6-12 October 2025, Poland
MAPS INTERNATIONAL MDMA-ASSISTED THERAPY EDUCATION PROGRAM
We invite you to the first MAPS training in this part of Europe
We are happy and proud to announce that thanks to the cooperation of the HoloMind Psychedelic Therapy Institute and MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), for the first time in Poland and in this part of Europe we can invite you to: MAPS INTERNATIONAL MDMA-ASSISTED THERAPY EDUCATION PROGRAM.
We are publishing the first information aimed at creating initial declarations of participation. We’ll provide the exact location soon.
Specialists who apply now and are verified will have priority access to purchasing the education program.
What determines the possibility of participation?
– order of applications
– meeting the recruitment criteria
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD
MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD is an investigational treatment not yet approved for use outside of research. MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) has initiated the most advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy research in the world and continues to support psychedelic research with a focus on the people and places most impacted by trauma. After Phase 2 pilot studies generated preliminary data suggesting the possibility of safety and efficacy in the treatment of PTSD, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for MDMA-assisted therapy. Two Phase 3 trials have been completed, the first in people with severe PTSD resulted in 67% of participants in the therapy plus MDMA group no longer qualifying for a PTSD diagnosis two months post-treatment, compared to 32% of participants in the therapy plus inactive placebo group. The second Phase 3 trial in people with moderate to severe PTSD resulted in 71% of subjects in the therapy plus MDMA group no longer qualifying for a diagnosis of PTSD two-months post-treatment, compared to 47.6% in the therapy plus inactive placebo group. These study results were used to support an application for FDA approval for MDMA assisted therapy for PTSD, though the FDA requested more research before potential approval.
Who is this training for?
The education program will be conducted in English for people who speak English fluently.
Minimum acceptance criteria: “The participant is authorized to conduct psychotherapy in accordance with applicable laws in their country of residence or the participant is authorized to conduct MDMA-assisted therapy in a research study, which criterion may be satisfied by confirmation that the participant is licensed or certified, in accordance with applicable laws in their country of residence, as a: medical doctor / psychologist / therapist who has completed at least a two-year formal education program / social worker.
What will you get by the end of this program ?
Bringing education on MDMA-assisted therapy research to international communities is an important and exciting task and we believe that creating a community of therapists educated in its concepts will be a big step forward.
We hope to see a community of therapists actively getting involved in educating the public and other professionals about MDMA-assisted therapy in order to create possibilities for new research, compassionate use programs and the advancement of the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. We are offering therapists this unique opportunity to participate in MAPS’ International Psychedelic Therapy Training Program on MDMA-assisted therapy and to join a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about learning about MDMA-assisted therapy clinical research.
Participants will become a part of a community of therapists who have participated in MAPS’ training program, where we will be able to support each other in creating opportunities for more research and advocacy in MDMA-assisted therapy research in the coming years.
* Understand the fundamental processes and concepts underlying investigational MDMA-assisted therapy
* Consider the role of identity and culture in therapeutic alliance and trauma processing
* Translate the concepts of inner healing intelligence and inner-directed therapeutic approach to their work with clients
* Strengthen the therapeutic alliance with clients
* Engage in personal growth practices that enable grounding, self-care, and sustainability
Eligible participants will receive proof of participation and completion of this training course. However, please note this is not a certification course to practice MDMA-assisted therapy. The goal of this program is to enable more practitioners to understand the fundamental concepts behind investigational MDMA-assisted therapy. There are currently no certification standards for any psychedelic-assisted therapy given the investigational status of this modality, which has not
been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There are no guarantees about the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy to the FDA or the specific certification requirements for healthcare providers should this be approved. Given the uncertainty of the regulatory process and
timeline, there may be a significant delay and no guarantee of opportunities to practice MDMA-assisted therapy in clinical practice.
Since investigational MDMA-assisted therapy has not yet been approved by regulatory bodies, we cannot issue any formal certification via this program. If MDMA-assisted therapy is approved in your country in the future, additional steps for training may include supervision of each new therapists’ initial patients, optional self-experience with MDMA-assisted therapy, and more. These additional steps for training could be determined by appropriate regulatory bodies in any given country.
