Psychedelic Science 2021 Webinar Series
In this multidisciplinary online course, we’ll explore the latest advancements in psychedelic research, medicine, and policy and find out how to apply those lessons to our lives now and in the near future.
In the Psychedelic Science 2021 Webinar Series, you’ll join leaders of the psychedelic renaissance for insights into the latest research into the medical and therapeutic uses of psychedelics. We’ll also get a sneak peek at key issues affecting the wider availability of psychedelics for healing and spirituality, and explore new approaches to harm reduction, and broaden our collective understanding of psychedelics.
Learn directly from key players in psychedelic research, therapy, and advocacy about the hottest topics in the field.
The online sessions will include 60 minutes of presentations, followed by 30 minutes of Q&A from the audience. All sessions will be live, and will take place on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (PDT).
Video recordings of each webinar will be provided to all registered attendees. Webinar recordings will be privately sent to attendees within one week after the webinar session has concluded.
All registration proceeds help expand psychedelic research and education. By participating in this webinar series, you’re helping make the dream of legal psychedelic therapy into a reality.
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.
Webinar Sessions
Psychedelics and the Future of Palliative Care
Featuring Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D. and Erika Dyck, Ph.D.
Moderator: Liana Sananda Gillooly, MAPS Development Officer
Thursday, May 13, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
Learn about the history and look to the future of the use of psychedelics to provide meaningful care and relief from life-threatening illnesses and other medical conditions. Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D., and Erika Dyck, Ph.D., will reimagine what it means to care for people who have limited options for relieving the symptoms of their diagnosis.
Anthony P. Bossis, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine conducting clinical research with the psychedelic compound psilocybin since 2009. Dr. Bossis was director of palliative care research and co-principal investigator on the 2016 clinical trial and publication demonstrating a significant reduction in emotional distress from a single psilocybin session in persons with cancer, specifically, a rapid decrease in depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and demoralization along with improvements in spiritual well-being and quality of life. He is study director and lead session guide on an FDA-approved clinical trial evaluating psilocybin-generated mystical experience upon religious leaders. His primary psychedelic research focus is on the treatment of end-of-life existential distress and to advance our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality. Dr. Bossis is a training supervisor of psychotherapy at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center and co-founder of the Bellevue Hospital Palliative Care Service. He is a faculty member for The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research Certificate Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and for the Integrative Thanatology Certificate Training Program at the Art of Dying Institute / New York Open Center. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and guest editor (with Charles Grob, M.D.) for the journal’s Special Series on Psychedelics. He has a long-standing interest in comparative religion, mysticism, and on the interface of psychology and spirituality. He maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in NYC.
Erika Dyck is a professor and a Canada research chair in the history of health and social justice. Her interdisciplinary research brings social sciences and humanities perspectives to scientific and medical subjects. Her work has been published in medical, legal, economic, literary, philosophical, anthropological, and historical venues. She is the author of several books, including: Psychedelic Psychiatry: LSD from Clinic to Campus (Johns Hopkins, 2008; University of Manitoba Press, 2011); Facing Eugenics: Reproduction, Sterilization, and the Politics of Choice (University of Toronto, 2013), which was shortlisted for the Governor General’s award for Canadian non-fiction; Managing Madness: the Weyburn Mental Hospital and the Transformation of Psychiatric Care in Canada (University of Manitoba Press, 2017), which won the Canadian Historical Association Prize for best book in Prairie History; and with Maureen Lux, Challenging Choices: Canada’s Population Control in the 1970s (McGill-Queens University Press, 2021). She is also the co-editor of Psychedelic Prophets: The Letters of Aldous Huxley and Humphry Osmond (2018); and A Culture’s Catalyst: Historical Encounters with the Native American Church in Canada and Peyote (2016). Erika is the co-editor of the Canadian Bulletin for Medical History/Bulletin canadien d’histoire de la medicine and the co-editor of a book series on the global history of alcohol and drugs, called Intoxicating Histories.
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Where the Clinical Meets the Cultural
Featuring Joe Tafur, M.D. and Belinda Eriacho, M.P.H.
Moderator: Bia Labate, Ph.D., Public Education and Culture Specialist
Thursday, May 20, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
In this session, we will discuss the limitations and challenges of navigating regulations for medicalization of psychedelic therapy in the Western world while exploring alternative cultural and community-based models.
