Become a Licensed Psilocybin Facilitator
Enrollment Closed
Psilocybin Practitioner Training
A Fully Accredited Training Program
Synaptic's Psilocybin Practitioner Training totals 6 months in length and qualifies graduates for licensure as psilocybin facilitators under Oregon’s Psilocybin Services Initiative (Measure 109). Our program is fully accredited by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC)
Our hybrid program is divided into Online Didactic Learning Modules and In-Person Experiential Retreats. Students meet in-person for our Orientation Retreat, Practicums, and Graduation. Weekly classes are conducted via Zoom and pre-recorded course content. You will train alongside a vibrant, conscious, and diverse community of students and faculty. We use a small-group cohort model limited to 24 individuals to ensure an intimate setting for instruction and personal growth.
Didactic Education
In-Depth Curriculum for Skilled Practitioners
Synaptic's Program offers 40 Didactic Learning Modules. Our extensive curriculum ranges from Trauma Informed Care to Shamanism, Intake & Preparation to Group Facilitation, and so much more.
For a Detailed List of Our Classes:
Our education is provided by world class faculty presenting multiple worldviews from a variety of wisdom traditions in addition to Western science. We use the term 'entheogen' to recognize the spiritual dimension of working with altered states. Through our training, our students gain the holistic knowledge, tools, and experience to be skilled and capable entheogenic facilitators.
Didactic Overview
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Orientation Retreat:
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Beaverton, OR, Oct 9-12, 2024.
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Weekly Zoom Classes:
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Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8pm (PST) October 2024 through April 2025.
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Depth Instruction & Facilitation Skills
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4 Saturdays on Zoom (8 hours with breaks). These are the first Saturdays of November, January, February, and March.
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Course Content:
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28 hours of pre-recorded content completed at your own pace.
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Journal Club,
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Every 2nd and 4th Friday, 12-1pm
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Experiential Learning
Real Psilocybin Experiences
Our program is structured to ensure that students not only benefit from enriched education, but experience meaningful individual healing and growth by active participation in expanded states. Through our practicum and apprenticeship, students will gain unique insights and skills that contribute to their holistic well-being and growth.
Students will both facilitate and participate in Individual & group psilocybin experiences. These sessions, guided by experienced facilitators, allow students to explore deeper dimensions of consciousness, promoting both personal development and collective understanding.
Experiential Overview
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40 hours of Practicum training at a licensed psilocybin service center (Chariot Psilocybin Services) in Portland, Oregon where psilocybin mushrooms will be used.
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All psychedelic work will be supervised by highly trained, licensed facilitator faculty members. Practicum will be completed during two weekend training retreats:
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February 2025: The first weekend, students will break into dyads. Each pair will take turns facilitating for each other on back-to-back days. The first day, one student will consume psilocybin, while the other student facilitates for them. The next day students will trade roles.
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March 2025: The second retreat will focus on facilitating group psilocybin experiences. The cohort will break into small groups. The first day, one group will facilitate the psilocybin experience for the other group who consumes psilocybin. The second day, the groups will trade roles.
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40 hours of apprenticeship. To hone your skills and experience working with psilocybin medicine we will provide a list of pre-approved mentors to shadow and assist. These hours are your entheogenic internship.
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20 hours of personal growth work. This is completed outside the program (not included). This may include psychotherapy, professionally guided entheogenic work, meditation retreats, etc.
Going Beyond
Ongoing Support Post Licensure
Our commitment to our students extends well beyond graduation. We provide robust support for our trainees as they transition into their professional lives, ensuring they continue to thrive and apply the skills and knowledge acquired during their time with us. Our post-graduation support includes ongoing mentorship, access to an extensive alumni network, and continuous professional development opportunities.
We offer regular workshops, advanced training sessions, and resources to help our graduates stay at the forefront of their fields. Additionally, we facilitate community-building events and networking opportunities, allowing alumni to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on projects. Through these comprehensive support services, we aim to empower our graduates to make lasting impacts in their careers and personal lives.
Ongoing Support
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Peer Consultation Group: A monthly zoom group dedicated to all things facilitation. Need help with a difficult case, want insight on a powerful session, integration help, or have questions about licensing & practice? This group meets every 1st Friday from 12-1pm.
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Alumni Community: Alumni have access to our private slack channel where graduates can communicate directly to share resources and provide support.
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Journal Club: Stay at the forefront of entheogenic science and research. A journal club is a meeting of professionals where members take turns presenting summaries of peer-reviewed journal articles and hold open discussion. Our journal club meets every 2nd & 4th Friday from 12-1pm.
