The Zendo Project Needs Your Help
MAPS Announces New COO and Board Members
August 31, 2019
Dear friends and supporters,
This month, the Zendo Project launched their annual fundraising campaign to expand psychedelic peer support services at festivals and events. A total of 153 generous donors have raised $25,7774, bringing us to 25% of our $100,000 fundraising goal. The next $42,113 in contributions will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to the remainder of matching grants generously provided by the Riverstyx Foundation ($30,000), Connor Hill ($15,000), and Dan McMurtrie ($10,000).
This week, over 350 people are volunteering with the Zendo Project at Burning Man 2019 in Black Rock City, Nevada. Donations from the Zendo Project annual fundraising campaign will help to provide peer support services and education, train volunteers, secure supplies, and facilitate outreach at Burning Man, the Zendo Project’s largest yearly event. We are grateful to our volunteers and supporters who help make our work possible.
We are pleased to announce new executive leadership at MAPS and MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC)! We congratulate Ana LaDou for her new position as MAPS Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Victoria Hale, Ph.D., and Miriam Volat, M.S., for their recent appointment to the MAPS Board of Directors. MAPS PBC is proud to announce the promotion of Amy Emerson to their Board of Directors. We are delighted by our new leadership and look forward to our continued growth!
Throughout the month of August, MAPS hosted several events dedicated to psychedelic research and education. On August 11, 2019, MAPS hosted The Way of the Psychonaut Book Launch and Film Screening, a sold-out event honoring the work of Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D., at the elegant Scottish Rite Masonic Center in San Francisco, California. We are grateful to all who attended this special occasion!
In Louisville, Kentucky, the MAPS MDMA Therapy Training Program hosted a training for therapists of color from from August 10-17. MAPS sponsored Psychedelic Medicine & Cultural Trauma Workshop from August 10-11.
From August 16-18, MAPS staff attended Breaking Convention, a conference on understanding psychedelics in London, United Kingdom. MAPS staff presented a panel titled “Fundraising for Psychedelic Research.” Other talks included the expansion of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy research in Europe and developing a model for psychedelic-assisted reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis with ayahuasca.
MAPS Associate Director of Development Merete Christiansen, Chief Operating Officer Ana LaDou, Founder and Executive Director Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Development Officer Liana Gillooly, and Major Gifts Officer and Connector Jade Ullmann host a panel titled “Fundraising for Psychedelic Research” at Breaking Convention in London, United Kingdom, on August 18, 2019.
In this month’s edition of the MAPS Newsletter, you’ll also learn:
- MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) is hiring! We are accepting applications for new career opportunities
- Our ongoing therapist training study enrolls 81 participants
- You’re invited to the Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics (SOAP) conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from September 27-29
Follow MAPS on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and reddit.
We’ve had a busy summer! We look forward to sharing more progress with you this fall.
With appreciation,
Amy Mastrine
MAPS Web and Email Marketing Associate
Treating PTSD with MDMA-Assisted Therapy
Phase 3 Trials of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: 14 Sites Now Screening Participants
As of August 28, 2019, fourteen of fifteen sites are officially screening for our FDA-regulated Phase 3 clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Taking place at 15 locations across the United States, Canada, and Israel, study participants will be administered MDMA or placebo in conjunction with psychotherapy at research sites in the following locations:
- Charleston, SC
- Boulder, CO
- Fort Collins, CO
- Los Angeles, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- San Francisco, CA (UCSF and private practice)
- New York, NY (NYU and private practice)
- Boston, MA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Vancouver, British Columbia
- Montreal, Canada
- Be’er Ya’akov, Israel
- Tel HaShomer, Israel (Sheba Medical Center)
Phase 3 clinical trials are assessing the efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in adult participants with severe PTSD. Over a 12-week treatment period, participants will be randomized to receive twelve non-drug preparatory and integration sessions lasting 90 minutes each along with three day-long sessions about a month apart of either MDMA or placebo in conjunction with psychotherapy. The primary endpoint will be the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), as assessed by a blinded pool of independent raters.
The trials are the final phase of research required by the FDA before deciding whether to approve MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as a legal prescription treatment for PTSD. If approved, MDMA will be required to be used in conjunction with psychotherapy in a clinical setting.
To learn more about currently recruiting national and international studies, visit our participate in research webpage. • Learn More
Phase 3 Trials of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: Now Enrolling
We are currently seeking research volunteers for Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. Volunteers will help contribute to scientific knowledge and will help us better understand if MDMA-assisted psychotherapy works for PTSD. MAPS conducts clinical trials under the guidance and regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in collaboration with all federal regulators, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). To learn more about our clinical trials or apply to be a study participant, visit our new website: mdmaptsd.org.
