Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Certification Program
Become a psychedelic-assisted therapy (PaT) provider. This advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy certification program comprises a world-class didactic curriculum, in-person coaching, and the opportunity to participate in a Health Canada-approved clinical trial.
Embody the roles of both the psychedelic guide, therapist and the participant, allowing you to gain an understanding of psychedelic medicine from multiple perspectives.
The ATMA Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PaT) Certification Program is the next step after the ATMA Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Course, providing medical and mental healthcare professionals the opportunity to further both their education in psychedelics and to increase their practical skills in this field.
This program paves the way for therapists and other healthcare practitioners to become psychedelic therapy providers in Canada and beyond. Through a three-part program, students will have the opportunity to engage in world-class didactic coursework, in-person coaching, and participation in a Health Canada-approved clinical trial (in which students have the option to ingest psilocybin). The combination of these components will allow students to gain a comprehensive understanding of psychedelics from multiple perspectives.
BACKGROUND
Why Take ATMA’s Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Certification Program Now?
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration designated psychedelic-assisted therapy as a “breakthrough therapy” in 2018 for the treatment of severe depression (psilocybin) and PTSD (MDMA), it has quickly become recognized as an efficacious treatment worldwide. Trained professionals (both psychedelic therapists and facilitators) are needed across Canada as well as the United States, with Oregon and Colorado leading the way for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
In 2018, close to 100 North American and European academic institutions were conducting clinical trials through psychedelic research divisions at Yale, UC Berkeley, Imperial College London, and Mount Sinai Hospital.
The research emerging from these clinical trials has influenced regulatory bodies in North America, with psychedelics approaching regulatory approval in many jurisdictions. In November 2020, Oregon voted to become the first U.S. state to legalize supervised psilocybin therapy services in controlled and professionally facilitated settings. Licensing for psilocybin services began in January 2023, allowing for mental healthcare professionals to offer psilocybin-assisted therapy. In November 2022, Colorado voted on measures similar to Oregon, and a regulation plan is currently in development. There are legislative and regulatory proposals in 15 other states that seek to approve psychedelic-assisted therapy to some degree. Canadian officials and institutions continue to work towards regulatory approval in Canada.
As regulatory approvals are achieved, the demand for quality training programs will quickly exceed the supply. With Oregon currently in the process of licensing, and with Colorado following closely in its footsteps, hundreds of mental healthcare professionals near these states will be seeking training in a relatively short period of time. By completing your psychedelic-assisted therapy training now, and by staying up-to-date with the latest research, properly trained healthcare professionals will be in the unique position to offer psychedelic-assisted therapy ethically and competently.
TRIALS
Clinical Trials
As part of ATMA’s initiative to deliver a comprehensive and practical training program, we believe our students require firsthand experience working with psychedelics in a clinical setting. ATMA has received approval from Health Canada for a Phase II efficacy trial, in which psilocybin will be administered to frontline healthcare workers who suffer from Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or occupational burnout as a result of the stresses faced during COVID-19. In combination with this, ATMA has developed an Advanced Coaching Program as a key component of the PaT Certification Program, in which students will engage in in-person training over the span of 7 days. The coaching program will operate alongside the clinical trial, and will train students to facilitate psychedelic treatment sessions by guiding trial participants through psilocybin sessions, as well as allowing students to directly partake in the clinical trial through the ingestion of psilocybin as a trial participant (note: the ingestion of psilocybin is optional and is dependent students satisfying the requirements of the trial eligibility criteria). This will allow students to gain a firsthand understanding of altered states of consciousness, resulting in facilitators and therapy providers relating better to their patients.
The data collected during the trial will provide valuable evidence to Health Canada regarding the efficacy and utility of this medicine as a therapeutic tool. Students’ contribution to the clinical trial via data collection, as well as sharing this experience with hundreds of mental healthcare professionals within our community, may be the most valuable parts of our program. The clinical insights regarding the utility of psychedelic therapy from the perspective of mental healthcare providers will be beneficial due to this population’s direct experience working with patients suffering from mental health concerns.
