Next Start Date

October 19th

2024

Duration

13 months

including 3 break months

Tuition

  • $11,497
  • $8,997*

*Save $2,500

* Available through July 31st.

Location

Digital

Optional: Join a Synthesis Immersion Training Retreat

Format

250+ hours

A combination of weekly live sessions, self-paced learning and personal practices.

Develop the tools, skills, and foundational core competencies critical to becoming a knowledgeable, compassionate and ethical psychedelic practitioner.

The Synthesis approach recognizes that there is no "one-size-fits-all" method in psychedelic practice. With this understanding, our 13-month program enables you to develop a holistic understanding of ethical psychedelic care—from screening to integration—while cultivating the capacity to hold space for many ways of knowing.

Whether you're a
  • clinical or medical professional
  • wellness practitioner
  • spiritual caregiver
  • or someone with a deep commitment to ethical psychedelic practice

this program allows you to cultivate a multi-faceted,  somatically-aware, and culturally-attuned approach to psychedelic care.

Our Four Lens Approach

Honoring Many Ways of Knowing

Our curriculum design acknowledges there is no “one-size-fits-all” method for facilitating psychedelic experiences.

Our understanding of psychedelics and the psychedelic journey honors these different viewpoints. While our philosophy as a whole rests at the center of a myriad of different perspectives, our program is organized so that each month, we look at a particular topic through each of four (4) primary lenses that capture the breadth and depth of the psychedelic field. 
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EMBODIED WISDOM
Accessing your embodied wisdom is essential for personal growth and living a meaningful and intentional life. It’s also a prerequisite for being able to create and hold space for others. This lens helps you develop and cultivate somatic, spiritual, and self-reflection practices, examine personal ethics, articulate values, and integrate insights from other lenses.
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COGNITIVE WISDOM
This lens looks at the contributions of history, philosophy, and science to our modern-day understanding of psychedelics. From neuroscience to psychopharmacology to harm reduction to best practices for psychedelic facilitation, we explore what is knowable through study, observation, and thought. 
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SACRED WISDOM
This lens explores the variety of ways that people make meaning in their lives, including spiritual, philosophical, nature-based, and wisdom-based approaches that cultures developed long before modern scientific thinking. This lens honors the wisdom keepers who have helped people navigate liminal spaces for millennia.
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RELATIONAL WISDOM
Life happens in relationships. This lens asks us to develop a deeper awareness of our role in the greater ecosystem of our lives and cultivate the relational skills necessary to create safe and ethical containers of transformation as we bring this important work into the world.
Gain access to clinical best practices, interdisciplinary resources, and a variety of therapeutic and non-therapeutic modalities and approaches.

How this Program Supports You on Your Path to Becoming a Skilled, Educated Psychedelic Practitioner

Develop a foundational understanding of the fundamentals of guiding a safe and ethical psychedelic journey—from screening to integration

Gain an awareness of relevant clinical research and evidence-based best practices

Broaden your understanding of well-established and emerging wisdom / traditional approaches

Become aware of your capacity to hold space for the wide range of experiences that can present themselves on a psychedelic journey, including identifying the limits of your current capabilities and the opportunities for further personal and professional growth

Establish a consistent personal practice and commitment to self-care and self-reflection

Assemble a toolkit of professional skills that allow you to hold space for others to grow and change

Build a support network of peers as well as connection to The Synthesis Institute and our international professional community

Recognize your own internal prejudices and unconscious biases and learn to create culturally sensitive and trauma-informed containers

100+
Educators, Leaders, Practitioners, Visionaries, Researchers, and Wisdom Elders
500+
A Global and Local Network of Students and Alumni
1000+
Clients accessing legal, professionally-guided psychedelic experiences since 2018.
Experimental
Deep self-exploration and personal reflection to embody the education, experience, and values of an ethical practitioner.
Interdisciplinary
Integrates clinical best practices, wisdom traditions, somatic awareness, and relational wisdom.
Personalized
A program structure designed to meet the individual needs and goals of each practitioner.
Are You Ready to Elevate Your Practice?
Download the Program Brochure
for a detailed overview, including the training schedule, coursework modules, FAQs, and advanced post-graduation opportunities.

A Unique Approach to Psychedelic Care

Wisdom-rich, Clinically-informed, Somatically-aware, Culturally sensitive, and Heart-centered

Program Highlights:

1 - 250
250+ Hours of Hybrid Learning
Self-paced asynchronous learning and personal practices combined with weekly live pod sessions.
2 - int
An Integrative, Multi-Lens Approach
Holistic education emphasizing interdisciplinary meaning-making and diverse perspectives, including scientific models and wisdom traditions, as well as the development of a professional toolkit to expand your practice.
3 - safe
Focus on Safety and Ethics
A training approach that focuses on personal ethics, broader systemic considerations, and ethical care through clinical, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive approaches that ensure client safety.
4 - deep
Deep Self-Exploration and Personal Growth
Focus on self-reflection, shadow work, and relational intelligence to ethically and responsibly hold space for others before, during, and after psychedelic experiences.
5 experience
Experiential Learning
Ensures a cohesive, focused, and personalized educational experience by assigning participants to small group pods (8-10) under the guidance of an experienced facilitator.
6 - hands
Practical, Hands-On Experience
Access hands-on professional development opportunities within Synthesis' global network of Practicum sites and through the Synthesis Institute's Immersion Apprenticeship Training Retreats.
Alums Spotlight
Hear from our Community of Graduates
Wilderness Sarchild, USA
Experiential Therapist, Poet, and Certified Psychedelic Practitioner
"Through this training program, I have learnt to trust that each person has their own inner healer (...) my job is not to be a therapist, my job is to be a sacred witness."
Angie Wong, UK
Psychotherapist and Certified Psychedelic Practitioner
" In this [type of] work you really have to be okay with not knowing. So [this program] really trained me to be more confident in all sorts of situations."
Michele Turner, USA
Certified Psychedelic Practitioner, End-of-Life Doula, Trauma-Informed Risk-Reduction & Integration Coach
"We created this container, this pod (...) we created this family and we get together four times a year. We still connect and use each other as a support system."
Patricia van Dijkhuizen, USA
Clinical Social Worker, Certified Psychedelic Practitioner
"I feel very fortunate to have found Synthesis because, through its four lenses, it provides a way of learning and understanding the field that goes beyond the typical left-brain, analytical approach. It allows you to engage the right hemisphere and integrate both sides."

Participant Profile 2023-2024

Our participants come from various backgrounds and industries and have a proven track record of maturity, commitment, and focus, including wellness practitioners, clinical and medical health professionals, spiritual caregivers, and individuals committed to the responsible use of psychedelics within and outside of therapeutic models.

40-49

Average Age

36 %

Master’s degree or equivalent

22 %

Wellness Practiotioners

33 %

Licensed Clinical or Medical Health Professionals

15 %

Certified Coaches

The Personal Changes You Will Make During the Training Will Allow You to Cultivate the Embodied Traits of a Skilled, Compassionate, Ethical Psychedelic Facilitator
Admissions
Our participants come from various backgrounds and industries and have a proven track record of maturity, commitment, and focus, including wellness practitioners, clinical and medical health professionals, spiritual caregivers, and individuals committed to the responsible use of psychedelics within and outside of therapeutic models.

We encourage professionals with diverse educational backgrounds, professional experiences, and levels of knowledge in psychedelics to apply. Admissions are by application only.

This is a 13-month online certification program.

  • Training Begins on October 19th
  • Super Early Registration Discount: Save $2,500
  • Applications close on October 10th
$11,497

$10,497

12-Month Payment Plan Available: $916/month.

Here Is What Leaders In the Psychedelic Space Say About The Synthesis Institute:
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Robin Cahart-Harris, Ph.D.
Founder of the Centre for Psychedelic Research atImperial College London

“Legal, professionally-organized retreats and trainings like (the ones) Synthesis offers can be a safe way for people to experience the transformational potential of psychedelics, and they can also be a great source of data for research centers like our own, helping to further advance the field. I'm excited to continue working alongside Synthesis to provide high-quality services and meaningful scientific research for the psychedelic community.”
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Dr. Rosalind Watts
Faculty at Synthesis, and Former Lead Clinical Psychologist at Imperial College London’s Centre for Psychedelic Research

“Although many people think of psychedelics as dangerous drugs, it’s time for a rethink. When used carefully in clinical research settings, psychedelics have been reported to have a profoundly beneficial effect on many people’s lives. They are non-toxic, non-addictive, have very few side effects, and could potentially offer relief for people suffering from a range of psychological difficulties. As a scientific researcher working on the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, I stand by Synthesis’ ethos to make psychedelics accessible to more people, implementing best practices for the community.”
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Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.
Regenerative Economist

“Psychedelics, when used appropriately, have the potential to revolutionize mental healthcare, and the professional training offered by Synthesis promises to help realize this potential. In contrast to mainstream approaches, Synthesis’ approach recognizes the critical role that connection plays in the production of well-being. The program also includes sessions on novel economic approaches to the delivery of care, which are critical to supporting the novel clinical approaches that Synthesis is helping to pioneer.”
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Bennet Zelner, Ph.D.
Regenerative Economist

“Psychedelics, when used appropriately, have the potential to revolutionize mental healthcare, and the professional training offered by Synthesis promises to help realize this potential. In contrast to mainstream approaches, Synthesis’ approach recognizes the critical role that connection plays in the production of well-being. The program also includes sessions on novel economic approaches to the delivery of care, which are critical to supporting the novel clinical approaches that Synthesis is helping to pioneer.”
Are You Ready to Elevate Your Practice?
Download the Program Brochure
for a detailed overview, including the training schedule, coursework modules, FAQs, and advanced post-graduation opportunities. 

The Core Training Faculty

Meet the Leaders, Visionaries, Practitioners, and Wisdom Elders who bring this program to life.
DR. VALERIA MCCARROLL

Valeria McCarroll, PhD, LMFT, is a guide and teacher. Immersed in the field of psychedelic work for over a decade, her interests lie at the ...

Valeria McCarroll, PhD, LMFT, is a guide and teacher. Immersed in the field of psychedelic work for over a decade, her interests lie at the intersection of nondual wisdom traditions, somatics, psychedelics, and social and transformative justice. Valeria teaches on psychedelics and somatic psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). She  lives in Northern California with her husband and daughter. When not synthesizing and refining liberative systems for deconstructing the patriarchy, she enjoys playing outdoors and creating beauty. 

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DR. LOIZAGA -VELDER

Dr. Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist with a deep connection to indigenous psychedelic healing practices spanning over three ...

