. She is currently supported by two competitive institutional research training awards focused on clinical/translational research and NSF grant development (VPCAT, VPNSF). For a full list of publications, see her Google Scholar profile.