Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Mental Health
6-Week Online Course Beginning on 21 September 2025
Discover how psychedelic medicine is reshaping mental health treatment. Learn the science, clinical applications, and protocols to stay at the forefront of this emerging field.
The course will begin on 21 September 2025.
Join us from:
Sydney: 6pm (AEST)
London: 9am (BST)
* Recordings will be made available for course members
Learn how psychedelic medicines are going to affect the mental health paradigm, and how you can stay ahead of the curve to better serve your patients' needs.
This course is also open to the general public.
What is this training program?
This is a 6-part online training program on the Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.
The course is designed to educate a broad range of medical and mental health professionals, those with lived experience and consumers on the science and clinical use of psychedelics.
This course will get you up to speed on these paradigm shifting treatments, and help you understand how these medicines will affect your practice, patients, families and communities.
- Learn from leaders in psychedelic medicine
- 6x Live lectures from 21 September to 26 October 2025
- Pre-reading material, additional learning resources and assessment of course learning outcomes
- Lifetime access
- Certificate of completion (15 CPD hours)
Why did we create it?
As access to psychedelic medicine is opening up around the world, healthcare professionals and the general public are seeking reliable information about how psychedelic-assisted therapies work and what the potential benefits and drawbacks are.
The Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies is a collaboration between two leading international charities in the psychedelic space: Mind Medicine Australia and Drug Science.
This course provides a solid foundation for anyone interested in psychedelic-assisted therapies. Healthcare professionals who are receiving questions from clients, those considering working in the psychedelic field and members of the general public will all find great value in this training.
Who is it for?
The following categories of people will find great value in this program:
- General Practitioners
- Psychiatrists
- Physicians
- Addiction, Emergency, Cancer, Palliative Care and Other Specialists
- Psychologists
- Psychotherapists
- Counsellors
- Nurses
- Paramedics
- Coaches
- Social Workers
- Occupational Therapists
- Art Therapists and other Healers
- Students in the fields of mental health
- Health System Regulators
- Mental Health Patients and their Families interested in learning more about these therapies
- Other parties with an interest in developing a better mental health system
Student testimonials
"Thanks for everything that Mind Medicine Australia does! For all the advocacy, facilitation of research and education. Prof David Nutt also said in his first lecture he stands under the shoulders of giants (referring to William James and others). I think that David, Peter Hunt and Tania de Jong are Giants themselves - of Leadership and Reason! I am certain in the future they will be written into the history annals with tremendous acclaim. They just need to continue on with their work in the face of adversity."
Fiona Webster
“I want to express my gratitude and satisfaction with the course. I found it both informative and truly inspiring. It has been a foundational experience, laying a strong basis for further growth and understanding. Thank you for putting together such a valuable learning journey!”
Maria Laura Mele
“This course is an excellent introduction into the world of psychedelic-assisted therapy for clinicians and enthusiasts alike.”
Francis Dunne
“This is the most thought-provoking course I've ever taken.”
Mark Wilbourn
“I found the Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Course to be incredibly in depth. Demystifying these substances that I had limited understanding of. Now I see the huge potential for healing using psychedelics in many medical practices. I found the course really awakened a yearning to learn more so I have enrolled in the Certificate of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies course for 2025. As a Shaman I am really excited to be part of this new medical field that merges science and plant medicines.”
Kelly Smyth
“The Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies course has furthered my understanding on the potential mental health benefits of psychedelics while debunking myths which I thought were true. I thoroughly enjoyed learning so much about psychedelics in the six modules, including the science, history, evidence-based benefits, and future of psychedelic medicine.”
Dr Sean Knowles
You'll learn about:
- The historical use of naturally occurring psychedelics, how psychedelic compounds were first synthesised and why they were banned
- The science behind how psychedelics affect the brain, and leading theories for how they support therapeutic outcomes
- An overview of the literature investigating the use of psychedelics for depression, PTSD and other mental illnesses
- Psychedelic-assisted therapy protocols – what do they look like and how do they differ for different medicines
- How these substances are used to assist psychotherapy in a practical context
- What are the potential drawbacks and risks of psychedelic-assisted therapies?