Therapist Training Study: 81 Participants Enrolled
As of August 28, 2019, 81 total participants are enrolled in our ongoing Phase 1 study of the psychological effects of MDMA when used in a therapeutic setting by healthy volunteers. Enrollment in this multi-site study is limited by invitation only to therapists in training to work on MAPS-sponsored clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. The Boulder, Colorado, study site is led by Principal Investigator Marcela Ot’alora, M.A., L.P.C. Zhenya Gelfand, M.D., is serving as Principal Investigator at the site in Charleston, South Carolina. • Learn More
Startle Testing with MDMA: Nineteenth Participant Receives Experimental Treatment
On August 28, 2019, the nineteenth participant completed experimental treatment in our ongoing study of the effect of MDMA on startle testing in healthy volunteers. Led by Principal Investigator Barbara Rothbaum, Ph.D., this study is conducted at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. • Learn More
MDMA Therapy Training Program Update: August 2019
The MDMA Therapy Training Program has launched a series of trainings to prepare therapy providers to become eligible to work on an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD protocol.
The MDMA Therapy Training for Communities of Color event took place August 10-17, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky, and was led by Marcela Ot’alora M.A., L.P.C., and Monnica Williams, Ph.D., A.B.P.P., with additional support. This event began with a 1.5-day Psychedelic Medicine and Cultural Trauma Community Workshop that was open to the public and was followed by a six-day training retreat for therapy providers who work with communities of color. In addition to twelve full scholarships for therapists and affiliated community organizers, tiered tuition pricing options were offered to the entire cohort. These scholarships were made possible through generous funding from the Open Society Foundation (OSF), Libra Foundation, Riverstyx Foundation, Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC), and Dr. Bronner’s. Additional scholarship programs are under development.
Our next MDMA Therapy Training Program retreat will take place October 1-8, 2019 in Asheville, North Carolina, and be led by Annie Mithoefer, B.S.N., and Michael Mithoefer, M.D. Future training retreats will be announced through the training newsletter as they are scheduled.
In January 2019, MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) submitted an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD protocol to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of an application to participate in the FDA Expanded Access (EA) program. We’ve received and responded to several rounds of comments from FDA regarding our protocol submission for Expanded Access (EA), and we will likely hear from the FDA next month. The Expanded Access program’s purpose is to grant access to potentially beneficial investigational treatments for individuals or populations facing a serious or immediately life-threatening condition for which there is no satisfactory treatment currently available. If approved, MAPS PBC would likely start with a limited number of qualified sites to provide MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for participants with treatment-resistant PTSD under a MAPS PBC protocol.
Sites in the U.S. and U.S. territories interested in being considered to participate in an MDMA/PTSD protocol may now apply with MAPS PBC to assess eligibility and obtain the prerequisite training to administer MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. The basic requirements of a qualified site are 1) treatment facility conducive to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 2) therapy team, qualified and able to complete MDMA Therapy Training Program, and 3) prescribing physician who can obtain a DEA Schedule I license for MDMA.
Sites in the U.S. and U.S. territories interested in being considered to participate in an MDMA/PTSD protocol may now apply with MAPS PBC to assess eligibility and obtain the prerequisite training to administer MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. The basic requirements of a qualified site are 1) treatment facility conducive to MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 2) therapy team, qualified and able to complete MDMA Therapy Training Program, and 3) prescribing physician who can obtain a DEA Schedule I license for MDMA.
Additional site and practitioner requirements are posted on our website. Each site must submit one site questionnaire and all applicants interested in training need to complete a therapy training application for providers. Only applicants affiliated with a qualifying site can be considered for training at this time. MAPS PBC will review applications on an ongoing basis, as they are received.
Sign up and stay tuned to the Training Program Newsletter to receive updates on upcoming trainings. • Learn More
Zendo Project Fundraising Campaign: We Still Need Your Help
This week, over 350 people are volunteering with the Zendo Project to provide psychedelic peer support services and education at Burning Man 2019 in Black Rock City, Nevada.
We’re grateful for a fantastic start to our annual fundraising campaign for the Zendo Project! A total of 153 generous donors have raised $25,755.02 to expand psychedelic peer support services and education. The next $42,122 donated to the Zendo Project will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to the remainder of matching grants generously provided by the Riverstyx Foundation ($30,000), Connor Hill ($15,000), and Dan McMurtrie ($10,000).