ATMA is the only psychedelic education and training provider who has successfully conducted a clinical trial (Phase I safety trial) and who has repeatedly been approved by Health Canada to carry out additional clinical trials. The learning opportunities that these clinical trials provide to our students cannot be understated.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria for Participants
The eligibility criteria are based on Health Canada requirements, serve to protect the health and safety of participants, and help ensure that the study objectives are met.
SELF-CARE
Importance of Introspection and Self-Care
Research has demonstrated that individuals in helping professions are highly susceptible to compassion fatigue and occupational burnout. Compassion fatigue, also referred to as secondary or vicarious trauma, occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to other people’s trauma, resulting in reduced empathy and compassion for others due to emotional and physical exhaustion. Occupational burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress, and is characterized by fatigue, emotional exhaustion, negative feelings related to one’s job, and decreased feelings of personal accomplishment. Compassion fatigue and burnout are detrimental to both the professional and their clients; in addition to decreasing the clinical effectiveness of treatment for clients, compassion fatigue and burnout are also associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes for therapists, as well as increasing instances of therapist misconduct.
It can be argued that therapist self-care is even more important amongst psychedelic therapists, as psychedelics place clients in highly vulnerable emotional states involving alterations in time, perception, emotions, and consciousness. Additionally, ethical concerns, such as transference and countertransference, are more prevalent in this type of therapy. In order to minimize the risks, therapist wellness is of the utmost importance.
ATMA has self-care education and workshop activities integrated into this program and we strongly emphasize its importance to those looking to provide psychedelic-assisted therapy.
OUR APPROACH
We Support Your Journey Towards Offering Safe and Effective Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
We believe it is important to increase the number of mental healthcare practitioners who are properly trained in PaT, as the demand for this treatment is likely to grow quickly alongside regulatory approvals.
Our training programs are clinically relevant, and while we provide the academic knowledge that is required to practice in this field safely and ethically, we believe that hands-on training must accompany the theoretical portion.
This program is open to anyone interested in psychedelic-assisted therapy. Those looking to act as a psychedelic therapist and/or a psychedelic facilitator/guide are welcomed to register; both roles will benefit from this program. However, this program is not intended to train facilitators to become therapy providers.
Ongoing support
Our commitment to our students does not stop after our education and training programs end. We have designed systems, networks, and infrastructure to support mental healthcare professionals and therapy providers through the entire process of adopting psychedelic-assisted therapy into practice.
With our Community Business Platform, therapy providers can feel supported and will have all the resources required to adopt and provide psychedelic-assisted therapy.
OBJECTIVES
Here is what's included in our Advanced PaT Course
- 10 modules of online coursework with lectures from leading experts in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
- A user-friendly online format. Individuals can work at their own pace, allowing for busy therapists and professionals to take this course without disruptions to their practices.
- Access to live Q&A sessions with leading experts from our faculty, as well as guest presenters.
- Regular assignments and assessments throughout the course to keep students on track, with an emphasis on relevant topics to enhance their current work and life in real time.
- Connections with other like-minded therapists and professionals for peer support, and a shared purpose to shape the future of legal access to psychedelic-assisted therapy.
- Weekend workshop activities on altered states of consciousness, introspection, and self-care.
LESSON PLAN
View the lesson plan
The Advanced PaT curriculum builds upon the basic information and principles taught in the ATMA Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Course. The advanced course prepares students to conduct psychedelic sessions as a “facilitator/guide,” as well as prepares therapists to conduct preparation and integration sessions with clients who may ask for guidance with psychedelic experiences they have previously had or intend to have in the future.