Dr. Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist with a deep connection to indigenous psychedelic healing practices spanning over three decades. She co-founded the Nierika Institute in Mexico, dedicated to preserving indigenous traditions with sacred plant medicines and research around their therapeutic applications for mental health and personal growth. She has published several research articles and book chapters exploring the therapeutic potential of entheogens for treating mental health challenges and has presented her work as a speaker at many conferences. Anja collaborates as a learning facilitator and guest faculty in the Synthesis Psychedelic Practitioner Training program. 

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STACI HAINES

Staci Haines is a national leader in the field of somatics and creator of generative somatics, a resilience-based somatic approach integrating a ...

Staci Haines is a national leader in the field of somatics and creator of generative somatics, a resilience-based somatic approach integrating a social justice analysis. She is cofounder of two nonprofits: generative somatics, and generationFIVE, a community-based organization whose mission is to end the sexual abuse of children within five generations. She is also author of The Politics of Trauma: Somatics, Healing, and Social Justice and Healing Sex: A Mind Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma.

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DR. ROSALIND WATTS

Dr Rosalind Watts is a clinical psychologist and the founder of ACER Integration. She has been named as one of the 50 Most Influential People in ...

Dr Rosalind Watts is a clinical psychologist and the founder of ACER Integration.  She has been named as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Psychedelics as well as one of the top Top 16 Women Shaping the Future of Psychedelics. 

As the former clinical lead on the Psilocybin for Depression trial at Imperial College London, Dr Watts developed the ACE model of psychedelic assisted therapy (‘Accept, Connect, Embody’) and a psychometric tool for measuring Connectedness, both of which are being used in projects around the world.

Her focus is now on building community structures to help us maintain our connectedness to self, others and nature in the months and years after a psychedelic session. She founded and now helps to run a global online integration community, ACER (‘Accept, Connect, Embody, Restore’) which takes a collective approach to personal growth, and encourages re-alignment to the wisdom of nature.

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DR. MANESH GIRN

Dr. Manesh Girn is a prominent figure in psychedelic neuroscience, bridging academia and industry with expertise in neurobiology, psychology, and ...

Dr. Manesh Girn is a prominent figure in psychedelic neuroscience, bridging academia and industry with expertise in neurobiology, psychology, and clinical research on psychedelics. He is a postdoctoral neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, focusing on psychedelic brain mechanisms, and serves as Chief Research Officer at Entheo Tech Bioscience, contributing to psychedelic bioscience and clinical trials. Additionally, Manesh is an active science communicator, engaging with audiences through podcasts, lectures, and a YouTube channel to share insights on psychedelic research and advancements.

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ATIRA TAN

Atira Tan is a Singapore-born, Melbourne-bred Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and trauma specialist focused on sexual abuse recovery. As an ...

Atira Tan is a Singapore-born, Melbourne-bred Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and trauma specialist focused on sexual abuse recovery. As an art therapist and trauma educator, she is dedicated to guiding individuals back to their innate power and wisdom through somatic trauma approaches, embodied education, and spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation. Her methods are infused with deep compassion, self-acceptance, and love. Atira has extensive training in yoga, meditation, and art therapy. She is the founder and CEO of Art to Healing, a charity that supports women and girls in Asia and the Pacific, and leads the global organization Yoga for Freedom.

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DR. MALYNN UTZINGER

Dr. Malynn Utzinger, is cofounder and director of integrative medicine at Usona Institute, a non-profit psychedelic medical research organization. ...

Dr. Malynn Utzinger, 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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MAESTRO JOSÉ LÓPEZ SÁNCHEZ

Maestro Jose Lopez Sanchez is a Shipibo Traditional doctor from Peru. From a young age, José was tapped by his grandfather to be a plant medicine ...

Maestro Jose Lopez Sanchez is a Shipibo Traditional doctor from Peru. From a young age, José was tapped by his grandfather to be a plant medicine healer. He specializes in protection, unblocking and releasing negative energies and finding the root of a situation, aligning and harmonizing the individual, whether in body, energy, or spirit. José directs his ceremonies and dietas with extreme tenderness, kindness, compassion, humility, and firmness. In addition to working in the Amazon, José travels the world sharing his wisdom.

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JULIAN VAYNE

Julian Vayne is a British independent scholar and author with over three decades of experience within esoteric culture: from Druidry to Chaos Magic, ...

Julian Vayne is a British independent scholar and author with over three decades of experience within esoteric culture: from Druidry to Chaos Magic, from indigenous Shamanism through to Freemasonry and Witchcraft. In 2001, he published one of the first books of the modern psychedelic renaissance, Pharmakon: Drugs and the Imagination. He is also author of Getting Higher: The Manual of Psychedelic Ceremony. Julian is a co-organizer of the psychedelic conference Breaking Convention, and a Trustee of The Psychedelic Museum Project. A founding member of the post-prohibition think-tank Transform, Julian also sits on the academic board of The Journal of Psychedelic Studies.

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NORMA NAKAI BURTON

Norma Nakai Burton, M.Div., is a bridge builder between the practical worlds of social justice work and the mind expanding realms of evolutionary ...

Norma Nakai Burton, M.Div., is a bridge builder between the practical worlds of social justice work and the mind expanding realms of evolutionary consciousness. A shadow integration expert, she is the creator of the Journey to Completion® model, a somatic-oriented process for healing deep-seated trauma. She has extensive training in depth psychology and Jungian analysis, and more than three decades of experience as a healer.

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KYLEA TAYLOR

Kylea Taylor, M.S., LMFT is a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC #34901) who has been thinking, writing, and teaching about ...

Kylea Taylor, M.S., LMFT is a California licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC #34901) who has been thinking, writing, and teaching about ethics for over three decades. She developed InnerEthics®, a self-reflective, self-compassionate approach to relational ethics that includes Ethical Awareness Tools useful in maintaining a therapist's ethical alertness. Kylea teaches the Inner Ethics® model in psychedelic psychotherapy trainings.

She started studying with Stanislav Grof, M.D. and Christina Grof in 1984 and was certified by them as a Holotropic Breathwork® practitioner in 1990. She worked with Stanislav Grof as a Senior Trainer in the Grof Transpersonal Training throughout the 1990s, facilitating and observing 1000s of extra-ordinary state of consciousness sessions. She worked for nine years in a residential substance abuse recovery program where she managed a women’s program and facilitated Holotropic Breathwork®.

Kylea is President of SoulCollage Inc., a 20-year-old company that trains and provides community for over 5500 facilitators in 59 countries who teach the SoulCollage® expressive arts method which is used for self-discovery and integration. Kylea is the author of The Ethics of Caring: Finding Right Relationship with Clients, The Breathwork Experience, Considering Holotropic Breathwork®, and is the editor of Exploring Holotropic Breathwork®

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MEGHAN KENNEDY

Meghan Kennedy, LCSW, CPTR, 30-year private practice specializing in trauma & systemic disequilibrium, she has been an international consultant ...

Meghan Kennedy, LCSW, CPTR, 30-year private practice specializing in trauma & systemic disequilibrium, she has been an international consultant on psychosocial and culturally-sensitive treatment issues for communities under siege due to war, political unrest and natural disasters. Her understanding of the interdependent features of trauma, addictions-formation and character structure lends to working with the parallel processes seen in greater cultural disequilibrium - and requiring greater healing modalities.   International consulting experiences lead her to explore the utilization of psychedelic substances across varying cultural settings.  In 2016 Meghan was certified in Psychedelic-assisted Therapies & Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies in their inaugural run of the first accredited university program of its kind.  This lead to working in research with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies as an adherence rater for the trials on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.  She has taught on the topics of trauma and transpersonal healing frameworks, as well as risk mitigation and integration of non-dual states of consciousness for several years. Meghan is also working to create mainstream structures that will assure a swift and just roll-out of these treatments and the training necessary to provide them once governmental structures clear the way.Trust in the greater cosmology reached through this work is what fuels her belief in, and service to, this important healing paradigm.

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AL JEFFERY

Al Jeffery is a meditation teacher, integrative psychotherapist, and group facilitator, Al has supported thousands of people around the world in ...

Al Jeffery is a meditation teacher, integrative psychotherapist, and group facilitator, Al has supported thousands of people around the world in restoring connection in their lives, leadership, and communities.  Al was listed in the Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30 in Australia twice in a row and has since become a trusted guide to for-purpose teams and leaders. As a queer man, haiku poet, leadership virtuoso, and martial artist, Al’s love for integrating the diverse and transgressive are alive in all he touches.

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DR. RACHEL LOVIE

Rachel Lovie, Ph.D., is an experienced teacher and guide. Her work explores the centrality of many ways of knowing in transformational experience and ...

Rachel Lovie, Ph.D., is an experienced teacher and guide. Her work explores the centrality of many ways of knowing in transformational experience and learning. She is a member of the Wilderness Guides Council and is cofounder of Obsidian: Paths with Heart, an organization offering psyche and nature workshops and retreats.

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DAAN KEIMAN

Daan Keiman is a Synthesis Content Advisor and the former Lead Facilitator and Director of Program and Product Development at the Synthesis ...

Daan Keiman is a Synthesis Content Advisor and the former Lead Facilitator and Director of Program and Product Development at the Synthesis Institute. He holds an MA in Spiritual Care and is the co-founder of Guild of Guides Netherlands, an organization that seeks to professionalize psychedelic sitting services, and of the Communitas Collective, a psychedelic think-and-practice tank. He has guided and cared for people in altered states of consciousness for over 15 years, ranging from harm reduction work at festivals to his private practice as a psychedelic and Buddhist chaplain.

Daan draws from his personal Buddhist practices, psychedelic research, and professional experiences to create compassionate and powerful containers for personal and relational transformation. Currently, his interest lies in understanding the ethics of offering psychedelic care.

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DR. BAYO AKOMOLAFE

Dr. Bayo Akómoláfé is a widely celebrated international speaker, teacher, public intellectual, essayist and author of These Wilds Beyond our Fences: ...

Dr. Bayo Akómoláfé is a widely celebrated international speaker, teacher, public intellectual, essayist and author of These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak. As Visionary Founder and Elder of The Emergence Network and Chief Host of the widely popular online-offline course/festival series We Will Dance with Mountains, Bayo curates an earth-wide project for the re-calibration of our ability to respond to civilizational crisis—a project framed within a material feminist/posthumanist/postactivist ethos and inspired by Yoruba indigenous cosmologies.

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CAMILLE BARTON

Camille Sapara Barton (they / them) is an artist and educator who explores creative interventions that sustain life. Rooted in Black Feminism, ...

Camille Sapara Barton (they / them) is an artist and educator who explores creative interventions that sustain life. Rooted in Black Feminism, ecology, and harm reduction, they use creativity as a means to grow the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.

Embodiment, healing justice and drug policy are key threads within Camille’s work. Camille is certified in the Resilience Toolkit, a framework to manage stress and increase resilience in individuals as well as communities.

