Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies
The Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies is an innovative center of excellence for psychedelic-assisted care and sacred encounter. NCPS is rooted in an ecologically-based mission to relieve suffering and enhance the human experience. Our psychedelic studies offerings are grounded in contemplative training and compassion practices—an orientation we believe is essential for ethical and engaged psychedelic therapists.
The Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies reflects a deep regard for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion across the program and curriculum. Through cultivating meaningful relationships with our Indigenous partners, and inviting authentic conversations with faculty from diverse communities, we seek to address the ongoing impacts of colonization and systems of oppression in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Through collaborating with partners who share our values and our commitment to equity in the field of psychedelic care, our training embodies values that Naropa brings to all of our academic and non-degree curricular offerings.
Program Overview
The 2023 Naropa University Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is an 8-month, 200-hour, non-degree certificate program that provides post-graduate level training for advanced professionals working in relevant therapeutic areas, including mental health counseling and psychology, medicine, chaplaincy and social work. Guided by distinguished Naropa faculty and leading experts in the field, trainees receive an in-depth education in essential aspects of psychedelic-assisted therapy, trauma-informed care, and spiritual integration. Program participants gain foundational competencies in MDMA, ketamine, and psilocybin therapies. Naropa’s dynamic contemplative-based training features a hybrid delivery of online and intensive retreat-based learning that is deeply rooted in ethics, psychedelic justice, and Indigenous reciprocity.
Working with the MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC), Naropa offers education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in the MAPS-sponsored clinical trials, which are investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The MDMA-assisted therapy curriculum incorporated into Naropa’s certificate includes online asynchronous coursework and a week-long live educational retreat delivered by MDMA-assisted therapy instructors.
What Makes Us Unique?
As North America’s leading institution of contemplative education, Naropa University is uniquely positioned to offer an innovative, experiential learning approach that is community-based, mindfulness-infused, and socially engaged. Like all education at Naropa, our certificate program is grounded in integrated mindfulness and compassion practices—a contemplative training approach we believe to be essential for ethical and engaged psychedelic therapists. Certificate trainees also gain a deep grounding in principles of social justice, the historic roots of Indigenous plant medicine practices, and the powerful relationship between healing and spirituality. Naropa is one of the first fully-accredited universities to train the new vanguard of psychedelic therapists. Read the Tricycle Magazine feature on our program’s inaugural year.
Key Program Dates
Applications Open: Feb. 6, 2023
Applications Priority Deadline: March 3, 2023
Current Admissions Status: Closed
Program Start: May 2023
Opening Retreat: May 17-21, 2023, Naropa University, Boulder, CO
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat (Option 1): July 14–22, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat (Option 2): Sept 19-27, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
Weekend Apprenticeship Training Retreats: Fall dates TBA, Colorado
Program Ends: December 2023
Live Info Sessions
Join us live online to ask questions and learn more about our 2023 Certificate program!
Weds 2/1 — 7:00 – 8:00 pm MT
With Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Weds 2/8 — 11:30 – 12:30 pm MT
With Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Mon 2/13 — 6:00 – 7:00 pm MT
JEDI Info Session with Diana Quinn, ND
Key Program Dates
Applications Open: Feb. 6, 2023
Applications Priority Deadline: March 3, 2023
Program Start: May 2023
Opening Retreat: May 17–21, 2023, Naropa University, Boulder, CO
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat (Option 1):
July 14–22, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat (Option 2):
Sept. 19-27, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
Weekend Apprenticeship Training Retreats: Fall dates TBD, Colorado
Program Ends: December 2023
Live Info Sessions
Join us live online to ask questions and learn more about our 2023 Certificate program!
Weds 2/1 — 7:00 – 8:00 pm MT
With Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Weds 2/8 — 11:30 – 12:30 pm MT
With Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Mon 2/13 — 6:00 – 7:00 pm MT
JEDI Info Session with Diana Quinn, ND
Program Philosophy & Competencies
Naropa approaches contemplative education from an explicitly feminist, anti-oppression, and social justice lens, and seeks trainees who are committed to right relationship with sacred plant medicines, Indigenous communities, ethics, and equity. The Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies begins with an intensive Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI) training, as well as a prerequisite course in this area, and we invite applications from trainees who are ready to thoroughly investigate power, privilege, and oppression as part of deep training in the ethical and safe delivery of psychedelic-assisted therapies.
The Naropa Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies has Three Core Philosophies:
Contemplative Pedagogy
Naropa University is the world’s leading contemplative university, and a pioneer in the modern mindfulness meditation movement.
As a fully-accredited university, Naropa University maintains its visionary Buddhist-inspired contemplative pedagogy across diverse degree and non-degree programs.
Teaching mindfulness within the context of our intercultural campus and world, Naropa honors the cultural and historical roots of these practices while also acknowledging the gift inherent in stillness and silence.
All meetings, courses, retreats and other offerings are infused with contemplative practices and perspectives, ranging from mindfulness and compassion meditation practice to interculturally diverse contemplative community and nature-based spaces.
