Synthesis Community Updates
News, Events, Programs, Courses, and more!Psychedelic Practitioner Fundamentals:
Foundations for Ethical, Trauma-Informed, and Client-Centered Care
Join Us For A Complimentary Six-Part Workshop Series:
By participating in this free workshop series, you will gain essential knowledge, ethical guidance, and insights into best practices from leading professionals in psychedelic care to support safe and ethical conditions for transformative healing experiences.
Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training - Applications Are Now Open!
Our 13-month certificate program begins on October 19, 2024.
Starting October 19th, our 13-month certification program offers an interdisciplinary and experiential approach to psychedelic care, emphasizing interdisciplinary meaning-making, deep self-exploration, safety, and ethics. It equips you with the core competencies required to offer ethical psychedelic care within a safe, compassionate, culturally competent, and somatically aware container. The program offers:
- 250+ hours of instruction through nine monthly modules
- Weekly lectures and live pod sessions
- A harmonious balance between clinical best practices, wisdom traditions, and relational intelligence.
Dr. Joe Flanders Joins the Synthesis Institute as New Program Director
Strategic Hire Reinforces Dedication to Ethical and Impactful Psychedelic Education as Synthesis Explores Sustainable Growth and Intentional Expansion
Denver, Colorado: August 22, 2024 – The Synthesis Institute, a global leader in the modern psychedelic movement, proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Joe Flanders as its new Program Director. Dr. Flanders, a renowned psychologist, brings extensive expertise in transformative psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy, as well as a deep commitment to the principles of connection, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and evidence-based practice.
10-Hour Certificate Course on Ethical Psychedelic Care
Discover a Research-Backed, Wisdom-Rich, Culturally-Sensitive, and Trauma-Informed Approach to Care
Earlier this year, we gathered with leading psychedelic voices—Dr. Rosalind Watts, Dr. Anja Loizaga-Velder, Daan Keiman, Camille Barton, and Meghan Kennedy—for five insightful community workshops exploring critical ethical challenges and questions currently facing psychedelic care. Discover more and join our interest list for the upcoming second edition.
The Explorer’s Edge: The Intersection of IFS and Psychedelics
April 2024 Edition
We recently hosted an expert-led panel discussion on the intersection of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and psychedelics. The discussion focused on how the IFS therapeutic model establishes a secure container for the psychedelic-supported healing process throughout every phase of the psychedelic journey, from preparation to integration.
Take a Glimpse into our Immersion Retreat in Costa Rica
April 2024
Earlier this year, in April, Synthesis students concluded their Immersion Apprenticeship experience at Holos in Costa Rica. This immersive training experience combines tried and trusted elements of former Synthesis retreats, refined over years of psychedelic facilitation, with new elements that complement the interdisciplinary, four-lens approach of our 13-month Core Training program. It is the essential piece that brings the educational journey to life, reinforcing and putting into practice the embodied, sacred, cognitive, and relational lenses explored, as well as the personal qualities developed during the training.
Occasionally, we accept a limited number of spots for people outside of our training program to join our retreats. You can discover more here.
The Explorer’s Edge: The Intersection of Nursing and Psychedelics
March 2024 Edition
We gathered live on March 29th for an expert-led panel discussing the promising intersection between nursing and psychedelics. Our expert psychedelic nurses explored how holistic and compassionate nursing approaches are informing psychedelic care today, as well as discussed the potential of these approaches to complement the current medical model and elevate the standard of care to new dimensions.
The Explorer’s Edge - December 2023: Palliative Psychedelics
December 15, 2023
We gathered live on Friday, December 15th, for an expert-led panel discussion on the use of psychedelics in an end-of-life context, addressing the medical and cultural challenges faced by patients and clinicians today.
Psychedelic Practitioner Training 2022 Cohorts Graduate
and Join the Alumni Community
November 1, 2023
Please join us in celebrating the graduation of the April, July, and October 2022 cohorts, whose pods have now completed all nine modules of the training and their Warrior Exam, and their students now join our alumni community. Our heartfelt congratulations go out to every student for completing this journey.
