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 Online 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: Fourth Wednesday evening of each month (either 6-8pm MT or 6-8pm ET depending on group time zone). Small Group formation will include consideration of time zone. May 2023Asynchronous JEDI Prerequisite CourseMay 17-21, 2023Opening Retreat, Naropa UniversityArrival and registration: May 17, 3-5pmDeparture: May 21, noonContemplative Practice IntensiveHistory of PsychedelicsPlant MedicinesJustice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI) IntensiveEcopsychedelics ExperientialIntroduction to Psychedelic-Assisted TherapiesJune 2023Module 1: PreparationScreeningClinical AssessmentSpiritual AssessmentJuly 2023Module 2: EthicsEthical IntegrityTherapeutic TouchTrauma-Informed ApproachesJuly 15-22, 2023Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, COMDMA Assisted Psychotherapy Clinical Skills Intensive with MAPSAugust 2023Module 3: Therapeutic FoundationsNon/Inner-Directed ApproachesDeep ListeningInner Healing IntelligenceSeptember 2023Module 4: Therapeutic SkillsTransference/CountertransferenceEnactments and parallel processImplicit BiasSeptember 19-21, 2023Intensive Retreat (Option 2), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, COMDMA Assisted Psychotherapy Clinical Skills Intensive with MAPSOctober 2023Module 6: IntegrationPrinciples of integrationArtSomatic ApproachesFall 20233-day Apprenticeship Training Retreats, CO. Dates TBDNovember 2023Module 7: Group FacilitationFacilitation SkillsCommunity Healing: Integration Beyond the IndividualRestorative ApproachesDecember 2023Module 8: Credentialing and AdvocacyPAT CredentialingSetting Up a Psychedelic PracticeCreating Equitable Access

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: Fourth Wednesday evening of each month (either 6-8pm MT or 6-8pm ET depending on group time zone). Small Group formation will include consideration of time zone.May 2023Asynchronous JEDI Prerequisite CourseMay 17-21 // Opening Retreat, Naropa UniversityArrival and registration: May 17, 3-5pmDeparture: May 21, noonContemplative Practice IntensiveHistory of PsychedelicsPlant MedicinesJustice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI) IntensiveEcopsychedelics Experiential Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted TherapiesJune 2023 // Module 1: PreparationScreeningClinical AssessmentSpiritual AssessmentJuly 2023 // Module 2: EthicsEthical IntegrityTherapeutic TouchTrauma-Informed ApproachesJuly 15-22 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, COMDMA-Assisted Therapy Intensive with MAPSAugust 2023 // Module 3: Therapeutic FoundationsNon/Inner-Directed ApproachesDeep ListeningInner Healing IntelligenceSeptember 2023 // Module 4: Therapeutic SkillsTransference/CountertransferenceEnactments and parallel processImplicit BiasSeptember 19-21 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, COMDMA-Assisted Therapy Intensive with MAPSOctober 2023 // Module 5: IntegrationPrinciples of integrationArt Therapy ApproachesSomatic ApproachesFall 2023 //3-day Apprenticeship Training Retreats, CO. Dates TBDNovember 2023 // Module 6: Group FacilitationFacilitation SkillsCommunity Healing: Integration Beyond the IndividualRestorative ApproachesDecember 2023 // Module 7: Credentialing and AdvocacyPAT CredentialingSetting Up a Psychedelic PracticeCreating Equitable Access

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Certificate

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, psychiatry, 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.

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.

Applications Open: Feb. 6, 2023

Applications Priority Deadline: March 3, 2023

Current Admissions Status: Opens Soon

Program Start: May 2023

Opening Retreat: May 17-21, 2023, Naropa University, Boulder, CO

Intensive Retreat (Option 1): July 15–22, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO

Intensive 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

Key Program Dates

Applications Open: Feb. 6, 2023

Applications Priority Deadline: March 3, 2023

Current Admissions Status: Opens Soon

Program Start: May 2023

Opening Retreat: May 17–21, 2023, Naropa University, Boulder, CO

Intensive Retreat (Option 1):
July 15–22, 2023, Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO

Intensive 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
Sign Up

Weds 2/8 — 11:30 – 12:30 pm MT
With Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW
Sign Up

Mon 2/13 — 6:00 – 7:00 pm MT
JEDI Info Session with Diana Quinn, ND
Sign Up

"Naropa has the capacity to hold two truths at once: we are earthly beings with earthly needs, and we are spiritual beings with spiritual needs. Being able to learn about the therapeutic use of psychedelics through this transpersonal model of development is why I chose to return to Naropa for this training."