Naropa is the only training program working with MAPS PBC to offer a contemplative-focused retreat-based educational experience.
Commitment to Anti-Oppression
Curriculum begins with intensive justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity training where trainees learn the ways that power–personal power, role power, status power, and structural power–are inherently at play in therapeutic relationships.
Trainees explore Indigenous sacred plant medicine traditions, including the harms of cultural appropriation, and the ways that the medical system and clinical research have and continue to be a site of oppression of marginalized communities.
Curriculum actively engages questions of what it means to be in right relationship to Indigenous communities, particularly those stewarding sacred plant medicine traditions.
Program provides Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Scholarships. The purpose of these scholarships is to provide financial support to assist those participants who further the University’s diversity mission with particular attention to, but not limited to, underrepresented populations, including people of color and other minority populations.
Curriculum takes an explicitly feminist, anti-racist, and anti-oppression lens.
Participants are encouraged to explore the roots of psychedelic practices in their own cultural lineages and the ways in which such practices were interrupted by colonization.
Commitment to Excellence
Curriculum is presented under professional supervision in experiential small cohorts.
Trainees will practice clinical skills in an intensive retreat environment that includes evaluation and feedback.
Curriculum provides up-to-date education in legal psychedelic therapies as well as the use of medicines at various stages of regulatory approval regarding therapeutic use, as well as medicines that are in various stages of regulatory approval for therapeutic and adult use.
Trainees are given a comprehensive, in-depth foundation with the understanding that, as with any specialty, many thousands of clinical hours are needed to become fully competent.
Naropa carefully considers institutional partners and faculty to deliver the highest quality educational experience.
- Naropa faculty guide curriculum development and bring unique expertise in areas such as somatic psychology, eco-psychology, chaplaincy, professional ethics and transpersonal/contemplative psychology.
Program Format
The curriculum consists of 200 total hours of instruction, and utilizes a combination of online and residential retreat delivery. Both formats include a combination of lecture and discussion, small group integration, and experiential learning. As part of Naropa’s contemplative education pedagogy, interpersonal engagement, contemplative practice and personal reflection are emphasized toward nurturing the collective wisdom of the entire cohort.
Intensive Residential Retreats
Opening Retreat
The certificate program begins with a five-day opening retreat at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, May 17-21, 2023. This retreat focuses on community building and contemplative practice training in mindfulness and compassion, which we believe is essential to educating ethical psychedelic-assisted practitioners. The Opening Retreat also included lectures from contemplative leaders and experts in the field, and the opportunity to engage with integration groups, which will continue for the duration of the program.
Additional Detail: Opening Retreat
Building on the prerequisite course in Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI), the opening retreat goes further in helping trainees connect with Naropa University’s vision to realize and build an interconnected global community that embodies an everlasting commitment to personal actions, interpersonal relations, and vocations that promote individual, collective and ecological liberation and wellbeing. The Opening Retreat will also feature an introduction to ecopsychedelics, with Naropa University faculty, situating this work with sacred medicines in a broader ecosystem of healing for ourselves, our communities, and our planet.
This retreat begins on the evening of May 17, and concludes at noon on May 21. Travel and lodging costs for this retreat are not included in the certificate program tuition. Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and lodging in the Boulder area. Naropa provides on-site breakfast, catered lunch and refreshments, as well as basic travel information and resources for finding accommodation.
All 2023 retreats will be held in person. In order to mitigate risk of the spread of Covid-19, Naropa University strongly encourages all participants to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Please see “Considerations Regarding COVID-19” on the Certificate Policies Page for more information. Please note that Naropa does not allow the use of illegal substances, including psychedelic compounds, during any retreat event.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat
The program continues with a required eight-day intensive retreat led by MDMA-assisted therapy educators and Naropa faculty. In 2023, two Intensive Retreats will be held, and participants will select one to attend: July 14-22 or September 19-27, held at Drala Mountain Center (DMC) in Colorado. Participants will deepen their understanding of the therapeutic approach through role-plays, didactic training, contemplative practice, group discussions, and observing video sessions from MDMA clinical trials.
Additional Details: MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat
Participants are required to complete 50 hours of asynchronous learning before attending the MAPS retreat.
Participants will be able to select from one of two retreat options on a first-come, first-served basis through a facilitated process that will begin after program registration for the cohort is complete. Any participants who observe religious holy days in September will be offered priority registration for the July retreat.
Travel and lodging costs for this retreat are not included in the certificate program tuition. Participants are responsible for booking their preferred retreat room and board directly with DMC via a dedicated registration gateway, which will be provided after the start of the program. Pricing ranges from $85 – $217 per night depending on the lodging option, which is offered at cost and reflects Naropa’s special discounted rate for the program.
All 2023 retreats will be held in person. In order to mitigate risk of the spread of Covid-19, Naropa University strongly encourages all participants to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Please see “Considerations Regarding COVID-19” on the Certificate Policies Page for more information. Please note that Naropa does not encourage or allow the use of illegal substances, including psychedelic compounds, during any retreat event.