We still need $74,245 to reach our $100,000 fundraising goal. Donate to the Zendo Project today and receive perks exclusively available for contributors to this campaign! • Donate Now • Learn More
Support MAPS
July 2019 Giving Report: MAPS raises $102,952, Launches Zendo Project Fundraising Campaign
In July 2019, MAPS raised $102,952 in new donations and pledges from 779 supporters. Of that amount, $45,688 was for general support and $55,000 was in matching grant pledges for the Zendo Project.
In August 2019, MAPS launched our annual crowdfunding campaign for the Zendo Project, a MAPS harm reduction program that provides peer support training and services for challenging psychedelic experiences. The Zendo Project is working towards a fully sustainable model where program expenses are fully covered by event venues and producers or are recovered through training fees. Until the Zendo Project is fully sustainable, we rely on support from donors to bring psychedelic harm reduction to the places it’s needed most. This year, our campaign has a total of $55,000 available in matching grants from three generous supporters ($30,000 from the Riverstyx Foundation, $15,000 from Connor Hill, and $10,000 from Dan McMurtrie). The first $55,000 in donations to the campaign will be matched dollar for dollar, effectively doubling the impact of these gifts!
Currently, MAPS estimates $9-$10 million is needed for European Medicines Agency (EMA) trials to supplement the data gathered for the FDA. In May 2019, MAPS reached our initial goal of $2 million raised for this program, facilitating the continuation of critical start up activities for the planned trials in multiple European countries.
We extend a special thanks to those who so generously supported MAPS last month:
General Support:
- Ginger and Brad Coy ($5,000)
- Brooke Stone ($3,000)
- Gabriel Luna-Ostaseski ($2,000)
- Garrett Greenburg ($1,200)
- MUDWTR ($1,200)
- Marya Hecht ($1,000)
- Dawn McCollough ($1,000)
- John Renesch ($1,000)
Zendo Project:
- The RiverStyx Foundation ($30,000)
- Connor Hill ($15,000)
- Dan McMurtrie ($10,000)
LSD Research:
- Steven Charles Schlansker ($1,000)
MAPS Canada
- Sunshine Coast Health Centre Ltd. ($10,000)
- Mark and Laurel Plimley Fund ($2,000)
Fiscal Sponsorship:
MAPS fiscally sponsors like-minded organizations and projects. This list includes donors who have contributed $1,000+ to organizations we fiscally sponsor.
- Robin Wechkin and Bill Bolosky ($49,687) – AIMS Institute
- Anonymous ($30,000) – From Shock to Awe
- Harry A. Morton ($5,000) – The Mission Within
- Louis Schwartzberg ($5,000) – Prescription X
MAPS relies on the generosity of individual donors to achieve its mission. Psychedelic science is again being conducted under federal guidelines, but no funding for psychedelic psychotherapy research is yet available from governments or major foundations.
Help us reach our goal to make MDMA a medicine by 2021 by establishing a monthly gift of $10 or more. maps.org/donate
Together, we can legalize psychedelic medicine. Learn how to include MAPS in your will or estate plans.
Learn more about hosting a Global Psychedelic Dinner to fundraise for MAPS.
Media
Featured Media: August 2019
- Psych Congress: MDMA Moving Closer to Therapeutic Use
- August 14, 2019
- Voices of Esalen: Psychedelic Integration, Pt. 3: Rick Doblin on MAPS, MDMA, Esalen, and PTSD
- July 18, 2019
MAPS Store
The Way of the Psychonaut: Encyclopedia for Inner Journeys by Stanislav Grof, M.D., Ph.D. (Two-Volume Book Set and eBook)
The Way of the Psychonaut is one of the most important books ever written about the human psyche and the spiritual quest. The new understandings were made possible thanks to Albert Hofmann’s discovery of LSD–the microscope and telescope of the human psyche–as well as other psychedelic substances. This comprehensive work is a tour de force through the worlds of psychology and psychotherapy, Holotropic Breathwork, maps of the psyche, birth, sex, and death, psychospiritual rebirth, the roots of trauma, spiritual emergency and transpersonal experiences, karma and reincarnation, higher creativity, great art, and archetypes. • Two-Volume Book Set: Volumes 1 and 2 • eBook (Volume 1) • eBook (Volume 2)
MAPS Baby One-Piece
Keep your infant cozy in the MAPS Baby One-Piece! This piece is 100% cotton with a 3-snap closure and an envelope shoulder neckline. • Buy Now
Events
Browse our Event Calendar page for more opportunities.