“Discussions on topics such as compassion, right relationship, right use of power, and diversity dynamics have been extremely enriching for my practice as a therapist overall, not solely within the psychedelic realm. The depth and intention behind this program is very clear in the way these discussions have been formatted.”

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:

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.

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.

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.

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 we strongly encourage all participants to be vaccinated against Covid-19. All participants will provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 48 hours prior to the start of the Opening Retreat. 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 15-22 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.

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 we strongly encourage all participants to be vaccinated against Covid-19. All participants provided proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 48 hours prior to the start of the Intensive Retreat. 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 a weekend apprenticeship training retreat. These training retreats will begin with dinner and an opening circle on Thursday evening, and conclude Sunday morning. There will be several weekend 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

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.

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 10th, July 8th, August 12, September 9, October 14, November 11 and December 10. Integration Groups: Fourth Wednesday evening of each month (either 6-8pm MT or 6-8pm ET depending on group time zone). Small Group formation will include consideration of time zone.
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 Contemplative Practice Intensive History of Psychedelics Plant Medicines Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (JEDI) Intensive Ecopsychedelics Experiential Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies
June 2023	Module 1: Preparation Screening Clinical Assessment Spiritual Assessment
July 2023	Module 2: Ethics Ethical Integrity Therapeutic Touch Trauma-Informed Approaches
July 15-22, 2023	Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy Clinical Skills Intensive with MAPS
August 2023	Module 3: Therapeutic Foundations Non/Inner-Directed Approaches Deep Listening Inner Healing Intelligence
September 2023	Module 4: Therapeutic Skills Transference/Countertransference Enactments and parallel process Implicit Bias
September 19-21, 2023	Intensive Retreat (Option 2), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy Clinical Skills Intensive with MAPS
October 2023	Module 6: Integration Principles of integration Art Somatic Approaches
Fall 2023	3-day Apprenticeship Training Retreats, CO. Dates TBD
November 2023	Module 7: Group Facilitation Facilitation Skills Community Healing: Integration Beyond the Individual Restorative Approaches
December 2023	Module 8: Credentialing and Advocacy PAT Credentialing Setting Up a Psychedelic Practice Creating Equitable Access

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: Fourth Wednesday evening of each month (either 6-8pm MT or 6-8pm ET 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 Experiential
Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies

June 2023 // Module 1: Preparation

Screening
Clinical Assessment
Spiritual Assessment

July 2023 // Module 2: Ethics

Ethical Integrity
Therapeutic Touch
Trauma-Informed Approaches

July 15-22 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO

MDMA-Assisted Therapy Intensive with MAPS

August 2023 // Module 3: Therapeutic Foundations

Non/Inner-Directed Approaches
Deep Listening
Inner Healing Intelligence

September 2023 // Module 4: Therapeutic Skills

Transference/Countertransference
Enactments and parallel process
Implicit Bias

September 19-21 // Intensive Retreat (Option 1), Drala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, CO

MDMA-Assisted Therapy Intensive with MAPS

October 2023 // Module 5: Integration

Principles of integration
Art Therapy Approaches
Somatic Approaches

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 the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC), Naropa offers education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in MAPS-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 teachers. The therapeutic approach is based on a philosophy that every person has within them an intrinsic wisdom and ability to heal, and that this inner healing wisdom blossoms naturally in an environment of safety and support.

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 residential retreat, led by MDMA-assisted therapy teachers working with Naropa faculty. The asynchronous and live MDMA-assisted therapy education content incorporated into Naropa’s certificate is consistent with the educational content offered by MAPS PBC in 2023.

Because the MAPS PBC MDMA-assisted therapy curriculum comprises a large part of Naropa’s Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies program, prospective participants who’ve already completed MAPS PBC MDMA-assisted therapy educational content are asked to consider other Naropa training opportunities to further their psychedelic 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 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.

MAPS PBC is conducting international clinical trials investigating MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other conditions. The study results will be used to support the application of MDMA-assisted therapy for regulatory approval in multiple countries globally. 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.

Collaborations

Naropa has formed ongoing collaborations with the following organizations to provide programmatic and advisory support that enhances the depth and efficacy of our offerings.

Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

We are excited to continue growing our work with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to offer participants an evidence-based curriculum in MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy. As an authorized training host, Naropa has contracted MAPS Public Benefit Corporation to offer MDMA-assisted therapy education within our non-degree Certificate program.

Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines

The Chacruna Institute of Psychedelic Plant Medicines, an organization founded by Brazilian anthropologist Dr. Bia Labate, produces high-quality research on plant medicines and psychedelics and helps propagate academic knowledge in more accessible formats. They educate the public and create cultural understanding and legitimacy regarding these substances so that they may cease to be stigmatized and outlawed.