World Class Faculty
Synaptic's team of instructors represent a rich tapestry of disciplines and backgrounds, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise to our program. Students benefit from a transformative and unparalleled educational journey from the knowledge and skills of top-tier experts in their respective fields. Click here to see our full faculty list
Matthew Hicks,
ND, MS
Naturopathic Physician specializing in Integrative Mental Health, Hakomi, and Buddhist Psychology. Matthew is the founder of Synaptic Institute and is a post-doctoral research scholar with OHSU and NUNM
Olivia Giguere
ND
Naturopathic Physician specializing in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy and Holistic Mental Health. Olivia uses both psychospiritual herbalism & somatic techniques in her work with clients. She serves as Synaptic's Executive Director.
Greg Robillard
MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Greg works with trauma using EMDR, ketamine assisted therapy & mindfulness. He is an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark Graduate School.
Sunil Aggarwal
MD, PhD, FAAPMR
Board-Certified Physician in Hospice, Palliative Medicine, Physical Medicine, and Rehabilitation. Sunil is a Medical Geographer and an inaugural member of AAHPM's Safe use of Psychedelic Therapies Forum.
Emma Knighton
MA, LMHC
A Somatic Trauma Therapist and Psychedelic Integration Therapist. Emma works with CPTSD, childhood abuse, queer identity development, and consciousness exploration.
Peter Addy
PhD
A lifelong student of psychedelic substances, consciousness, and international speaker on these subjects, Peter holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is a Psychotherapist versed in Transpersonal Psychology.
Jarrod Franklin
ND, MS
Naturopathic Physician, holistic nutritionist and Ayruvedic practitioner. Jarrod's passion for holistic care have led him in becoming a therapeutic chef, and a graduate of Synaptic's Psilocybin Practitioner Program.
Christine Calvert
LCDC
Holotropic Breathwork® teacher and module facilitator for Grof Transpersonal Training. Christine is Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and brings extensive experience to the intersection of mental health, expanded-states, addiction, and transpersonal healing.
FirstMan
Co-founder of the Rastafari Indigenous Village in Jamaica, where he is a ceremony guide for ganja and mushrooms, an advocate for discrimination against indigenous people and plant medicines, and a chanter and facilitator for spiritual gatherings and movements.
Ashley Collins & Erik Blender
Together bringing over a decade in Psychedelic Facilitation and Integration. Ashley works as an Integration Counselor & Meditation Guide. Erik is a teacher of yoga and sound healer dedicated to awakening the mind, body, and spirit.
Voices of Tradition
Our program is deeply committed to honoring the traditional use of plant medicines and ensuring that our students are culturally informed in their facilitation practices.
Through a comprehensive online discussion series, we explore the intersection of cultural equity, ethics, and philosophy in psilocybin facilitation. Students will gain an understanding of traditional philosophies and the sacred relationship with plant medicines, recognizing these plants as entities with their own ethos.
We emphasize the importance of conducting facilitation in alignment with the teachings of the plants and respecting their custodians who have preserved and protected these traditions. Additionally, our curriculum integrates both Western and Eastern philosophies, fostering a balanced and inclusive approach to healing.
We also focus on safety, ethics, and responsibility, guiding facilitators to create safe, intentional spaces that honor both the participants and the sacred nature of the work. Through this culturally-informed education, our students are equipped to offer ethical and equitable psilocybin experiences, rooted in respect for tradition and a deep commitment to the well-being of all participants.
Admission Requirements
Our mission is to cultivate skillful, ethical, and socially responsible practitioners of entheogenic medicine, grounded in holism, traditional wisdom, and science. Our training aims to create a healing environment that welcomes everyone, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender, religion, nationality, or lifestyle, striving for non-discrimination and cultural competency. We envision a world of highly skilled practitioners providing care and fostering connection to self, others, and the world at large.
Our students are expected to adhere to The North Star Ethics Pledge, a commitment to equity, inclusion, and the responsible practice of entheogenic medicine facilitation.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
We invite both licensed and unlicensed professionals, including those from out of state, to apply.
Program Tuition
The cost of the entire program is $9,000*. This cost includes all didactic material, opening in-person retreat with lodging and meals, practicum, final in-person workshop, lunch, and graduation event in Portland, Oregon.
Costs not included in the program are lodging for practicums, and the cost of psilocybin used during training. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from in-person trainings.
Payment Plans
Two Installments:
Students may elect to pay tuition in two installments: half due at the time of enrollment and the other half due 3 months into the program. A one-time fee of $100 is incurred for students who choose this payment plan.
6 Monthly Payments:
Tuition can be broken up into 6 monthly installments. The first payment is due upon enrollment, and each subsequent payment is due on the 1st of the month. A one time fee of $300 is incurred for this payment plan.
*There will be a $25 application fee. If accepted, there is an enrollment fee of $150. Credit card transaction fees (3%) are charged to students choosing to pay via that method. Checks or ACH are accepted at no charge.