Home logo
AcademicsExtended CampusPsychedelic-Assisted Therapies CertificatePsychedelic-Assisted Therapies Certificate FAQ

Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about Naropa University’s 2024 Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies program? Browse the Frequently Asked Questions below to learn about our unique training experience, program eligibility, and more.

Steeped in mindfulness and compassion training, our Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Program leverages Naropa University’s contemplative and psychotherapeutic expertise to further expand the transformative healing potential within this emerging field. More information can also be found on the Certificate’s Application Process & Policies page.

The Certificate Experience

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 psychedelic studies programs are grounded in integrated mindfulness and compassion practices—a training approach we believe to be essential for ethical and engaged psychedelic practitioners. Program participants 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 proud to be one of the first fully-accredited universities to train the new vanguard of psychedelic therapists and facilitators. 

Read the Tricycle Magazine feature on our program’s inaugural year.

The 2024 certificate will be delivered through a combination of in-person retreats, online live classes and small practice group meetings, as well as asynchronous online content that will take place over eight months. To view the full schedule overview, please visit this page.

The 2024 certificate requires participation in two in-person retreats:

  • Opening Retreat: May 15-19, 2024
  • Apprenticeship Training Retreat: Nov. 20-24, 2024

The certificate program begins with a five-day opening retreat at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, May 15-19, 2024. This retreat begins in the evening of May 15, and concludes at noon on May 19.

The program continues with a required apprenticeship training retreat at 1440 Multiversity in California, Nov. 20-24, 2024, where trainees will participate in group sessions involving non-ordinary states under supervision and mentorship. This retreat begins with a group dinner on November 20 followed by three full days of experiential training. Trainees depart on November 24 after breakfast. The 2024 apprenticeship options include Holotropic Breathwork or Ketamine-Assisted Therapy. Affinity group apprenticeship options will be offered for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ trainees who choose to do this portion of their training within affinity space. 

In addition, the 2024 certificate optionally includes a third retreat:

  • MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Event (Optional Add-on): July 18–23, 2024


In collaboration with Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS PBC), Naropa optionally offers additional education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in the Lykos Therapeutics-sponsored clinical trials, which are investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Beginning in 2024, this portion of the certificate is optional and available only to those who meet the Lykos Therapeutics MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program eligibility criteria.

Travel and lodging costs for in-person retreats and education events are not included in the certificate program tuition.

To view the full schedule overview, please visit this page.

The certificate’s total duration is from May to December 2024. Trainees will move through the 8-month program with a series of monthly modules, in addition to in-person retreats. Attendance is required; please see the program’s Attendance Policy details.  

Live Classes: Second or third Saturday of each month on Zoom, 10am-3pm U.S. Mountain Time (with a 1-hour lunch break): June 8, July 13, August 10, September 14, October 19, November 9 and December 14.

Clinical Skills Practice Groups: Second and fourth Wednesday evening of each month (either 4-6pm MT or 6-8pm MT depending on group time zone). Small group formation will include consideration of time zone.

The weekly time commitment averages about 4-6 hours per week. Additionally, there are the required in-person retreats, including the Apprenticeship Training Retreat.

The full 2024 program cohort will be organized into small Clinical Skills Practice Groups of 8-12 people each. These groups will be facilitated by Practice Group Leaders hired and supervised specifically for this task. Our Practice Group Leaders are typically skilled group facilitators who have also completed the Lykos Therapeutics education program and/or have experience with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy or psychedelic clinical research trials. The combination of asynchronous learning, live instruction and interactive small group practice allows trainees to fully engage with the themes and objectives of each course module.

Governmental, University and vendor guidelines may continue to change in response to COVID variants. All certificate program retreats and education events will be held in person as described above unless prohibited by relevant governmental, University or vendor restrictions. In such cases, impacted retreat(s) will be moved fully online. There is otherwise no online-only option for retreats. Please note that attendance at the Program’s residential retreats is mandatory. All attendees are responsible for the costs of travel to the program retreats and Naropa is not responsible for refunding travel costs to participants who are unable to attend. 