Modern Spirit

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. This work includes the Modern Spirit Epigenetics Project, Indigenous reciprocity projects, and more.

Fireside Project

Fireside Project is a nonprofit that 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. The line accessible via phone, SMS, and app has supported over 1200 callers across the U.S. since launching in April of 2021.

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 The Synthesis Institute.

How This Certificate Prepares Participants for Work in the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Field

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.

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.

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 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

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.

Jamie Beachy PhD, MDiv, Assistant Core Faculty, Naropa University. Jamie brings two decades of experience in professional chaplaincy, spiritual care education (ACPE) and ethics consultation to her teaching, and she currently serves as a therapist with the MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy phase III study in Boulder. Jamie holds a deep interest in earth-based approaches to end of life care and advocates for the role of chaplaincy in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

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.

Dr. Quinn is a licensed naturopathic doctor with a focus on psychoneuroimmunology and integrative mental health. Her clinical work has centered on care of marginalized communities, including people of color, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and low-income populations. Dr. Quinn is a graduate of the CIIS Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research program. She is a member of the Board of Psychedelic Medicine and Therapies, where she serves as co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and is a member of the Ethics Working Group with the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association. She serves on the board of Source Research Foundation, where she chairs the Community Grant Program, and is a member of the Chacruna Institute Racial Equity and Access Committee. Dr. Quinn is the Training Director of Alma Institute, a psilocybin facilitator training program and service site in Portland, Oregon. She serves on multiple advisory boards dedicated to building ethical integrity, equity, accessibility, and structural competency in the field of psychedelics.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Dr. Rob Colbert specializes in working with young adults, persons experiencing major life transitions, and persons using or considering using psychoactive substances. As a social artist, Dr. Colbert is passionate about professional education and training, community organizing, and acting as a social change agent. He is a founding member of the Nowak Society, a nonprofit whose mission is to connect and organize psychedelic communities, and give voice to the essential values and pressing issues of the psychedelic movement, and he is actively involved in the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute in Fort Collins.

Dr. Beatriz Caiuby Labate (Bia Labate) is a queer Brazilian anthropologist based in San Francisco. She has a Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil. Her main areas of interest are the study of plant medicines, drug policy, shamanism, ritual, religion, and social justice. She is Executive Director of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines and serves as Public Education and Culture Specialist at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). She is also Visiting Scholar at Naropa University’s Center for Psychedelic Studies and Advisor at the Synthesis Institute. Additionally, she is Diversity and Inclusion Chair at Veterans of War. Dr. Labate is a co-founder of the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies (NEIP) in Brazil and editor of its site since. She is author, co-author, and co-editor of twenty-five books, two special-edition journals, and several peer-reviewed articles (https://bialabate.net).

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 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 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.

Featured Faculty

Prosocial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience working on projects across the U.S., East Africa, and Europe. Rachel is the CEO at Synthesis Institute, a legal, medically-supervised, psilocybin retreat center based in Amsterdam. Rachel holds a B.A. in Transformative Education & Leadership, M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Mindful Trauma-Informed Leadership, and Ph.D. in Integral/Transpersonal Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, research focused on psilocybin-assisted treatment for Complex Trauma.

German F. Ascani, MD, MS, is a psychiatrist in clinical practice in Colorado and California. He has collaborated in published research regarding Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). He is passionate about the potential for psychological, emotional and spiritual healing that new and emerging psychedelic medicines bring to the mental health field. He supports the use of these powerful transformative tools.He is a graduate of the University of California Davis School of Medicine. Completed his psychiatric training at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. He has a Masters of Science in Physiology from Georgetown University and a BA in psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. He presently serves as co-faculty for PRATI in their KAP training retreats and is a therapist for the MAPS phase 3 research trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in Fort Collins.

Paulo obtained his Ph.D. in Medical Sciences at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas in 2008. He also holds a degree in Social Sciences (Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, 1992) and Psychology (Faculdade de Ilhéus, 2019). Paulo was appointed Professor of Science Methods in 2002 at the Departamento de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas at Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (Brazil) and was a Visiting Scholar at the University of New Mexico (USA) between 2011 and 2013. Paulo’s main research interests and activities concern the relationship between psychiatric and psychological methods in evaluating the effects of ayahuasca in Brazilian urban settings.