Apprenticeship Training Retreat
Throughout the Fall of 2023, trainees will return to Colorado in small groups to participate in an apprenticeship training retreat. These trainings begin with a group dinner followed by two full days of experiential training. There will be several options to choose from during the Fall, including Ketamine & Sacred Ceremony retreats for BIPOC participants within the cohort. In this 3-day training retreat, participants will have the opportunity to practice psychedelic therapy skills under supervision utilizing ketamine or breathwork. Trainees will not be required to consume substances in order to participate. However, if appropriate, some trainees may benefit not only from deepening their clinical skills, but from experiencing psychedelic medicines in a safe container. The Apprenticeship Training Retreats will utilize a peer consultation model, where trainees receive structured feedback from peers along with written evaluation from faculty.
Dynamic, Cohort-Based Online Learning
Asynchronous Learning Modules
Participants accomplish 85 hours of online learning across eight different modules. Incorporating topical case studies, theoretical readings, knowledge checks, videos, and more. Asynchronous modules are completed at the trainee’s convenience, within a monthly time frame.
Live Online Class Sessions
Live Online Class Sessions Led by distinguished Naropa faculty and coveted guest lecturers, live-online sessions allow participants to dive into the nuance of each course module and benefit from diverse perspectives. Live-online lectures are held on the second Saturday per month for four hours from June-December.
Integration Groups
Guided by a skilled cohort leader with a background in psychedelic-assisted therapy, participants apply core competencies and engage community learning principles in small integration groups. Groups meet online twice per month, and consist of 8-10 participants.
Over an 8-month period, participants will be guided through 7 distinct modules.
Topics include MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine therapies, as well as compassion training and psychedelic justice. For a full list of module topics and schedule, expand below.
2023 Program Modules & Schedule Overview
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Trainees will move through the 8-month program with a series of monthly modules, in addition to the three in-person retreats. Attendance is required; please see the program’s Attendance Policy details. Live Online Classes: Second Saturday of each month on Zoom, 10am-3pm U.S. Mountain Time: June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11 and December 9. Integration Groups: First and Third Wednesday evening of each month (either 4-5:30pm MT or 6-7:30pm MT depending on group time zone). Small Group formation will include consideration of time zone. |
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| May 2023 | Asynchronous JEDI Prerequisite Course |
| May 17-21, 2023 | Opening Retreat, Naropa University
Arrival and registration: May 17, 3-5pm
Departure: May 21, noon
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| June 2023 | Module 1: Preparation
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| July 2023 | Module 2: Ethics
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| July 14-22, 2023 | Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
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| August 2023 | Module 3: Therapeutic Foundations
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| September 2023 | Module 4: Therapeutic Skills
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| September 19-21, 2023 | Intensive Retreat (Option 2), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
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| October 2023 | Module 6: Integration
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| Fall 2023 | 3-day Apprenticeship Training Retreats, CO. Dates TBD |
| November 2023 | Module 7: Group Facilitation
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| December 2023 | Module 8: Credentialing and Advocacy
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2023 Program Modules & Schedule Overview
Trainees will move through the 8-month program with a series of monthly modules, in addition to the three in-person retreats. Attendance is required; please see the program’s Attendance Policy details.
Live Classes: Second Saturday of each month on Zoom, 10am-3pm U.S. Mountain Time: June 10th, July 8th, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11 and December 10.
Integration Groups: First and Third Wednesday evening of each month (either 4-5:30pm MT or 6-7:30pm MT depending on group time zone). Small group formation will include consideration of time zone.
May 2023
Asynchronous JEDI Prerequisite Course
May 17-21 // Opening Retreat, Naropa University
Arrival and registration: May 17, 3-5pm
Departure: May 21, noon
- Contemplative Practice Intensive
- History of Psychedelics
- Plant Medicines
- Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI) Intensive
- Ecopsychedelics
- Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies
June 2023 // Module 1: Preparation
- Screening
- Clinical Assessment
- Spiritual Assessment
- MAPS PBC ~ MDMA-assisted Therapy
July 2023 // Module 2: Ethics
- Ethical Integrity
- Therapeutic Touch
- Trauma-Informed Approaches
- MAPS PBC ~ MDMA-assisted Therapy
July 14-22 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
- MDMA-assisted Therapy Week-long Live Education Event with MAPS PBC
August 2023 // Module 3: Therapeutic Foundations
- Non/Inner-Directed Approaches
- Deep Listening
- Inner Healing Intelligence
- Ketamine-assisted Therapy
September 2023 // Module 4: Therapeutic Skills
- Transference/Countertransference
- Enactments and parallel process
- Implicit Bias
- Psilocybin-assisted Therapies
September 19-21 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO
- MDMA-assisted Therapy Week-long Live Education Event with MAPS PBC
October 2023 // Module 5: Integration
- Principles of integration
- Art Therapy Approaches
- Somatic Approaches
- Ayahuasca and Iboga therapies
Fall 2023 // 3-day Apprenticeship Training Retreats, CO. Dates TBD
November 2023 // Module 6: Group Facilitation
- Facilitation Skills
- Community Healing: Integration Beyond the Individual
- Restorative Approaches
December 2023 // Module 7: Credentialing and Advocacy
- PAT Credentialing
- Setting Up a Psychedelic Practice
- Creating Equitable Access
MAPS PBC MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education
Working with MAPS PBC, Naropa offers education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in MAPS PBC-sponsored clinical trials investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The MDMA-assisted therapy curriculum incorporated into the Naropa University Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies includes online asynchronous coursework and a week-long live education event delivered by MAPS PBC MDMA-assisted therapy educators.
