Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023 from 12:00-1:30pm PST

As attempts to integrate psychedelics into the Western legal healthcare system become increasingly relevant, policymakers and practitioners are navigating proper protocols for psychedelic-assisted therapies. As such, the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA) has taken on the project to create the Professional Practice Guidelines (PPGs) for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies. In this forum, clinicians and members of the APPA will provide background as to why they decided to take on this project, as well as answer questions such as: Why are these PPGs so crucial? What is happening now with the PPGs, and what is next? How do these PPGs impact/support practitioners? What interesting questions arose during the drafting process? Join us in this forum with speakers Hadas Alterman, JD, who is the Director of Government Affairs and a Board Member of the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA), Jordan Sloshower, MD, MSc, who is a psychiatrist, researcher, educator and serves as a member of Chacruna Institute’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants, Shannon Carlin, LMFT, who is a psychedelic therapist and researcher who serves in consulting and advisory roles with MAPS PBC and other psychedelic therapy and harm-reduction organizations, and moderator Megan Bowers Patterson, who is the Director of Community and Education at the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA).

Hadas Alterman, JD, is the Director of Government Affairs and a Board Member of the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA). Hadas is responsible for APPA’s policy development and leading high-level discussions with stakeholders in the government, healthcare, legal and psychedelic industries on how to safely integrate psychedelics into the US healthcare system. Hadas is a board member of the Psychedelic Bar Association and sits on the Qualifications, Licensing, and Training Subcommittee of the Colorado Natural Medicine Advisory Board. Prior to joining APPA, Hadas was a founding partner of the Plant Medicine Law Group, LLP, a law firm that works with infrastructure, ecosystem, regulation and compliance with companies and organizations in both the psychedelic and cannabis industries. She was responsible for leading clients through successful cannabis license applications in numerous states and served as counsel to equity applications in both Oakland and San Francisco. Hadas also served on the Equity Subcommittee of the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board. She was previously the co-founder and Policy Director of New Yorkers for Mental Health Alternatives. An Israeli-American currently residing in New York, Hadas was born in Jerusalem and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a J.D. from Berkeley Law.

Shannon Carlin, LMFT, is a psychedelic therapist and researcher with a focus on therapy training, ethics, and organizational development. For 12 years Shannon worked at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and MAPS Public Benefit Corporation developing psychedelic therapy training and supervision programs, therapeutic approaches, harm-reduction services, and ethical standards. As Chief of Therapy Training and Supervision, Shannon led worldwide training programs to prepare clinicians to deliver MDMA-assisted therapy. Shannon was a co-therapist on two MAPS-sponsored Phase 2 trials researching MDMA-assisted therapy and has previously worked with the California Center for Psychedelic Therapy and Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute delivering ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Shannon practices transpersonal psychotherapy and psychedelic integration with a client-centered orientation. She received her master’s degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the CIIS and a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California. Today, Shannon serves in consulting and advisory roles with MAPS PBC and other psychedelic therapy and harm-reduction organizations.

Jordan Sloshower, MD, MSc is a psychiatrist, researcher, and educator whose work focuses on therapeutic applications of psychedelic medicines, and in particular, how these novel treatments can be delivered in a manner that promotes holistic healing and social justice. He is co-director of West Rock Wellness, PLLC and a clinical instructor in the Yale Department of Psychiatry, where he co-founded the Yale Psychedelic Science Group and served as an investigator and therapist in several clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted therapy. Jordan is also a clinical investigator in MAPS’ Expanded Access Program for MDMA-assisted therapy of PTSD and serves as a trainer with Usona Institute’s psilocybin facilitator training program. Reflecting his commitment to ethical stewardship of psychedelic medicines, Jordan was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association and serves as a member of Chacruna Institute’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants. Jordan’s interdisciplinary perspective is informed by prior training in medical anthropology and global health, and deep interests in ceremonial uses of plant medicines, Buddhist philosophy, and integrative approaches to wellness.

Megan Bowers Patterson is the Director of Community and Education at the American Psychedelic Practitioners Association (APPA), where she is responsible for engaging new members and stakeholders across the psychedelic and medical communities through educational events, media, and peer-to-peer member opportunities. Her mandate is to recruit, retain, and support a national audience that supports APPA’s mission to safely integrate psychedelics into the US healthcare system. Megan has extensive experience in programmatic business development, event production, and experiential education program development. Most recently, Megan served at Esalen Institute as the Head of Workshop Programming where she was responsible for recruiting and implementing a more racially-diverse approach to faculty development and the re-introduction of psychedelic therapy into the curriculum. She studied Communications and Business Management at DeVry University and San Francisco State University, and holds a certification from the International Enneagram Association for Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism for Practitioners.

This talk will be recorded and immediately available for rewatch for all attendees.

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Why Do We Need Guidelines for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies?