THE SYNTHESIS INSTITUTE | PRESENTS

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PSYCHEDELICS

How to Work Safely, Ethically, and Skillfully in the New Paradigm AN ON-DEMAND DIGITAL CONFERENCE REGISTER AND ACCESS NOW

Mental Health Treatment Is on the Brink of a Long-Overdue Paradigm Shift

Are You Prepared?

After decades of stigma, misunderstanding, limited access, and even more limited research, scientists are rediscovering psychedelics’ therapeutic potential for a vast range of mental health issues, from depression to addiction and to the acceptance of mortality and impermanence. 

A frenzy of interest has captivated a new generation of researchers, and last year the United States’ highly respected and oldest research institution, Johns Hopkins University, launched a dedicated center for psychedelic studies. Now there are dozens of studies being conducted at respected institutions using the highest standards of scientific rigor.

While the research is still emergent, studies have shown that positive results can come from psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. One or two psychedelic experiences, embedded in a relatively short psychotherapeutic trajectory, could result in unparalleled symptom reduction.

Psilocybin, one of the most researched psychedelics, shows tremendous promise for treating depression, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety.

Expand your treatment options by offering supplementary psychedelic care.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy has been brought out of the shadows and is swiftly becoming available as a supplement to current treatment protocols. Combined with your expertise and ongoing support, psychedelics could help some of your clients achieve the breakthroughs they need.

As a result, there is a growing urgency for therapists and guides who are trained in best practices to mitigate risk, reduce harm and ensure positive short-term and long-term outcomes for clients.

The Synthesis Institute’s unique approach combines best practices from clinical research and wisdom traditions and draws upon hands-on experience guiding over 1,000 participants safely through psychedelic ceremonies.  

That’s why Synthesis, in partnership with some of the world’s foremost scholars and practitioners, has created The Fundamentals of Psychedelics: How to Work Safely, Ethically and Skillfully in The New Paradigm, to give mental health professionals, as well as practitioners supporting health and wellness in other modalities, the foundational footing essential to working with psychedelics inside a therapeutic model.

Now, you can be expertly educated to do meaningful work that will change the paradigm of mental health care forever.

 

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Be Part of a Revolution in Mental Health Care with a Foundational Training in Psychedelics from Some of the World’s Foremost Experts

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You’re invited to join:

Dr. Alexander Belser

Psychedelic Researcher and Licensed Psychologist at Yale University

DR. MALYNN UTZINGER

Director of Integrative Medicine and Co-Founder of Usona Institute

DR. ROBIN CARHART-HARRIS

Founder of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London

DR. ROSALIND WATTS

Former Clinical Lead of the Psilocybin for Depression Study at Imperial College London and Clinical Director of The Synthesis Institute

BENNET A. ZELNER, PH.D.

Associate Professor at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland at College Park and co-founder of the Transformative Capital Institute

RYUSHIN MARCHAJ

Zen Teacher and Priest

And other top experts in this burgeoning field.

They gathered for a world-class conference on current best practices in psychedelic health care as informed by clinical research, wisdom traditions and The Synthesis Institute’s own experience with hundreds of clients since its inception in 2018, and immediate digital access to the conference is now available.

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The Fundamentals of Psychedelics will empower you to work safely and effectively with psychedelics inside a therapeutic model to help your clients finally experience the breakthroughs they need and deserve.

IN THIS ON-DEMAND DIGITAL CONFERENCE, YOU WILL:
  • Gain a clear understanding of the therapeutic power of psychedelics – informed by the most leading-edge scientific research and wisdom traditions.
  • Discover the critical importance of integrating other modalities and self-care practices into the psychedelic journey of healing – and have the opportunity to experience and practice these modalities , guided by Synthesis Facilitators.
  • Understand the role of screening – not only as a safety-protocol, but also as a powerful first, conscious step on the psychedelic journey.
  • Orient to the power of psychedelic therapy inside a group setting – and the associated risks and challenges therein.
  • Align with the importance and application of key therapeutic models – including the transpersonal and the shadow, through a psychedelics lens.
  • Cultivate a commitment to provide access to marginalized and minority communities – as an essential ethos associated with honoring the power of psychedelics.
  • Be connected to a growing international community of professionals and practitioners dedicated to advancing a new mental health model – including top scholars and pioneers in the field.
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Here's  What Participants Are Saying About This Conference:

Deborah Miller

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Licensed Psychotherapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

“It would be hard to imagine a psychedelic training program of higher quality or greater breadth and depth than that of The Synthesis Institute. Where else would you find sitting at the same table in consultation a Zen master, a shaman, a sociologist/philosopher, a psychiatrist, an economist, an academic researcher, clinical psychologists, and extremely experienced laypeople who have been guiding psychedelic journeys for decades?