While participation in the training program cannot guarantee future certification for delivery of MDMA-assisted therapy and is not approved by any regulatory agency, we believe many of the aspects of the inner-directed therapeutic approach practiced in the clinical trials can be of benefit in clinical practice today.
Meet
Training staff
Marcela O’talora
Lead educator
For more than two decades, Marcela Ot’alora G., who was born and raised in Colombia has contributed to the research of the safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted therapy for the treatment of PTSD. She is a psychotherapist, artist, and researcher living in Boulder, Colorado. Deeply rooted in her maternal traditions kept alive through storytelling, she honors her grandmother’s belief that to make a positive difference in this world, work must be a manifestation of our love. She is deeply grateful to the women in her family for modeling bravery and resilience through love and the celebration of compassionate and caring relationships.
She has been a principal investigator, therapist, mentor consultant and lead trainer for phase I, II, and III clinical trials for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and Lykos Therapeutics.
She is a founding member of Memoru Center for Visionary Healing Arts; a clinic whose mission is to provide accessible mental health services utilizing best practices in psychedelic-assisted therapies, training future generations of psychedelic therapists and continuing to learn about the field through further research.
Marcela has an MA in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and an MFA in Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Bruce Poulter
Lead Educator
Bruce Poulter, RN, MPH identifies as a cis-gender and neuro-diverse, was a sub-investigator/therapist, and a mentor clinical supervisor and lead trainer in the MAPS/Lykos Therapeutics-sponsored Phase I, II and III MDMA-Assisted Therapy trials for PTSD since 2012. He continues to have the privilege of training practitioners in “MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD” internationally.
His primary influence for therapy is Process Oriented Psychology developed by Arnold Mindell. He was always interested in psychology but found the ‘therapy process too slow’, given his ADHD, until being introduced to psychedelic assisted therapy in the late 90’s. That experience changed the direction of his life.
During the 80’s Bruce was an ICU nurse at University of California San Francisco when the AIDS pandemic first began and during that time was able to study ‘living’ with Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. He went on to receive a Master of Public Health from the University of California Berkeley. In the early 90’s he developed and ran public health programs including a nurse-midwife based perinatal program, serving low-income women, and a childhood abuse prevention program pairing public health nurses with community mental health workers.
In addition, Bruce has worked extensively with people in chronic pain as an educator and Rolfer for 25 years. His work with MDMA for PTSD has deepened his appreciation of the importance of being worthy of trust, of being with people who turn their lives around in response to care, compassion and understanding, while being able to sit in the perpetrator role as needed, and acknowledging his ‘training’ as a perpetrator, in our challenging society.
He is a founding member of Memoru Center for Visionary Healing Arts in Boulder, CO, sits on the Board of the International Alliance of MDMA Practitioners and loves to be in dialogue on the issues surrounding working with psychedelics as well as the importance of mainstreaming psychedelics.
Aneta Dorazilová
Clinical Psychologist
Aneta is a Prague-based clinical psychologist and PhD holder in Clinical Psychology. She leads a team supporting individuals with psychotic experiences and runs a private practice. Trained in Gestalt therapy and MDMA-assisted therapy with MAPS, she explores altered states of mind and psychoanalytic theory.
Viktoriia Horshkova
Viktoriia is a Ukrainian clinical psychologist and certified Gestalt therapist based in Spain. She completed MAPS’ MDMA-assisted therapy training, co-facilitated psychedelic integration groups in Kyiv, and supports educational and advocacy efforts in this area as a member of the Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA). Trained in somatic practices and informed by existential psychotherapy, she specializes in working with complex trauma, borderline dynamics, the LGBTQA+ community, and altered states through a body-oriented, integrative approach.
Bianca King
Psychological Counsellor & Meditation Teacher
Bianca is a qualified MAPS therapist and graduate of the CIIS CPTR training. She is part of Mind Medicine Australia teaching faculty and practices as a Psychedelic Assisted Therapist. She is a qualified MBSR teacher and has been prominent for running mindfulness courses for the public, International organizations and in the field of cancer support.