The MAPS PBC MDMA-assisted therapy education delivered within Naropa’s Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is intended to provide foundational information on the inner-directed therapeutic approach practiced in MAPS PBC clinical trials. Participants will complete aspects of the curriculum throughout Naropa’s certificate program, and will also participate in a week-long immersive education event, led by MDMA-assisted therapy educators working with Naropa faculty.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education
While MAPS PBC is working on the New Drug Application to the FDA, there are no guarantees about the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy, or what the specific requirements will be for healthcare providers wishing to deliver this treatment in the future should MDMA-assisted therapy be approved by the FDA.
From MAPS PBC: There are currently no certification standards for any psychedelic-assisted therapy given the investigational status of this modality. We designed the MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program to provide a space for learning and exploration of this exciting new field of study. While participation in our educational program cannot guarantee future certification for delivery of the investigational treatment MDMA-assisted therapy, and is not approved by any regulatory agency, we believe many of the therapeutic concepts discussed may be useful in clinical practice today. The MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program is positioned to compliment attendees’ knowledge and advocacy in their current therapeutic practices.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy Clinical Trials
Naropa offers education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in the MAPS PBC-sponsored clinical trials, which are investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. MDMA-assisted therapy is an investigational treatment and is not yet approved for use outside of research. MAPS PBC cannot predict regulatory approval in the drug development process. Receiving education in MDMA-assisted therapy is not a guarantee or promise of employment, career trajectory, or the future status of MDMA-assisted therapy.
To learn more about MDMA, its use in clinical research, published data, pharmaceutical properties, safety profile, and history, please read the MAPS Investigator’s Brochure.
Apprenticeship Training Requirement
Experience with non-ordinary and extra-ordinary states of consciousness are central to Naropa’s Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies. As the MAPS training site affirms, “Some of the best preparation for supporting others through a process is going through a similar process oneself. The kind of knowledge gained from firsthand experience is invaluable and difficult to replicate.”
Naropa’s Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies curriculum requires trainees to attend a 3-day Apprenticeship Training in Fall 2023. Naropa recognizes that trainees may have prior experience with psychedelic substances and/or non-ordinary states and associated modalities. However, trainees are required to fulfill this requirement while enrolled in the certificate program so as to experience facilitating a psychedelic therapy session under guided supervision, receiving instruction and feedback. Experiences that do not involve mind-altering substances are also possible, including breathwork practice.
Consistent with its obligations under the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Community Act Amendments of 1985, the Naropa University Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies does not require the use of psychedelic substances by certificate program participants in order to successfully complete the training.
Visit the Application Process & Program Policies page for more information.
Ready To Apply?
Certificate trainees are empowered to embody the “transform yourself, transform the world” ethos of Naropa University within the dynamic and rapidly-expanding field of psychedelic-assisted therapy and advocacy.
How This Certificate Prepares Participants for Work in the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Field
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) is a rapidly evolving field. The future trajectory and guidelines for practicing Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies are yet to be determined by regulatory bodies, and will vary by region, regulatory agency, and protocol.
2023 marks an exciting time in the psychedelic landscape where states including Oregon and Colorado have implemented legal access to psilocybin therapies. Naropa’s application to be recognized as a fully approved site for Oregon residents wishing to become psilocybin therapy providers is pending. As guidelines for practitioners in Colorado become available, Naropa will aim to meet and fully comply with those training standards.
MDMA-assisted therapy is not approved by any regulatory agency. While MAPS PBC is working on the New Drug Application to the FDA, there are no guarantees about the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy, or what the specific requirements will be for healthcare providers wishing to deliver this treatment in the future. There are currently no certification standards for any psychedelic-assisted therapy given the investigational status of this modality. The MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program provides an opportunity for learning and exploration within this exciting new field of study. While participation in the educational program cannot guarantee future certification for delivery of the investigational treatment, we believe many of the therapeutic concepts may be useful in clinical practice today. The MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program is intended to compliment attendees’ knowledge and advocacy in their current therapeutic practices.
Ketamine-assisted therapy is currently approved for off-label use by qualified clinicians working with an authorized prescriber. All certificate enrollees will receive foundational training in Ketamine-Assisted Therapy. We provide introductory training in psychopharmacological mechanisms, clinical indications and contraindications, and understandings of assessment, treatment planning and coordinating care in treatment teams. Unlike with other psychedelic medicines, where there will be specific certifications and/or supervision needed, there is no nationally recognized certification required to provide Ketamine-Assisted Therapy.
