Psychedelic-Informed Practice: Ethics and Professional Boundaries
Course #9606L -
- Participation Instructions
- Review the course material online or in print.
- Complete the course evaluation.
- Review your Transcript to view and print your Certificate of Completion. Your date of completion will be the date (Pacific Time) the course was electronically submitted for credit, with no exceptions. Partial credit is not available.
This live event takes place Saturday, September 19, 11:30 am-1:30 pm EDT (8:30 am-10:30 am PDT).
As psychedelic use becomes increasingly prevalent and legal access expands, mental health professionals urgently need guidance on ethical practice boundaries. This course prepares clinicians to competently support clients who use psychedelics independently or seek integration support without crossing into illegal facilitation or exceeding scope of practice.
The course distinguishes between psychedelic therapy (providing or facilitating experiences) and psychedelic-informed practice (supporting clients who use substances independently). Drawing on clinical case studies, participants develop practical frameworks for responding when clients disclose psychedelic use, creating therapeutic environments that invite openness without endorsement, and implementing harm reduction approaches that respect client autonomy while maintaining professional boundaries.
This live webinar is designed for therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals encountering clients with psychedelic experiences.
The purpose of this course is to provide behavioral health professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively treat clients who use psychedelic substances.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Identify client safety factors, contraindications, and readiness when clients disclose psychedelic use.
- Apply evidence-based harm reduction interventions that respect client autonomy.
Peter H. Addy, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist, approved clinical supervisor, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapist with a PhD in clinical psychology and 15 years of experience in psychedelic science and consciousness research. He conducted pioneering research on psychedelics at Yale University, where he co-founded the Yale Psychedelic Science Group and studied atypical psychedelic substances. Dr. Addy has authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters on psychedelics, substance use treatment, and transpersonal psychology and is an internationally recognized speaker on psychedelic science and clinical applications. He recently founded Psychedelic Affirming Education, which provides psychedelic-informed professional training for mental health clinicians.
Contributing faculty, Peter H. Addy, PhD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Kimberly Byrd, EdD, PMSW
Scott Deatherage, PhD
The division planners have disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.