Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 from 12:00-1:30pm PST

In current conversations surrounding psychedelics, we often see a heavy focus on science in exploring and defining the benefits of these medicines, especially biomedicine with its emphasis on the effects of certain molecules. However, when it comes to psychedelics, personal experiences, subjectivity and storytelling are just as important in explaining how psychedelics can be transformational beyond biological and physiological effects. For many, there can be a connection between psychedelics and liberatory praxis, as we are often faced with dismantling societal structures and deeply understanding the systemic issues in place under the guidance of these medicines. This community forum is aimed as a space to learn about intersectional issues, cultural humility and collective liberation. We will explore questions such as: What does liberatory praxis and storytelling look like in regards to psychedelics? How do psychedelics impact our storytelling? How can psychedelics and storytelling play a role in collective liberation, particularly in the communities we serve? Join us in this forum with Victor Cabral, who serves as the Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs for Fluence Training and Deran Young, who is the founder of Black Therapists Rock, in this forum moderated by Gillian Scott-Ward, who is an internationally-known Clinical Psychologist, filmmaker and advocate for social justice.

Victor Cabral is a collaborative and strategic leader who is committed to making an impact on historical inequities in his community and beyond. He is a Licensed Social Worker and practicing psychotherapist in Pennsylvania with training in Internal Family Systems, psychedelic-assisted therapy, and psychedelic harm reduction and integration. Currently, Victor serves as the Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs for Fluence Training, a company that provides evidence-based training in psychedelic-assisted therapy and psychedelic harm reduction and integration services (PHRI) to clinicians across the world. He is listed on Students for Sensible Drug Policy’s list of “40 Under 40 Outstanding BIPOC Leaders in Drug Policy in the United States” for his work in psychedelic policy and received the 2022 Emerging Social Work Leader Award from the National Association of Social Workers.

Deran Young is a licensed therapist specializing in racial trauma and legacy burdens. She is also a Co-Author of the New York Times Best Seller, You Are Your Best Thing, a retired military officer, & founder of Black Therapists Rock. Black Therapists Rock is a non profit organization with a network of over 30,000 mental health professionals committed to reducing the psychological impact of systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma. She obtained her social work degree from University of Texas, where she studied abroad in Ghana, West Africa for two semesters creating a high school counseling center for under-resourced students. Deran has visited over 37 different countries and her clinical experience spans across four different continents. Her passion for culture and people has led her to become a highly sought after diversity and inclusion consultant working with companies like BBERG, Facebook, Linked In, and YWCA. She resides in the Washington DC area with her 10 year old son.

Gillian Scott-Ward, PhD is an internationally-known Clinical Psychologist, filmmaker and advocate for social justice. She specializes in healing through the mind-body-soul connection, integrating a variety of clinical tools such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Energy Psychology, EFT/Meridian Tapping, Somatic Therapy and is a certified EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapist. She is a recent graduate of the Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Therapies and Research program at the California Institute of Integral Studies and currently practices Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) with individuals within her private practice. She recently held her first KAP group for Clinicians of Color in New York City. She is passionate about the power of sounds, music, smell and touch to shift us into altered states of consciousness. She is currently exploring ways to weave Strength-Based EMDR resourcing into integration work to support journeyers ability to shift into healthier, embodied, ways of being.

Psychedelics and Storytelling as Liberatory Praxis