From 2015 - 2020, Camille led the Collective Liberation Project, providing workshops and training on embodied approaches to anti-racism. In 2022, they launched the GEN Grief Toolkit, a collection of embodied practices to support grief work within the community.

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CLAUDE GUISLAIN

Claude Guislain is Peruvian, spending most of his time in the Peruvian Amazon and in Brazil. He is an advisor on indigenous relations for IMCFund ...

Claude Guislain is Peruvian, spending most of his time in the Peruvian Amazon and in Brazil. He is an advisor on indigenous relations for IMCFund (indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund) and other organisations as ICEERS and ASOMASHK (Shipibo Healers' Association). He trained as an anthropologist and his journey brought him to walk with different masters from the Shipibo, Arhuaco, Tubu, Yawanawa, among other peoples. After many years of quest, his role revealed itself to be a bridge between worlds. He has been an Ayahuasca retreat facilitator since 2008 and an advocate for the Indigenous cause in different domains. He collaborates with healing centers like the Temple of the Way of Light, Niwerao Xobo and Shipibo Rao, having supported the healing processes of around two thousand people. The extraordinary possibilities he has witnessed from his teachers’ mastery - the healings, the teachings, the stories, the medicines, the technologies, the messages - gave him the firm conviction that a true alliance between ancestral indigenous wisdom and modern science is the key for overcoming the great challenges of our time.

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ALFREDO PÉREZ

Alfredo graduated with a degree in architecture from the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico and has 25 years of experience in the field. He has ...

Alfredo graduated with a degree in architecture from the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico and has 25 years of experience in the field. He has postgraduate degrees in the fields of urbanism, steel structures, contemporary and Mexican history, and archaeoastronomy, a science in which he has sought to combine his interests and studies in the occult arts, including palmistry, astrology, sacred geometry, witchcraft, and sorcery.

Alfredo has also had training in several alternative therapies/medicines, including as a chiropractor and acupuncturist. He has attained the level of brown belt in Xilam (a Mexican martial art) and has been studying yoga and aikido in Venezuela since 2014.

Alfredo is also a Mexican dancer and a descendant of the Otomí culture. He has also studied the dance of the sun and sacred plants, and participated in temazcal (sweat lodges) with the Toltecayotl people, who have given him the title of Temachtiani (master/teacher).

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DR. BENJAMIN MALCOLM

Dr. Ben Malcolm earned his bachelor’s degree (BS) in pharmacology at the University of California at Santa Barbara, prior to his Masters in Public ...

Dr. Ben Malcolm earned his bachelor’s degree (BS) in pharmacology at the University of California at Santa Barbara, prior to his Masters in Public Health (MPH) and Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) at Touro University California. He then completed post-graduate residencies in Acute Care at Scripps Mercy Hospital and Psychiatric Pharmacy at the University of California at San Diego Health. After residency he passed his exam to become Board Certified in Psychiatric Pharmacy (BCPP). He began his career as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Western University of Health Sciences (WUHS), College of Pharmacy.

Dr. Malcolm envisions a society in which access to psychedelic drugs in a variety of safe and supported settings is available for purposes of psychospiritual well-being, personal development, ceremonial sacraments, and treatment of mental illness. His vision guides his scholarship, education, and service-related professional activity.

Dr. Malcolm's interests focus on the intersection between psychiatric medications and psychedelic therapies. He has given several Continuing Education presentations to pharmacists and other healthcare professionals as well as published over a dozen articles in peer-reviewed literature relating to psychedelics or psychiatric medications. Today he provides psychopharmacology consulting services and a resource and support membership relating to the use psychedelic and psychotropic medications. 

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COURTNEY WATSON

Courtney Watson, MS, MEd, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified sex therapist. She is the owner of Doorway Therapeutic Services, ...

Courtney Watson, MS, MEd, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified sex therapist. She is the owner of Doorway Therapeutic Services, a group therapy and ketamine practice in Oakland, California, focused on addressing the mental health needs of Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC), as well as queer, trans, gender non-conforming, non-binary and two-spirited individuals. She is also founder of Access to Doorways, a nonprofit that supports queer, trans, and BIPOC clients and practitioners to engage in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy.

Courtney has followed the direction of her ancestors to incorporate psychedelic assisted therapy into her offerings for folks with multiple marginalized identities and acknowledges the importance of Black and queer providers offering these services. Courtney spent most of 2019 training with the California Institute of Integral Studies' Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research to provide psychedelic-assisted therapy. She is deeply interested in the impact of psychedelic medicines on folks with marginalized identities as well as how they can assist with the decolonization process for BIPOC. She believes this field is not yet ready to address the unique needs of communities of color and is prepared and enthusiastic about bridging the gap.

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DR. ALEX BELSER

Dr. Alex Belser has been a leader in the psychedelic research community for the last twenty years. His research has focused on investigating ...

Dr. Alex Belser has been a leader in the psychedelic research community for the last twenty years.  His research has focused on investigating psilocybin and MDMA to treat depression, anxiety, substance use, OCD, PTSD, and end-of-life distress at NYU and Yale University.  He is the Chief Clinical Officer of Cybin, where he directs their clinical programs in psychedelic therapeutics.  He previously served as Chief Clinical Officer at Adelia Therapeutics. He is a member of Chacruna Institute’s Women, Gender Diversity, and Sexual Minorities Working Group, where he works on issues affecting LGBTQI+ people. His research has been featured on the front page of the New York Times, in the Atlantic, the New Yorker, The Guardian, and in Michael Pollan's book, How to Change Your Mind.  Dr. Belser studied at Georgetown University, the University of Cambridge, Columbia University, NYU, and Yale University. 

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DARA SILVERMAN

Dara Silverman is a white, queer, Jewish consultant, somatic coach, and trainer with 25 years in with organizations and movements for social, racial, ...

Dara Silverman is a white, queer, Jewish consultant, somatic coach, and trainer with 25 years in with organizations and movements for social, racial, economic and gender justice. Dara became a coach through Coaching for Transformation at Leadership that Works in 2013. She is certified as a Professional Coach through the International Coaching Federation. Dara has been studying Somatics with the Strozzi Institute and Generative Somatics since 2011. She became a Somatic Coach in 2013 and is a Lead Teacher with the Strozzi Institute. She is based in Beacon, NY where she grows eight kinds of berries.

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SIMONE WEIT

Simone Weit LPCC/LPC is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in both somatic and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Having received a master’s degree ...

Simone Weit LPCC/LPC is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in both somatic and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Having received a master’s degree in counseling psychology with a specialization in somatic psychotherapy, Simone has served clients in juvenile justice, community behavioral health, crisis stabilization in a hospital setting, and private practice including running a Ketamine therapy practice. Simone has also developed and taught a trauma-informed yoga program for incarcerated girls and women, provided somatic therapies to clients at the Iboga Therapy House in British Columbia, and worked as a supervisor for the Zendo project. In addition to her professional work, Simone has also completed the MDMA Assisted Therapy training through MAPS and received training in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy through the Polaris Insight Center. Additional experience includes 20 years of working with and learning from Maestros in Peruvian plant medicine traditions. Simone is also a recognized visionary artist and a member of the Tribe 13 artist’s collective.

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TIMOTHY CRESPI

Timothy Crespi is a strategic advisor and the practicum director for The Synthesis Institute, where he also serves as a co-lead on retreats. A ...

Timothy Crespi is a strategic advisor and the practicum director for The Synthesis Institute, where he also serves as a co-lead on retreats. A professional counselor since 2008, he has been in private practice since 2012. He served as a supervisor for the The Zendo Project for six (6) years, organizing and leading trainings on psychedelic harm reduction in Oregon and Washington. Timothy holds dual undergraduate degrees in environment studies and contemplative psychology as well as a masters in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University, where he also led contemplative wilderness orientation trips for seven (7) years. He has also completed four (4) years of training in contemporary Reichian and somatic psychotherapy and has over ten (10) years of training in Gestalt psychology. Timothy is committed to creating pathways for people to access ethically sound education and practices for legal psychedelic and non-ordinary transformational experiences.

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SAJ RAZVI

Saj Razvi is the Director of Education at Psychedelic Somatic Institute. He is a psychotherapist and former clinical researcher in the MAPS Phase 2 ...

Saj Razvi is the Director of Education at Psychedelic Somatic Institute. He is a psychotherapist and former clinical researcher in the MAPS Phase 2 trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. He is faculty at Mind Medicine Australia and taught PTSD studies at the University of Denver. He is one of the primary developers of the Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy (PSIP) modality which is a next generation, primary consciousness oriented psychotherapy. Saj's primary focus is to train clinicians to provide legal, effective psychedelic treatment in their private practice settings utilizing readily accessible medicines such as cannabis and ketamine. He provides PSI trainings and supervision to students internationally.

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HEATHER SMITH

Pushing the boundaries of therapeutic modalities, Heather’s passion lies at the intersection of IFS (Internal Family Systems) and Expanded States of ...

Pushing the boundaries of therapeutic modalities, Heather’s passion lies at the intersection of IFS (Internal Family Systems) and Expanded States of Consciousness, particularly within the realms of Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. 

From 2015 to 2023 Heather operated Insight Counseling of Alexandria, LLC a private practice where she applied parts work.  Specializing in supporting clients integrating therapeutic medicine journey experience, Heather demonstrated her commitment to fostering healing and growth. Her journey with IFS began in 2015, progressing through levels 1-3.  She further solidified her expertise, serving as a Program Assistant for numerous IFS trainings over the past several years. 

In 2019 Heather initiated a MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) sponsored Expanded Access site in Rockville, MD for the study of MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD, a research protocol approved by the FDA. It was through this initiative Heather received her MAPS Therapist training. Heather has also been trained by Compass Pathways, Fluence and has attended several psychedelic conferences such as MAPS 2023, Horizons and SOAP. 

Taking her commitment to education and community building to the next level, Heather inaugurated The Moxie School® in January 2022.  Here she provides courses, workshops, and consultations tailored for therapists, coaches and guides seeking to refine their skills in IFS Informed Psychedelic Assisted Therapy.  As a testament to her dedication and creating transformative experiences,  Heather organizes expertly curated IFS Informed Retreats, fostering rich experiential journeys within a loving and carefully crafted community.

For those eager to explore the realms of IFS Informed Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and join a community dedicated to growth and transformation, Heather invites you to explore current offerings on The Moxie Schools®. Heather stands as a beacon in the evolving landscape of therapeutic innovation, blending the wisdom of Internal Family Systems with the transformative potential of psychedelics.

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DR. DAVID ABRAM

David Abram, Ph.D., the founder and creative director of the Alliance for Wild Ethics, is a cultural ecologist and philosopher who thinks deeply and ...

