A research driven and clinically stimulating workshop series…

Providing in depth understanding of findings, principles and procedures. From early pioneers, underground practitioners, modern experimental research and clinical trials.

"So wonderful - the level of vulnerability and openness, and the depth of both sharing and learning was very impactful"

Robin Cann

Far too often, the real potential in MDMA-assisted therapy is missed. Learn the principles and details on how to best prepare for, integrate and navigate this particular state of consciousness - to maximise benefits and minimise the potential for unproductive destabilisation.

Learn from a certified MDMA-assisted therapist with experience as both a participant, therapist and researcher in clinical trials on MDMA. Enjoy rich clinical material, get evidence-based knowledge and skills, and get a better sense of the potential benefit for yourself and those you care about. 

This training is a 3x3 hour live online interactive event that will make you intimately familiar with the hands-on aspects of this therapeutic modality, its empirical status and the wisdom-tradition in which it is embedded.

Extensive footage from the hosts own MDMA-assisted therapy will be shown, highlighting relevant themes for wounded healers. You will get to see rich illustrations of diverse clinical phenomena. You will learn how this therapy affected the host's understanding of the psyche, his clinical practice and professional development. 

This training will bring you up to date on the most exciting frontier in mental health right now.

Training Overview

Session 1

12th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT

The first lecture will cover fundamentals: 

• Main lessons from early pioneers, underground practitioners, experimental and clinical studies:
• History, rationale, theoretical underpinnings and empirical status on risks and benefits
• MDMA-AT will be compared and contrasted to other therapeutic modalities

This first session is excellent to get up to date and get the evidence based knowledge you need to get a better sense of the potential benefit and pitfalls. It is the perfect starting point for those who are curious, but still somewhat skeptical. 

It is also a great opportunity for practitioners that are more familiar with this modality to get a nuanced, science-driven and comprehensive overview of relevant facts.

Session 2

19th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT

The second session will cover hands-on aspects: 

Some people say that MDMA may be the most underestimated therapeutic drug there is. A lot of subtle processes can block its full potential. 

How to prepare, navigate, facilitate and integrate this altered state in a way to maximise benefits? And minimise risks?

This second lecture is great for learning how this method actually is conducted in the clinical trials that have produced so robust scientific results, both in terms of safety and efficacy. Main differences between informal therapeutic use and clinical use will also be highlighted. 

You will get a much deeper understanding of how to work with this drug to get the most out of it.

Session 3

26th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT

The third lecture is a video-based case-analysis of the hosts own MDMA-assisted therapy.

The rebirth of wounded healer.

Core elements of this deep reaching treatment modality will be shown. There will be a special emphasis on how this therapeutic experience affected the hosts professional development. A range of clinical phenomena, therapeutic interventions and processes will be shown, in several lengthy videoclips. 

Here is an excerpt from a conference-abstract describing some of the core elements of this analysis.

"Through the deep emotional processing, somatic release and partial integration of the core childhood wounds apparently leading me to become a therapist in the first place, MDMA-assisted therapy was experienced as providing insight into how much my own wounds had been unconsciously triggered on a daily basis in the role as a therapist, and the specific ways in which it affected my effectiveness and my wellbeing. While other treatments and supervision pointed to some of this, MDMA-AT actually lead to change.

An instant and substantial reduction in the level of previously unconscious anxiety and related compulsory defensive behaviors, also playing out in the role as a therapist, was experienced. Less over-working and exhaustion, and more receptiveness, trust, effectiveness and increased well-being apparently resulted.

Ultimately, the process lead to a renewed respect for and possible increased embodiment of Carl Rogers principles of authenticity, empathy and unconditional positive regard as necessary and sufficient for releasing the vast inner resources of the patient, their «self-organizing wisdom», so central to all true healing."

Dates

Session 1

12th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT: Fundamentals

Session 2

19th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT: Hands-on aspects

Session 3

26th November 2012, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT: Video-based case-analysis of the hosts own MDMA-assisted therapy.