Every single presentation was exceptionally thought-provoking and solid.”

Nathan

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Minimalist, Climate Coach and Psychonaut

"This conference was the highlight of 2020 for me and confirmation that I want to start as a professional in this field of work. It was a beautiful way to learn about the foundation of psychedelic practices."

Kris S.

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Embodied Integration Coach

“Synthesis is the complete package. An incredible team of highly-qualified, intelligent, forward thinkers. The conference unveiled new ideas, solidified others and introduced me to an interesting and exciting community.  I am hooked on Synthesis and look forward to this modern school of learning!”

Marcus Williams

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Coach-in-Training

"Synthesis has had a profound impact on the way I approach my coaching work. This conference is a great way to learn, find allies and participate in a transformational movement."

Ashley C.

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Undergraduate Psychology Student

“The Synthesis Institute conference was groundbreaking. I was moved on so many levels as to the depth of knowledge, intelligence, generosity of spirit, and preparation that the facilitators provided. I feel like I found a community in this realm that was grounded, and anchored in visions of a collective future that bridges scientific research, reciprocity with the Earth and connection with plant medicine as a way to wellbeing.”

Grazyna Amber

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Psychotherapist

“If you care about inner work and healing and want to be at the forefront of what is hopeful, genuinely effective and kind, this may well be your tribe. Wise, experienced, and inclusive of holistic theory, practice, ethics, and self-relational development. I have learned so much and am excited and optimistic after a life’s career in mental health.”

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THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PSYCHEDELICS

How to Work Safely, Ethically, and Skillfully
in The New Paradigm

WORKSHOPS

HERE’S A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU’LL RECEIVE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO:

The Journey Ahead: The Potential of Psychedelic Therapy to Revolutionize Healing Dr. Rosalind Watts
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Psychedelics offer incredible promise for healing and improved well-being. But while the studies show many positive results, they also highlight where we need to expand and adjust our Western medical model if we hope to give people long-term, sustainable solutions to problems like depression, PTSD, and general mental wellness. Dr. Rosalind Watts, clinical psychologist, clinical lead of psilocybin studies at Imperial College, and clinical director at Synthesis, opens the conference with an inspirational look at where we’ve been, where we’re going, and how you can become part of this emerging movement that is poised to revolutionize how we think of mental health.

 

You will: 

→ Discover how psychedelics open the door to healing and how ongoing therapeutic support is necessary to prevent that door from shutting.

→ Learn about new additions to the psychedelic support model inspired by patient experience and indigenous wisdom.

→ Get a peek at the next generation of research beginning at Synthesis and the opportunity to be a part of it.

 

About Rosalind Watts

Rosalind Watts, PhD, is clinical director of the Synthesis Institute and former clinical lead of the Psilocybin for Depression Study at Imperial College London. She is creator of the psychedelic therapy model Accept, Connect, Embody, Restore (ACER) and has a particular interest in the therapeutic role of nature and community as support for psychedelic therapy.

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Mysticism Through a Scientific Lens: How Research is Legitimizing the Healing Power of the Psychedelic Experience Dr. Alexander Belser
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The mystical nature of the psychedelic experience is one of the most profound and enigmatic aspects of psychedelic medicine. Dr. Alexander Belser, a psychedelic researcher and licensed psychologist at Yale University, has spent more than two decades listening to the stories of those who have journeyed. Through compelling firsthand accounts, Dr. Belser shares the fascinating variety of mystical experiences and their implications for the future of transformational medicine.

 

You will:

→ Learn about the religious, spiritual and mystical experiences occasioned by psychedelic medicines and learn how we can understand the various forms of mystical experience.

→ Review the challenges and controversies of trying to quantify the mystical experience for research.

→ Reflect on the awesome potential and responsibility that we all bear to represent the incredible diversity of racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, socio-economic, and differently abled perspectives—both in the research stage and when psychedelic medicine becomes available as treatment.

 

About Alex Belser

Alex Belser, PhD, is a psychedelic researcher and licensed psychologist at Yale University. He is the founding president of Nautilus Sanctuary, a non-profit center for psychedelic medicine in New York City. His research has been featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Guardian, and VICE.