Psilocybin research demonstrates promising results for the treatment of depression, end-of-life anxiety, addiction, and other mental health conditions, but the future timeline and trajectory for legal and FDA-approved psilocybin-assisted therapy is yet to be determined. There is currently litigation in federal court seeking to make psilocybin available to patients with life threatening conditions under the federal Right to Try Act. Depending on the outcome, there may soon be a pathway to lawfully engage in psilocybin therapy with qualified clients. Naropa is actively pursuing approved training program eligibility in fulfillment of Oregon’s newly-released requirements for psilocybin therapy, per Measure 109, and any updates will be included here. For licensure eligibility under OPS, Naropa trainees will need to complete an additional 40 hour practicum and meet all eligibility requirements.
Colorado recently passed the historic Natural Medicine Health Act (NMHA), a measure that decriminalized psilocybin mushroom possession for adults, and will eventually allow state-licensed treatment centers to administer psilocybin according to state regulations. Naropa is closely following these developments and will announce important regulatory updates.
Many Naropa certificate program alumnx are currently practicing in the field by offering psychedelic integration, participating in clinical trials research, and offering ketamine-assisted therapy.
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) is a rapidly evolving field. This non-degree certificate is designed to prepare practitioners to work in collaboration with prescribers, clinics, and interdisciplinary health care teams if and when regulatory approval is achieved. As the regulatory space is emergent, it may be that additional training will be required for credentialing depending on the legal context and the practitioners’ licensing board. The future trajectory and guidelines for practicing Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies are yet to be determined by regulatory bodies, and will vary by region, regulatory agency, and protocol.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy
While MAPS PBC is working on the New Drug Application to the FDA, there are no guarantees about the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy, or what the specific requirements will be for therapists wishing to deliver this treatment. It is likely that there will be a training requirement, and that therapists and other qualified professionals who have previously participated in MAPS PBC educational programs will need to complete some supplementary training, while therapists who have not previously participated will need to complete the entire program. As part of these training requirements, MAPS PBC continues to plan for all therapists to complete a required number of hours delivering MDMA-assisted therapy and receiving consultation from a qualified MPBC Training Consultant.
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAP) is currently approved for off-label use by qualified clinicians working with an authorized prescriber. All certificate enrollees will receive foundational training in Ketamine-Assisted Therapy. The KAP module provides introductory training in psychopharmacological mechanisms, clinical indications and contraindications, and beginning understandings of assessment, treatment planning and coordinating care in treatment teams. Unlike with other psychedelic medicines where there will be specific certifications and/or supervision needed, there is no nationally recognized certification needed to provide KAP. The Naropa Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies provides a foundational, classroom-based introduction to KAP. For those who wish to begin offering this modality, we strongly recommend choosing the non-ordinary state training option with PRATI to move beyond didactic training and into experiential training to enhance your competency. During the ketamine module in July, we will also include a list of vetted trainings that we recommend, which often include an experiential component of trainees engaging in their own ketamine sessions.
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
2023 marks an exciting time in the psychedelic landscape where states including Oregon, Colorado, and possibly others in the coming years have implemented legal access to psilocybin therapies. Naropa’s application to be recognized as an approved site for Oregon residents wishing to become psilocybin therapy providers is pending. As guidelines for practitioners in Colorado become available, Naropa will aim to meet and fully comply with those training standards.
Psilocybin research is demonstrating promising results for the treatment of depression, end-of-life anxiety, addiction, and other mental health conditions, but the future timeline and trajectory for legal and FDA-approved psilocybin-assisted therapy is yet to be determined. There is currently litigation in federal court seeking to make psilocybin available to patients with life-threatening conditions under the federal Right to Try Act. Depending on the outcome, there may soon be a pathway to lawfully engage in psilocybin therapy with qualified clients. Naropa is actively pursuing approved training program eligibility in fulfillment of Oregon’s newly-released requirements for psilocybin therapy, per Measure 109, and any updates will be included here. For licensure eligibility under OPS, Naropa trainees will need to complete an additional 40-hour practicum and meet all eligibility requirements.
Colorado recently passed proposition 122 – a measure that decriminalized psilocybin mushroom possession for adults, and will eventually allow state-licensed treatment centers to administer psilocybin according to state regulations. Naropa is closely following these developments and will announce important regulatory updates.
Many Naropa certificate program alumnx are currently practicing in the field by offering psychedelic integration, participating in clinical trials research, and offering ketamine-assisted therapy.
Program Faculty
Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies Leadership Team
Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Director of Training & Research, NCPS ⓘ
Dr. Sara Lewis is Associate Professor and Chair of Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology at Naropa University. She earned her PhD from Columbia University and MA from the University of Chicago, specializing in psychological anthropology and clinical social work. She is author of Spacious Minds: Trauma and Resilience in Tibetan Buddhism, (Cornell University Press, 2019) and a former Fulbright fellow. Sara is a therapist with MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy study site in Boulder, CO and has conducted research on how psychedelics can be a catalyst for change in psychotherapy.