"I also loved the nuanced, reflective and neutral researcher-angle"

Steffen Grønbech

All sessions are live with some prerecorded content shown during the session.

If you are unable to make a session, recordings of the full session will be made available to course participants the following day. 

The sessions will be hosted on Zoom. Links will be sent on the same day as the session.

Emails with relevant information, including recordings, will be sent from the Dandelion. 

Remember also to keep the camera on throughout the presentation. And stay muted unless you're asking a question.

Who is this for?

All mental health professionals are eligible for this course. This means someone with education and/or work-experience within the mental health-field. Discussions will presuppose basic knowledge about psychotherapy. 

Discounts available for students. Please write to carly@psychedelicsociety.org.uk

Disclaimer

Depending upon where you live, some or even all of the substances discussed in this presentation may be illegal to buy, sell, possess, and/or ingest. In some cases they might be available with a prescription from, and under the supervision from, a licensed medical professional. In no way do we advocate the use of illegal substances for community members. 

This course is an educational training and should not be considered as a qualification to work as an underground MDMA therapist.

Previous feedback

"This has been invaluable both at a personal and professional level (...) Incredibly grateful for the intimate approach"

"I loved learning about the differences between clinical use and informal therapeutic use. Great talk!" 

"The only downside to this training is that it took place only three times" Andreea-Atena Zaha

"Very (and surpringsingly) moving!" Martin Eilertsen

"Excellent session packed with clinically relevant material." Stephanie Knoll

"This is one of the best workshops I have ever participated in" Fredrik Lian

"Extraordinarily illuminating" Lasse Bjerrekær

"This has been profound" Laura W

“Highly recommended - also for those who want to deepen their understanding of the psychotherapy process and therapist development as such, regardless of the specific mdma theme. And for those who are curious about psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, this is a deep and thorough introduction, which combines the research/evidence language and the experience-based/poetic/subjective language in an exemplary way.”
Guri Vindegg, specialist in clinical psychology

This training has been rated 4,8 stars from 200+ reviews. 

YOUR FACILITATOR

Ivar W. Goksøyr

Ivar W. Goksøyr is a specialist in clinical psychology and the founder of the leading mental health clinic Psykologvirke. He is a psychedelic researcher, therapist and educator, associated with the Norwegian psychedelic research team Psykforsk since 2018. He is a certified MDMA-assisted psychotherapist and has been an assistant trainer in MAPS-organized trainings in MDMA-assisted therapy. He received MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as part of his training.

He has been a therapist in several clinical trials, including the worlds first trial on MDMA-AT for depression and a MAPS-sponsored trial on MDMA-AT for PTSD. Ivar has published both scientifically and popularly on the subject, in addition to presenting at international conferences on psychotherapy in general and psychedelic therapy in particular.

Ivar also has experience with psychedelic integration therapy for people receiving treatment with ketamine, he is trained in psilocybin-assisted therapy and has previously been a consultant and adherence rater for Compass Pathways. He has administered psilocybin to subjects in the world's largest study on the effects of psilocybin on healthy volunteers.

He is appearing in numerous podcasts and interviews and is giving lectures on psychedelic therapy nationally and internationally. He is an outspoken advocate for a wise and careful implementation of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Ivar's mental health clinic Psykologvirke is working with national and international collaborators to set up new studies on MDMA-assisted therapy. Profit from this training is supporting this longstanding and unconditional work of love.

You can see an impactful talk he gave at the Nordic Psychedelic Science Conference 2022 here.

This is an interview he did with Bessel van der Kolk, where they compare notes about their personal experiences with MDMA-assisted therapy.

This is a summarised 3 minute highlight reel from the interview.

This is one of his publications, a rationale for the ongoing MDMA-at for depression study

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

Our facilitators have agreed to our code of conduct. Learn about our procedure for raising concerns

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