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At the Intersection of Science and Practice: How Cultivating Inner Awareness is Essential to Facilitating Healing Through Psychedelics Dr. Malynn Utzinger
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What does it take to skillfully help someone use psychedelics therapeutically? What expertise is required, and how can you cultivate such competencies? Dr. Malynn Utzinger, cofounder of the nonprofit Usona Institute, shares what her medical research organization has learned in training the psychedelic guides of the future for their research studies. 

 

You will:

→ Discover what changes and growth you need to incorporate into your own life to be a good guide.

→ Learn what it takes to be a facilitator as part of a study.

→ Explore the importance of self-care as a guide and experience it in real-time through an extended visualization and meditation exercise to access your inner awareness.

 

About Malynn Utzinger

Malynn Utzinger, MD, is cofounder and director of integrative medicine at Usona Institute, a non-profit psychedelic medical research organization. She is also director of integrative practices for the international biotech company Promega. She combines her experience in medicine and research with contemplative and integrative approaches to mind-body health.

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Losing Your Self and Living in the Gap: Letting Go as a Path to Wholeness Ryushin Marchaj
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The quest for healing—of moving toward wholeness and connection—is a courageous act. Listening to the inner call to be on the journey and to help others who are also on the path is a noble and serious pursuit. Buddhist teacher and former pediatrician and psychiatrist Ryushin Marchaj shares how grounding your exploration in a spiritually oriented practice can give you a scaffold upon which you can build the deep emotional and psychological work that psychedelics ask of you and your clients. 

 

You will: 

→ Explore three fundamental questions that will support you on your journey to wholeness.

→ Understand how a practice structure gives you support for being in the exploratory, organic, evolving, and sometimes messy process of growth, for yourself and with your clients. 

→ Examine the critical role of community in our quest for wholeness.

 

About Ryushin Marchaj

Ryushin Marchaj, MD, a Zen teacher and priest, has nearly four decades of experience studying and teaching the Dharma. In 2014, he began a systematic study of the relationship between Buddhist teachings and ceremonial medicine use, primarily with ayahuasca and psilocybin.

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Psychedelic Chaplaincy: Supporting your Clients in Making Sense of their Deep Psyche Experiences Daan Keiman
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Walking with someone into the intimate realm of the deep psyche is a privilege that carries with it a profound professional responsibility. As the director of ethics and lead facilitator at the Synthesis Institute and co-founder of the Guild of Guides Netherlands, Daan Keiman has guided more than 250 individuals on psychedelic journeys and is devoted to developing ethical models for offering psychedelic care. In this workshop he will share his framework and best practices for supporting the critical component of “meaning making”. He will discuss how the art of making sense of deep psyche experiences can enhance or diminish the healing potential of engaging with the vastness of our minds.

 

You will:

→ Learn what Psychedelic Chaplaincy is and how its code of ethics provides a strong and safe framework for both user and guide to follow. 

→ Understand what existential or spiritual integrity is, and how to find the right language and practices to help your clients prepare, move through and integrate psychedelic experiences. 

→ Learn to find the right balance between making sense of deep psyche experiences and facilitating an openness to the mystery and not-knowing. 

→ Reflect on how holding a safe, open and non-judgmental space for the client is a gift that allows them the opportunity to grow towards wholeness.

 

About Daan Keiman

Daan Keiman is lead facilitator and director of ethics and advocacy at the Synthesis Institute and co-founder of Guild of Guides Netherlands. He has more than a decade of experience guiding and caring for people in altered states of consciousness and maintains a private practice as a Psychedelic Chaplain.

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The Therapeutic Power of Breathwork: Generating Openings through An Experiential Journey Sven Kimenai
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Breathwork is a profound practice that can promote insights and openings in everyday life as well as in the psychedelic journey of healing. In this experiential workshop led by Sven Kimenai, a facilitator at Synthesis and a Wim Hof Method Certified Instructor and Breathwork Coach, you’ll be introduced to the neurobiology of breathwork. You’ll learn about the emotional and psycho-spiritual benefits of the practice and have an opportunity to experience an introductory breathwork session firsthand.

 

You will: 

→ Become oriented to the physical, emotional and psycho-spiritual benefits of breathwork

→ Understand the connection between the breath and associated functions of the nervous system

→ Explore the potential impacts of breathwork as a practice to prepare for a psychedelic ceremony

 

About Sven Kimenai

Sven Kimenai is co-lead facilitator and breathwork coach at the Synthesis Institute. A highly intuitive, nature-centered adventurist with a background in psychobiology and supplement development, he is particularly interested in using techniques like breathwork and the Wim Hof Method as supports for psychedelic-based transformational healing.

