There was a palpable sense of excitement as the inaugural cohort of students gathered at the Dossier Hotel in downtown Portland for a 160-hour course run by Fluence, an education and training consultancy that offers certification in the nascent field of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

“It feels like I’m dreaming,” said Brian Pilecki, 43, a psychotherapist who was one of the instructors. “I never imagined this would happen in my lifetime.”