May 2023
Psychedelic Integration: Premise & Promise

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 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 training 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.

• 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
• Assess clients for key “red flags” that indicate someone should seek specialized psychiatric care after a psychedelic experience
• Utilize 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
• Name at least two key figures in modern clinical research with MDMA
• Articulate 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
• Name one early model of psychedelic-assisted 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

• 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.
• For questions about receiving your CE Certificate or Certificate of Attendance, contact Selah Drain, selah@fluencetraining.com.