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Charting an Unknown Path: Screening as a Tool to Safeguard Practice Daan Keiman and Dr. Rosalind Watts
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As psychedelic assisted psychotherapy is becoming more accessible to the general public, our ability as clinicians and guides to provide a safe experience for our clients is more essential than ever—not only for the individual client, but for the safety of the modality as a whole. At The Synthesis Institute, a finely tuned screening process has become the bedrock of our approach to the safe application of transformational wellness and psychedelic assisted therapy. In this moderated panel discussion, the Synthesis Institute’s Clinical Director, Dr. Rosalind Watts, and one of its Lead Facilitators and Director of Ethics and Advocacy, Daan Keiman will outline the origin and evolution of the clinical screening process at Synthesis and discuss how we continue to refine and strengthen the process of harm reduction.

 

You will: 

→ Learn about the contraindications to the use of psychedelics and how the screening process catches those situations early. 

→ Understand how the screening process differs for 'wellness' and 'clinical' populations

→ Understand the evolving nature of the screening process and the essential feedback loop required to ensure safety as it reaches more people.

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Revealing What’s Hidden: How the Psychedelic Experience Illuminates Shadow Work James Clifton
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Psychedelics are known for their ability to temporarily suspend or dissolve the egoic structures of personality. When the curtain is pulled aside, how do we safely guide someone through this profound, often mysterious journey to an experience of true transformation? James Clifton, an integral psychotherapist and lead facilitator at Synthesis, explains how shadow work can be a useful framework for confronting and integrating what we find hidden within ourselves.  

 

You will:

→ Assess the benefits and drawbacks of the shadow and what to do when someone encounters shadow parts in a psychedelic experience.

→ Understand how psychedelic-based shadow work differs from more traditional clinical shadow work and the critical importance of doing your own as a therapist.

→ Review your responsibilities as a guide before, during, and after a guided psychedelic experience.

 

About James Clifton

James Clifton is the lead facilitator at the Synthesis Institute. With more than three decades of practice as an integral psychotherapist and counselor, he has extensive experience working with trauma, addiction, and non-ordinary states of consciousness, both in individuals and groups.

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Psychedelic Therapy in Community Systems: The Pollination Approach Bennet A. Zelner
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Psychedelic-based therapies hold revolutionary potential for transforming the mental health field and beyond. But how will this care be distributed and accessed? Will we deliver it using the existing pharmaceutical model that prioritizes profits over people, or will we do it in a way that recognizes the interdependence between individual and community wellness? Bennet A. Zelner shares with us his innovative Pollination Approach, which aspires to serve not just as a conventional business model, but as a source of healing itself.

 

You will: 

→ Explore the pollination approach and how it aims to reconnect people to community systems to produce individual and collective healing.

→ Discover how social & economic disconnection are interrelated cultural phenomena that impair individual and community well-being.

→ Get a peek into how shifting our economic system could support the emergence of a new paradigm and healing itself.

 

About Bennet A. Zelner

Bennet A. Zelner researches, teaches, and advises on regenerative economics, the delivery of psychedelic-assisted mental healthcare, and institutional change. He serves as Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is also co-founder of an emerging organization, the Transformative Capital Institute, that funds and collaborates on projects supporting the emergence of regenerative communities and the production of well-being.

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The Symbiosis Between Drug and Therapy: The Scientific Understanding of Transformation Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris
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Recent studies at Imperial College London have given us insight into the power of psychedelic medicine to change the brain and help those suffering from depression. But what else did these studies reveal that might change the course of how we use psychedelics therapeutically? Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial, reviews what the studies confirmed, what surprises they revealed, and what remains yet to be explored in this emerging field.

 

You will: 

→ Discover the difference between neuroplasticity of the brain and psychological plasticity of the mind—and the importance of the role of the guide in navigating these malleable spaces.

→ Learn the latest best practices for set, setting, and integration, as well as the influence of community on healing.

→ Get an insider’s look at the most important factors to consider as we move forward, including merging traditional wisdom with science and the need for highly trained and skilled facilitators.

 

About Robin Carhart-Harris

Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, is founding director of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. He has designed and implemented studies with LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and DMT, including some of the first brain imaging studies and multiple clinical trials of psilocybin for treatment resistant depression.