All 2024 retreats will be held in person. In order to mitigate the risk of COVID-19, Naropa University strongly encourages all participants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We strongly encourage all participants to mask and take other relevant precautions during transit to each retreat, especially when traveling by air, to help ensure a safe and healthy retreat container for all. All participants must provide proof of a negative FDA-approved at-home test, rapid antigen, or PCR test taken within 24 hours prior to the start of each retreat. Participants are required to adhere to all health and safety measures as determined by Naropa University and partner retreat sites. Naropa University reserves the right to modify the delivery of or cancel retreats in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

The certificate begins with a 5-day Opening Retreat at Naropa University from May 15-19, 2024.

We are happy to consider child care needs on a case by case basis. Trainees will typically not be able to bring children into training spaces, but there may be possibilities for you to attend with small children provided they are accompanied by another adult caretaker. Naropa is not able to provide child care.

Family members are welcome to accompany you to Boulder during the retreat period, but guests will not be permitted access to the learning container during the retreat. 

Guests will be allowed to join you for optional evening events that are tentatively being planned. More information will be provided as it becomes available. 

Please contact us to make arrangements or receive further details.

Retreats held at 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley, CA are also supportive of accompanying family members. Again, guests will typically not be permitted access to the learning container during retreats and education events. More information is forthcoming.Please contact us to make arrangements or receive further details. (Questions sent to 1440 will be redirected to us, so please contact psychedelicstudies@naropa.edu directly.)

2023 Program

Following a delay awaiting education content confirmation from MAPS PBC, applications for the 2023 Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies cohort opened February 6, 2023 with a priority deadline of March 3, 2023. Accepted participants included a wide variety of interdisciplinary professionals from the fields of medicine, psychiatry, psychology, counseling, social work, nursing and more. The full cohort was divided into twelve small practice groups who met together once monthly throughout the year. The 8-month certificate was offered from May through December 2023, with nine asynchronous online modules, seven live online classes, and three in-person retreats, including an experiential Apprenticeship Training Retreat requirement.

The Program began with an in-person Opening Retreat at Naropa’s Main Campus in Boulder, Colorado that was held May 17–21. Additionally in 2023, participants selected between two intensive retreats held at Drala Mountain Center (DMC) in Colorado: July 14-22 or September 19-27. In this eight-day intensive, MAPS PBC senior educators delivered MDMA-Assisted Therapy education content. Finally, the program offered two retreat options for the experiential small-group Apprenticeship Training Retreat requirement—Holotropic Breathwork (held in Boulder) or Ketamine (held in Denver). These retreats were held throughout the Fall of 2023, and included a BIPOC Ketamine & Sacred Ceremony retreat that was offered for interested BIPOC participants.

Certificate program tuition was $11,500. Additional travel and lodging costs for the retreats were not included in program tuition.

 

2022 Program 

Applications for the 2022 Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Certificate cohort opened November 15th with a priority deadline of December 15th, 2021. Accepted participants included a wide variety of interdisciplinary professionals from the fields of medicine, psychiatry, psychology, counseling, social work, nursing, coaching, and more. The auspicious total of 108 participants was divided into twelve cohort integration groups who met together once monthly throughout the year. The 10-month certificate was offered from March through December 2022, and included eight asynchronous online modules, eight live online classes, two in-person retreats, and a Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (NOSC) experiential requirement.

The Program began with an in-person Opening Retreat at Naropa’s Nalanda Campus in Boulder, Colorado that was held March 14-18, 2022. The August Intensive retreat, during which MAPS senior educators delivered the MDMA-Assisted Therapy training, took place at Drala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado, July 31–August 7. Naropa offered several sponsored NOSC Experientials, including Holotropic Breathwork, PRATI’s Ketamine Training, an Ayahuasca retreat in Colombia, a BIPOC Ceremonial Ketamine retreat, as well as the ability to submit an alternate self-selected experiential. 

Certificate program tuition was $10,000. With the exception of Holotropic Breathwork and the BIPOC Ketamine & Sacred Ceremony retreat, the additional cost of participant-selected NOSC Experientials was not included in program tuition, nor were lodging and travel costs for all retreats.