Unit 1 - Fundamentals of Psychedelics
Topics include: Definitions of Psychedelics, Overview of the Different Psychedelic Compounds, Traditions and History, Contemporary History and Research, Pharmacology, Drug Interactions and Adverse Events, and Microdosing Research
Topics include: Indigenous Perspectives, Access for Diverse and Under-Privileged Populations, Cultural Implications, and Current Regulatory Status of Psychedelics.
Topics include: Psychedelic and Non-Psychedelic Expanded States of Consciousness, and Comparison of Psilocybin and MDMA Experiences and Outcomes.
Unit 2 - Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
Topics include: Core Competencies, Presence/Empathy/Humility/Non-Directive Support, Principles of Facilitation, and Self-Care for the Facilitator.
Topics include: Ethical Guidelines and Considerations, Diverse Group Considerations, Consent/Boundaries and Appropriate Touch, Consent/Boundary Considerations for Psilocybin and MDMA Therapy, and Harm Reduction in Challenging Situations and Adverse Events.
Topics include: Overview of “Set”, Screening for Safe and Optimal Experiences, Preparing the Client for PaT, and Effective Modalities for Preparing the Client.
Topics include: Importance of the Physical, Social, and Cultural Environment, Elements of the Treatment Space, the Role of Music, and Individual vs. Group Experiences.
Topics include: Importance of Integration, Integration Models, and Individual and Group Integration Considerations.
Topics include: Choosing the Correct Psychedelic for the Client, Addressing Issues including Addictions, PTSD, Palliative Care, Depression and Anxiety, Relationship Counseling, and Leadership/Personal Awareness/Enhancement.
Topics include: Complementary Modalities to PaT with Specialists
Topics include: Core Competencies, Presence/Empathy/Humility/Non-Directive Support, Principles of Facilitation, and Self-Care for the Facilitator.
Topics include: Ethical Guidelines and Considerations, Diverse Group Considerations, Consent/Boundaries and Appropriate Touch, Consent/Boundary Considerations for Psilocybin and MDMA Therapy, and Harm Reduction in Challenging Situations and Adverse Events.
Topics include: Overview of “Set”, Screening for Safe and Optimal Experiences, Preparing the Client for PaT, and Effective Modalities for Preparing the Client.
Topics include: Importance of the Physical, Social, and Cultural Environment, Elements of the Treatment Space, the Role of Music, and Individual vs. Group Experiences.
Topics include: Importance of Integration, Integration Models, and Individual and Group Integration Considerations.
Topics include: Choosing the Correct Psychedelic for the Client, Addressing Issues including Addictions, PTSD, Palliative Care, Depression and Anxiety, Relationship Counseling, and Leadership/Personal Awareness/Enhancement.
Topics include: Complementary Modalities to PaT with Specialists
Instructors
Philippe Lucas
PhD
Dr. Mark Cornfield
Psychiatrist
Mike Mathers
Addictions and Trauma Therapist
Ben Malcolm
PharmD, MPH
Dr. Anthony Bossis
PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry NYU
Dr. Saundra Jain
MA, PsyD, LPC, Psychotherapist
Trevor Millar
Board Member, Canadian Psychedelic Association
Devon Christie
Clinical Instructor, UBC, Family Physician
Mark Haden
VP of Clearmind Medicine, Adjunct Prof., UBC
Dr. Rakesh Jain
Psychiatrist
Bruce Sanguin
Clinical Fellow at CAMFT, Psychotherapist
PRICING
Full experiential curriculum price and payment plan options
One-time payment
$4,197 USD
The ATMA Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Certification Program consists of 3 components
***Equivalent U.S. training programs, NOT including an experiential component, range between $8,000 – $12,000 USD
Upon completion of all 3 components, graduates will be offered the ATMA Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Experiential Participation Certification
4 monthly payments
$1099 USD / month
We understand that many healthcare professionals looking to practice psychedelic therapy in legal jurisdictions around the world (e.g., Oregon and Australia) may not be able to attend the in-person coaching and experiential components of the Advanced PaT Certification Program in Canada. Therefore, we have created an option for international students that offers the full advanced course curriculum but excludes the in-person coaching and clinical trial participation. This option will allow you to pragmatically gain sufficient skills and knowledge to practice psychedelic-assisted therapy remotely. You will receive all the benefits of our community, including access to peer research and experiences, the directory listing, services on our platform, and the therapist self-care program.