David Abram, Ph.D., the founder and creative director of the Alliance for Wild Ethics, is a cultural ecologist and philosopher who thinks deeply and writes eloquently about the causes and consequences of environmental disarray and the possibilities for a better future.

David's work has helped catalyze the emergence of several new disciplines, including the field of ecopsychology. His writings also deeply influenced Synthesis cofounder Martijn Schrip, shaping the vision and approach of Synthesis. 

In this conversation, David and Martijn will explore how the ecology of perception and language can bring us into contact with the magical ordinariness that surrounds us. Accessing this joy, which is immediately available to us in the more-than-human world, is necessary if we wish to bring about individual and community-level change in the world as larger systems shift and collapse.

Without denying the grief and hard work ahead of us, David embodies and shares a way of being in and with the world that will leave you hopeful and energized.

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DR. ROBIN CARHART-HARRIS

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris moved to Imperial College London in 2008 after obtaining a PhD in Psychopharmacology from the University of Bristol and an ...

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris moved to Imperial College London in 2008 after obtaining a PhD in Psychopharmacology from the University of Bristol and an MA in Psychoanalysis from Brunel University. At Imperial, Robin has designed and completed human brain imaging studies with LSD, psilocybin, MDMA and DMT, a clinical trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, a double-blind randomised controlled trial comparing psilocybin with escitalopram for major depressive disorder and a multimodal imaging study in healthy volunteers receiving psilocybin for the first time. Robin founded the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London in April 2019, the first of its kind in the world.

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KIRA EMSLIE

Kira is a professional speaking coach and voice specialist with an expertise in voice physiology and performance techniques, and a certified Master ...

Kira is a professional speaking coach and voice specialist with an expertise in voice physiology and performance techniques, and a certified Master Trainer of Estill Voice International. Kira is associate faculty for The King’s Fund, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and the NHS Leadership Academy. 

Kira works with performers, leaders, and teams, teaching valuable skills and tools that empower people to speak up confidently and effectively in ways they can be heard. Kira uses a powerful combination of tools to calm nerves, build confidence and increase impact and influence in any situation. Her fun and highly interactive workshops are designed so participants can easily learn and practice techniques used by professionals to calm the mind, overcome anxiety or stage-fright, stay calm under pressure, and use the voice in ways that people find engaging and easy to listen to. Kira’s workshops have been evaluated as highly impactful by the King’s Fund and NHS Leadership Academy, where she regularly runs programmes for the London Women's Leadership Network, and on “speaking truth to power”.

Kira is currently undertaking research into the connections between voice and mental health and wellbeing, exploring methods of improving self-confidence and mood through intentional changes in the physiology of the voice. 

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LESLEY QUILTY

Lesley Quilty is a facilitator, coach, leadership consultant, meditation teacher, and theater artist who has designed and delivered transformational ...

Lesley Quilty is a facilitator, coach, leadership consultant, meditation teacher, and theater artist who has designed and delivered transformational retreats and learning in a wide variety of personal, spiritual, and organizational development settings. Everything she shares professionally grows from her own embodied experiences.

A committed meditation practice, Holotropic Breathwork, a lifestyle rooted in intentional community, and practices taught by North and South American Indigenous teachers have resourced and guided Lesley throughout her adult life, as have psychedelics. She has been working with entheogens in dedicated ceremonial settings since 2014.

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DANIELLE SMITH

A kinaesthetic artist, Somatic Integration Practitioner, registered massage therapist, and facilitator, Danielle holds a multi-disciplinary focus and ...

A kinaesthetic artist, Somatic Integration Practitioner, registered massage therapist, and facilitator, Danielle holds a multi-disciplinary focus and understands that the body is impacted by both internal physiological factors and external socio-structural factors. 

The last decade of her career has focused on bridge-building between healing arts and performing arts,  with a focus on ancestral reclamation, body memory, and social justice. Danielle’s practice has included street performance addressing imperialist transnational violence in Canada, Jamaica, and Colombia; methodological design as key-collaborator in the Arrival’s Process, where she co-facilitated workshops throughout Canada, the Caribbean, and the UK; facilitating trauma-informed body/movement work as a Somatic Specialist for Chocolate Woman Collective; and producing theatrical performances in the Transdisciplinary Arts Program at Watah Theatre while being the resident Health Care Practitioner and Anatomy Instructor.

Through Somatics, Danielle comprehends that the body holds culture as well as a deep innate wisdom and resilience toward healing for both the individual and the collective. She works collaboratively with each of her clients, whether in massage therapy treatments, Somatic sessions, or workshops, in an evolving process based on their bio-political landscape and any given set of circumstances that are being faced. 

Her massage practice of over 25 years is grounded in her lived experience, professional experience, and her continuous study of the neurophysiological understanding of the impacts of historical, chronic, and acute stress, along with the somatic and relational impact of the over-culture and its historical and intergenerational repercussions in which we are living.

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COSTANZA DI PRISCO

Costanza Di Prisco is a psychedelic practitioner and breathwork facilitator with Synthesis. She began working with psychedelics in 2012 as a ...

Costanza Di Prisco is a psychedelic practitioner and breathwork facilitator with Synthesis. She began working with psychedelics in 2012 as a participant and follows the lineage of the Shipibo tribe from Peru. She has done a master plant dieta with Noya Rao and has studied body psychology, yoga, meditation, and acupressure. Her facilitation style includes shamanic practices to create deep transformational experiences. Costanza is passionate about supporting women doing psychedelic work and about honoring ancient traditions while incorporating contemporary wisdom to best support her clients.

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DR. SAM GANDY

Sam is a PhD ecologist, independent researcher, and science communicator. He has varied experience of working within the psychedelic field, including ...

Sam is a PhD ecologist, independent researcher, and science communicator. He has varied experience of working within the psychedelic field, including as a past scientific assistant to the director of the Beckley Foundation and as a research assistant with the Synthesis Institute. His work has also involved science communication, including a past role as a senior science writer for Wavepaths, and he delivers talks in association with Seed Talks. He teaches fungi cultivation workshops, catering for beginner growers in association with the Psychedelic Society. A lifelong nature lover, he has a research interest in the capacity of psychedelics to influence human relationships with nature and is a collaborator with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London and Onaya Science. His main focus is within the ecological field, focusing on nature recovery, and he works as Innovation Team Leader for environmental consultancy Ecosulis.

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APRIL RAMEÉ

April Rameé is a clinical herbalist and a certified psychedelic integration coach who prepares customized herbal solutions to help creative artists ...

April Rameé is a clinical herbalist and a certified psychedelic integration coach who prepares customized herbal solutions to help creative artists and industry leaders discover their true potential.
As the Founder and CEO of Antler Alchemy, a graduate of clinical herbal practitioner programs, a certified psychedelic integration coach, and a trained, certified yoga teacher, April guides individuals on embarking on spiritually healing journeys.


As a revolutionary in plant medicine, April established her holistic practice. She taught hundreds the art of building a connection between their souls and the earth through psychedelic integrative coaching, life-changing herbal 1-1 coaching, international festivals, and workshops. She has also spoken at renowned institutes, including Johns Hopkins, and has been featured in mainstream publications like The Washington Post.


Besides providing virtual workshops and integrative group programs, April helps spiritual seekers secure mental, emotional, and physical harmony with nature through her Botanical Mystery School apprenticeship. Her educational courses help students build a connection with the earth and learn the fundamentals required to enroll in a formal clinical herbalism program.

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Meet the Learning Facilitators

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LADYBIRD MORGAN

Ladybird Morgan RN, MSW, RCST practitioner, has helped guide medical practitioners, families, caregivers, programs, and institutions around ...

Ladybird Morgan RN, MSW, RCST practitioner, has helped guide medical practitioners, families, caregivers, programs, and institutions around the world (including with Doctors Without Borders and in California Prisons) on how to be present to difficult experiences by remembering, embodying, and responding from the deepest place of truth. Her work is informed by a lifetime commitment to meditation, sacred practices, and personal inquiry. Currently a private palliative care consultant with Mettlehealth and a co-facilitator for Commonweal’s Cancer Care Help Program and Healing Circles, she is also a co-investigator/study therapist with a University of Washington study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy and the Co-Founder/Program Director of The Humane Prison Hospice Project.

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NIKOLAJ KNUB

Nikolaj Knub is a philosopher and Jungian psychotherapist based in Copenhagen. Besides offering individual therapy he facilitates workshops and ...

Nikolaj Knub is a philosopher and Jungian psychotherapist based in Copenhagen. Besides offering individual therapy he facilitates workshops and offers rituals with ceremonial cacao and the use of active imagination. Currently, Nikolaj is pursuing a long-standing interest in eco-psychology and experimenting with ways in which to bring therapeutic practices out of the consulting room and into the wild.

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DR. LELA MOSEMGHVDLISHVILI

Dr. L. (Lela) Mosemghvdlishvili is a transformative educator working on the intersections of academia, wisdom traditions, and embodied practices. ...

Dr. L. (Lela) Mosemghvdlishvili is a transformative educator working on the intersections of academia, wisdom traditions, and embodied practices. Lela has served as a board member of the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association (APRA) since 2017. At the University of Amsterdam, they designed and have been teaching an interdisciplinary elective project Critical Issues in Psychedelic Renessainsefor the past five years.   A notable part of Lela's life is devoted to the ongoing study and practice of Maha and Ati Yoga, experiential dancing, and regular silent retreats for introspection. These modalities are vital sources of insight and understanding to them. Lela is also an authorized Feeding Your Demons® facilitator, and meditation teacher.

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CHARA CARUTHERS

Chara Caruthers is a skilled facilitator with decades of personal and professional practice as an educator, therapist and lifestyle medicine ...

Chara Caruthers is a skilled facilitator with decades of personal and professional practice as an educator, therapist and lifestyle medicine practitioner working with groups and individuals. Her life and work is grounded in eastern spiritual traditions, ancient and indigenous wisdom and modern science and philosophy. She holds a professional certification in psychedelics, entheogens and transpersonal psychology, is a graduate of the Center for Holding Space Foundations program at the Leadership level, and is currently completing a master of science in transpersonal psychology.  As a Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), certified Ayurvedic practitioner and psychedelic researcher, she is passionately dedicated to building bridges between ancient lifestyle traditions and modern western medical approaches to mental health and wellbeing.  Chara believes that a loving and supportive community is the vital and often missing piece of the picture of wellbeing for so many.  She recognizes that her work in the psychedelic space is that of building and empowering community as a container for embodying our wholeness.

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DR. STEPHANIE VAN HOPE

Dr. Stephanie Van Hope, R.N., D.N.P., is a registered nurse, certified nurse coach, and doctor of nursing practice with experience in oncology, ...