Joe Harrison, MS
Executive Director, NCPS ⓘ
Joe’s career has focused on studying organizational leadership and on medications development for the treatment of substance use disorders. Prior to joining Naropa, he worked at Johns Hopkins University’s Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit managing a large research group, conducting clinical trials, creating experiential programs for students, and fostering collaborative private-sector relationships. While at JHU, he was an advisor to the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research and held positions on boards and committees focused on business development, diversity and inclusion, community outreach, and research oversight. He is the co-founder of Peabody Pharmaceuticals, a company whose mission is to minimize the role that prescription pain medications play in the opioid epidemic. He holds a BS in Psychology from Towson University and a MS from Johns Hopkins in Regulatory Science. Joe lives in Baltimore, MD with his family, has a personally meaningful yoga practice, and fly fishes the Chesapeake Bay region during his free time.
Diana Quinn, ND
Director of Clinical Education, NCPS ⓘ
Victor Alfonso Cabral, LSW
Assistant Director of Community Care, NCPS ⓘ
Victor Alfonso Cabral, LSW, is an Afro-Latinx professional deeply dedicated to serving historically marginalized communities. Drawing from his personal and professional experiences, Victor approaches his work with empathy and strategic insight. His varied career includes contributions to policy development, community outreach, training and education, and community mental health services. He is a licensed social worker and therapist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with training in MDMA/Ketamine/Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems.
As the former Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Fluence Training, Victor was instrumental in guiding policy initiatives, shaping inclusive training curricula, and fostering connections among key stakeholders in the field of psychedelic medicine.
Prior to joining Fluence, Victor served as Deputy Director for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of Advocacy and Reform where he helped shape regulations for youth detention centers and residential treatment facilities. He facilitated the establishment of the first Racial Day of Healing in Pennsylvania history and developed accessible trauma training for Pennsylvanians.
He is actively involved in a documentary film titled ‘We Are The Medicine’, which seeks to highlight the importance of BIPOC voices in the psychedelic community (www.PictureAColorfulWorld.com) He was recognized in the Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s “40 Under 40 Outstanding BIPOC Leaders in Drug Policy” and received the 2022 Emerging Social Work Leader Award from the National Association of Social Workers of Pennsylvania.
Belinda Eriacho
Program Advisor ⓘ
Belinda is of Dine’ (Navajo) and A:shiwi (Pueblo of Zuni) descent. Her maternal clan is One-Who-Walks-Around and she was born for the Zuni Pueblo people. Belinda was born and raised on the Navajo reservation, located in Arizona, United States of America.
She is the wisdom carrier, healer, and founder of Kaalogii LLC, focused on cultural and traditional teaching, inner healing, and an international speaker on various topics impacting Native American communities in the United States.
Belinda holds degrees in Health Sciences, Technology, and Public Health. In addition, Belinda has participated in the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, MDMA People of Color, and Eye Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy Training Programs.
Belinda is also a Founder and Board member of the Church of the Eagle and the Condor, a Program Advisor for Naropa University, and a Native American Traditional Advisor for SoundMind.
She is the author recent articles that are available on charuna.net: “Considerations for Psychedelic Therapist when working with Native American People and Communities”, “ Guidelines for Inclusion of Indigenous People into Psychedelic Science Conferences” and “This is not Native American History, this is US History with Belinda Eriacho”. In addition, a contributing author to the recently published Psychedelic Justice: Toward a Diverse and Equitable Psychedelic Culture.
Website: www.kaalogii.com
Austin R. Pick, MA
Executive Director, Extended Campus ⓘ
Austin R. Pick is Executive Director of Extended Campus. He holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa, where he has been on staff since 2014. Austin’s fiction and non-fiction writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including The Arrow, The Stockholm Review of Literature, and Epiphany. He served as contributing editor of Along the Path: The Meditator’s Companion to the Buddha’s Land, a dharma travel guide published by Pariyatti Press in 2009. Austin’s passion for contemplative practice and inventive language reflects his dedication to developing an ever more conscious engagement with our ongoing composition of the world—one that is expansive, inclusive and compassionate.
Audra Barber, MA
Program & Enrollment Manager, Extended Campus ⓘ
Audra Barber is a Program and Enrollment Manager for Naropa University’s Extended Campus. She holds a MA in Communication Studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. Audra repurposed her master’s thesis, An Eco-Spiritual Approach to Solving Climate Change, into a 2022 TEDxCU talk titled, Environmental Interdependence is our Climate Solution. Dedicated to creative and embodied problem-solving, Audra is thrilled to support the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Training Program and other Extended Campus programming.
Jacob Goldberg
Lead Program & Comm. Manager, Extended Campus ⓘ
Jacob Goldberg is the Lead Program and Communications Manager for Naropa University’s Extended Campus. He holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Naropa University, where he has been on staff since 2020. Jacob believes that business, technology, and industry can be used as a force for social and environmental change, evident in his undergraduate thesis Examining the Triple Bottom Line: Patterns Within the Field of Sustainable Business. As a member of the Extended Campus team, Jacob is proud to develop and support public offerings that exemplify mindful leadership, diversity and inclusivity, and contemplative pedagogy.