Marina Vovk
Mippi Vuorikoski
Psychotherapist
Mippi is an individual and couples therapist with her own private practice in Helsinki, Finland. She specializes in the science of connection, attachment issues, C-PTSD, and supporting survivors of sexual assault. With 10 years of experience in the field of psychedelic therapy, she has also worked as a clinical therapist in a Finnish-Canadian study on psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder.
Anastasiia Panasiuk
Anastasiia is a Ukrainian psychologist and certified Gestalt therapist based in Portugal. In private practice since 2014, she works with individuals and therapeutic groups. Her work focuses on altered states of consciousness as a resource for healing and growth, including guidance on the mindful and harm-reducing use of psychedelics and support in integration. She works with C-PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and autism through an integrative approach that combines somatic practices, mindfulness, and CBT.
Antti Hupli
Antti is a Finnish Medical doctor specializing in addiction medicine, qualified in MBCT and Cognitive Hypnotherapy. Certified facilitator for Grof®️Breathwork and Grof®️ Psychedelic Therapy (GLT) and has also worked as a clinical therapist in a Finnish-Canadian clinical trial on psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder. Currently Antti works as a consultant doctor at the demanding level detoxification and mental health unit / children's home and as a chief doctor at Neurofeedback center based in Helsinki, where he also has a private practice.
Program Context
There is growing interest in learning about this modality of therapy in other countries. Bringing education on MDMA-Assisted Therapy research to international communities is an important and exciting task and we believe that creating a community of therapists educated in its concepts will be a big step forward.
We hope to see a community of therapists actively getting involved in educating the public and other professionals about MDMA-Assisted Therapy in order to create possibilities for new research, compassionate use programs and the advancement of the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. We are offering therapists this unique opportunity to participate in MAPS International Therapist Education Program on MDMA-Assisted Therapy and to join a community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about learning about MDMA-Assisted Therapy clinical research.
Participants will become a part of a community of therapists who have participated in this MAPS education program, where we will be able to support each other in creating opportunities for more research and advocacy in MDMA-Assisted Therapy research in the coming years.
By the end of this course, attendees will be able to:
Understand the fundamental processes and concepts underlying investigational MDMA-assisted therapy
Consider the role of identity and culture in therapeutic alliance and trauma processing
Translate the concepts of inner healing intelligence and inner-directed therapeutic approach to their work with clients
Strengthen the therapeutic alliance with clients
Engage in personal growth practices that enable grounding, self-care, and sustainability
Education Format
The education program consists of approximately 55 hours of education, including:
– Online content (15 hours)
– Asynchronous, self-paced coursework to be completed by the assigned deadline
– In person retreat (40 hours) – 7 days (6.10 – Monday 3pm, 12.10 – Sunday 12:00 PM)
The online program consists of eLearning modules that will include a variety of activities to support learning. The curriculum includes video case presentations from real MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy sessions, role play activities, self- reflection activities, group and dyad activities, and other coursework.
Participants will receive proof of participation and completion of this educational course. However, please note this is not a certification course to deliver MDMA-assisted therapy. There are currently no certification standards for any psychedelic-assisted therapy given the investigational status of this modality, which has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any regulatory authority. There are no guarantees about the approval of MDMA-assisted therapy to the FDA or the specific certification requirements for healthcare providers should this be approved. Given the uncertainty of the regulatory process and timeline, there may be a significant delay and no guarantee of opportunities to practice MDMA-assisted therapy in clinical practice.
While participation in the educational program cannot guarantee future certification for delivery of the investigational treatment MDMA-assisted therapy and is not approved by any regulatory agency, we believe many of the aspects of the inner-directed therapeutic approach practiced in the clinical trials can be of benefit in clinical practice today.
How many e-learning modules will there be in total?
There are 4 reading assignments and 13 video presentations to watch – starting September 5th
What is the time commitment expected per week or per module?
