1.5 Hours / 1.5 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy is presented by Nancy A. Haug, PhD, and Aileen Kucsera, PsyD, PA-C.

This program covers the foundations of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including preparation and integration of commonly administered hallucinogens, mechanism of action, contemporary clinical trials, safety, ethical and diversity considerations. Participants acquire the essential principles of psychedelic therapy for mental health conditions, an understanding of the historical context of psychedelic use, and a framework for addressing the unique ethical questions related to treatment delivery.

This program is intended for clinicians, counselors, or mental health providers at any stage of their career and who work in a clinical environment where clients present with conditions (e.g., treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, addiction, end-of-life distress).

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe psychedelic substances, their current clinical applications in research and potential for treating mental health concerns
  • 2 Describe the key components of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
  • 3 Describe the ethical and diversity issues related to psychedelic-assisted treatments

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians, counselors, and mental health providers who work with clients experiencing conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, addiction, or end-of-life distress. It is designed for those interested in advanced or alternative therapeutic approaches, including the integration of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy into their practice.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychiatrists
    • Psychologists
    • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs)
    • Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs)
    • Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs)
    • Addiction Counselors
    • Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and seek foundational knowledge of psychedelic substances, their clinical applications, and ethical considerations.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some familiarity with mental health interventions and are looking to deepen their understanding of the principles, safety, and diversity issues specific to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians practice in regulated clinical environments that support assessment, preparation, legally authorized supervised dosing, and integration for clients with complex mental health needs. These settings emphasize interprofessional collaboration, medical oversight, risk management, and adherence to ethical, culturally responsive, and research-informed protocols.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Outpatient behavioral health clinics and private practices
    • Hospital-based psychiatry and consultation-liaison services
    • Community mental health centers and nonprofit clinics
    • Substance use treatment programs and dual-diagnosis residential facilities
    • Palliative care and hospice programs
    • Integrated primary care/collaborative care teams
    • Academic medical centers and research clinics
    • Telehealth-supported preparation and integration with in-person medical oversight when needed

Training Instructors:

Nancy A. Haug, PhD

Nancy A. Haug, PhD

Nancy A. Haug, PhD is Professor in the Department of Psychology at Palo Alto University. She is core faculty in the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium, and Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Haug is a licensed psychologist in California and maintains a private practice in Los Gatos, CA. She has clinical expertise in evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders such as motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies, such as ACT and DBT.

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Aileen Kucsera, PsyD, PA-C

Aileen Kucsera, PsyD, PA-C

Aileen Kucsera, PsyD, PA-C, is a graduate of the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium and is currently completing her postdoctoral residency at the San Francisco VA Health Care System, specializing in Substance Use, PTSD, and Co-occurring Disorders. Her research focuses on the knowledge and attitudes of mental healthcare providers towards therapeutic psychedelic use. Aileen is passionate about emerging psychedelic-assisted therapies, specifically the potential to impact the ethical implementation of these treatments into clinical and research settings and reduce stigma associated with substance use.

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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • What are psychedelics? Introduction and historical overview

  • Principles of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy

  • Ethical, legal and safety considerations

  • Case vignette with cultural diversity components

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, 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-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), 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-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, 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-0073.