After psychedelic therapist training? Apprenticeship Model of Practicum & Clinical Supervision helps psychedelic therapists gain valuable experience
The Psychedelic Institute of Mental Health & Family Therapy offers Psychedelic Practicum, Supervision, Apprenticeship, Clinical Consultation in the Greater Palm Springs | Joshua Tree area and online in collaboration with an independent medical / psychiatric provider.
The analysis, which also considers the literature on therapists’ personal experience with the mental disorder being treated or with psychotherapy, concludes that the current evidence does not justify making personal psychedelic(-like) experience a requirement for psychedelic therapists. However, because therapists’ personal psychedelic experience can be valuable to both therapists and patients, and because the likelihood of harm is very low, psychedelic therapists should be given the opportunity to have a psychedelic experience during their training.
Licensed mental health providers have state or local licensure in mental health (counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work). Psychedelic therapy specialists have a minimum level of credentials and experience in general mental health, and have completed their foundational psychedelic trainings and certifications, (Certificate in Psychedelic Therapy & Research from the California Institute of Integral Studies, MAPS, Naropa, Soundmind, etc).
Clinical practicum offers experiential practice and clinical supervision with medical oversight and ongoing collaboration and consultation to gain experience in psychedelic ketamine therapy from an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) perspective. This approach emphasizes the importance of personal experience with the process of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and ongoing support and professional development opportunities for medical and mental health providers specializing in psychedelic medicines in conjunction with psychotherapy.
The Psychedelic Institute of Mental Health & Family Therapy has consulted on over 2500 hours of advanced clinical apprenticeship with mental health and medical providers across the country.
2024 Psychedelic Therapist Curriculum (Pdf)
PlanetMedicines
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy & Support
A current, ongoing analysis and practical application of the 60+ years of ketamine research (Open to Clinicians and Non-Clinicians)
Thursdays/Sundays – New Cohort begins September 2024
We meet 2x weekly via webcam with an optional in-person group in Joshua Tree, CA. Psychedelic practice around the world and throughout time involves an apprenticeship model and extensive personal experience working with ordinary and non-ordinary states of consciousness. With great consideration to increasing access, this practicum was developed to prepare ketamine therapists to work with a brief employee assistance program (EAP) and insurance models, as well as to offer non-clinicians a practical, evidence-based framework for psychedelic research and practice. Foundational educational training and/or continuing education units required. Practicum and Clinical Consultation in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and support picks up where your foundational psychotherapy and psychedelic training ends, with an opportunity to build your personal private practice.
Topics in Psychotherapy with psychedelic ketamine:
Introduction to cognitive behavioral therapy for psychotherapeutic care and support, a model of working with clients undergoing self-administered sublingual ketamine in collaboration with referring medical and mental health providers
Current and historical paradigms in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (psycholytic through psychedelic) and its context within general psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including adverse effects, scope of practice vs scope of competency, and evolving ethical and legal landscape for psychedelic therapy practice
Cognitive behavioral therapy framework, incorporating music, as well as concepts from other therapeutic “languages”, such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) and story-telling are presented as a way to prepare for the 4 types of ketamine experiences and in integration of these experiences to maximize any ongoing positive effects that may be experienced when working with a medicine, and lessen any likelihood of lasting harm from possible side effects
A multicultural, existential, ethical and secular approach to ketamine psychedelic integration, which honors and is informed by the wisdom of cultures who have safely worked with these medicines and experiences throughout time. Balance this with cutting-edge research in cognitive behavioral therapy, metacognition and the 100+ year intersection of human psychology and psychedelic plant medicines and synthetic psychedelics like ketamine, MDMA, Psilocybin, DMT, and mescaline
Socratic Learning— Peer-practiced experientials with the various forms of racemic ketamine patients may be working with, in the dosing ranges standard in at-home, sublingual ketamine therapy, under the direction of a licensed mental health provider and an on-call medical provider after proper medical and mental health screening. Ketamine experiences require collaboration with an independent medical provider. Hybrid online live practicum with option in-person retreat and/or in-clinic retreat.
Practice- Clinical fellows sit 6-12 times (minimum) with the medicine and 6-12 times (minimum) as a support to someone experiencing the medicine, using the same integration process as clients, a standardized, evidence-based approach of cognitive behavioral therapy
Didactic lectures— guest speakers working in the field with specialties in psychopharmacology, medicine, mental health and multicultural perspectives
Professional Development– continuing education, practice-building, Weighing fee for service, sliding scale model in psychedelic therapy vs contracting and credentialing with insurance panels, corporate practice of medicine issues, scope of practice vs scope of competency, Current themes in telehealth, Digital hygiene, Use of technology— tools to monitor progress, at-home KAP setup, in-office KAP setup, ethical considerations in social media, advertising & AI, sound and technodelic applications in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and non-medicine psychedelic experiences, risks and benefits of sharing data
Final Project— what will YOUR contribution to the field be? Your final project reflects your lived experience, and what you think is important to know about working with psychedelic medicines like ketamine.
2024 Clinical Fellows
Dominique Condevaux, LPC
Dominique offers ketamine-assisted psychotherapy via telehealth for clients in Michigan and Colorado. Dominique is a licensed addiction and professional counselor (National and Distance credentialed), as well as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with certification specialties concerning child, parent, and family issues.
I am in my 9th week of 12 weeks of Ketamine practicum, and I cannot recommend this enough. What I appreciate the most is the thoughtful, insightful manner that Dr. DeMarco took when introducing the medicine to me. He shares his vast amount of information freely not only with his students but also with the Ketamine community at large. I have been sharing my experiences with my colleagues and I am asked frequently about my work with Dr. DeMarco. I feel that all psychotherapists should go through practicums such as this to experience what a client may encounter.
I feel that in addition to the previous psychedelic education, this practicum has leveled up my knowledge and experience working with Ketamine and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Please feel free to reach out with any other questions you may have.
Dominique Condevaux LAC, LPC, MAC, ACS, BC-TMH, NCC
Thais Salles Araujo, MD
Dr. Salles is a medical doctor in California with a specialty in internal medicine and medical acupuncture. A 2023-2024 UCLA Palliative Care fellow, Thais has experience in teaching medical students, residents, and healthcare providers both in Brazil and US. Her interests include spirituality, holistic pain care, ancient healing traditions, psychedelics, and medical education.
I’m on my 4th week of 12 week practicum and already have learned so much! Dr. DeMarco is a wealth of knowledge and is so on top of the latest research and policy updates. I appreciate very much the opportunity to familiarize myself with ketamine journeys in different doses and facilitate others. It is bringing me to a more applicable deeper knowing, from this place of self experience. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
Thaís Salles Araujo, MD
Psychedelic Ketamine Professional Development
Psychedelic Professionals self-organizing and building the infrastructure of psychedelic medicines in their practices at compounding pharmacies, psychedelic wellness clinics, at-home ketamine clinics curated virtually, or sacred medicine ceremonies and retreats.
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