- What are the main considerations for safe and effective psychedelic-assisted therapies?
- An introduction to a paradigm for mental health that considers the full spectrum of human experience
- The deep wisdom held by Indigenous traditions, and the importance of holding respect for these traditions
- The history of ketamine’s use as an antidepressant and its use as a psychedelic medicine
- The legal environment in Europe and Australia, including current options for access and where things are headed
Course Outline
Module 1: The History & Science of Psychedelic Medicine
Module 2: The Essentials of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies
Module 3: Safe & Skilful Delivery of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies
Module 4: Integrating Mind, Body, Heart and Spirit: A New Paradigm
Module 5: Ketamine - A Misunderstood Psychedelic
Module 6: Accessing Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Now and in the Future
The Faculty:
The faculty is made up of leaders in the psychedelic field.
Prof David Nutt (UK)
Renowned researcher, policy advisor and author, Professor David Nutt, is currently Head of Neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College London and the Chair of Drug Science.
Under the leadership of Professor Nutt, the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College is one of the world’s foremost psychedelic research laboratories, publishing landmark research on psychedelic therapies and neuroimaging studies of the psychedelic state.
Professor Nutt has also held many leadership positions in both UK and European academic, scientific and clinical organisations, including presidencies of: the European Brain Council, the British Neuroscience Association, the British Association of Psychopharmacology, the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
He was previously Chair of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
David will be teaching in Modules 1, 5 and 6
Dr Lauren Macdonald (UK)
Dr Lauren Macdonald is a psychiatry doctor, psychedelic therapy guide and group facilitator. For the last few years she has been a clinical trial doctor at The Centre for Psychedelic Research (Imperial College London) investigating psilocybin-assisted therapy for anorexia-nervosa, chronic pain, and treatment-resistant depression.
Alongside her clinical roles Lauren regularly facilitates psilocybin retreats in The Netherlands, and is co-founder of Essence Medicine, an organisation providing psycho-spiritual group support to people facing life threatening illness. Lauren is also passionate about educating future psychedelic facilitators and delivers integrative, experiential and heart-centred training for Mind Medicine (Australia) and PsyEdu (UK).
Lauren has trained in medicine, psychology, MDMA-assisted therapy, and yoga, and continues to be a student of earth-based, indigenous wisdom traditions. She is driven to help people come home to themselves, unfold more of who they truly are, and deepen into the beauty and mystery of life.
Lauren will be teaching in Module 3.
Dr Eli Kotler (AUS)
Dr. Eli Kotler has been on the forefront of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) both in Australia and internationally, currently working at The Journey Clinic. He is the Australian Director of the Certificate of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (CPAT), run by Mind Medicine Australia. In 2021 he challenged the Victorian government in court to allow a patient to access PAT, and was the first psychiatrist in Australia to treat a patient with PAT.
Dr. Kotler is also an experienced psychodynamic therapist. He was the Medical Director of Malvern Private Hospital for many years, a trauma and addiction hospital in Melbourne. He has been invited as a keynote speaker on PAT, trauma and addiction, both internationally and nationally, for leading organisations such as the RANZCP and the IPA. Eli has also been an advisor for the Australian government for reviewing addiction guidelines, and has had extensive research experience in novel neuropsychiatric therapies.
Dr. Kotler has been involved with medical student teaching, psychiatric registrar training, and teaching other psychiatrists about PAT and trauma. He is a preferred provider for the AFL players association, has been an expert witness in over 100 historical abuse legal cases, and served on the Victorian Medical Panels for several years.
Eli will be teaching in Modules 2 and 3.
Peter Hunt AM (AUS)
As an investment banker Peter Hunt AM advised local and multi-national companies and governments in Australia for nearly 35 years. He co-founded one of Australia’s leading investment banking advisory firms, Caliburn Partnership and was Executive Chairman of Greenhill Australia. Peter was a member of the Advisory Panel of ASIC and chaired the Vincent Fairfax Family Office.