'Stewards of a New Paradigm': A Conversation on the Role and Core Competencies of Modern-Day Psychedelic Practitioners'
September 1, 2023
Watch the recording of this candid, thought-provoking conversation between Synthesis faculty Dr. Rosalind Watts, Dr. Anja-Loizaga Velder, Camille Barton, and Claude Guislain, exploring the role, competencies, and challenges of contemporary psychedelic practitioner in today’s landscape. Watch the recording here
Learn more about the Psychedelic Practitioner Training ownership transition.
September 19, 2023
Frederica Helmiere, Program Director of the Psychedelic Practitioner Training, recently authored a Medium article reflecting on her experience of the events surrounding the closure of the Dutch Synthesis retreat branch in early 2023. The article aims to address any lingering confusion surrounding the continuation of the Psychedelic Practitioner Training program. Read the article here.
Launching Our One-Of-Its-Kind Practicum Program
for Graduates of the Core Training
September 1, 2023
We're excited to announce the upcoming launch of the Professional Continuity Workshops, set to begin in Fall 2023. These workshops are part of our enhanced Practicum program and are designed for graduates of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training program. Led by experienced practitioners, researchers, and other experts in the psychedelic field, each workshop will focus on specific topics and case studies, aligning with Synthesis's "Many Ways of Knowing" pedagogy. The workshops will incorporate insights from all nine modules of the foundational Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, offering opportunities for hands-on skill development. This allows students to hone specific skills and deepen their understanding, effectively rounding out their training.
Three-Part Workshop Series:
'Path of Practitioner: Cultivating Embodied Wisdom for Skilful Facilitation.'
August 18, 2023
We recently hosted a special three-part workshop series featuring Synthesis Advisory Board Member Rev. Konrad Ryushin Marchaj and Ph.D. Elizabeth Monson. The workshops focused on the power of 'Not Knowing,' exploring the profound role of embodied wisdom and mindfulness practices in a practitioner’s personal and professional life. Stay tuned for your opportunity to access the recording of the bonus workshop series.
Second-Ever Immersion Experience in The Netherlands
July 26, 2023
Our April and July 2022 cohorts have recently concluded our second-ever Immersion Experience. This immersive training retreat combines tried and trusted elements of former Synthesis retreats, refined over years of psychedelic facilitation, along with new elements that complement the interdisciplinary approach of the foundational digital training program. The Immersion Experience is the essential piece that brings the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training to life and reinforces and puts into practice the various lenses explored and personal qualities developed during the foundational digital training.
Updates on the Ownership Transfer of the
Psychedelic Practitioner Training
June 29, 2023
The Synthesis Institute’s Psychedelic Practitioner Training program is now under the new legal entity, The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc. Founded in April 2023, The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc. was established to safeguard the training program due to early 2023 financial challenges experienced by its previous managing entity, Synthesis Digital LLC. This transition also seeks to maintain the reputation of The Synthesis Institute brand, which has garnered global recognition since 2018. The official transfer was completed on June 29, 2023. Throughout this process, our utmost priority was our students. Graduates from both the Oregon and General Editions, as well as future graduates of the General Edition, will continue to receive certificates from The Synthesis Institute, reaffirming its global reputation and leading position in psychedelic education.
A note on licensing: The Oregon Edition of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, while under Synthesis Digital LLC, fell under the jurisdiction of Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). As The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc. is not based in Oregon, it is not subject to HECC's jurisdiction.
Lastly, the General Edition of the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training continues to welcome global students. Since transitioning to The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc., we have celebrated the successful enrollment of two new cohorts.
Largest Open House Event in the Program’s History
June 26, 2023
We're delighted to announce a historic moment for the Psychedelic Practitioner Training program: the largest attendance of any Open House event we've ever hosted. This is a testament to the authentic hunger among current and aspiring psychedelic professionals to contribute to a radical shift in health, care, and wellness. Joined by Learning Facilitators and recent graduates, this event offers rich insights into the program. Watch the full recording of the Open House event here.
Financial Inclusivity: Bringing Scholarships Back to Our Community
June 1, 2023
As part of our recommitment to Synthesis’s values of access and inclusion, we are proud to announce that for the first time since 2020, partial financial scholarships are made available to qualified applicants. Priority will be given to candidates who demonstrate financial need and who have been disadvantaged by sources of oppression such as their race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, ableism, and other identity markers. These scholarships aim to lower financial barriers and provide opportunities for those who may face challenges in accessing psychedelic education. If you're interested, you can sign up for our scholarship interest list here to receive notifications when these opportunities become available.