Dr. Joe Tafur has been an Integrative Medicine activist throughout his medical career, while in medical school at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, and during his Family Medicine Residency at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After residency, Dr. Tafur completed a two-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the UCSD Department of Psychiatry. After this research fellowship, Dr. Tafur continued work as a Family Physician in the U.S., and then eventually started his work in the Peruvian Amazon. In 2011, he helped to found Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual, a traditional healing center in the Peruvian Upper Amazon. At Nihue Rao, Dr. Tafur underwent traditional apprenticeship in Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine and Shipibo curanderismo.
After years dedicated to his work in the forest, in 2017, Dr. Tafur stepped down as a business partner at Nihue Rao, in order to focus on new projects. In March of 2017, he published his book The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor’s Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine about his unique journey into spiritual healing work.
With his colleagues, he also started the nonprofit Modern Spirit, dedicated to demonstrating the value of spiritual healing in modern healthcare. In addition to education and community-building projects, Modern Spirit is currently focused on supporting the Modern Spirit Epigenetics Project, a groundbreaking substudy of the MAPS MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy research trial.
In 2019, Dr. Tafur and his colleagues Dr. Amalia Baca ND and Ray Baca opened the Ocotillo Center for Integrative Medicine, an integrative clinic in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The Ocotillo Center offers naturopathic medical Services, integrative medical consulting, counseling, health education and hands-on-healing.
Belinda Eriacho, M.P.H., is of Dine’ (Navajo) and A:shiwi (Pueblo of Zuni) descent, residing in Arizona. She is the wisdom carrier, healer, and founder of Kaalogii LLC. Belinda holds degrees in Health Sciences, Technology, and Public Health. In addition, Belinda has participated in the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, MDMA People of Color Therapy Training Program. She is an international speaker on issues that impact Native Americans in the United States. Additionally, she is one of the founding members and a member of the board of directors for the Church of the Eagle and the Condor.
She is the author recent articles that are available on charuna.net: “Considerations for Psychedelic Therapist when working with Native American People and Communities”, “ Guidelines for Inclusion of Indigenous People into Psychedelic Science Conferences” and “This is not Native American History, this is US History with Belinda Eriacho”.
Her website can be visited here.
Harm Reduction: Exploring Concerning Substance Use
Featuring Dr. Charles Flores, LPCC, LAADC-S, MAC, and Jenifer Talley, Ph.D.
Moderator: Sara Gael, M.A., Harm Reduction Officer, Zendo Project
Thursday, June 3, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
Psychedelic medicines are becoming more widely accepted every day. While in general psychedelics are considered non-habit-forming, as with any substance, concerning use can occur. Without expert guidance and support, it can be difficult to see the indications of harmful psychedelic substance use and know where to turn for help. In this session, these experts will explore the topic of the harm reduction approach to concerning substance use and how this approach can offer a much-needed alternative to prohibitionist or abstinence only approaches. The speakers will discuss some of the underlying causes of concerning substance use and how we can compassionately address these issues and support individuals and communities in developing a healthy and responsible relationship with psychedelics.
Dr. Charles Flores LPCC, LAADC-S, MAC, is CEO of Vital Puma Integral Recovery, is a California licensed and nationally certified psychotherapist, and a state and internationally certified advanced drug and alcohol counselor who has practiced in multiple settings in the field of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders for over 25 years. He has directed several multi-million dollar substance abuse and mental health treatment programs in the Bay Area. He is currently the Psychedelics and Addictions Fellow for the CIIS Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research. He is also professor of Chemical Dependency Studies at California State University, East Bay and has taught psychology at several other universities for the past 15 years. Dr. Flores is the Chair of the Education Board and Board Member of the Membership Board of the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, where he serves on the Executive, Finance and Legislative Committees.
Originally hailing from the South Bronx, Dr. Flores obtained his BA from Vassar College in International Studies and Philosophy, his MS in Counseling Psychology at Fordham University, and gained additional training and certifications in Family Counseling in Iona College, the Ackerman Institute, Gestalt Associates, Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, Sophia University, and his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Integral Studies in multicultural, humanistic, and spiritual psychology. He has published and presented on the topic of Integral Psychology and somatic psychology in conferences in the US, Europe, and India. Dr. Flores has had a long-standing passion for harm-reduction Recovery from substance mis-use, and the use of technology and meditation and other spiritual practice to support individual and societal change. He is excited about the prospects for the use of psychedelic therapies for Recovery in this “psychedelic renaissance”, and directing these therapies to the underserved and traumatized populations that most need them.