Peter is an active philanthropist involved in funding, developing and scaling social sector organisations which seek to create a better and fairer world. He is Chairman of Mind Medicine Australia which he established with his wife, Tania de Jong, in 2018. He regularly presents to Governments, regulators, clinicians, philanthropists and the general public on psychedelic-assisted therapies and the legal and ethical frameworks needed to ensure these treatments can be made accessible and affordable. He was the lead author of Mind Medicine Australia’s successful rescheduling applications for MDMA and psilocybin, which made Australia the first country in the world to reschedule these medicines.
He founded Women’s Community Shelters in 2011. Peter is a Director of The Umbrella Foundation. Peter also acts as a pro bono adviser to Creativity Australia. He was formerly Chairman of So They Can, Grameen Australia and Grameen Australia Philippines.
Peter was made a member of the General Division of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2010 for services to the philanthropic sector.
Peter will be teaching in Module 6.
Prof Celia Morgan (UK)
Celia is a Professor of Psychopharmacology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.
Prof. Morgan completed her undergraduate degree and Ph.D on the acute and chronic effects of ketamine at University College London (UCL). She then completed a scholarship programme at Yale University. After competing her Ph.D Prof. Morgan worked at University of Melbourne as a visiting research fellow, returning to UCL for a fellowship and then Lectureship. She joined University of Exeter in 2013 and was awarded a Chair in Psychopharmacology in 2015.
Prof. Morgan is currently the lead on a state funded Phase 3 trial of ketamine-assisted therapy in AUD and ran the world's first trial of ketamine-assisted therapy. She is also programme director of the Transdisciplinary postgraduate MSc and PGCert in Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine and Culture at University of Exeter.
Celia will be teaching in Module 5.
CPD and Accreditation
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion once they have completed all course content and assessment. You can claim 15 CPD hours with the college/association you're registered with.
About Mind Medicine Australia
Mind Medicine Australia is Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisation working on the use of medicinal psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapies to treat a range of mental illnesses. Mind Medicine Australia exists to help alleviate the suffering and suicides caused by our accelerating mental illness epidemic in Australia, through expanding the treatment options available to medical practitioners and their patients.
MMA works towards this goal by focusing on four strategic pillars:
- Awareness and knowledge building through education, events and webinars.
- Professional development, including the world-leading Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (CPAT)™ along with other workshops and courses.
- Supporting university research, education, funding, and development of clinical trials.
- Supporting patient access, affordable medicine supplies and the development of clinics.
About Drug Science
Drug Science is the only completely independent, science-led drugs charity in the UK, uniquely bringing together leading drug experts from a wide range of specialisms to carry out ground-breaking research into drug harms and effects.
Drug Science works to provide an evidence base free from political or commercial influence, creating the foundation for sensible and effective drug laws, and equipping the public, media and policymakers with the knowledge and resources to enact positive change.
The Drug Science Medical Psychedelics Working Group, led by global experts in the field of psychedelic medicines, aims to create a rational and enlightened approach to psychedelic research and clinical treatment. The future of psychedelic medicine is extremely promising, and there is potential for the widespread application of psychedelic drugs within public health models. Drug Science works collaboratively and proactively with interdisciplinary partners to ensure that psychedelic medicines are developed for UK, EU and worldwide healthcare models. Our aim is to ensure that medical psychedelics can be used safely in an ethical and economically sustainable manner and demonstrate a potential for lasting therapeutic benefit.
Our objectives are:
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Develop and deliver scientific research on psychedelic drugs
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Provide evidence that supports the removal of psychedelic drugs from Schedule 1 restrictions
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Work with regulatory bodies to ensure that relevant legislation is enacted to facilitate medical use of psychedelic drugs
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Promote destigmatisation and improved understanding of psychedelic drugs
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Provide evidence-based educational resources on psychedelic medicine for doctors, pharmacists, healthcare professionals and the general public
