State-approved program sets standards for ethical psychedelic facilitation in Colorado
Fort Collins, Colo., March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Elemental Psychedelics, a women-led training center dedicated to ethical and community-centered psychedelic practitioner education, proudly announces the graduation of its first cohort from its comprehensive Psilocybin Mushroom Facilitator Training Program. This milestone underscores the company's commitment to integrating clinical and psychospiritual approaches in psychedelic facilitation.
The 150-hour training program bridges conventional clinical paradigms with safe, ethical, and respectful psychospiritual psychedelic work. Participants engaged in 80 hours of online synchronous and asynchronous curriculum, complemented by 70 hours of in-person education tailored to both clinical and wellness tracks. The in-person component also included two immersive 3-night retreats.
Co-founder Dori Lewis, MA, MEd, LPC-S, says: "Our inaugural cohort has demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the sacred responsibility of psychedelic facilitation. At Elemental Psychedelics, we believe that effective facilitators must first develop their own relationship with the medicine and their inner landscape. This graduating class embodies our commitment to training practitioners who approach this work with both clinical expertise and deep reverence for the psychospiritual dimensions of healing."
Elemental Psychedelics' experiential approach to training ensures that graduates are not only well-versed in theoretical knowledge but also possess practical skills for effective facilitation. The program emphasizes the cultivation of a deep personal relationship with one's inner landscape and the mushroom journey space, fostering an ability to support a range of client experiences during medicine sessions.
"This graduation represents more than just the completion of training—it marks the emergence of practitioners who understand that psychedelic work exists at the intersection of science, ethics, and spiritual wisdom," says co-founder Shannon Hughes, MSW, PhD. "By fostering intimate learning environments and emphasizing hands-on experience, we're cultivating a community of facilitators equipped to honor the complexity of this work while maintaining the highest standards of safety and integrity."
As one of Colorado's first Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)-approved programs, Elemental Psychedelics is playing a pivotal role in shaping the state's emerging psilocybin mushroom facilitation and therapy landscape. The organization's emphasis on community-based learning and hands-on experience differentiates it from larger institutional and online-only programs, offering multiple face-to-face learning opportunities that foster intimate and transformative educational environments.
"Participating in Elemental Psychedelics' Psilocybin Mushroom Facilitator Training has had a profoundly positive impact on my work as a psychologist and a natural medicine facilitator," says Alisa Hannum, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and Chair of the State of Colorado's Natural Medicine Advisory Board. "This program is crafted with such intention and thoughtfulness in terms of providing ethical, culturally sensitive, and safe training in this emerging field of practice. I firmly believe the community of facilitators this program is creating will be at the forefront of ensuring that natural medicine in Colorado will be conducted with cultural humility and psychospiritual wisdom."
"I was looking for a training program that was rooted in the deep cultural traditions of psilocybin as well as the modern clinical understanding of mental illness," says Brandon Sklar, MD. "Elemental excelled incredibly at this integration. After completing their training, I feel equipped to humbly utilize this powerful medicine with the reverence and respect necessary to facilitate healing and growth in my psychiatric practice."
"Training with Elemental Psychedelics has been transformative for myself and my practice," says April Matulovich, MA, LPC. "By far, the most impactful part of the training was the intimate cohort which created a safe and non-judgmental community. I now have many people I consider friends and future colleagues. This program has provided me with the wisdom and experience to help others heal. I am forever grateful for Elemental Psychedelics."
"The Elemental program is special because it blends ethical guidance and practical insights," says relationship and sex therapist Keli Owens, LMFT, CST. "The small cohort fostered a deeply supportive and safe environment, allowing for genuine vulnerability and growth. I was able to refine and deepen my skills as a sacred medicine practitioner, now feeling more balanced, confident, and equipped to offer this healing work while incorporating my unique approach. I cherish being part of this remarkable community."
Applications for Elemental Psychedelics' Fall 2025 cohort will open this summer. Prospective participants are encouraged to join the interest list to receive updates on application openings and program details.
About Elemental Psychedelics
Elemental Psychedelics is a women-led training center based in Fort Collins, Colorado, dedicated to high quality education, experience, and ethics in psychedelic practice. The organization offers accessible training to individuals at all stages of experience, utilizing psychedelics as tools for therapy or psychospiritual exploration. Programs include introductory-level workshops, intermediate-level immersive trainings, multi-day retreats, and ongoing supervision and coaching for building psychedelic practices.
Elemental Psychedelics was co-founded by Dori Lewis, MA, MEd, LPC-S, and Dr. Shannon Hughes, MSW, PhD, both of whom bring a wealth of experience in their respective fields. Ms. Lewis, a seasoned psychotherapist as well as the owner of Reflective Healing in Fort Collins, specializes in psychedelic therapy utilizing ketamine and transpersonal psychotherapy. Dr. Hughes, with a robust background in research and academia, has been instrumental in policy development and community building within the psychedelic space. Her co-founding of The Nowak Society and contributions to psychedelic policy and research reflect her deep commitment to ethical practice and the decolonization of psychedelic discourse.
Media Contact
Brad Burge, Elemental Psychedelics, 1 6508636887, [email protected], https://www.elementalpsychedelics.com
SOURCE Elemental Psychedelics
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