Dr. Stephanie Van Hope, R.N., D.N.P., is a registered nurse, certified nurse coach, and doctor of nursing practice with experience in oncology, hospice, and health coaching. She served as a study guide for New York University’s Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety project, guiding cancer patients through psychedelic journeys with psilocybin, and offers a continuing education course for nurses entitled Nursing & Sacred Medicine: Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy. Stephanie is a Reiki practitioner and a student of yoga, meditation, shamanic healing, astrology, plant medicine, music, dance, and the sacred traditions of many faiths. She currently resides with her husband, son, and many animals in an intentional community in the Catskills region of New York.

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DR. ANJA LOIZAGA-VELDER

Dr. Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist with a deep connection to indigenous psychedelic healing practices spanning over ...

Dr. Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist with a deep connection to indigenous psychedelic healing practices spanning over three decades. She co-founded the Nierika Institute in Mexico, dedicated to preserving indigenous traditions with sacred plant medicines and research around their therapeutic applications for mental health and personal growth. She has published several research articles and book chapters exploring the therapeutic potential of entheogens for treating mental health challenges and has presented her work as a speaker at many conferences. Anja collaborates as a learning facilitator and guest faculty in the Synthesis Psychedelic Practitioner Training program.

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VIBHU KHERA

Vibhu Khera is an experienced educator, meditation teacher, and transpersonal therapist. She has a deep passion for yoga, whirling, nature walks, ...

Vibhu Khera is an experienced educator, meditation teacher, and transpersonal therapist. She has a deep passion for yoga, whirling, nature walks, and reading. Vibhu has received extensive training in Meta-cognitive awareness, NLP, Emotional therapy, Yogic science, and Mindfulness. Her primary focus is assisting individuals in achieving emotional coherence, reclaiming their minds, expanding their inner space, and overcoming the challenges and dramas of life.

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DR. ALLEN GOODWIN

Dr. Allen Goodwin (Bsc (Hons), Ph.D.) has spent the last twenty years as a full-time senior University lecturer in Psychology focusing mainly on ...

Dr. Allen Goodwin (Bsc (Hons), Ph.D.) has spent the last twenty years as a full-time senior University lecturer in Psychology focusing mainly on the areas of Research Methods & Statistics, Neuroscience, and Visual perception. He has received numerous prestigious university inspirational teaching awards and is a contract-published author.

Dr. Goodwin holds an animistic perspective, a result of over thirty years of Druidic and Shamanic Practice. In 2013, he discarded his academic career as an act of faith and relocated to the place of his youth devoting himself to his family and working as a professionally trained shamanic practitioner (both in core and classical techniques). 

In all his work, he aims to facilitate a greater connection for his clients to develop their sense of connection to their true self and their sense of place within their own lives.

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NATALIE REICH

Natalie is committed to fostering personal growth and transformation; her journey in the human services field has spanned over a decade. This ...

Natalie is committed to fostering personal growth and transformation; her journey in the human services field has spanned over a decade. This experience has deepened her understanding of trauma and its impact on individuals. As a master’s level intern in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, she has the privilege of directly counseling clients while gaining insights from the mentorship of experienced supervisors.

Natalie is deeply committed to engaging in harm reduction and providing supportive care as a volunteer on the Fireside hotline for those navigating psychedelic experiences. She also founded "Your Healing Guide," an initiative to guide individuals toward inner peace and holistic self-healing.

She has always believed that the power to heal and transform lies within us. We can unlock immeasurable potential by connecting with our breath and being attuned to our bodily sensations. She offers guided meditations tailored to diverse audiences, from individuals and groups to schools and businesses, to support this belief.

Additionally, she enjoys being a learning facilitator for The Synthesis Institutes Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training program. Natalie is a certified 200-hour yoga practitioner and is trained in the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique. She focuses on somatic healing and ensures that her clients always find a supportive and compassionate space for exploration and growth.

A client-centered approach is at the core of her practice, ensuring that she understands and addresses each individual's unique needs and goals. She strives to create an environment of trust and respect where thoughts and feelings can be freely expressed.

She is on a continuous journey to explore and integrate various healing modalities. Embracing the philosophy that "You are your own best healer," she is dedicated to empowering each individual in their healing journey.

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MINA SAMUELS

Mina Samuels is a writer, speaker, playwright, and performer, and in a previous incarnation, a litigation lawyer and human rights advocate; as ...

Mina Samuels is a writer, speaker, playwright, and performer, and in a previous incarnation, a litigation lawyer and human rights advocate; as well as an athlete and meditation practitioner, trained in Non-Violent Communication and Internal Family Systems. Mina offers workshops and one-on-one facilitations on the transformative power of the body-mind connection and how it nourishes our whole self. Her books include, Run Like A Girl 365 Days: A Practical, Personal, Inspirational Guide for Women Athletes and Run Like a Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives and she writes regularly for Medium and Fit Is A Feminist Issue.  She has also created and performed two award-winning solo shows and an ensemble play.

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MEGHAN KENNEDY

Meghan Kennedy, LCSW, CPTR, 30-year private practice specializing in trauma & systemic disequilibrium, she has been an international ...

Meghan Kennedy, LCSW, CPTR, 30-year private practice specializing in trauma & systemic disequilibrium, she has been an international consultant on psychosocial and culturally-sensitive treatment issues for communities under siege due to war, political unrest and natural disasters. Her understanding of the interdependent features of trauma, addictions-formation and character structure lends to working with the parallel processes seen in greater cultural disequilibrium - and requiring greater healing modalities.   International consulting experiences lead her to explore the utilization of psychedelic substances across varying cultural settings.  In 2016 Meghan was certified in Psychedelic-assisted Therapies & Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies in their inaugural run of the first accredited university program of its kind.  This lead to working in research with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies as an adherence rater for the trials on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.  She has taught on the topics of trauma and transpersonal healing frameworks, as well as risk mitigation and integration of non-dual states of consciousness for several years. Meghan is also working to create mainstream structures that will assure a swift and just roll-out of these treatments and the training necessary to provide them once governmental structures clear the way.Trust in the greater cosmology reached through this work is what fuels her belief in, and service to, this important healing paradigm.

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CHRISTOPHER LUARD

Christopher Luard has been studying and practicing various forms of meditation for over thirty-five years. He has received formal training in ...

Christopher Luard has been studying and practicing various forms of meditation for over thirty-five years. He has received formal training in Korean and Japanese Zen; Mahamudra and Dzogchen from the Tibetan traditions, and Vipassana from the Theravada Burmese tradition, Vedanta from the Hindu tradition. In addition to these trainings, Chris had studied extensively within more modern traditions such as Secular Dharma, Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, Neuroplasticity, and MBSR. Upon witnessing the tragic events of Sept 11th, 2001 in Manhattan, Chris dedicated his life to the study and teaching of contemplative practices. He teaches from a secular voice and is committed to bringing these timeless teachings to all who wish to receive them. Chris has facilitated in centers in Portugal, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, the USA, and the U.K. and continues to live and teach in Thailand. 

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MARY BREDIN

Mary is a psychotherapist with over 30 years experience of working in a variety of UK healthcare settings as a clinical supervisor, group ...

Mary is a psychotherapist with over 30 years experience of working in a variety of UK healthcare settings as a clinical supervisor, group facilitator, researcher, and educator. She specializes in helping people face loss and change, illness, and death, and is particularly interested in how nature connection, mindfulness, self-compassion, and vision quest rites of passage can support journeys of personal growth, transformation, and healing. In her spare time, she tends an old Cornish garden, which has lots of flowers and brambles. She swims in the sea all year round and loves to walk in wild places.

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JULIE HENNINGSEN

Julie Henningsen, PA-C, MPAS, is a medical healthcare provider with experience in emergency medicine, urgent care, and dermatology; and is a ...

Julie Henningsen, PA-C, MPAS, is a medical healthcare provider with experience in emergency medicine, urgent care, and dermatology; and is a Synthesis-certified psychedelic practitioner. She prefers a holistic approach to patient care, acknowledging our inner healing wisdom and the potential for entheogens to facilitate authentic transformation. Having worked as an outdoor and environmental program director for several universities, Julie has an extensive background in facilitating immersive, nature-based experiences. She has been a faculty member of the National Outdoor Leadership School for over 20 years, leading wilderness emergency medicine courses around the globe. Julie is the founder of Headwaters Field Medicine, a Montana-based wilderness medicine training organization. Her passion for exploration of both the natural world, and the nature of consciousness drives her pursuit of life-long learning.

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Ladybird Morgan RN, MSW, RCST practitioner, has helped guide medical practitioners, families, caregivers, programs, and institutions around the world (including with Doctors Without Borders and in California Prisons) on how to be present to difficult experiences by remembering, embodying, and responding from the deepest place of truth. Her work is informed by a lifetime commitment to meditation, sacred practices, and personal inquiry. Currently a private palliative care consultant with Mettlehealth and a co-facilitator for Commonweal’s Cancer Care Help Program and Healing Circles, she is also a co-investigator/study therapist with a University of Washington study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy and the Co-Founder/Program Director of The Humane Prison Hospice Project.

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Nikolaj Knub is a philosopher and Jungian psychotherapist based in Copenhagen. Besides offering individual therapy he facilitates workshops and offers rituals with ceremonial cacao and the use of active imagination. Currently, Nikolaj is pursuing a long-standing interest in eco-psychology and experimenting with ways in which to bring therapeutic practices out of the consulting room and into the wild.

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Dr. L. (Lela) Mosemghvdlishvili is a transformative educator working on the intersections of academia, wisdom traditions, and embodied practices. Lela has served as a board member of the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association (APRA) since 2017. At the University of Amsterdam, they designed and have been teaching an interdisciplinary elective project Critical Issues in Psychedelic Renessainsefor the past five years.   A notable part of Lela's life is devoted to the ongoing study and practice of Maha and Ati Yoga, experiential dancing, and regular silent retreats for introspection. These modalities are vital sources of insight and understanding to them. Lela is also an authorized Feeding Your Demons® facilitator, and meditation teacher.

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Chara Caruthers is a skilled facilitator with decades of personal and professional practice as an educator, therapist and lifestyle medicine practitioner working with groups and individuals. Her life and work is grounded in eastern spiritual traditions, ancient and indigenous wisdom and modern science and philosophy. She holds a professional certification in psychedelics, entheogens and transpersonal psychology, is a graduate of the Center for Holding Space Foundations program at the Leadership level, and is currently completing a master of science in transpersonal psychology.  As a Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), certified Ayurvedic practitioner and psychedelic researcher, she is passionately dedicated to building bridges between ancient lifestyle traditions and modern western medical approaches to mental health and wellbeing.  Chara believes that a loving and supportive community is the vital and often missing piece of the picture of wellbeing for so many.  She recognizes that her work in the psychedelic space is that of building and empowering community as a container for embodying our wholeness.

