Colorado's Natural Medicine Program
Become a Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator in Colorado
The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is a DORA-approved facilitator training program.
Complete it with the Colorado Module and you are eligible for a Colorado Training License, the first step to licensure. Next cohort begins January 18, 2027.
The Synthesis Institute is a Colorado-Approved Training Center for Psychedelic Facilitators
Colorado Facilitator Training
The Synthesis Institute is approved by Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) as a facilitator training program under the Natural Medicine Health Act. On DORA's list of approved training programs, look for us under our legal name, The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc.
Our Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training is a 13-month, 250+ hour program. Colorado requires 150 hours of didactic education for a Training License; the Core Training with the Colorado Module covers that requirement with room to spare, and gives you the depth of practice that the hours alone do not.
With your Training License you complete the remaining two requirements under supervision: a 40-hour practicum at a licensed Colorado Healing Center and 40 hours of consultation. Then you apply to DORA for your Facilitator License.
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Your Pathway to Colorado Licensure
Five steps from enrollment to a Colorado Facilitator License. Click a step, or use the arrows.
Step 1 of 5
Complete Your Didactic Training
Enroll in the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training, a 13-month, 250+ hour program, and add the Colorado Module. Together they cover the 150 hours of didactic education Colorado requires, with room to spare.
Step 2 of 5
Obtain Your Training License
With your training complete and a current Basic Life Support certification, apply to DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations. The Training License is valid for up to two years and cannot be renewed, so the next two steps happen inside that window.
Step 3 of 5
Complete Your Practicum
At least 40 hours of supervised practice at a licensed Colorado Healing Center, with at least 30 hours in person during administration sessions. Synthesis students complete this through our Colorado practicum partner.
Step 4 of 5
Complete Your Consultation Hours
At least 40 hours with a qualified consultant, including 10 hours on ethics. Consultation can happen online and in groups of up to 10. We share a list of consultation resources with our students.
Step 5 of 5
Apply for Your Facilitator License
Submit proof of your practicum and consultation hours to DORA for a Facilitator License, or a Clinical Facilitator License if you hold a qualifying Colorado clinical license.
The Core Training
What the Core Training Includes
The Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training meets and exceeds Colorado's requirements for a Training License.
250+ Hours of Training
A comprehensive, well-balanced curriculum integrating personal embodiment, relational wisdom, cognitive understanding, evidence-based best practices, and the sacred dimensions of practice.
Nine (9) Themed Coursework Modules
Each module builds upon the last, covering legal, professional, and ethical psychedelic facilitation from four key perspectives.
Weekly Pre-Recorded Sessions
Expert-led teaching sessions (60 to 90 minutes) designed for flexible, self-paced learning.
Weekly Live Pod Sessions
Small, intimate learning pods (8–10 participants) led by experienced facilitators for 2.5 hours per week, providing mentorship, self-exploration, and real-time reflection to help you embody the knowledge, skills, and values of a psychedelic facilitator.
Optional add-on, $799
The Colorado Module
If you are seeking licensure in Colorado, add the Colorado Module to your Core Training: 25+ hours of lectures, assignments and materials covering the state's required learnings. It aligns your training with Colorado's facilitator rules and makes you eligible for a Colorado Training License.
- Open to new students, current students and alumni of the Psychedelic Practitioner Training.
- Completed at your own pace during the Core Training once enrolled.
- $799, separate from the Core Training tuition.
Practicum and consultation hours are still required for full licensure.
Which describes you?
Apply to the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training and add the Colorado Module when you enroll. Your Colorado-specific coursework runs alongside the training.
Current students can add the Colorado Module for $799 and complete it at their own pace during the Core Training. Tell us you are enrolled when you get in touch.
Alumni of the Psychedelic Practitioner Training can add the Colorado Module for $799 on top of the training they already completed. It makes you eligible for a Colorado Training License.
Facilitator License Types
Colorado issues four license types. Most Synthesis graduates work toward the first two.