Core Faculty
German F. Ascani, MD, MS
PRATI & MAPS ⓘ
NiCole Buchanan, Ph.D
American Psychedelic Practitioners Association ⓘ
NiCole Buchanan, Ph.D., Professor, co-Chair of the APPA Board of Directors, member of the Board of Directors and the Racial Equity and Access Committee for the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicine and has trained with MAPS, the CIIS Certificate for Psychedelic Research and Therapy, and the Polaris Insight Center.
Dr. Buchanan is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and has received international awards for her contributions to the field. An accomplished consultant, writer, and scholar with over 120 publications and international speaker including TEDx and National Public Radio.
Carla Burns, MDiv
Naropa University ⓘ
Stacia Butterfield
Holotropic Breathwork® Facilitator ⓘ
Stacia Butterfield completed her Somatic Practitioner program in 1999, going on in 2000 to work at Healing Visions, an early Ibogaine clinic in St. Kitts, BVI, under the leadership of Dr. Deborah Mash. She then certified as a Holotropic Breathwork facilitator in 2005 and joined the Grof Transpersonal Training staff in 2006. She worked closely with Stanislav Grof for 13+ years, bringing Holotropic Breathwork to large public groups and a variety of academic and professional settings, including California Institute of Integral Studies, Tel Aviv University, MAPS Psychedelic Science 2013 & 2017 conferences, Sophia University, Kripalu and the Fetzer Institute. Stacia’s long interest in the wisdom of the body and deep trust in the intrinsic healing orientation of the psyche informs her work with others.
Christine Pateros, MA, RN
PRATI ⓘ
Chris Pateros, MA, RN was called to existential work with psychedelics in 2011 through her own death experience in psychedelic ceremony in the Amazon jungle.
Chris brings over three decades of experience in clinical health care, research, and teaching to her work and since training with Ketamine Training Center in 2019, she has been guiding clients both privately and in groups with ketamine-assisted treatment and integration honoring connection to the sacred and interconnection of self, nature, spirit, and the mystery that is beyond what our minds know. Chris earned her Transpersonal Ecopsychology M.A from Naropa University, is a graduate of the Light Body School of The Four Winds Society, and is an initiate of the Qero indigenous mystics of the Andes. She is a PRATI co-founding member, core lead faculty and course director of the End of Life/ Existential Distress KAP and PAT Training. Chris lives in Boulder and works with clients in Denver, Boulder and Chicago and distance globally.
Alessandra Santos-Pye, LPC
The Chrysalis Institute ⓘ
Alessandra Santos Pye is a psychedelic-assisted therapist, psychotherapist, facilitator and artist. Her clinical approach and facilitation offerings center relational dynamics rooted in ceremony, restorative justice, trauma informed care, and the expressive arts. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, original territory of the Tupi Guarani, her identity is multifaceted by Indigenous, West African, and European ancestry. Alessandra is the Founder and Creative Director of the Chrysalis Institute, whose mission is to expand the spectrum of opportunities available to emerging BI&POC artists by supporting self-exploration, self-care, and contemplative practices. She is at home in group retreat environments and values crafting experiences that are both engaging and restorative.
Alessandra has earned post-graduate certificates from the Center for Psychedelic Studies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Sciences and the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. She currently serves Naropa University as core faculty, and cohort leader for the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy certificate program. Alessandra also supports MAPS-PBC education offerings as a program assistant. She is a member of the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association and is deeply passionate about processes involving thoughtful preparation, delivery, and integration of psychedelic experiences.
Charlotte Z. Rotterdam
Naropa University ⓘ
Charlotte Z. Rotterdam is the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education (CACE) at Naropa University, and is an instructor in the Core College, World Wisdom Department, and Graduate School of Psychology. She co-developed and teaches Naropa’s Mindful Compassion Training, a secular program designed to cultivate compassion in personal, professional and societal contexts. Charlotte is the Lead Teacher of the Mother Lineage (Magyu Lopön) at Tara Mandala Retreat Center. The mother of two boys, she has published essays on the intersection of spiritual practice and daily life in Lion’s Roar, Buddhadharma, Mandala, and in an anthology, Fearless Nest.
Syre Saniyah, PhD
Liberation Centered Healing ⓘ
Syre (he/him) is a Black, queer, transmasculine, polyamorous, & kinky healing practitioner. He is passionate about working with BIPOC, LGBTQIA, Kinky, and Non-Monogamous/Polyamorous Folx. Syre practices from a liberation centered intersectional feminist perspective with the goal of collaborating with folx toward embodied liberation.
Syre completed training in MDMA assisted psychotherapy with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Syre is a Lead Educator at Alma Institute, Inc. in the Psilocybin Facilitator Certificate Program. He is also a Cohort Integration Leader in the Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Certificate Program at Naropa University.