Program Eligibility & Costs

  • Applicants must hold an active license or registration in a counseling/psychotherapy field; a nursing or medical degree; or chaplaincy certification (BCCI); Licenses or certifications include: LSW/LCSW; LPC/LPCC; PhD psychologists; LMFT; MD; DO; acupuncturists; ND; PA; RN; PsyD.; BCCI, JD and others.

OR

  • Applicants must be in a post-doctorate, post-graduate internship, residency program, or have completed one unit of ACPE-Certified Clinical Pastoral Education by the time the program begins in May.
  • Applicants currently enrolled in the final year of a relevant graduate degree program with a clinical internship may be considered.
  • Federally recognized tribal enrolled Native Americans, First Nations, and Indigenous lineage carriers are encouraged to apply, regardless of clinical licensure.
  • On a limited basis, we will consider special cases for individuals working deeply in the psychedelic field who may not hold clinical licensure.


Beginning in 2024, trainees may choose to include MDMA-assisted therapy education as part of the Naropa PAT Certificate. This optional add-on is only available to those who meet the eligibility criteria defined by Lykos Therapeutics. Please note that the eligibility defined by Lykos Theapeutics is more narrow than what is required for Naropa’s certificate. 

Please visit the Application Process & Policies page for full details.

This certificate is designed for advanced professionals working in relevant therapeutic areas. We cannot offer in-depth application reviews outside of the formal process, and applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria may not be considered. However, we do recognize the emerging and novel nature of this work, as well as the anticipated explosion in the need for competent and ethical practitioners of all kinds. If you feel that significant prior experience qualifies you, please submit an application for formal review. Naropa does not charge an application fee for the PAT Certificate.

Tuition for the 2024 certificate is $7,500. Program costs for the in-person retreats are included. The optional MDMA-assisted therapy education add-on is an additional $4,000.

In addition to program tuition, certificate participants will be responsible for travel costs and accommodation for program retreats. Please visit the Application Process & Policies page for full details.

While some books will be required for the certificate, Naropa avoids costly conventional textbooks whenever possible, and participants will be free to choose how to purchase or otherwise access required readings.

Yes. After an initial deposit of $1,500 due on March 31, 2024, the remaining tuition – less any scholarships or other awarded aid – can be paid in six monthly installments.

With generous support from donors, partner organizations, and related charitable initiatives, we offer various types of financial assistance, including Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Scholarships, as well as support for specific program aspects, such as select Apprenticeship Training Retreats, in an effort to support program access for a diverse and dynamic cohort.

Naropa believes that psychedelic therapy may be a tool to support a just and equitable future. We recognize the need to support the training of psychedelic-assisted therapists from historically underrepresented groups to facilitate this vision. Historically- underrepresented groups include but are not limited to People of the Global Majority, LGBTQIA+, military service members and veterans, persons with disabilities, those experiencing economic marginalization with demonstrated financial need, and those with related experience.

Members of historically underrepresented groups and those with related experience are especially encouraged to apply for JEDI scholarships, however, an applicant’s gender identity, race and/or national origin will not be a determining factor in the selection process. Please visit the Application Process & Policies page for full details.

Because Extended Campus programming is structured differently than the University’s regular academic offerings, Extended Campus programming is generally not eligible for employee tuition remission benefits; this includes continuing education courses and certificates. However, Naropa recognizes the importance of including its employees in its organizational mission and values, and therefore does provide standard staff and faculty discounts for most Extended Campus programming. 

For some offerings, particularly application-based programs of length (including the Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Certificate), Naropa employee discounts, if any, will be determined on a case-by-case and space-available basis. Employees are still required to complete the application process and meet all eligibility requirements for the desired program, and admission is not guaranteed. Supervisor approval may be required as well. Unlike tuition remission benefits, employee discounts for Extended Campus programming will generally apply to the employee only, and not their family members. Interested employees are encouraged to first apply for the desired program and then contact Extended Campus regarding possible employee discounts.