Yvan Beaussant, MD, MSc is an instructor in the department of psychosocial oncology and palliative care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School in Boston. He trained as a hematologist and palliative care physician, holds a Masters in medical ethics, and graduated from the Certificate program in Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where he serves as a mentor. His research investigates the potential role and modalities of psychedelic-assisted therapies to address psycho-existential distress in patients with cancer and at the end of life.

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, is an Instructor in Naropa’s Core College including BA Contemplative psychology courses, and meditation practicums. She serves as faculty for the MA Contemplative Psychotherapy residential retreat program, and for Naropa’s Compassion Initiative. She co-developed Naropa’s Embodied Mindfulness in Teaching retreat program and is the Program Manager for the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education. Her specialties include the integration of corporeal, elemental, and spatial knowledge as a means to bring more dimension into our field of awareness; to cultivate the natural-receptive wisdom energy of the body that is inherently connected, wise, and spacious; and to close the distance between enlightenment and ordinary freedom.

Travis Cox, PhD, is Associate Professor and Chair of the Masters in Ecopsychology at Naropa University. He has been studying consciousness throughout his career in academia, both as a student and as faculty. His interests in psychedelics are at the intersection of activism, philosophy, sustainability, and ecopsychology. He presented on psychedelics and sustainability at the 2019 AASHE conference, helped organize the “Can Exceptional Experience Save the World?” conference at the Claremont Graduate School of Theology in 2019, and was a part of the “Philosophy and Psychedelics” conference at the University of Exeter in April of 2021.

Celina De Leon, MDiv, is a leader on the training team at the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics (BCSP). She has twenty years of experience in the field of psychedelics and contemplative practice with particular experience working with various indigenous and spiritual lineages. She received an M.Div from the Graduate Theological Union-Starr King School for the Ministry and she is the founder and director of Circle of Sacred Nature 501c.3 church. Her long-standing relationship with the Kamentsa indigenous community of the upper Putumayo of Colombia informs her perspective on valuing how indigenous knowledge contributes to our understanding of the spiritual and therapeutic uses of psychedelics. Celina is deeply committed to indigenous reciprocity and incorporating social justice principles in all aspects of her work.

Wael Garas, MD received his medical degree from Ohio State University and completed his residency at the University of Nevada. Dr. Garas also completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona under the direction of Andrew Weil, M.D. Dr. Garas currently serves as the co-principal investigator and study physician for the Phase 3 research trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD in Boulder.

Rafaelle Lancelotta, MS, LPC is a Nationally Certified Counselor and a PhD student at The Ohio State University College of Social Work researching the importance of human relationship in psychedelic-assisted therapy, especially in intersectional LGBTQIA+ individuals. They have worked as a somatic-focused, trauma-informed therapist supporting clients in cannabis or ketamine-assisted therapy and worked on many psychedelic-related research studies. They have served as a founding board member of Source Research Foundation since 2017, supporting grant funding for students wishing to study psychedelics. Rafaelle aims to contribute to changes in the mental healthcare system that can serve to improve mental health outcomes for people from all walks of life.

Nicky Mehtani, MD MPH is an addiction medicine and HIV specialist with the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Street Medicine team, and a NIDA post-doctoral research fellow at the UCSF, where her studies focus on the potential of psychedelic therapies in the treatment of substance use disorders. She completed medical school and internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins prior to pursuing a clinical addiction medicine fellowship at UCSF in 2019. Her research interests center on understanding the safety and feasibility of psychedelic therapy in supporting addiction treatment among people who may be less likely to seek care in conventional healthcare settings.

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 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.

Scott has been a student of consciousness since his honor’s thesis on that topic at the University of Arizona in the 1970s. Following medical school, MDMA assisted psychotherapy became part of his practice before this medicine was scheduled in 1985. Scott has published four books on holistic and integrative mental health. Scott is a past President of two national medical organizations and currently teaches ketamine-assisted psychotherapy widely. He serves as a site Principle Investigator and therapist for the Phase III trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD sponsored by MAPS at the Wholeness site on Fort Collins.

Rooted in embodied contemplative philosophies, Regina Smith is known for her magical creativity, intellectual clarity, and mission-centered collaborative leadership. As an equity-informed coach, she is passionate about supporting leaders in navigating complex power dynamics with heart, and as a consultant and trainer, she brings radical honesty and expertise in mindfulness to helping organizations create inclusive cultures for the greater good. She currently serves Naropa University as Vice President for Mission, Culture, and Inclusive Community, is the Queen Dreamer at the Center for Radical Connection, and is pursuing her doctorate in Women’s Spirituality at the California Institute for Integral Studies. In addition, she is currently studying unconditional love and humility as a student of her beautiful and brilliant six-year-old son Zen.