Close

Dr. Stephanie Van Hope, R.N., D.N.P., is a registered nurse, certified nurse coach, and doctor of nursing practice with experience in oncology, hospice, and health coaching. She served as a study guide for New York University’s Psilocybin Cancer Anxiety project, guiding cancer patients through psychedelic journeys with psilocybin, and offers a continuing education course for nurses entitled Nursing & Sacred Medicine: Introduction to Psychedelic Therapy. Stephanie is a Reiki practitioner and a student of yoga, meditation, shamanic healing, astrology, plant medicine, music, dance, and the sacred traditions of many faiths. She currently resides with her husband, son, and many animals in an intentional community in the Catskills region of New York.

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Dr. Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist with a deep connection to indigenous psychedelic healing practices spanning over three decades. She co-founded the Nierika Institute in Mexico, dedicated to preserving indigenous traditions with sacred plant medicines and research around their therapeutic applications for mental health and personal growth. She has published several research articles and book chapters exploring the therapeutic potential of entheogens for treating mental health challenges and has presented her work as a speaker at many conferences. Anja collaborates as a learning facilitator and guest faculty in the Synthesis Psychedelic Practitioner Training program.

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Vibhu Khera is an experienced educator, meditation teacher, and transpersonal therapist. She has a deep passion for yoga, whirling, nature walks, and reading. Vibhu has received extensive training in Meta-cognitive awareness, NLP, Emotional therapy, Yogic science, and Mindfulness. Her primary focus is assisting individuals in achieving emotional coherence, reclaiming their minds, expanding their inner space, and overcoming the challenges and dramas of life.

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Dr. Allen Goodwin (Bsc (Hons), Ph.D.) has spent the last twenty years as a full-time senior University lecturer in Psychology focusing mainly on the areas of Research Methods & Statistics, Neuroscience, and Visual perception. He has received numerous prestigious university inspirational teaching awards and is a contract-published author.

Dr. Goodwin holds an animistic perspective, a result of over thirty years of Druidic and Shamanic Practice. In 2013, he discarded his academic career as an act of faith and relocated to the place of his youth devoting himself to his family and working as a professionally trained shamanic practitioner (both in core and classical techniques). 

In all his work, he aims to facilitate a greater connection for his clients to develop their sense of connection to their true self and their sense of place within their own lives.

Close

Natalie is committed to fostering personal growth and transformation; her journey in the human services field has spanned over a decade. This experience has deepened her understanding of trauma and its impact on individuals. As a master’s level intern in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, she has the privilege of directly counseling clients while gaining insights from the mentorship of experienced supervisors.

Natalie is deeply committed to engaging in harm reduction and providing supportive care as a volunteer on the Fireside hotline for those navigating psychedelic experiences. She also founded "Your Healing Guide," an initiative to guide individuals toward inner peace and holistic self-healing.

She has always believed that the power to heal and transform lies within us. We can unlock immeasurable potential by connecting with our breath and being attuned to our bodily sensations. She offers guided meditations tailored to diverse audiences, from individuals and groups to schools and businesses, to support this belief.

Additionally, she enjoys being a learning facilitator for The Synthesis Institutes Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training program. Natalie is a certified 200-hour yoga practitioner and is trained in the Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique. She focuses on somatic healing and ensures that her clients always find a supportive and compassionate space for exploration and growth.

A client-centered approach is at the core of her practice, ensuring that she understands and addresses each individual's unique needs and goals. She strives to create an environment of trust and respect where thoughts and feelings can be freely expressed.

She is on a continuous journey to explore and integrate various healing modalities. Embracing the philosophy that "You are your own best healer," she is dedicated to empowering each individual in their healing journey.

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Mina Samuels is a writer, speaker, playwright, and performer, and in a previous incarnation, a litigation lawyer and human rights advocate; as well as an athlete and meditation practitioner, trained in Non-Violent Communication and Internal Family Systems. Mina offers workshops and one-on-one facilitations on the transformative power of the body-mind connection and how it nourishes our whole self. Her books include, Run Like A Girl 365 Days: A Practical, Personal, Inspirational Guide for Women Athletes and Run Like a Girl: How Strong Women Make Happy Lives and she writes regularly for Medium and Fit Is A Feminist Issue.  She has also created and performed two award-winning solo shows and an ensemble play.

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Meghan Kennedy, LCSW, CPTR, 30-year private practice specializing in trauma & systemic disequilibrium, she has been an international consultant on psychosocial and culturally-sensitive treatment issues for communities under siege due to war, political unrest and natural disasters. Her understanding of the interdependent features of trauma, addictions-formation and character structure lends to working with the parallel processes seen in greater cultural disequilibrium - and requiring greater healing modalities.   International consulting experiences lead her to explore the utilization of psychedelic substances across varying cultural settings.  In 2016 Meghan was certified in Psychedelic-assisted Therapies & Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies in their inaugural run of the first accredited university program of its kind.  This lead to working in research with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies as an adherence rater for the trials on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.  She has taught on the topics of trauma and transpersonal healing frameworks, as well as risk mitigation and integration of non-dual states of consciousness for several years. Meghan is also working to create mainstream structures that will assure a swift and just roll-out of these treatments and the training necessary to provide them once governmental structures clear the way.Trust in the greater cosmology reached through this work is what fuels her belief in, and service to, this important healing paradigm.

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Christopher Luard has been studying and practicing various forms of meditation for over thirty-five years. He has received formal training in Korean and Japanese Zen; Mahamudra and Dzogchen from the Tibetan traditions, and Vipassana from the Theravada Burmese tradition, Vedanta from the Hindu tradition. In addition to these trainings, Chris had studied extensively within more modern traditions such as Secular Dharma, Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, Neuroplasticity, and MBSR. Upon witnessing the tragic events of Sept 11th, 2001 in Manhattan, Chris dedicated his life to the study and teaching of contemplative practices. He teaches from a secular voice and is committed to bringing these timeless teachings to all who wish to receive them. Chris has facilitated in centers in Portugal, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, the USA, and the U.K. and continues to live and teach in Thailand. 

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Mary is a psychotherapist with over 30 years experience of working in a variety of UK healthcare settings as a clinical supervisor, group facilitator, researcher, and educator. She specializes in helping people face loss and change, illness, and death, and is particularly interested in how nature connection, mindfulness, self-compassion, and vision quest rites of passage can support journeys of personal growth, transformation, and healing. In her spare time, she tends an old Cornish garden, which has lots of flowers and brambles. She swims in the sea all year round and loves to walk in wild places.

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Julie Henningsen, PA-C, MPAS, is a medical healthcare provider with experience in emergency medicine, urgent care, and dermatology; and is a Synthesis-certified psychedelic practitioner. She prefers a holistic approach to patient care, acknowledging our inner healing wisdom and the potential for entheogens to facilitate authentic transformation. Having worked as an outdoor and environmental program director for several universities, Julie has an extensive background in facilitating immersive, nature-based experiences. She has been a faculty member of the National Outdoor Leadership School for over 20 years, leading wilderness emergency medicine courses around the globe. Julie is the founder of Headwaters Field Medicine, a Montana-based wilderness medicine training organization. Her passion for exploration of both the natural world, and the nature of consciousness drives her pursuit of life-long learning.

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for a detailed overview, including the training schedule, coursework modules, FAQs, and advanced post-graduation opportunities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course designed for?

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Do I need to be a credentialed therapist or life coach to apply for the training?

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Who is this course designed for?

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What makes Synthesis different from other psychedelic training programs?

The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training was developed from the experience gleaned from facilitating more than 1,000 individual psychedelic journeys within group settings, partnerships, and research collaborations with prominent universities. We believe the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training represents a unique, interdisciplinary approach to psychedelic facilitation. Its wisdom-rich, somatically-informed, heart-centered approach to facilitation is unique in the psychedelic landscape and sets our graduates apart from conventional programs focused on psychedelic therapy. 

 

This program is uniquely focused on deep self-exploration inside the strong container of small-group learning, which allows participants to consciously develop the single most important instrument for psychedelic facilitation: themselves. This highly experiential, personal, and research-backed approach to modern psychedelic facilitation distinguishes The Synthesis Institute’s educational offerings from those offered by others.

Who is this course designed for?

The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is designed for individuals with diverse backgrounds, with or without direct experiences with non-ordinary states of consciousness, who demonstrate maturity, commitment, focus, and the desire to engage with the training program and members of their assigned pod groups. In addition, the curriculum is designed for those who are open-minded and curious, committed to personal connection and care, and who want to develop an understanding of (and are open to challenging) the meaning-making systems they and others hold.

 

Do I need to be a credentialed therapist or life coach to apply for the training?

No. The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is open to those with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of professional experience, regardless of profession.

Do I need to have had a personal experience with psychedelics and/or a non-ordinary state of consciousness to participate in the training?

No. Personal experience with psychedelics or other non-ordinary states of consciousness is not required to participate in the training, though many of our participants have had previous experience(s) with psychedelics or have had non-psychedelic induced experiences of non-ordinary states of consciousness (e.g., through breathwork, meditation, dancing rituals, etc.).

Do you make accommodations for persons who are differently-abled?

The Synthesis Institute is committed to accessibility and inclusivity. If you have a specific concern, please contact us at support@synthesisisnstitute.com so that we may make every effort to accommodate you.

If I have questions about the training and whether or not it is a good fit for me, can I speak to someone who can help me assess this?

Yes. Our team of Admissions Guides can answer your questions and help you determine if this training is a good fit for your needs. You can schedule a 15-minute Discovery Call here. Once you select the date and time and confirm your session, you will receive an email confirming your appointment and details for your Discovery Call. 

What kinds of people can I expect in my pod group? What if my pod group is not a good fit for me?

Each pod of up to 10 participants is composed of diverse individuals representing a variety of professions, geographic locations, life experiences, and stages of professional development. Each pod is held by a Learning Facilitator who creates and holds the container so that you can develop meaningful, professional peer relationships in order for deep, integrated learning to occur. 

 

The pod groups provide an opportunity to work with a varied group of people who support you to experience and learn from different approaches to psychedelic work and different personality types. This will ultimately help you prepare your toolbox with multi-faceted skills and enhance your ability to work with a diverse range of clients. The program team is available to support you to integrate into your pod fully, and, if need be, we have conflict resolution protocols in place if a problem arises.

How many people do you expect to enroll in the program?

This program is designed to provide a personalized and deeply introspective educational journey. You will learn in a pod group of up to 10 participants guided by a skilled Learning Facilitator. We find this group size to be small enough for intimacy, yet large enough to ensure a well-rounded and diverse learning experience. While most of your interactions will be with your pod group, our online digital platform, Circle, gives you the opportunity to meet and network with graduates and participants from other pod groups.  

 

Is there an age minimum?