Facilitator
Authorized to independently provide natural medicine services to participants whose safety screening does not identify risk factors suggesting a need for involvement of a medical or behavioral health provider. Applicants need not hold any secondary license.
Rule: 4 CCR 755-1 (2.2)
Clinical Facilitator
May provide natural medicine services to participants for the purpose of treating physical or behavioral/mental health conditions. Must hold a current and active Colorado license in a qualifying health profession: PSY, LSW, LCSW, LMFT, LPC or LAC; or MD, DO, APN including NP, or PA.
Rule: 4 CCR 755-1 (2.5)
Distinguished Educator
Authorized to facilitate only in the context of an approved facilitator training program, as a faculty member paid through that program, for one-year terms.
Rule: 4 CCR 755-1 (2.7)
Training License
Held by a person who has completed the didactic education of an approved facilitator training program and is completing the practicum and consultation requirements. Valid for up to two years in total and cannot be renewed.
Rule: 4 CCR 755-1 (2.8)
From a Synthesis student on the Colorado track
The instructors sharing of their experience, demonstration of techniques, and answering our questions was invaluable. I have also built my network through contact with the instructors and classmates.
Stephanie W., Colorado practicum, 2026
Program begins January 18, 2027
Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training
A 13-Month Certification Program
Where Colorado stands
Two Years Into a Regulated Program
Colorado voters passed the Natural Medicine Health Act in 2022. Licensing opened in January 2025, the first licensed healing center opened that March, and by early 2026 the state had approved 34 healing centers with more applications pending. New centers were still opening in late 2026.
Licensed facilitators are the people these centers are built around. DORA licenses facilitators; the Department of Revenue's Natural Medicine Division licenses healing centers. The regulated program currently covers psilocybin and psilocin. The current rules are published by DORA.
Colorado Info + Q&A Session
Watch the Session Replay
Learn how the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training with the Colorado Track prepares current and future practitioners for Colorado licensure under the Natural Medicine Health Act. Recorded May 2025, 55 minutes.
Colorado FAQs: Becoming a Facilitator
What is the full training pathway for a facilitator license?+
Five steps, laid out in Your Pathway to Colorado Licensure above: complete the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training with the Colorado Module, obtain a Training License, complete 40 practicum hours, complete 40 consultation hours, then apply to DORA for your Facilitator or Clinical Facilitator License.
To become a licensed facilitator in Colorado you must also be at least 21 years old, hold Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or an equivalent, and pay the application fee. DORA's Post Education Information Guide has the detail.
Can I apply to be a facilitator if I do not live in Colorado?+
Yes. The rules do not require Colorado residency or U.S. citizenship. DORA does prioritize reviewing applications from Colorado residents, and all practicum hours take place in person at a licensed Colorado Healing Center, so plan for time in Colorado. International applicants navigate visa requirements independently.
What is a training license, and when do I need it?+
A training license allows you to complete your practicum and consultation under supervision. You can apply once you have completed all didactic education of an approved training program and hold BLS certification. It is valid for up to two years in total and cannot be renewed, so your practicum and consultation must be completed within that time. Read more about this stage here.
Does the Synthesis Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training prepare me for the Colorado application?+
Yes. Together with the Colorado Module, the Psychedelic Practitioner Core Training meets the 150 hours of didactic training required by the Colorado rules.
You will still need to complete the practicum, which Synthesis students complete through our Colorado practicum partner, and 40 hours of consultation, for which we provide a list of resources.
Does previous retreat or facilitation experience count toward the requirements?+
Practicum hours count only when they are completed at a licensed Colorado Healing Center (or a licensed Oregon service center), under the supervision of a licensed facilitator, as part of an approved training program.
If you have substantial experience as a facilitator, you may qualify for the legacy healer pathway. Colorado rules require facilitation for at least 40 participants, with at least 200 hours of experience conducting administration sessions over a period of at least two years, plus the 25-hour module on Ethics and Colorado Natural Medicine Rules and Regulations.
What are the implications for licensed healthcare practitioners, such as doctors and therapists, who are interested in becoming facilitators?+
Under Colorado law (C.R.S. 12-170-113), licensed professionals are not subject to professional discipline or loss of their license solely for acts permitted under the Natural Medicine Health Act. If professionals violate their standards of care or commit malpractice, they could still face consequences.
As a licensed professional (MD, LMFT, etc.), if you pursue the Clinical Facilitator license, you would be authorized to provide natural medicine services to treat physical or behavioral/mental health conditions. You would be expected to follow the same standards as in your clinical practice, and you must ensure that natural medicine facilitation does not conflict with your DEA registration or other licenses. Clinicians may also be eligible for an accelerated pathway, which still requires the 40 practicum hours, the 40 consultation hours, and the 25-hour module on Ethics and Colorado Natural Medicine Rules and Regulations.
What are all the facilitator license types?+
There are four license types in Colorado:
- Facilitator: authorized to independently provide natural medicine services to participants whose safety screening does not identify risk factors suggesting a need for involvement of a medical or behavioral health provider. Applicants need not hold any secondary license. See 4 CCR 755-1 (2.2).
- Clinical Facilitator: may provide natural medicine services to participants for the purpose of treating physical or behavioral/mental health conditions, and must hold a current and active Colorado license in a qualifying health profession. See 4 CCR 755-1 (2.5).
- Distinguished Educator: authorized to facilitate only in the context of an approved facilitator training program, as a faculty member paid through that program, for one-year terms. See 4 CCR 755-1 (2.7).
- Training License: held by a person who has completed the didactic education of an approved facilitator training program and is completing the practicum and consultation requirements. It is valid for up to two years in total and cannot be renewed. See 4 CCR 755-1 (2.8).
Who may be qualified for a Clinical Facilitator license?+
The applicant must already hold a current and active Colorado license in one of the following professions:
- Psychologist (PSY)
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
- Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), including Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Physician Assistant (PA)
What does Colorado law allow?+
SB 23-290, signed in May 2023, decriminalized personal use of psilocybin, psilocin, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline (excluding peyote) for adults 21 and older, and created the regulated natural medicine program. Selling these substances outside the regulated program, and advertising them, remain prohibited.
Within the program, licensed healing centers provide preparation, administration and integration sessions led by licensed facilitators. Only psilocybin and psilocin are currently covered; other natural medicines may be added on the recommendation of the Natural Medicine Advisory Board. Localities can regulate but not prohibit healing centers.
Where can I access more information and the official Natural Medicine Program Rules?+
For the most extensive and up to date information, please visit the Natural Medicine Program's website and resources.
Here are some key links:
Colorado FAQs: Accessing Psilocybin Services
Does a person need a mental health diagnosis or prescription to access psilocybin services?+
No. A diagnosis or prescription is not required. Participants must be 21 or older and complete a safety screening with their facilitator before a session.
Are there dispensaries in Colorado?+
No. Psilocybin is not sold in retail stores. Regulated natural medicine services are provided only in supervised sessions with a licensed facilitator.
Where can psilocybin sessions take place in Colorado?+
Most sessions take place at a licensed healing center, individually or in groups, indoors or outdoors.
The rules also allow sessions in a participant’s home and in certain licensed healthcare facilities, such as hospice or assisted living, for participants who qualify for palliative or hospice care, have a disability, or are homebound. In those settings, a second facilitator must be present or the session recorded with the participant’s consent, and group sessions are not permitted. All sessions take place in person and within Colorado.
What is a licensed healing center?+
A healing center is a facility licensed by the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Natural Medicine Division to store natural medicine and host facilitated sessions.
Since 2018
About The Synthesis Institute
Synthesis has been at the forefront of legal, professionally guided psychedelic retreats and practitioner training since 2018. We are committed to the highest professional and ethical standards in psychedelic facilitation, and to safe, evidence-informed, integrative approaches to psychedelic care, so that practitioners leave with the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding to work responsibly in an evolving field.
On DORA's list of approved facilitator training programs, Synthesis appears under its legal name, The Resurgence Training Institute, Inc.