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Program composed by three multi-week courses and one workshop will ground participants in essential topics in psychedelic studies including justice, equity, conservation, ethics and history.
April 12, 2022 – Filling a void in the psychedelic space, Chacruna is now offering Studies in Psychedelic Justice, an inclusive program with 3 courses and one workshop focused on essential topics of justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, taught by Chacruna’s team and a few extra invited professors, all leading experts working at the cutting edge of anthropology, psychology, law, healthcare, science, conservation and more. The series begins this May. On offer are three multi-week courses ranging from six to 16 weeks, as well as a one-day workshop focusing on reducing the impact of implicit bias. Participants can take one course or sign up for all four.
As the field of psychedelic studies grows and receives international attention, many programs and courses focus solely on psychedelic science. While this work is vital, Chacruna recognizes the essential need for psychedelic education grounded in justice, equity, and cultural and historical context.
Chacruna Institute’s vibrant courses, designed to be intellectual, personal and experiential, will leave participants with a nuanced understanding of the topics Chacruna explores. They will also provide students with unprecedented access to groundbreaking teachers, researchers and luminaries in the field. Courses meet weekly and will support people already working within, or interested in stepping into, psychedelic studies and praxis, as well as anyone interested in deepening their knowledge on the subject.
Bia Labate, PhD, Chacruna Institute’s Executive Director, shares that “Chacruna Institute’s Studies in Psychedelic Justice is a unique offering,” she says. “We combine academic excellence with a compassionate approach towards social justice issues. Amidst the explosion of trainings in the emergent field of psychedelics, the shamanic and spiritual roots of the psychedelic movement as well as marginalized contributions in both healing and research by women, queer people, Indigenous peoples, people of color, and the Global South, are frequently excluded from the mainstream narrative.” She adds, “we need healers and therapists that have a deep humanistic worldview, grounded in historical and cultural traditions, and not just biomedical peer reviewed articles.”
The nine-week course Diversity, Culture and Social Justice in Psychedelics (May 3-June 28), will examine how psychedelics and the psychedelic field are influenced by structural bias, power and privilege, social justice, queerness, gender identity, Indigenous practices and more. Faculty include, among others, Dr. Monnica T. Williams, Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Disparities; Dr. Darron T. Smith, Professor of Sociology at the University of Memphis; and Dr. NiCole T. Buchanan, Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University and Clinical Director and Founder of Alliance Psychological Associate.
The Science of Psychedelic Healing (July 9-August 9), will bridge cutting-edge psychedelic science in western research and medical practice with psychedelic use in recreational, spiritual and Indigenous contexts. Classes will focus on substances such as cannabis, psilocybin, MDMA, and 5-MeO-DMT, and will also look at adverse effects and drug reactions, neurobiological mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Faculty include Dr. Gul Dölen (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), family and integrative health practitioner Dr. Harry McIlroy, Dr. Kelan Thomas, a Bay Area psychiatric pharmacist and associate professor, and Dr. Natalie Gukasyan, a psychiatrist and Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University, among others.
The one-time workshop, Reducing the Impact of Bias on Therapy, Education and Training, convenes July 27. Led by NiCole T. Buchanan, PhD, this participatory session will explore ways implicit bias affects personal and professional interactions, with a special focus on education, business profitability, and client, customer, and patient care. This workshop is designed particularly for providers and educators in medical and mental health settings, both formal and informal.
Rounding out the series, the 16-week Roots of Psychedelic Therapy: Shamanism, Ritual and Traditional Uses of Sacred Plants, runs August 16-November 29. Lectures, taught by an international team featuring members of Chacruna Institute and its affiliates, will explore topics including psychedelic plants and conservation, sacred plants and shamanism, Mazatec uses of psilocybin, peyote and the Native American Church, traditional and contemporary uses of iboga and ibogaine, the effects of psychedelic tourism, ethics in plant medicine circles and much more. Faculty include Joseph Mays, MSc, Program Director of Chacruna’s Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas; ethnobotanist, medical anthropologist and filmmaker Glenn H. Shepard Jr.; Chacruna Executive Director Bia Labate; Associate Director of Chacruna Latinoamérica in Mexico Diana Negrín; Associate Director of Chacruna in Canada Erika Dyck; and Attorney and Founder of Calyx Law Graham Pechenik.
“As with all of Chacruna Institute’s work, we are at the cutting edge, and the field generally follows,” notes Labate. “We hope to see you in our classes!”
Courses offer continuing education credits for professionals including mental health therapists and RNs. Bundling all four courses gives you membership access to all of Chacruna. Spots are limited; reserve yours here. Scholarships are available.
Click here for a 20% bundle discount + 1-year complimentary Chacruna Community Leader membership by purchasing courses and workshop
About Chacruna Institute
The Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization co-founded by Brazilian anthropologist Dr. Bia Labate and American psychologist Dr. Clancy Cavnar, based in Northern California and with strong ties to Brazil and Mexico. We promote reciprocity in the psychedelic community, and support the protection of sacred plants and cultural traditions. We advance psychedelic justice through curating critical conversations and uplifting the voices of women, queer people, Indigenous peoples, people of color, and the Global South in the field of psychedelic science.
Contact Information
Francisco Rivarola
Chacruna Institute
[email protected]
415-390-6157
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