Yes, you must be 18 years old to participate in the training.

What is the tuition for the training program?

The tuition for the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is $11,497. We offer early registration discounts. Please check the tuition fee section on this page for available offers at the time of your application. 

Do you have a payment plan?

Yes, we offer a 12-month tuition payment plan for the Core Training.

What payment methods do you accept?

The program tuition can be paid by credit card (Visa and Mastercard) or bank transfer. If you select the 12-month payment plan, you will be charged the monthly installment fee upon confirming your enrollment, with the 11 remaining payments charged to the same card every 30 days.

Do you offer scholarships?

If you are in need of a partial financial scholarship, please fill out this form. We will notify you when new scholarship opportunities become available. 

What does the training schedule for the year look like?

You may view the October 2024 cohort's schedule here.

Who are the instructors for this training?

The Synthesis Institute’s approach to understanding psychedelics and relating to the psychedelic journey honors many ways of knowing. As such, we have curated a group of educators with a wide array of viewpoints, including external guest faculty and in-house faculty to support your learning. We are actively collaborating to elevate innovative and diverse voices, so you can expect to see new names added to the faculty roster throughout the training.

Who are the Learning Facilitators for this training?

Our Learning Facilitators are highly experienced and skilled facilitators who have been selected for their depth of expertise and ability to manage a small group learning space adeptly. Each Learning Facilitator receives additional training from Synthesis in holding the container and how to transform a Zoom room into a high-connected space where learning, connection, and discovery can occur.

What is the attendance policy?

Undergoing a training program of this scope and duration requires a significant commitment. Participants must attend a minimum of 80% of the pod sessions in order to receive a certificate of completion. Our expectation is that you will attend every pod session; however, we understand that it may, on occasion, not be possible to do so. In the case(s) where you are unable to attend, we expect that you will communicate in a responsible and timely fashion with your learning facilitator and group members and that you will have watched the associated recording to stay in sync with your fellow students. Accommodations can be made for circumstances outside of the regular scheduling conflicts, e.g., vacations, illness, standing work conflicts, etc.

Will the training help participants understand what is required for starting a psychedelic business?

Because psychedelics remain illegal in most places in the world, we do not provide explicit information about starting a psychedelic business. The topic is occasionally addressed in our curriculum, typically in Live, Monthly Bonus Workshop and Q&A sessions.

Does the training cover how to facilitate psychedelic experiences with other substances besides truffles containing psilocybin?

The training is focused on psilocybin, as The Synthesis Institute uses truffles containing psilocybin or psilocybin mushrooms in its Immersion Retreat programs. The Synthesis Institute’s Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training does not include modules that support specific understanding or knowledge about working with other substances. Occasional guest faculty presentations and panel discussions may include or address other substances, but we are not committed to thorough coverage of all psychedelics in our training. 

 

Sometimes, participants have had experiences with other psychedelic substances, and they report that the training has been supportive of them and their skill-building as facilitators, even if they practice with a different substance.

 

Is the Immersion retreat experience included in the program tuition fee?

No, the Core Training program tuition does not include an Immersion Retreat experience.

 

However, students of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training program are invited to participate in the Immersion Retreat and will receive a significant discount if purchased together as a package. This immersive experience allows students to integrate and embody the skills and qualities developed during the core training. Please note that Immersion Retreat has a separate admission process, and the tuition fee is in addition to the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training.

 

The Immersion Retreat incorporates elements from Synthesis retreats, which have been refined over years of retreat work, known as 'The Synthesis Way.' It serves as a living embodiment of the values and principles of this work, providing students with a unique opportunity to participate, witness, and develop their space-holding skills during ceremonies.

 

The Immersion Retreat curriculum covers a wide range of topics in psychedelic practice, including breathwork facilitation, dosing, consent guidance, preparation and intention-setting practices, emergency protocols, touch preference conversations, flight instructions, integration techniques, and peer and group sharing circles. It offers students the chance to witness, experience, and facilitate Synthesis retreats alongside their peers.

Is a Practicum experience included in the program tuition fee?

No, the Core Training tuition does not include Practicum. Graduates of the Core Training are invited to participate in the 50-hour Practicum* post-graduation. Practicum is specifically designed to provide graduates with onsite opportunities to work with psychedelic organizations, retreat leaders, and practitioners. Please note that Practicum has a separate admissions process, and the tuition fee is in addition to the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training.

 

The Practicum program offers valuable hands-on experience, allowing students to gain insights and practical knowledge from a diverse range of practitioners. Under the guidance of experienced facilitators, students can immerse themselves in different approaches to psychedelic practice. Placement opportunities are available through Synthesis practicum partner sites, which are part of Retreat Guru’s global network of plant medicine retreat centers.

 

Throughout the practicum experience, students receive professional and community support through twelve (12) months of regular Professional Continuity Workshops. These live forums feature experienced practitioners and professionals in the field, offering a space for practicum students to share and process the real-world scenarios they are encountering, exchange insights, deepen understanding, and explore practical applications in the field.

 

*The Synthesis Practicum program is exclusively available to Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training students and not open to the general public. Learn more about the Synthesis Practicum program here

Do I have to attend an Immersion or Practicum to receive a certificate?

No. You will receive a certificate upon successfully completing the requirements of the 13-month Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training. The Immersion Retreat and Practicum are not required but certainly encouraged as a way to learn hands-on skills of facilitation effectively.

Can I attend an Immersion Retreat, or participate in the Practicum program while I am currently a student of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training?

Yes. If you are a current student or graduate of the Core Training, you can participate in the Immersion Retreat or the Practicum program. Please note that both the Immersion Retreat and the Practicum program are subject to an application process.

What are the Pod meeting times, how are Pod groups selected, and what happens if I miss Pod sessions?

A standout feature of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is the intimate group learning experience. Participants progress through the program in groups of up to ten students, which we affectionately refer to as "pods."

 

Each pod, guided by an experienced learning facilitator, will convene for 2.5 hours weekly from June 2024 through July 2025, excluding breaks in December, April, and August.  

 

Participants must attend a minimum of 80% of the pod sessions to receive a certificate of completion. We expect you to attend every pod session; however, we understand that it may not always be possible. 

 

In the case(s) where you are unable to attend, we expect that you will communicate responsibly and timely with your learning facilitator and group members and that you will have watched the associated recording to stay in sync with your fellow students. 

 

We are open to making necessary accommodations for extenuating circumstances beyond routine scheduling challenges, such as vacations, illnesses, or recurring work commitments.

 

Available Pod Times for October 2024 include:

 

Please be advised that pod times may be subject to adjustments based on factors like time slot demand and learning facilitator availability, among other considerations. We are committed to accommodating your scheduling preferences as best as we can.

 

Are you curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? 

 

Schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Admissions Guides by clicking here.

What will I gain and learn from participating in this program?

Upon completing the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, participants will obtain a comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of guiding a safe and ethical psychedelic journey, from screening to integration.


Furthermore, the program’s experiential, introspective, and collaborative nature allows you to deepen your understanding of yourself and foster increased self-awareness. It helps you consciously develop the single most important instrument for safe and ethical psychedelic facilitation ─ yourself, and the single most important skill of a psychedelic facilitator ─ to ethically and responsibly hold space for others.


Furthermore, you will: 


  • Gain an awareness of relevant clinical research and evidence-based best practices
  • Broaden your understanding of well-established and emerging wisdom / traditional approaches
  • Become aware of your capacity to hold space for the wide range of experiences that can present themselves on a psychedelic journey, including identifying the limits  of your current capabilities and the opportunities for further personal and professional growth
  • Establish a consistent personal practice and commitment to self-care and self-reflection
  • Assemble a toolkit of professional skills that allow you to hold space for others to grow and change
  • Build a support network of peers as well as connection to The Synthesis Institute and our international professional community
  • Recognize your own internal prejudices and unconscious biases and learn to create culturally sensitive and trauma-informed containers
  • Deepen your understanding of the ethical questions around cultural appropriation, extractivism, restorative justice, and generative reciprocity

Are you curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? 

 

Click here to schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Admissions Guides.

What topics are covered in the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training?

Below are the modules covered within the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training:

  • PREPARING THE SOIL: Welcome and Orientation
  • MODULE ONE: Meet The Mushroom
  • MODULE TWO: The Ecology of Ethics and the Role of the Shadow
  • MODULE THREE: Many Ways of Knowing
  • MODULE FOUR: Healing, Trauma, and the Body
  • MODULE FIVE: Key Elements of Preparation
  • MODULE SIX: Screening for Readiness and Safety
  • MODULE SEVEN: Navigating Uncharted Territory
  • MODULE EIGHT: Key Elements of Integration
  • MODULE NINE: A Life of Service

 

Please visit this link here and scroll down to “Core Training Coursework Overview” to learn more.

How does this program differ from other well-known programs?

  • Extensive Experience

The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training was designed in part based on both our multi-year collaborations and partnerships with renowned research institutions and our tangible, hands-on experience guiding over 1,000 individuals through safe, legal, psychedelic-supported legacy retreat programs. 

  • A Four-Lens Approach to Many Ways of Knowing

This training is poised at the intersection of science and wisdom traditions, designed for those seeking a research-backed, wisdom-rich, somatically informed, and heart-centered approach to psychedelic facilitation. We recognize that no subject can be understood from one perspective alone, so we approach each of our teachings in this program through a cognitive, embodied, sacred, and relational lens.

  • A Uniquely Transformative Learning Format that is Rigorous Yet Flexible

Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is a comprehensive, transformative 13-month educational experience that combines self-paced and flexible asynchronous learning with immersive, small group “pods” led by deeply experienced Learning Facilitators. Rooted in personal growth, experiential practice, peer feedback, and supervision within a safe and strong container, this learning format was created to help you consciously develop the single most important instrument for safe and ethical psychedelic facilitation─yourself, and the single most important skill of a psychedelic facilitator─ethically and responsibly holding space for others.

  • An Inclusive and Diverse International Community

The Synthesis Institute welcomes students, teachers, and Learning Facilitators of all backgrounds because people of all backgrounds are needed in the contemporary psychedelic paradigm. In fact, current students and graduates alike have named this richness of variety in the personal and professional experiences of our students and faculty as one of their highest-valued aspects of this training.

 

Hear from graduates on what they think makes our program different from others here. 

 

Curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? Schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Admissions Guides by clicking here.

What are the time commitments, and how can this fit into my busy schedule and life?

We've tailored the program with busy professionals in mind. Our approach balances what we believe to be an optimal balance between synchronous and flexible online learning. While you get the intimacy and strong container of your pod group, you also have the breadth of a full week to review and integrate the lessons and assignments. We've scheduled pod meetings during the week to respect your weekends and have also integrated breaks in the winter, spring, and summer for rest.