One-time payment
$2,897 USD
The Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Certification (PaT) Program – International Curriculum consists of 2 components
***Equivalent U.S. training programs range between $8,000 – $12,000 USD
Upon completion, graduates will be offered the ATMA Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Certification.
3 monthly payments
$1047 USD / month
We are unable to offer refunds after registration; however, we will work with you if personal circumstances prevent you from attending.
TESTIMONIALS
Hear what our students have to say
"This beautifully facilitated experience allowed me to witness firsthand the power this medicine has to help us reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us. I am most grateful for this opportunity and trust that this experience will pave the path forward towards wider access for healthcare professionals."
ATMA Clinical Trial Participant/Therapist
August 2022
"My personal experience through this trial showed me the incredible healing and life-changing capabilities of this medicine, in addition to the importance of firsthand experience that those administering these medicines should have for themselves… Psilocybin brings us to a place that is ineffable, and offers true healing potential."
ATMA Clinical Trial Participant/Therapist
August 2022
"Experiencing psilocybin has profoundly impacted me in my ability to support clients through their own experiences. To be able to provide the general public this type of experience, I believe, will revolutionize the mental health crisis we are currently in."
ATMA Clinical Trial Participant/Therapist
August 2022
QUESTIONS
Questions about our Advanced PaT Certification Program?
Please reach out to us via phone or email if your question is not addressed on this page.
Yes, all our offerings are open to Canadians and Americans, including training, clinical trials, and business services. This is a great opportunity to prepare for the psychedelic services Oregon now offers, in addition to the new Colorado psychedelic therapy regulations on the horizon.
Health Canada is slowly increasing patient access to therapeutic psilocybin and MDMA. This Advanced PaT Certification Program will provide licensed therapy providers with an understanding of these medicines, and will equip them with the skills necessary to practice legal psychedelic-assisted therapy in legal jurisdictions..
Therapy providers interested in how this psychedelic facilitator training program can allow them to participate in the Oregon legal framework for Psilocybin Services in 2023, please see Oregon Services.
Yes, please contact us for more information on your eligibility.
We are unable to offer refunds after registration.
Yes, all our offerings are open to Canadians and Americans, including training, clinical trials, and business services. This is a great opportunity to prepare for the psychedelic services Oregon now offers, in addition to the new Colorado psychedelic therapy regulations on the horizon.
Health Canada is slowly increasing patient access to therapeutic psilocybin and MDMA. This Advanced PaT Certification Program will provide licensed therapy providers with an understanding of these medicines, and will equip them with the skills necessary to practice legal psychedelic-assisted therapy in legal jurisdictions..
Therapy providers interested in how this psychedelic facilitator training program can allow them to participate in the Oregon legal framework for Psilocybin Services in 2023, please see Oregon Services.
Clinical trials will be held at various clinics across Canada, currently being planned for Calgary, Vancouver, and Ontario.
While our psychedelic therapy students in Canada are encouraged to participate in the clinical trial (an important element of working with psychedelics is to have firsthand experience ingesting the medicine), we understand that some students may have contraindications to psilocybin, or do not meet the other inclusion/exclusion criteria of the trial, and are therefore unable to partake in the experiential session.
Nonetheless, students will still be able to embody the role of the psychedelic facilitator/guide as part of the in-person coaching, and guide clinical trial participants through their psilocybin session. This will allow students to learn how to effectively guide others through psychedelic journeys.
Yes, please contact us for more information on your eligibility.
We are unable to offer refunds after registration; however, we will work with you if personal circumstances prevent you from attending.