Syre has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University & a Ph.D in Counseling Psychology from Fordham University. He has been a fully licensed psychologist since 2010. He is a Registered Yoga Teacher (Hatha & Kemetic), a Ra Sekhi Kemetic Energy Medicine Practitioner, as well as a Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master. Syre is the founder of Liberation Reiki, a path of Reiki that centers the energetic intergenerational healing of BIPOC and queer folx.
Joe Tafur, MD
Modern Spirit ⓘ
Joe Tafur, M.D., is a Colombian-American family physician originally from Phoenix, Arizona. After completing his residency at UCLA, Dr. Tafur spent two years in academic research at the UCSD Department of Psychiatry. After his research fellowship, he lived and worked in the Peruvian Amazon at the traditional healing center Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual where he trained in ayahuasca shamanism with master Shipibo shaman Ricardo Amaringo. In his book, “The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor’s Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine,” Dr. Tafur shares his unique experience and integrative medical theories. He leads the nonprofit organization www.modernspirit.org.
MAPS PBC Instructors
Marcela Ot’alora G., MA, LPC
Principal Investigator ⓘ
Marcela Ot’alora G. was born and raised in Colombia where her mother, aunt, and grandmother were instrumental in cultivating compassion and kindness as the highest values for engaging with others and the world. Their teaching led her to view success from this lens. Currently she lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, dogs, and daughters nearby. She has an MA in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and an MFA in Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. For over 20 years Marcela has been in private practice working primarily with PTSD. In addition to private practice, she has dedicated her professional life to training and research. Beginning in 1999, she has worked on various studies sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) as a Principal Investigator and therapist using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. Additionally, she is a lead trainer and supervisor for MAPS’ training program.
Bruce D. Poulter, MPH
Sub-Investigator & Supervisor ⓘ
Bruce has worked extensively with people in chronic pain as an educator and Rolfer and has served as a Sub-Investigator and Clinical Supervisor on the MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 and 3 MDMA-assisted therapy trials. What Bruce appreciates about MDMA-assisted therapy is its’ deeply intimate nature; driven by a profound love for self, community and other; participant centered; respectful of participants processes; it leverages a person’s native inherent wisdom; and invites/demands authenticity of all parts and parties involved in the at times mysterious, service of healing.
Visiting Luminaries
Rick Doblin, Ph.D
MAPS ⓘ
Rick Doblin, Ph.D. is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). He received his doctorate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Rick studied with Dr. Stanislav Grof and was among the first to be certified as a Holotropic Breathwork practitioner. His professional goal is to help develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics and marijuana, primarily as prescription medicines but also for personal growth for otherwise healthy people, and eventually to become a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. He founded MAPS in 1986, and currently resides in Boston with his wife and three children.
Collaborations
Naropa has formed ongoing collaborations and working relationships with the following organizations to provide programmatic and advisory support that enhances the depth and efficacy of our offerings.
We are excited to continue growing our work with MAPS PBC to offer participants an evidence-based curriculum in MDMA-assisted therapy. As an education collaborator, Naropa has contracted MAPS PBC to offer MDMA-assisted therapy education within our non-degree certificate program.
The Chacruna Institute promotes reciprocity in the psychedelic community, and supports the protection of sacred plants and cultural traditions. Chacruna advances psychedelic justice through uplifting the voices of women, queer people, Indigenous peoples, people of color, and the Global South in the field of psychedelic science.
Modern Spirit is dedicated to demonstrating the value of spiritual healing in modern healthcare by illuminating the intersection between biology, emotion and spirituality. As a non-profit dedicated to scientific research, community-building, and educational programs, we are working to expand our culture’s capacity to heal.
Fireside Project is creating systemic change in the field of psychedelics in three key domains: safety, diversity, and equitable access. Through our Psychedelic Peer Support Line, we have created a nationwide safety net that has substantially decreased 911 calls and hospitalizations while democratizing access to high-quality care.
Acknowledgements
Naropa University is honored to work with many individual and institutional contributors whose expertise helps strengthen the ongoing development and integrity of our certificate training program. Contributors include members of our faculty, staff and leadership teams, as well as prominent leaders in the field of psychedelic studies. Past collaborators include Psychedelic Training and Research Institute (PRATI) and others.
Ready To Apply?
The Naropa University Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is designed for advanced professionals working in relevant therapeutic areas such as mental health counseling, psychiatry, chaplaincy, social work and other licensed practice areas.
See the Application Process and Policies page for further details on applicable credentials.
Psychedelic Studies at Naropa
The Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is facilitated by the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies in partnership with the Naropa Extended Campus. Guided by a vision for a contemplative approach to psychedelic studies, the Center for Psychedelic Studies was established to support the development and integration of psychedelic studies at Naropa, and to offer a range of public education opportunities focused on the unprecedented transformative healing potential within this emerging field. Naropa Extended Campus offers continuing education, professional development, personal enrichment and public programs for the lifelong learner within us all, bringing the immersive quality and embodied richness of the on-campus experience into accessible, learner-centered online and hybrid learning formats.