The content is asynchronous so students can complete it however they want. In total, there is approximately 15 hours of online content (depending on how fast students read the readings, etc). If they split it up evenly, provided we give them 4 weeks ahead of the in-person event, it would be about 4 hours per week.
Will there be scheduled group or dyad activities with fixed dates/times?
For the in-person event, yes. The Home Groups (about 8 students per group) are every day at the end of the day (around 5:00pm) for approximately 45 min. Additionally, there are several dyad or small group exercises throughout the week. The students are required to be
present for the entirety of the in-person event.
Attendance & Make Up Policy
Full attendance at the in-person education event is required to receive credit in the program. In the event of an emergency or illness, attendees must notify education-support@maps.org and their Home Group.
Facilitator as soon as possible, letting them know of the emergency and which segments of live education will be missed. Attendance is strict and we are unable to record sessions due to the sensitive nature of the material. We ask that interested applicants who have scheduling conflicts enroll in a course in which they can be fully present.
If an attendee misses 3 or more hours of any portion of the live events
due to an emergency or illness, they are required to complete a makeup assignment. All coursework, including any makeup coursework due to missing a portion of the live events, must be completed to receive a Certificate of Participation.
Please note that attendees that miss 7 or more hours of the live events will be dismissed from the course. Attendees are not eligible for makeup coursework if they cumulatively miss 7 or more hours of any portion of the live in-person event. Attendees who cumulatively miss 7 or more hours of the live event will be dismissed from the course. No refunds or tuition credit can be offered for dismissed attendees.
MAPS policy is strict, and missing a day and a half of content is not permissible for attendees. Attendees are not eligible for makeup coursework if they cumulatively miss 7 or more hours of any portion of the live in-person event.
IN-PERSON SCHEDULE
The below schedule is tentative and subject to changes. Note that
- price includes accomodation and meals.
- Dinner will be served on October 6th,
- breakfast will be served on October 12th before check out.
- Please note breakfast, lunch, and dinner times are to be coordinated with the venue – below are suggestions.
- Important information regarding participation and certificate. If you miss 7 or more hours of class, you will not receive a certificate.
Monday, October 6th
* 3:00pm – 5:00pm – Guest Registration
* 5:00pm – Welcome and Orientation
* 7:30pm – Dinner
Tuesday, October 7th – Saturday, October 11th
* 7:45am – 8:45am – Breakfast
* 9:00am – 12:00pm – Morning Sessions
* 12:00pm – 2:00pm – Lunch Break (Lunch served from 12:30pm – 1:30pm)
* 2:00pm – 6:00pm – Afternoon Sessions
* 6:30pm – 7:30pm – Dinner
A mandatory evening session will take place on Day 3 or Day 4 of the
- retreat (October 8th or 9th) for the Music Experiential. This evening
- session will take place approximately from 7:45pm – 9:30pm. It is possible that optional evening sessions will be scheduled with the lead Trainers in the coming weeks.
- There is an optional dance party on the last night, October 11th, starting at 8:00pm, going until as late as the venue will allow.
Sunday, October 12th
* 7:45am – 8:45am – Breakfast
* 9:00am – 12:00pm – Morning Sessions
* 12:30pm – Lunch and check out
Location
The training will take place at the "Natural Hotel" - an eco-friendly hotel in a nature reserve with a beach on an island.
Address: Natural Hotel Eco & Conference
Warlity Wielkie 16
14-100 Ostróda
Important information
- Getting There by car
- From Warsaw Chopin Airport: 2 hours 50 minutes
- From Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Bus
- We will be organizing a shared transfer (bus - additional fee - details coming soon) from Chopin Airport in Warsaw on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 12:00
- We will be organizing a shared transfer (bus - additional fee - details coming soon) from Chopin Airport in Warsaw on Monday, October 6, 2025 at 12:00
- Hotel
- Check-in: from 3 p.m. on October 6 (Monday). Training begins at 5:00 p.m.
- Check-out: by 11 a.m. on October 12. Training ends at 12:00 p.m.
Price