Gita Vaid, MD is a board certified psychiatrist and psychoanalyst practicing ketamine assisted psychotherapy in New York City. She is a co-founder of the Center for Natural Intelligence, a multidisciplinary laboratory dedicated to psychedelic psychotherapy innovation and clinical practice (www.cni.nyc). Dr Vaid completed her residency training and is on faculty at NYU Medical Center, psychoanalytic training at the Psychoanalytic Association of New York. She trained as a fellow in clinical psychopharmacology and neurophysiology at New York Medical College and completed a research fellowship at NYU Medical Center. Dr Vaid serves as the Director of Psychedelic Awareness and Consciousness research at The Chopra Foundation and is on Faculty as a lead instructor at The Ketamine Training Center.

Hanifa Nayo Washington, she/her/hers, is a social entrepreneur, cultural producer, creative, and healing justice practitioner with 20 years in nonprofit leadership. As the co-founder and the Chief Strategy Officer for Fireside Project, Hanifa supports the design, facilitation, and communication of Fireside Project’s mission, vision, strategic initiatives and future goals. Hanifa, a facilitator, reiki master practitioner, and creative, works at the intersection of mindfulness, place making, and social justice to create organizations, gatherings, spaces, and experiences rooted in the values of beloved community.

Joshua White (he/him) is Founder and Executive Director of Fireside Project, which operates the first-ever national peer support line for psychedelics. Before Fireside Project, Joshua spent several years as a volunteer crisis counselor on Safe & Sound’s TALK Line and peer-support volunteer at the Zendo Project. Joshua has spent 17 years as a lawyer, including 11 years at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he focused on suing businesses exploiting vulnerable communities. In that capacity, he co-taught a nationally renowned clinic at Yale Law School, where he helped students generate and litigate public interest impact litigation lawsuits.

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.

Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies

Program Overview

What Makes Us Unique?

Key Program Dates

Live Info Sessions

Key Program Dates

Live Info Sessions

Program Philosophy & Competencies

The Naropa Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies has Three Core Philosophies:

Contemplative Pedagogy

Commitment to Anti-Oppression

Commitment to Excellence

Program Format

Intensive Residential Retreats

Opening Retreat

Additional Detail: Opening Retreat

MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat

Additional Details: MDMA-Assisted Therapy Retreat

Apprenticeship Training Retreat

Dynamic, Cohort-Based Online Learning

Asynchronous Learning Modules

Live Online Class Sessions

Integration Groups

2023 Program Modules & Schedule Overview

2023 Program Modules & Schedule Overview

MAPS PBC MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education

MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education

MDMA-Assisted Therapy Clinical Trials

Apprenticeship Training Requirement

Ready To Apply?

Collaborations

Acknowledgements

How This Certificate Prepares Participants for Work in the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Field

MDMA-Assisted Therapy

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy

Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy

Program Faculty

Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies Leadership Team

Sara Lewis, Ph.D, LCSW

Director of Training & Research, NCPS ⓘ

Jamie Beachy, Ph.D, MDiv

Director of Education, NCPS ⓘ

Joe Harrison, MS

Executive Director, NCPS ⓘ

Diana Quinn, ND

Assistant Director of Community Care, NCPS ⓘ

Belinda Eriacho

Program Advisor ⓘ

Beatriz Caiuby Labate, Ph.D

Visiting Scholar ⓘ

Austin R. Pick, MA

Executive Director, Extended Campus ⓘ

Audra Barber, MA

Program & Enrollment Manager, Extended Campus ⓘ

Jacob Goldberg

Lead Program & Comm. Manager, Extended Campus ⓘ

Featured Faculty

Rachel Aidan, Ph.D

Synthesis Institute ⓘ

German F. Ascani, MD, MS

PRATI & MAPS ⓘ

Paulo Cesar Ribeiro Barbosa, Ph.D

Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz ⓘ

Yvan Beaussant, MD, MSc

Harvard Medical School ⓘ

NiCole Buchanan, Ph.D

American Psychedelic Practitioners Association ⓘ

Carla Burns, MDiv

Naropa University ⓘ

Travis Cox, Ph.D

Naropa University ⓘ

Celina De Leon, MDiv

University of California–Berkeley ⓘ

Wael Garas, MD

MAPS Co-Principal Investigator, Boulder, CO ⓘ

Rafaelle Lancelotta, MS, LPC

The Ohio State University ⓘ

Nicky Methani, MD, MPH

San Francisco Department of Public Health ⓘ

Marcela Ot’alora G., MA, LPC

Naropa
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