Advanced Certificate
Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration
The Advanced Certificate in Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration is designed to prepare licensed clinicians to provide psychedelic integration therapy in their clinical practice. As opposed to psychedelic-assisted therapy (still limited in its legal avenues to KAP, and state-level exceptions), psychedelic integration looks at how to support clients right now, before and after psychedelic experiences of all kinds—retreats, community and religious ceremonies, self-directed use, meaningful and challenging recreational experiences, and more—immediately applicable in the scope of their existing practice.
The Winter 2025 cohort will run from January 31st to April 18th. Please see below for more information about prerequisites and eligibility.
Please note that applicants who wish to take the Advanced Certificate in PHRI with Fluence must first complete the Certificate in Essentials of Psychedelic Therapy, a 6-week foundational program that is intended as a primer for all advanced Fluence modules. Those who have not yet completed the Essentials program may still apply directly to Adv. PHRI, but will be required to select an Essentials cohort during the application process. Applicants who have already enrolled in previous cohorts of Essentials may submit an abbreviated, supplemental application to the Adv. PHRI program. That application is availablehere. Please note only one application is required in either case.
Overview of the psychedelic harm reduction and integration (PHRI) model offering a non-judgmental stance that values patients’ autonomy and experiences.
Context of why, when, and how PHRI and integration therapy can be offered.
Models of integration and where they can be applied throughout this course and a PHRI practice.
Week 2 – Assessment and Intake
Assessment strategies tailored to the unique motivations, experiences, and needs of individuals using psychedelics.
Psychoeducation: Evaluating the risks and goals associated with psychedelic use and – Models of assessment that transcend the conventional pathology-focused approaches, focusing on client’s motivations and the potential for therapeutic insights and personal growth.
Week 3 – Classic Psychedelics
The major information about and understanding of the “classic” psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD that clinicians might need in order to support their clients’ choices.
Week 4 – Non-Classic Psychedelics
The major information about and understanding of the “non-classic” psychedelics like ketamine and MDMA that clinicians might need in order to support their clients’ choices.
Week 5 – Preparation, Set & Setting, Dosing
What is unique about preparing a client to work with psychedelics when you won’t be working with them – and when they may be trying a variety of psychedelics in a variety of settings.
How the set, setting, dose, and other elements of the dosing day might impact the client’s experience, and how you as a therapist can help them be best prepared for that.
Week 6 – Approaches to Psychedelic Integration
The key frames and approaches that clinicians can use in effective psychedelic integration throughout a client’s experience, with skill demonstrations of those approaches.
Week 7 – Supporting Challenging Experiences
The major types of challenging experiences clients could possibly have while taking psychedelics.
How therapists can help clients process and cope with challenging experiences.
Week 8 – Supporting Positive Experiences
Understand the types of meaningful positive experiences clients can have on psychedelics – including exaggerated positive experiences that may impact a client’s wellbeing and the people around them and how to help their clients integrate and expand upon those experiences
Week 9 – Concept of loss of Self
How self-concept relates to psychedelic experiences, and awareness of one of the two major types of beyond-the-self experiences clients can have with potential loss of self-concept.
Week 10 – Mystical and Spiritual Experiences
How mystical or spiritual experiences may emerged in psychedelics and how they are understood by clients
How to support clients who may have had one of those kinds of experiences
Week 11 – Ongoing Integration and Education
The longer-term elements of integration
How to support clients moving beyond the immediate PHRI context
Week 12 – Bringing PHRI into your practice
How clinicians can approach building PHRI and psychedelic integration into a legal and ethical therapeutic practice
Expand the items below to review further details about the program.
Dates and Deadlines
Winter 2025 Cohort – 12 week program led by Alexander Camargo January 31 February 7, 14, 21, 28 March 7, 14, 21, 28 April 4, 11, 18 11:00AM – 1:00 PM ET
Application Deadline for those who have taken the Essentials prerequisite: January 24, 2024 Early Bird Registration Deadline for those who have taken Essentials prerequisite: Deadline has passed
Cost and Payment Plans
The cost of the full program including the Essentials prerequisite is $5500 USD, payable before the start of the program. Alternatively, students can elect to pay five equal monthly payments of $1155 for a total of $5775.
The cost of the program for those who have already completed the Essentials program is $3000 USD, payable in one lump sum, or in three equal monthly payments of $1050, for a total of $3150.
Admission Requirements and Application
The Certificate program is open only to licensed psychotherapists, physicians, nurses, and other professionals who can legally provide mental health care and have a background and training in psychotherapy. Candidates for the Adv. PHRI program must meet all the following criteria:
Hold an active medical or clinical license or be on track to obtain licensure through an advanced degree program or post-graduate professional experience.
Have prior training and counselling experience practicing psychotherapy or related health care services in the field of mental health or addiction treatment.
Additionally, candidates are expected to have the capacity to participate online in a group learning process. These qualifications outline the minimum requirements for the program. The Admissions Committee will consider years of experience, education, and capabilities.
The application includes basic information about the applicant, their professional background, and existing experience. It also includes opportunities for applicants to present their intentions, values, goals, and aspirations for joining the program.
The Admissions Committee will review and come to a decision on the approval and admission of the applicant within 1 week of receipt. Additional Fluence training team members may be consulted for input during this process, and any team members’ existing relationship with the applicant may be taken into consideration. Once a decision has been reached the program administrator will provide the applicant with an acceptance, deferral, or refusal letter.
I came to the PHRI program confused about how I could ever integrate psychedelic medicine into my clinical and academic work, but the journey through the classes (especially Dr. Guss!), the wonderful retreats and mentoring has brought me to a useful place of confidence in working with patients around their psychedelic experiences.
My Fluence experience has been deep, rich and broad. It included education, but also connection, inspiration, wisdom, and opportunity. I am grateful for the structure, facilitation, diversity and meaningfulness of the material. My heart is full of love and gratitude for every single person within the Fluence community who has been part of my training. The entire experience has exceeded expectations.
With the many psychedelic training programs emerging, it can be daunting to choose one. I have found the instructors at Fluence warm and welcoming, as well as extremely knowledgeable and passionate about this field. The courses are relevant and practical, providing actionable concepts and skills that be instantly applied in my professional life. I feel supported by the Fluence community and have benefited from the ability to network with others. I am grateful for my experience at Fluence and would not hesitate to choose this program again!
My time in Fluence’s Psychedelic Harm Reduction Integration certificate program thus far has been invaluable. The program is both accessible and rigorous, flexible and structured and is already directly applicable to my private practice work. The instructors are actively involved in current, ground-breaking research and have years of experience in the field. I have also enjoyed getting to know my fellow students, who hail from all over the world and also share in the excitement and desire to fold psychedelic integration into their clinical work.
I chose Fluence to certify me in Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration based on how interactive their program is, the highly sought after instructors that would be training me, and how much they care about communicating with me related to my progress and development in the program.
