San Francisco, CA — [March 2026] — The Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines is pleased to announce its upcoming course “Ayahuasca: Healing, Science, and Indigenous Knowledge,” running May 4 – August 10, 2026. This immersive online training brings together leading researchers, clinicians, anthropologists, and Indigenous leaders to explore ayahuasca from both traditional and contemporary perspectives.
Bridging Indigenous Wisdom and Psychedelic Science
As interest in psychedelic plant medicines continues to expand globally, this course offers a critical and culturally grounded exploration of ayahuasca’s role in healing, research, and global discourse. Participants will examine the growing internationalization of ayahuasca while engaging with Indigenous perspectives, ethical questions, and emerging scientific research.
Topics include Amazonian healing traditions, ayahuasca and Western psychotherapy, environmental conservation, legal frameworks, and the complex cultural dynamics surrounding the globalization and commodification of sacred plants. Reflecting Chacruna’s mission, the course fosters dialogue between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary psychedelic science.
Course Overview
Dates: May 4 – August 10, 2026
Format: Hybrid online course with pre-recorded lectures and live Zoom discussions
Live Sessions: Mondays, 10:30am–12pm PT / 1:30pm–3pm ET
Tuition: $950
CE Credits: Pending approval
Scholarships: Available
Students will review lecture recordings ahead of each session and join weekly live discussions with faculty and peers.
Distinguished Faculty
The course features an international group of scholars, clinicians, and Indigenous leaders, including, Esther Jean Langdon, Evgenia Fotiou, Simon Ruffell, Adam Aronovich, Francisco Apurinã, Tashka Yawanawá, Edivaldo Muká Yawanawá, Lígia Platero, Bruno Ramos Gomes, Anya Ermakova, Henrique Antunes, Regina de Oliveira and Paula Bizzi Junqueira.
Together, they will guide participants through the cultural, scientific, ecological, and political dimensions of ayahuasca in today’s rapidly evolving psychedelic landscape.
About the 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.
Media Contact:
Lorien Chavez
Chacruna Institute
lorien@chacruna.net
415-390-6157
