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Description

Psychedelic compounds have a rich and fascinating history of use in spiritual and healthcare settings. After a nearly 60-year hiatus, recent advances in clinical research indicate that these medicines may soon be available to the public as treatments for some of humanity’s most profound forms of suffering: alcoholism, drug addiction, PTSD, and depression. Psychotherapists and other healthcare providers are increasingly called upon to help clients integrate profoundly meaningful psychedelic experiences into the fabric of their daily lives, resulting in long-term positive changes.

This entirely on-demand training is designed for clinicians and healthcare providers who want to learn more about current psychedelic research and clinical practice, including how to work with patients who have a history of psychedelic use or have expressed an interest in using psychedelics. This interactive training includes experiential learning, demonstrations, self-reflection, and role-play exercises. The themes of spirituality, ethics, and critical discussion will be woven throughout the program with opportunities for connection, collaboration, and building community.

We start with the premise that your patients are curious about psychedelic research, and so are you! The early part of our program gives some background on psychedelic compounds, their history, and current research with MDMA and Psilocybin-assisted therapy. We then discuss recent and current clinical trials, outcomes, legal status, and what it all means for the future of addiction and trauma treatment. We then move to the practicalities of defining integration and how it can occur in a clinical setting. We focus on translating research findings into clinical practice, including working with patients who are considering using psychedelics, actually using psychedelics, or have used them in the past. This program includes discussion of assessment and integration techniques, resources, and legal and ethical issues. Program participant clinicians will complete the course with a conceptual and practical understanding of how to engage clients in discussions about psychedelics that are balanced, reduce potential for harm, and increase the potential for benefit from these experiences.

Learning Objectives

  • Name one early model of psychedelic therapy that informs modern clinical research with psilocybin
  • Identify at least 3 indications for which psilocybin-assisted therapy has been researched in modern clinical trials
  • Name at least two key figures in modern clinical research with MDMA
  • Explain one reason why MDMA-assisted therapy is thought to be a good fit for treatment of PTSD
  • Explain how current MDMA-assisted therapy combines non-drug psychotherapy sessions with MDMA sessions
  • Discuss the historical justifications for psychedelic clinical research
  • Describe key theoretical approaches to psychedelic-assisted therapy
  • Discuss the state of psychedelic clinical research, rescheduling efforts, and how psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy works with clients
  • Compare psychedelic integration psychotherapy to integration in peer and shamanic settings
  • List key “red flags” that indicate someone should seek specialized psychiatric care after a psychedelic experience
  • List principles of psychedelic-assisted therapy in a basic/initial assessment of clients who report psychedelic use
  • List contraindications and discuss high risk cases of individuals who are contemplating psychedelic use
  • Describe the role of the therapist in an individual’s integration psychotherapy process

Continuing Education

  • Fluence International, Inc. is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Fluence maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • Fluence International, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0232.
  • Fluence International, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0674.
  • Fluence International, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0167.
  • The Department’s approval of a provider of continuing education does not constitute the Department’s endorsement of the content, positions or practices that may be addressed in any specific continuing education course offered by the approved provider.
  • Fluence, #1845, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 7/10/2023 – 7/10/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 6.00 continuing education credits. This licensure preparation program and materials associated with it were not included in the Association of Social Work Boards’ Approved Continuing Education (ACE) review and are not approved by ASWB for continuing education nor endorsed by ASWB in any manner.
  • For questions about continuing education and receiving your CE Certificate or Certificate of Attendance, contact info@fluencetraining.com. You can also navigate to the FAQs page for more information about our courses/events.

Course Outline & Assignments

  • Introduction to Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Introduction
    • Welcome
    • What is Psychedelic Integration Therapy?
    • Psychedelics and psychedelic science: The drugs, their history, and the early research efforts
    • A brief history of psychedelics
    • Introduction to psilocybin-assisted therapy research
    • Introduction to MDMA-assisted therapy research
    • Introducing Psychedelic Harm Reduction in Clinical Practice
    • Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration in Clinical Settings
    • Harm Reduction Informed Preparation
    • Clinical Examples and Assessment for Integration
    • Integration of Psychedelic Experiences in Individual Psychotherapy
    • Getting Started with Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration in Your Practice
    • Self-Assessment
    • Evaluation
    • References
  • Introduction to Psilocybin-assisted Therapy Research
    • Welcome
    • Psilocybin-assisted Therapy Research
    • Self-Assessment
    • Evaluation
    • References
  • Introduction to MDMA-assisted Therapy Research
    • Welcome
    • MDMA-assisted Therapy Research
    • Self-Assessment
    • Evaluation
    • References

* The recorded videos within the “Introduction to Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Introduction” section of the course account for the 4.00 ACE CE credit hours. All other modules are not included in the number of awarded ACE CE credits. The recorded videos in all sections of the course account for the 6.00 APA and NYSED CE hours.

More Info

Format & Length: Recorded video-based asynchronous distance learning (self-study). Total run time 6 hours.

Topic Area & Instructional level: Clinical practice. Introductory.

Who Should Attend? Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and other medical professionals.

Completion Requirements: To receive a certificate of completion with CE information included students must complete all course sessions and modules, and obtain a score of 75% or higher on course completion quizzes. Upon completion of the course, students must also complete an evaluation form. For on-demand courses (recorded asynchronous distance learning), students will be able to access/download their certificate after marking all modules “complete.” For live/online courses (live synchronous distance learning), students will receive an attendance verification code from an administrator after their full attendance has been verified; Once they complete the “Attendance Verification” module, students will be able to access/download their certificate.

* For participants completing the course for APA credit only: if you would like to complete the course without submitting a response to the satisfaction survey, please contact us.

Course Publication & Review Dates: July 27, 2022 | Reviewed July 20, 2023

System Requirements: Students will need access to a computer and internet connection to complete this course.

Financial Support & Conflict of Interest Statements: Fluence pays course trainers for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course. There is no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support for this course.

Other: Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility. Click here to see our frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance. For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

This is a fantastic course for clinicians who want to learn about the ethical practice of psychedelic integration. I have high hopes that soon this will be more widely recognized as a unique, effective and beautiful instrument to assist people in their healing process.

Stephanie King
Fluence Student

I am so glad I found this program! As a Licensed Professional Counselor, I have clients that often tell me about their experiences with psychedelics, now I feel more confident in my knowledge. Fluence is a great program!

Edna Balboa
Fluence Student & Journey Clinical Member

Training was focused and geared towards fully preparing the practitioner. Thorough and comprehensive. System is easy to use & navigate. I feel prepare to start practicing. Encouraged and supported by the team.

Niurka Sotolongo
Fluence Student & Journey Clinical Member

I appreciate the harm-reduction approach taken in the education presented. So much hype has been made about MDMA and its uses – understanding the limitations of the studies, (how much we can extrapolate from octopi, for example) – I appreciate Fluence making it clear that part of our responsibility is to manage expectations and minimize harm while also facilitating healing.

Mandy Bliss
Fluence Student

As a Trauma survivor and a clinician focused on Trauma in the Veteran and First-Responder community, I can say without hesitation that Fluence has set me up for success as I expand my knowledge and practice in this and other important adjuncts to so-called ‘traditional therapy’. I’m excited about the possibilities- thanks Fluence!

Donald McCasland
Fluence Student