Insight 2019: Integrating Science and Practice of Psychedelic States, September 5-7, 2019, Berlin, Germany
The INSIGHT 2019 is a public transdisciplinary conference on the science and practice of psychedelic states. Join to participate in the discussion with international experts and young researchers from the fields of medicine, neuroscience, psychotherapy, philosophy, social and political sciences, public health, and policy making. Our goal is to create a responsible and evidence-based discourse about the complexity and usefulness of these states – both induced by pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods.• Learn More
Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 27-29, 2019
SOAP is hosted in partnership with MAPS and the Pittsburgh Psychedelic Society. Hosted at a historic mansion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, SOAP is a yearly conference exploring the role of psychedelics in science, medicine, policy, and culture. In partnership with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and the Pittsburgh Psychedelic Society, this year’s event will feature conversations with experts from various realms of the psychedelic renaissance, to broaden horizons and inspire guests with the power of these substances to heal lives and communities. • Learn More
MAPS Benefit Dinner, September 28, 2019, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
On Saturday, September 28, 2019, you’re invited to join MAPS for an intimate benefit dinner in a historic mansion with MAPS Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D., and Shannon Clare Carlin, M.A., A.M.F.T., Director of Training and Supervision for MAPS’ MDMA Therapy Training Program. The dinner will feature special guest, neuroscientist Dr. Gul Dōlen, M.D., Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Space is very limited, so reserve your seat at the table today! • Buy Tickets
Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics 2019, October 11-13, 2019, New York, New York
Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics is an annual forum in New York City that examines the role of psychedelic drugs and plant medicines in science, medicine, culture and spirituality. In recent years, a growing community of scientists, doctors, scholars, and activists have orchestrated a renaissance in psychedelic research and practice. Horizons brings together the brightest minds and the boldest voices of this movement to share their knowledge, insights, and dreams for the future. Now in its twelfth year, Horizons is the largest and longest-running annual gathering of the psychedelic community in the world. • Learn More
MAPS Benefit Dinner, October 12, 2019, New York, New York
You’re invited to join us in New York for our annual benefit dinner in a private home in SoHo, Manhattan, on October 12, 2019. We are thrilled to host special guests Hamilton Morris from VICE TV’s “Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia,” Dr. Rachel Yehuda of Mount Sinai, MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 MDMA therapist Will Van Derveer, M.D., and MAPS Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D. This event coincides with the 13th annual Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics conference in New York City. Tickets will go quickly. Sign up to be the first to know when they are on sale. • Add Your Name
Psychedelic Science Summit, November 2-3, 2019, Austin, Texas
Join MAPS and the psychedelic community at Fair Market in Austin, Texas for the first Psychedelic Science Summit! This two-day conference will feature lectures and panels from leaders of the psychedelic renaissance. You’ll have a chance to connect with the fast-growing international psychedelic community and explore the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead for the expanding fields of psychedelic science, medicine, and spirituality. Featuring keynote talks from MAPS Founder Rick Doblin, Ph.D., and mycologist Paul Stamets. Full schedule and speaker lineup to be announced soon. • Learn More
Psychedelics for Clinicians 101 & 102, November 2-3, 2019, Montreal, Canada
This 2-day training offered by psychologists Ingmar Gorman and Elizabeth Nielson 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 and role-play exercises. It is the first time a program of this kind has been offered in Montreal. • Learn More
International Drug Policy Reform Conference, November 6-9, 2019, St. Louis, Missouri
The International Drug Policy Reform Conference is a biennial event that brings together people from around the world who believe that the war on drugs must end. Reform attendees have the opportunity to spend three days interacting with people committed to finding alternatives to the war on drugs while participating in sessions given by leading experts from around the world. • Learn More
Participate in Psychedelic Research
MDMA Studies Sponsored by MAPS
MAPS sponsors clinical trials around the world that offer volunteers the opportunity to participate in our research studies. Our studies have strict enrollment criteria based on the goal of the study and the condition the study is investigating.
Phase 3 trial participant enrollment is now open. Please bookmark our Participate in Research page and check it frequently for updates.
Ayahuasca Ceremony and Retreat Participant Survey
This is an anonymous survey gathering preliminary data about the safety and ethics of ayahuasca ceremonies in various settings. The data collection is a part of the doctoral dissertation work of the principal investigator, Jessica Brown, M.A., L.M.F.T. • Learn More
More News
We’re Hiring!
MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (MAPS PBC) is currently hiring! MAPS PBC is hiring a Video Systems Support Specialist (European Union), Regulatory Affairs and Submission Specialist (RASS), and Clinical Study Assistant. You can support MAPS by referring qualified applicants to our open positions.
Thank you to Dr. Bronner’s for their company’s support of the MAPS Newsletter!