In 2024, regular Naropa employees are eligible for a tuition discount of up 20% for the Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies program. Simply indicate your current Naropa employment status when prompted as part of the program application, and the appropriate discount will be confirmed upon acceptance into the program.

In collaboration with Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS PBC), Naropa offers education intended to raise awareness about the therapeutic approach and treatment modality delivered in Lykos Therapeutics-sponsored clinical trials investigating MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. 

Beginning in 2024, trainees may choose to include MDMA-assisted therapy education as an optional add-on to the Naropa program. This education content was previously a required part of the Naropa certificate, but this has changed in order to expand access to Naropa’s program for those who do not meet Lykos Therapeutics’ new eligibility requirements, as well as those who have already completed the MDMA-assisted therapy education elsewhere.

This optional add-on is only available to those who meet the eligibility criteria defined by Lykos Therapeutics. Please note that the eligibility defined by Lykos Therapeutics is more narrow than what is required for Naropa’s certificate. See this page for more information.

Because our certificate is a non-credit program, there is no opportunity to audit the course in full or part. If interested and eligible, you are welcome to submit an application for consideration in the next cohort when the application period opens.

The Education

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. In many instances, this certificate will serve as a prerequisite for more advanced training, because 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. 


To learn more about how this certificate can support your understanding and practice in the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted therapies, please visit this page and see the section on How This Certificate Prepares Practitioners.

In 2022 and 2023, the certificate program was approved to offer 40 hours of CE credits for certain credentials through the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA). Every effort will be made to offer the same to the 2024 cohort. CE credits for eligible credentials are included in the cost of program tuition.

Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals:

  • CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes.

 

For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact psychedelicstudies@naropa.edu. For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritual competencyacademy.com

No academic credit is available for this non-degree certificate program.

Beginning in 2023, the Naropa University Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is an Approved Training Program for Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS) facilitator training per Measure 109. Oregon residents interested in becoming licensed facilitators will need to complete additional steps prior to applying with the state, including the Practicum and OPS Facilitator Exam requirements.

Naropa’s PAT Certificate program has the intention to become a certified training program for prospective psilocybin providers in the state of Colorado. State guidelines for training programs are expected to be announced in early 2024. Although Naropa intends to apply for authorized state approval as a training program, it is important for prospective trainees to understand that until that process opens with the state, we cannot predict in advance what requirements will be needed. 

Depending on individual credentials and interest in the variety of available psychedelic-assisted therapies, those interested in becoming a psilocybin facilitator under new Oregon or Colorado regulatory frameworks may also wish to consider Naropa’s designated Psilocybin Facilitator Training Certificate Program, launching in 2024. Unlike the PAT Certificate program, which is geared towards clinicians gaining competency in a range of psychedelic medicines, Naropa’s Psilocybin Facilitator Training Certificate Program is open to licensed clinicians as well as non-clinicians who wish for specific training in this area.

Application Process

Applications for the 2024 certificate program will be accepted through an online form beginning January 3, 2024. See this page for complete details.

The priority deadline for applications is January 31, 2024. The application page will remain open for submission beyond this date, but those who applied prior to the deadline will have their applications reviewed first. Program admission will continue on a rolling, space-available basis until full.

The application review process will begin immediately, and applicants who meet the priority deadline can expect to hear back regarding a decision in early March 2024. Program admission will continue on a rolling, space-available basis until full.

Yes, simply email psychedelicstudies@naropa.edu with the full name used on your application and the correct file that you would like us to have.

The Psychedelic Assisted Therapies Certificate is a non-degree program. Because of this, Naropa does not issue I-20 Visas. International students would have to apply for a B-2 tourist visa, which allows them to attend a short recreational course of study. More information can be found at this site.

Still have Questions? Visit the Certificate Page, Eligibility Page, or email us at psychedelicstudies@naropa.edu

Search Naropa University

Search

YOU ARE READY.

This is where experiential learning meets academic rigor. Where you challenge your intellect and uncover your potential. Where you discover the work you’re moved to do—then use it to transform our world.

“*” indicates required fields

Naropa Logo

Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.