Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: Neglected Clinical Complexities

Should psychedelic medicines be offered without psychotherapy? If psychotherapy is necessary, what forms are most effective? If not, are there still roles for preparation and integration? Are these medicines best understood as treatments for psychiatric disorders, catalysts for spiritual growth, or both? And as regulatory approvals draw nearer, what choices and challenges will clinicians face? 

The field of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is evolving rapidly. New and sometimes competing models of care continue to emerge. Expanding research is deepening our understanding of psychedelic compounds and their therapeutic applications, while changing state and national policies foreshadow rapidly growing public interest and demand. Together, these developments suggest that mental health professionals may soon be practicing in a markedly different clinical landscape. 

For clinicians interested in or already working in PAP, understanding this increasingly complex terrain is essential. Equally important, clinicians not offering PAP need a working knowledge of the field in order to answer patients' questions, make informed referrals, and support individuals who are exploring psychedelic experiences on their own. 

Our 6th Annual Conference on Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy will focus on the emerging choices, tensions, and controversies shaping the field today. Through expert presentations, case discussions, breakout groups, and opportunities for community dialogue, participants will examine competing treatment models, evolving standards of care, ethical and clinical challenges, and the practical implications of new research and policy developments. Whether you are new to the field or an experienced practitioner, we invite you to join us—in person or online—for two stimulating days of learning, reflection, and professional connection.

Who Should Participate

• Specialty Physicians
• Primary Care Physicians
• Social workers
• Counselors
• Psychologists
• Nurses and Others

Learning Objectives

• Review recent changes to the regulatory landscape for psychedelics, and their implications for clinicians.
• Summarize the current evidence for the use of ibogaine, its benefits and risks.
• Discuss the debate and evidence around whether therapy is a necessary component of psychedelic treatment.
• Describe how to work with memory-related phenomena that arise in PAP.
• Explore how medicine work can unfold, the complexities and tensions that can arise in a treatment. and how different modalities figure in to a treatment over time, including different applications of medicine work.
• Define the psychedelic church movement, compare medical and spiritual psychedelic settings, and apply insights from psychedelic church cases to clinical settings.
• Explain how a single psychedelic dose to elicit a peak/mystical experience became the primary model for psychedelic-assisted therapy from an historic point of view.
• Review recent data on epigenetic factors in ketamine treatment.
• Outline clinical and economic considerations in deciding forms of ketamine treatment.
• Describe the model of ketamine integration chaplaincy in hospital and outpatient settings, and discuss the value of bringing spiritual expertise to PAP clinical settings.
• Describe recent findings on PAP for cocaine use disorder in underrepresented and vulnerable populations.
• Articulate several factors that PAP facilitators should address in patients with racial trauma.
• Compare and contrast adverse experiences from intensive meditation practice vs. psychedelics.

ABMS/ACGME Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) / Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

• Patient Care and Procedural Skills
• Medical Knowledge
• Professionalism
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills

IOM Competencies

This course is designed to meet the following Institute of Medicine Core Competencies:

• Provide Patient-Centered Care
• Employ Evidence-Based Practice

Questions?

Please contact the Continuing Education Programs with any questions by email at ceprograms@hms.harvard.edu.

Marni Chanoff, MD

Founder and CEO, Joy In Health
Clinical Associate, McLean Hospital
Lecturer on Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School 

Terence Ching, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine 

Rheinila Fernandes, MD

Psychiatrist in Private Practice, Embodied Mind Medicine

Daniel Grossman, MA

Fifth-year doctoral candidate in Medical/Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama Birmingham

Daan Keiman, MA

Educational Lead ADEPT, Open Foundation; Psychedelic and Buddhist Chaplain, Heart-Head Healing 

Roman Palitsky, MDiv, PhD

Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
Director of Research Projects in Spiritual Health, Emory University

Sergio Pérez Rosal, MD

Adjunct Professor, Psychedelics and Consciousness Studies, University of Ottawa
Research Associate, Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines
Chair of the Board of Directors, Psychedelia-Stiftung, Berlin, Germany

Anne Vallely, PhD

Associate Professor, Classics and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa
Founding Member, Academy of Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies
Member of the Board, Learning Committee, LIFE Research Institute; Member of the Board, Mahatma Gandhi Peace Council of Ottawa

Course Directors

Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD

Faculty, Center for Mindfulness and Compassion, Cambridge Health Alliance
Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Part-time Harvard Medical School
Faculty, Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy

Jim Hopper, PhD

Consultant, Outpatient Addictions Service, Cambridge Health Alliance
Teaching Associate in Psychiatry, Part-time Harvard Medical School
Psychotherapist in Private Practice

Laura Warren, MD

Psychiatry Faculty Member, Cambridge Health Alliance
Faculty and Mentor, CHA Center for Mindfulness and Compassion
Lecturer on Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School
Member, Board of Advisors, Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy

Monnica Williams, PhD

Canada Research Chair for Mental Health Disparities, Director of the Laboratory for Culture and Mental Health Disparities and Associate Professor, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada
Clinical Director, Behavioral Wellness Clinic, LLC

Karen Kuc, MPH

Director, Continuing Education in Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance​​​
Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

In support of improving patient care, Harvard Medical School is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Live/Live Online Courses: To receive CME/CE credit, learners are required to complete the course evaluation. Once the evaluation is complete, you will be able to claim your credit and download your certificate. All evaluations and credit claims must be completed within 60 days of the course end date.

Online Courses: To receive CME/CE credit, learners must pass the course post-test and complete the course evaluation in order to claim credit before the final day of the accreditation period. Learners have access to the course for 60 days after the accreditation period has expired.

Physicians

The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 13.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses

For the purpose of recertification, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and American Nurses Credentialing Center accept  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education). We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure. 

Physician Assistants

The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) states that  AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are acceptable for continuing medical education requirements for recertification. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure. 

Psychologists

Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course offers 13.25 continuing education credits.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, and counselors, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions both days to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please email CME@CHAlliance.org.

Social Workers

Application for social work continuing education credits has been submitted to NASW-MA. Please contact us at cme@challiance.org for the status of social work CE accreditation. NY Social Workers: Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an Approved Provider #0038 of continuing education for licensed social workers. This course offers 13.25 contact hours.

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, and counselors, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions both days to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please email CME@CHAlliance.org.

Counselors

Cambridge Health Alliance is an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5444.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Continuing Education in Psychiatry is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course meets the requirements for 13.25 continuing education hours and is also applicable for Commonwealth of Massachusetts Counseling/Allied Mental Health accreditation for 13.25 credits. 

Please note: For psychologists, social workers, and counselors, this course has been approved for a set amount of credits and CHA is not able to issue CE certificates for partial credit. Participants must be present for all sessions both days to claim a certificate. For any questions regarding CE credit, please email CME@CHAlliance.org.

Union of European Medical Specialists

The American Medical Association (AMA) has an agreement of mutual recognition of continuing medical education (CME) credit with the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). Additional information regarding this agreement may be found on the Union of European Medical Specialists website.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.