 

Expect to invest approximately 5 - 7 hours per week between self-paced online work and live online group sessions, including:
 

  • Two (2) hours per week to consume course materials, which include watching online videos, completing assigned readings and reflection questions, and occasional quizzes 
  • Two and a half hours (2.5) hours per week to participate in small learning groups (pods) 
  • Two to four hours (2 - 4) per month to complete and submit monthly assignments 
  • At the end of the training: engage in self-assessment, and peer-assessment, and satisfactorily complete an oral exam/assessment

 

Additionally, we host 1-2 live bonus workshops each month with faculty and guest faculty. These sessions offer you a chance to ask questions in real-time, deepen your learning, and network and build relationships with fellow participants in breakout rooms.


Curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? Schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Admissions Guides by clicking here.

How can I learn how to become a psychedelic practitioner through an online training program?

The 13-month online Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is a thorough training program that will serve as the foundation for your learning and practice. Throughout the training, you will learn practical skills and tools to be an effective practitioner, you will engage in self-reflective exercises that will help to support and clarify your practice, and you will engage in relational exercises that will support your relational understanding of being a psychedelic practitioner. 

 

Although the in-person Immersion Retreat and Practicum program are not required to receive a certificate of completion for the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, they are certainly encouraged if you intend to learn hands-on skills and receive the in-person experience that will deepen your understanding of the lessons learned within it.

 

What is the Immersion Apprenticeship?

The Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats offer an invitation to embark on a heart-opening journey of learning and growth, serving as living embodiments of the values and principles underlying this work. 

 

Building upon the success of the highly acclaimed Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats held in the Netherlands and Costa Rica in 2022, 2023, and 2024, students and graduates of the Core Training are welcome to participate in one of two 2025  Synthesis-led retreat across three levels: 

  • Level 1 - Participant
  • Level 2 - Active Witness
  • Level 3 - Facilitator Trainee

 

2025 retreat dates become available in the fall of 2024.

What are the different “levels” of the Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats?

The Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats offer additional experiential training and an invitation to embark on a heart-opening journey of learning and growth, serving as living embodiments of the values and principles underlying this work. 

 

Building upon the success of the highly acclaimed Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats held in the Netherlands and Costa Rica in 2022, 2023, and 2024, students and graduates of the Core Training, along with practitioners from other training programs and qualified professionals with relevant experience, are welcome to participate in a Synthesis-led retreat across three levels: 

 

  • Level 1 - Participant: a comprehensive program that includes 3 weeks of Preparation, a 5-Day Psychedelic Supported-Retreat featuring two psilocybin ceremonies, and 3 weeks of Integration. Our signature retreats are open to all who pass our health screener.
  • Level 2 - Active Witness: As an Active Witness, you will practice holding space during ceremony and assist with retreat and ceremony setup, including supporting the mushroom (or truffle) tea ceremony and other activities. Level 2 is open to all Synthesis students and alumni. Please note that qualified professionals with relevant experience who wish to participate as Active Witnesses (Level 2) but have not trained with the Synthesis Institute must first join our retreat as a Participant (Level 1) to be eligible to apply and be considered for Level 2.
  • Level 3 - Facilitator Trainee: For those ready to advance their practice, a third level is offered where students can become facilitator trainees. As a trainee, you will expand your skills and contribute as part of the facilitation team, actively assisting with shadowing and engaging in more hands-on client interactions under the supervision of the Lead Facilitator Team. Admission to Level 3 is by invitation only and requires completion of Level 2.

 

Please note that Immersion Retreats are not included in the Core Training tuition and are contingent on passing a comprehensive health screening process.

 

View the program brochure for more details on the Immersion Apprenticeship Retreats. 

If I am enrolled in the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, can I skip the Immersion Level 1 - Participant and go straight to Level 2 - Active Witness?

Active Witness (Level 2) is open to all Synthesis students and alumni who have prior experience with group psilocybin ceremonies. Students who have not yet had any personal experience with psilocybin in group settings are required to participate in a group psilocybin retreat first, whether that’s with Synthesis or with another retreat organization. 

 

Please note that qualified professionals with relevant experience who wish to participate as Active Witnesses (Level 2) but have not trained with the Synthesis Institute are required to first join a Synthesis retreat as a Participant (Level 1) to be eligible to apply and be considered for Level 2.

 

If I am enrolled in, or have graduated from the Core Training and I have lots of experience being in ceremony, can I skip straight to the Immersion Apprenticeship Level 3 - Facilitator Trainee?

No. Admission to Level 3 is by invitation only and requires successful completion of Level 2 (Active Witness)

How do we avoid cultural appropriation when teaching or integrating wisdom traditions and practices into the program?

The Synthesis Institute’s interdisciplinary approach welcomes both contemporary and wisdom-rich perspectives and faculty. We recruit a variety of speakers from wisdom traditions to speak with their own voice and in their own language. We also have a rigorous practice of attributing and crediting the content we incorporate into the training and refraining from presenting material if it cannot be attributed properly. 

Is a health screening required to participate in the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training?

No. You will not be required to pass a health screening to be accepted into the training. However, you will be required to submit a Health Screening Questionnaire and have that approved by our health team prior to participating in the Immersion Retreat program, which is separate from the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training.

Why are you currently not offering an Oregon Edition?

The Oregon Edition of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, which successfully graduated its first and only cohort in November of 2023, has been discontinued due to a change of ownership of the program assets.

 

Synthesis Digital LLC was the Oregon-based company licensed by HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Commission) and OHA (Oregon Health Authority) to deliver the training, but it dissolved at the end of last year. A third-party company called The Resurgence Training Institute Inc. bought the program’s operating assets and continues to operate the global edition of the training program under the Synthesis Institute brand today (for more info, read this).

 

Operating in Oregon is not a focus of the current program leadership because of the cumbersome reapplication process, the dearth of available service centers compared to state-licensed facilitators, and the fact that our enrollment criteria and certification requirements exceed those established by the OHA, reflecting our commitment to adhering to the highest safety and ethical standards in psychedelic care. 

What does Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training qualify me for professionally?

The surge of professional pathways for psychedelic practitioners is dependent on the unfolding regulatory processes and the increase in demand for psychedelic facilitators, which is expected to multiply over the next few years. 

 

Those who complete the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training will have gained well-rounded relational, theoretical, and foundational skills, including how to build a strong container able to hold space for others.

 

Upon successful completion of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, you are eligible to apply and be considered for various supervised roles in the field, including, for example, positions with clinical trials or jobs in other psychedelic organizations. 

 

Furthermore, the experiential, introspective, and collaborative nature of this program allows anyone who currently works with clients to deepen their understanding of themselves and become a knowledgeable, embodied, and intuitive facilitator who is deeply rooted in personal exploration and reflection. This acquired spaciousness allows participants to develop a more authentic, personalized, and multi-faceted approach to the work with their clients while ensuring adherence to the highest ethical and safety standards.

 

When and how are certificates of completion awarded?

Once you have completed the requirements of the program and demonstrated consistent ethical and professional integrity, including receiving a final assessment, you will be awarded your Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training Certificate of Completion in a virtual completion ceremony.

What are the career opportunities for someone who completes this program?

As the regulatory landscape evolves, there's an anticipated surge in professional opportunities for psychedelic practitioners. This growth is fueled by the expected rise in demand for psychedelic facilitators over the coming years.


Those who complete the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training will have gained a well-rounded, interdisciplinary understanding of guiding a safe and ethical psychedelic journey—from screening to integration. 


After completing the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, graduates become eligible to apply for a variety of supervised roles in the field. These might include positions in clinical trials or roles within other psychedelic organizations.


Furthermore, those who proceed to enroll in our experiential programs – Immersion Retreat and Practicum – and who have prior client-facing experience in related fields – are generally well-prepared to begin to work in the field as assistant facilitators and/or offer preparation and integration services to clients.

 

Professionals already involved in space-holding roles (e.g., yoga instructors, therapists, psychologists, energy workers, wellness practitioners, etc.) will find this program particularly enriching because it allows them to deepen their level of self-awareness in relation to the ability to hold space for non-ordinary states of consciousness, and enables them to craft a more authentic, personalized, and multi-faceted approach to client work, all while adhering to the utmost ethical and safety standards.

 

Learn how graduates of the program are currently contributing to the field post-graduation: Watch Video Interviews with Graduates here.

 

Curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? Schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Admissions Guides by clicking here.

Will I be prepared to start practicing as a Psychedelic Practitioner after graduating from the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training?

While some of our students, due to their prior background and experience, may be ready to facilitate psychedelic sessions upon completing our Core Training or offer services related to preparation, harm reduction, and integration, we believe that most will benefit from additional practice, apprenticeship, and mentorship.

 

The realm of psychedelic practice is vast. Our program is designed to assist you in navigating this burgeoning field, helping you discern your unique place within the psychedelic ecosystem. Additionally, the program supports you in sharpening your vision for your role and clarifies your intentions for serving your clients and community. 

 

An important part of our curriculum is the assessment of readiness; this extends to both your future clients and your personal readiness to facilitate and hold space for others. 

 

By participating in the program, you gain a profound understanding of the work and a path to embodying the values of a proficient, ethical practitioner. Upon graduation, you'll be empowered to introspectively decide your readiness to serve, the capacity in which to do so, and lean on the support of the psychedelic community you've become part of.

 

In addition, we strongly recommend that all graduates of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training consider enrolling in our experiential Immersion Retreat and Practicum program to develop their practical and embodied skills further.

 

Learn how graduates of the program are currently contributing to the field post-graduation: Watch Video Interviews with Graduates.


Curious to find out how this program aligns with your professional path? Schedule a no-charge, 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our experienced Training Guides by clicking here.

Do you offer Continuing Education (CE) Credits?

Students of the Core Training will be able to purchase and earn CE credits through our partnership The Spiritual Competency Academy.*

 

The CE credits will be valid through the following agencies:

  • American Psychological Association (APA): SCA is approved by the APA to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Note: SCA maintains responsibility for our programs and their content.
  • California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for license renewal by LCSWs, MFTs, LPCCs, and LMHCs for courses CE-approved by the American Psychological Association. LCSWs, MFTs, LPCCs, and LMHCs from states other than California must check with their state licensing board to verify approval.
  • California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California.

*More details about the price and amount of credits available will be shared soon.

Will the Core Training prepare me to be a licensed facilitator in the state of Colorado?

The Synthesis Institute is in the process of becoming a licensed training center through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Affairs to deliver all necessary programs and curriculum as outlined by the Natural Medicines Health Act. 

It is our intention that current students and graduates will have a path for licensure in Colorado through our Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training and follow along programs.

We look forward to supporting access and healing through this meaningful modality once the state approves The Synthesis Institute as a certified facilitator training program (expected in late 2024). Read more here.