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Last month, we asked what kind of therapist you want to become. The results of our poll showed a strong interest in working on clinical trials and with FDA approved psychedelics. These choices reflect a commitment to working within the existing licensure and healthcare systems while pursuing the treatments that will hopefully be most widely available to patients. While the timelines are uncertain and the barriers to approval are high, it's time to anticipate and prepare for the FDA approval of a psychedelic in the foreseeable future.
Our colleagues at Psychedelic Alpha publish an excellent research study tracker that can help you understand which sponsor is researching which drug, and for which indication. You can also use ClinicalTrials.gov to look up specific research studies and see more information, including study sites. Here are a couple of important factors when you're considering getting involved in psychedelic clinical trials:
If you're looking to work with people who are actively receiving a psychedelic for a mental health indication, you'll want to be working on a trial that is either a Phase II or Phase III.
Phase I studies are establishing the safety of the drug and appropriate dosing, usually in a population of healthy volunteers, and therefore don't tend to employ mental health professionals as treatment providers.
Study therapists are typically hired directly by sites, so you’ll want to connect with any sites in your area that are actively running or recruiting staff for a clinical trial. If you find a site in your area that is working on a clinical trial you are interested in, research the organization to see if they are working on other trials. Remember that it can take a long time for a site to get started with a study, so establish relationships by contacting the site about opportunities and checking in periodically.
In some cases, Fluence will assist sponsors or sites in identifying appropriate candidates for study therapist roles. Depending on the need, we may reach out to preselected groups of trainees who took specific courses, seek candidates through our google group (a closed email group for people who’ve taken a live-online course with us), or post more broadly in this newsletter.
Entering a role with a research trial requires the right timing and fit, and these opportunities are limited in number. However, we anticipate far more opportunities to work with psychedelics opening after FDA approvals begin. This may still require affiliation with a group or practice that is approved or established to provide this kind of treatment. On-demand education, training programs such as Essentials of Psychedelic Therapy, and continued attention to community announcements here at Fluence can help you prepare. For those of you that have already completed training with us, I encourage building your Fluence Psychedelic Therapists Directory profile and professional website to include your psychedelic therapy training background. Networking with others in the field to build relationships and make mutually beneficial connections is an excellent early investment you can make in your future as a psychedelic therapist.
As this field continues to take shape, clinicians who invest early in foundational knowledge, ethical rigor, and professional relationships will help define what responsible psychedelic care looks like in practice. By preparing now, you are helping lay the groundwork for both wider access to populations in need, as well as a field that reflects the values of thoughtful practice and patient-centered care. The work you do now to anticipate regulatory approval positions you not just to participate, but to lead as this next chapter unfolds.
Thanks for reading,
Fluence Co-Founder
We’re pleased to highlight Fluence trainer Sara Gael, MA, LPC. Sara is a psychedelic therapist, educator, and mentor. She brings expertise in organizational leadership, strategic development, and community movement-building. She graduated from Naropa University in 2012 with a Master’s degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Nature-Based Therapy. While at Naropa she co-founded the student group, Naropa Alliance for Psychedelic Studies (NAPS).
Sara worked at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) from 2013-2023, overseeing the work of the Zendo Project and spearheading the MAPS city of Denver First Responder Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention Training. She was an appointed representative on the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel from 2019-2024.
Sara was an Investigator/therapist for Lykos MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Clinical Trials and serves as a Lykos Lead Educator, Training Consultant and Associate Supervisor. She was the founding Course Director for the Integrative Psychiatry Institute’s Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Training, overseeing a global faculty of over 30+ esteemed mental health experts and developing over 300 hours of curriculum, impacting over 2,000 students.
Sara comes from mixed white/hispanic ancestry and was raised in Northern New Mexico. Central to her own healing journey has been connection to land and the natural world. She has held a relationship with psychedelics for over 25 years and they have supported her in navigating her own personal and transgenerational trauma. She believes in the potential of psychedelics as catalysts for individual, community, and collective healing and is committed to equitable access for historically and currently marginalized communities.
Sara will be instructing our upcoming February session of Essentials of Psychedelic Therapy.
Curious about training in psychedelic therapy but unsure where to begin?
We’d love to help you gain clarity on how one of our courses fits into your path. Schedule a free 1-on-1 Zoom call with Kabir Cooppan-Boyd, dedicated to guiding you on your learning journey.
During your call, Kabir can answer your questions and explain how our courses connect to professional certificates in:
Psilocybin Facilitation
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration (PHRI)
If you’re a clinician with questions or curiosity about our programs, this personalized conversation is the perfect way to find your best next step.
Schedule your free 1-on-1 Zoom call with Kabir
Start your journey now and move toward certification in Psilocybin Facilitation, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, or Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration at the current, lower rate.
All certificate programs start with our six-week Essentials of Psychedelic Therapy course, with the February cohort taught by Sara Gael, MA, LPC.
Certificate Programs
Psilocybin Facilitation
Feb 26 - Sep 1, 2026
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Feb 26 - Nov 24, 2026
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Therapy
Feb 26 - Jul 13, 2026
New Jersey’s psilocybin pilot program becomes law
New Jersey’s Legislature passed the Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Therapy Pilot Program, signed into law on January 20, 2026, establishing state-funded psilocybin-assisted therapy pilots with a $6 million appropriation. The law creates a State Advisory Board to guide implementation and develop evidence-based recommendations for equitable access and future expansion.
Northwell Health opens psychedelic research center
Northwell Health launched the Center for Psychedelics Research and Treatment at Zucker Hillside Hospital (NY). This facility will support clinical trials on psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, and cannabis for conditions including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, blending experimental settings with real-world research infrastructure.
Meta-analysis confirms preparation in psychedelic therapy improves outcomes
A meta-analysis reported that longer preparation stages in psilocybin- and LSD-assisted therapy are linked with greater reductions in depressive symptoms, underscoring how therapeutic process elements (not just the psychedelic dose) shape effects.