Jenifer Talley, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of trauma and substance misuse from an integrative harm reduction framework. Dr. Talley has expertise in providing mindfulness-based interventions and has conducted several trainings on the integration of mind-body practices in treating substance use and trauma. She is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of the Concentration in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling at the New School for Social Research where she participates in the training and supervision of graduate students in psychology. Dr. Talley is also the Assistant Director of The Center for Optimal Living where she coordinates mindfulness and trauma-based services in addition to providing individual and group therapy. Dr. Talley received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Virginia Tech and previously worked as a Supervising Psychologist at the Women’s Health Project of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.
Psychedelic Ownership: Patents, Intellectual Property, and Public Benefit (Panel)
Featuring Joy Sun Cooper, Frank L. Gerratana, and Rosy Wolfe
Moderator: Ismail L. Ali, J.D., Policy, Advocacy, and JEDI Counsel
Thursday, June 10, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
Patents and intellectual property are key mechanisms for traditional pharmaceutical companies to make money, though there are a variety of approaches to the patenting process among psychedelic pharmaceutical companies. In this session, Joy Sun Cooper, Frank L. Gerratana, and Rosy Wolfe will discuss the ethics of patenting psychedelic substances, learn about novel applications of patents for psychedelic medicines, and explore how making patents available through the public domain can protect accessibility.
Joy Sun Cooper co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of Groups, a venture-backed healthcare services company that is tackling the opioid epidemic in rural America. Groups operates more than 50 outpatient clinics in six states that is pioneering a value-based model for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
Prior to starting Groups, she helped launch GiveDirectly, a global nonprofit that gives cash to the ultra-poor with no strings attached using mobile payments technology and conducts rigorous, experimental evaluation to measure impact. She previously was an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company in the healthcare and agriculture practices and Director of Operations at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), where she designed and implemented large-scale HIV treatment programs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Joy holds an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in international affairs from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Frank L. Gerratana is a patent attorney in Boston and advises MAPS on a pro bono basis on intellectual property matters. He has also participated in successful and ongoing drug decriminalization efforts at the local and state level in Massachusetts. Outside of work and activism, Frank has been active in the Boston burner community and served on the board of directors of Firefly, the Burning Man regional event for New England.
Rosy Wolfe is a human being whose career has included nonprofit management, writing, and technology education. Her current role is Executive Director at Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC), an organization that got its start managing a large IP address block allocated to amateur packet radio usage. In 2019, the organization sold a quarter of the address space, creating the basis for an ongoing fund aimed to support amateur radio and digital communication science both in the US and internationally. Rosy joined as Executive Director in July 2020 and is managing the establishment of ARDC’s legal and administrative frameworks as the organization transitions from operating as a public benefit corporation to a private foundation.
Prior to ARDC, Rosy (under her former name, Beth Schechter) ran the Open Cannabis Project, a nonprofit dedicated to documenting cannabis genetic data as prior art, helping to prevent overbroad patents from being issued on these historically under-documented plants. She has also written curriculum on HTML, CSS, and Javascipt basics, developed a fellowship program for a renowned mapping and data visualization studio, edited a guidebook for communities in Ghana wishing to exercise land tenure rights, diagrammed how the patent system works with cannabis plants, and supported or managed art, digital, and robotics projects alike – among many other adventures. Rosy holds an M.S. in Digital Media from Georgia Tech, where her work focused on participatory design with foragers and farmers, and a BA in Philosophy from Georgia State University, where she focused on legal theory.
Psychedelics and Integration
Featuring Ingmar Gorman, Ph.D., and Shannon C. Carlin, M.A., L.M.F.T.
Moderator: Merete Christiansen, MAPS Associate Director of Development
Thursday, June 17, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
The process of integrating psychedelic experiences is just as important as the experience itself. In this session, join Dr. Ingmar Gorman and Shannon C. Carlin, M.A., L.M.F.T., to learn how the process of integrating the variety of insights, lessons, healing, creativity, and difficulty that can emerge during a psychedelic experience, informed by ongoing clinical trials of psychedelic therapy and models of harm reduction.
Dr. Ingmar Gorman is a co-founder of Fluence, a psychedelic education company training mental health providers in psychedelic treatments. As a psychologist, he shares his expertise in empirically supported psychedelic treatments with his clients and trainees alike. Dr. Gorman received his clinical training in New York City at the New School for Social Research, Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, Columbia University, and Bellevue Hospital. He completed his NIH postdoctoral fellowship at New York University. He simultaneously served as site co-principal investigator on an FDA-regulated Phase 3 clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is currently a study therapist on the same study, as well as another FDA-regulated clinical trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Gorman has published on the topics of classic psychedelics, MDMA, and psychedelic harm reduction and integration.
Shannon C. Carlin, M.A., L.M.F.T., is the Director and Head of Training and Supervision at the MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit. As the Director of Training and Supervision, Shannon oversees the development and implementation of the programs that provide training and supervision to prepare mental health and medical professionals to deliver MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in approved clinical settings. Shannon started working with MAPS in 2011 before joining MAPS PBC in 2016.
In her dedication to supporting people through growth and healing, Shannon has served as a co-therapist on MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 trials researching MDMA-assisted therapy for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for severe PTSD. Shannon’s direct clinical work continues to inform the development and implementation of the training programs she oversees.
Shannon’s previous professional experience includes the development of community programs delivering resources, services, training, and support for healthy living, life skills, employment, and positive youth development. Her work has served adults with schizophrenia, bipolar, and substance use disorder, families and youth in a low-income residential setting, and high school students learning about moderation management of drug and alcohol use. In her lifelong commitment to address homelessness, Shannon volunteers with housing projects and shelters and completed a farm internship with the Homeless Garden Project.
Shannon received her master’s degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. An adventurer at heart, Shannon can be found in nature, backpacking, running, and dancing. She celebrates and cultivates relationship and community and is passionate about life, love, and thriving.
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Couples
Featuring Anne Wagner, Ph.D., C.Psych., and Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N.
Moderator: Bia Labate, Ph.D., Public Education and Culture Specialist
Thursday, June 24, 2021
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT)
Long before MDMA became a scheduled substance in 1985 due to increasing social use, Leo Zeff, Ph.D., trained more than 150 therapists in the practice of administering MDMA as an adjunct to therapy — especially in couples therapy. When used in therapeutic contexts, MDMA has been shown to increase levels of compassion, openness, and communication, creating a compelling case for researchers and therapists to incorporate the use of MDMA as an adjunct to therapy.
In this session, MAPS-sponsored researchers Anne Wagner, Ph.D., C.Psych., and Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N, will explore the potential of integrating MDMA and psychotherapy as a tool to help couples strengthen and heal their relationships.
Panelists will discuss the findings from the MAPS-sponsored pilot study of MDMA-assisted Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in couples of which one partner was diagnosed with PTSD, which resulted in significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and relational outcomes for couples.
To expand upon the promising results from this study, our panelists will provide an overview of next steps for furthering the research necessary that will allow legal access for couples to utilize MDMA-assisted therapy as a tool for healing relationships.
Dr. Anne Wagner, C.Psych., is the founder of Remedy, a mental health innovation community, and is the lead investigator of the pilot trial of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD + MDMA and the upcoming randomized trial of Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT) + MDMA. This work and collaboration builds on the MAPS-sponsored pilot CBCT+MDMA trial she ran with colleagues Michael Mithoefer, M.D., Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., and Candice Monson, Ph.D. Anne is deeply committed to bridging the worlds of psychotherapy and non-ordinary states of consciousness, and has a passion for its use for relational healing. She is committed to supporting and protecting traditional and Indigenous wisdom with sacred medicines and consciousness expansion, and uplifting the voices of women in the psychedelic world. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology and an Associate Member of the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University. She is also certified in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and is engaged in learning and practice of somatic, emotion-focused and transpersonal methods of healing. She is the Past-Chair of the Traumatic Stress Section of the Canadian Psychological Association, is a Global Ambassador for the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, and sits on the Board of Directors of Casey House (Toronto’s HIV/AIDS Hospital).
Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., is a Grof-certified Holotropic Breathwork Practitioner and is trained in Hakomi Therapy. Since 2004 she has been a co-therapist for a series of MAPS-sponsored clinical trials. She and her husband, Michael, completed the first Phase 2 clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in 2009, a subsequent study of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in military veterans, firefighters, and police officers, and, in collaboration with Candice Monson, Ph.D. and Anne Wagner, Ph.D., a recently completed study with couples receiving MDMA-assisted therapy in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD. She and Michael are now leading trainings in MDMA-assisted therapy for therapists, supervising MAPS Phase 3 therapists ,and providing MDMA sessions for research therapists.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do register?
The Psychedelic Science 2021 Webinar Series, and each individual session, can be purchased in advance online. A registration confirmation will be sent to the email that was used for registration. Please check your email spam/junk folder if you don’t see the confirmation email in your primary inbox.
How do I attend the webinars?
The webinar sessions will be hosted on Zoom. The link that you will need to attend any of the webinar sessions will be in the registration confirmation email. If you can not find your registration email readily, please check your junk/spam email folder before reaching out. Attendees will not need to set up a (free) Zoom account prior to attending any of the sessions, however it is encouraged to attend through the Zoom desktop app for the highest quality experience.
When are the webinars?
All webinar sessions will be held on Thursdays starting on May 13, through June 17, 2021 from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (PDT), though some sessions may last longer depending on speaker availability and audience engagement.
What is the format?
Each webinar session is 90 minutes, featuring 60 minutes of conversations, presentations, and topics, followed by 30 minutes of audience-driven questions answered by the presenters.
How much do webinars cost?
Tickets cost $35 for each individual session or $175 if you buy the full series of six webinars.
Are any discounts available?
Yes! A reduced cost registration option is available. If you are an elder, student, military, veteran, non-profit employee, community organizer, or on fixed/low income for any particular reason, please email webinars@maps.org for more information.
When does registration close?
Registration for all webinars in the series closes after the final webinar ends, on June 17 at 1:30PDT). If you missed a webinar that interests you and you did not get a chance to register before the session took place, you are still able to register for the session to receive the recording of the webinar session. We recommend registering in advance whenever possible to receive the full interactive experience.
How do I ask a question during the webinar?
Anyone may ask a question during the webinar using the Q&A box within the Zoom platform, and the moderator will select questions to ask the speakers during the question and answer portion of the session. We encourage everyone to think about their questions in advance and submit them well before the question and answer portion begins.
Can I cancel my webinar registration?
To receive a refund for any individual webinar session or for the full series registration, contact webinars@maps.org using the email that you used to register along with your registration confirmation by the following deadlines. Please note that there is a 3% processing fee that is automatically applied to every refunded transaction.
Deadlines to submit refund requests:
- Single-session registrations: No later than two (2) days before the session begins. For example, if you want a refund for the session on June 10, the deadline to request a refund is June 8)
- Full webinar series registration: Tuesday, May 11, 2021.
We understand that life happens and unexpected events can occur. If you miss the deadline for requesting a refund due to extenuating circumstances, please reach out to webinars@maps.org.
Can I transfer my registration to a friend?
No. We encourage all individuals to register themselves for the Psychedelic Science 2021 Webinar Series as all proceeds will contribute to our efforts towards psychedelic research, policy reform, and education. If your friend is experiencing financial hardship, we encourage them to reach out to webinars@maps.org for a reduced-cost option or a scholarship opportunity.
What if I missed a webinar? Will the webinars be recorded?
Video recordings of each webinar will be sent to everyone who registered (for the webinar session) after the session has concluded.
Are Continuing Education (CE) credits available for this webinar series?
Yes, you can register for continuing education credits. Six total credits are available and can be applied to any 4 of the 6 sessions where attendance is live. This does not apply for recorded sessions. We work with the Spiritual Competency Academy to make this possible for our webinar attendees. If you have questions, please get in touch with webinars@maps.org.
What are you going to do with my email after the webinar?
Your email address will only be used to support your webinar attendance including providing you with post-session recordings. If you wish to receive regular email updates and news from MAPS, please visit maps.org/updates.
What if I have more questions?
Contact webinars@maps.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Please note that in the hour before a webinar begins we may not be able to respond quickly, so send your questions as soon as you have them.