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Conference Materials and Resources

When you register, you’ll receive immediate access to the following materials and resources designed to ensure you’re well supported on your journey to gaining a fundamental understanding of working safely and ethically, with psychedelics, including:
  • (10) 45- to 90-Minute Expert-Led Digital Workshops
  • (10) 15- to 30-Minute Q&A Session Recordings — where some of the most commonly asked questions are answered.
  • A Handout for Each Workshop — featuring key takeaways plus additional resources and references.
  • Lifetime Access to All Conference Content — including transcripts, audio and video recordings via The Fundamentals of Psychedelics online learning platform.
  • An Exclusive Invitation to a Private and Professionally Moderated Discussion Forum — where you can connect with other like-minded professionals, share best practices, and ask and answer questions.
Register now

1 PAYMENT

$397

2 PAYMENTS

$223.50*

I'm interested in this event

an ON-DEMAND DIGITAL CONFERENCE 

THE FUNDAMENTALS
OF PSYCHEDELICS

How to Work Safely, Ethically, and
Skillfully in the New Paradigm
 
 

Digital Conference Tuition: $197

 
 
 
 
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No-Risk Registration

*2-payment plan option expires on Friday, November 6th at Midnight PT

You can register for The Fundamentals of Psychedelics at no risk. If, for any reason, you need to cancel your order for The Fundamentals of Psychedelics simply email us at Support@SynthesisInstitute.com within 48 hours of purchase and we will issue you a refund, no questions asked.

NEW Bonus Workshop Added

Creating a Cultural Container for Psychedelics in the West:Reclaiming a 2,500-Year Legacy.
Bonus-2-Final

During this bonus workshop, you'll be led on a historical tour of the evolution of our relationship to the sublime and how we move toward a more open-minded, therapeutic agnosticism toward ecstatic experiences in this new psychedelic renaissance.

During this session you can expect to:

  • Get acquainted with the varieties of ecstatic experiences and how they came to be marginalized in the West.
  • Explore how psychedelic assisted psychotherapy is helping to lend credibility to the mystical experience and shift public opinion back toward a balance that echoes the legacy of the Greeks.
  • Reflect on how you can shape the emerging culture—in both your personal and professional practices—to create “controlled spaces where we can safely lose control.”

Jules Evans is research fellow at the Centre for the History of the Emotions at Queen Mary, University of London. He is the author of Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations, The Art of Losing Control, Holiday from the Self, and co-editor of Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency.

Headshot - Jules Evans copy

1 PAYMENT

$397

2 PAYMENTS

$223.50*

I'm interested in this event

The Fundamentals of Psychedelics

an ON-DEMAND DIGITAL CONFERENCE 

THE FUNDAMENTALS
OF PSYCHEDELICS

How to Work Safely, Ethically, and
Skillfully in the New Paradigm
 
 

Digital Conference Tuition: $197

 
 
 
 
images not found

No-Risk Registration

*2-payment plan option expires on Friday, November 6th at Midnight PT

You can register for The Fundamentals of Psychedelics at no risk. If, for any reason, you need to cancel your order for The Fundamentals of Psychedelics simply email us at Support@SynthesisInstitute.com within 48 hours of purchase and we will issue you a refund, no questions asked.

These are the kinds of breakthroughs that are possible for your clients with a carefully guided psychedelic experience inside a therapeutic model:

David

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Hospital chaplain, musician and father

“Once addicted to meth and heroin, my daughter was introduced to psychedelic treatment, and was sober within one month. It single-handedly saved her in a way that hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on years of the very best traditional 12-step programs and an ever-changing array of psychiatric meds never did.”

Jimmy

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Business executive managing chronic anxiety and PTSD

“It allowed me to begin settling into my skin. Be more authentically me. I had social anxiety, chronic anxiety and PTSD. I’m not completely past it all, but since my psychedelic-assisted therapeutic experience, I don’t have to be on anti-anxiety medications anymore.”

Lisa

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North Carolina mom who has struggled with low-level depression all her life

“My overall mental health has improved tremendously. Each time my baseline mood improves. I no longer question that there is something eternal that connects us all. And all the things that I would normally worry about and that would normally occupy my thoughts have become insignificant.”

REGISTER AND BEGIN YOUR FUNDAMENTALS OF PSYCHEDELICS TRAINING

Register now

Frequently asked questions

Are scholarships available for The Fundamentals of Psychedelics On-Demand Digital Conference?

Yes. Scholarships are available based on financial need. Please complete this scholarship application form and a member of our team will review your request and follow-up with a determination on eligibility.

How long will I have access to The Fundamentals of Psychedelics once I register?

Your registration offers you lifetime access to the training materials.

What is the refund policy on this training?

We offer a no-questions asked, full refund within 48 hours of purchase. If for any reason you’re not satisfied with the training, simply email support@synthesisinstitute.com to request your refund.