Medicine & Mystery
A Holistic Safety Training for Psychedelic Assisted Therapies
October 23-25, 2026 in Berkeley, CA
Designed for facilitators, clinicians, and community stewards, this training weaves together neuroscience, pharmacology, risk-reduction, and clinical insight into an essential foundation for safe and transformative practice.
Neuroscience and Pharmacological Foundations
Build a working foundation in the neuroscience and pharmacology of MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine ~ including how each medicine interacts with human physiology and psychology, and what that means for the people you serve.
Screening, Contraindications, and Clinical Decision-Making
Learn to conduct thorough, trauma-informed health and psychological screenings, determine PAT candidacy, recognize yellow flags & contraindications, and make confident decisions about when to proceed, pause, administer basic first aid or refer out for further medical or psychiatric consultation.
Preparation, Session Support, and Integration
Develop the skills to apply holistic risk-reduction approaches and guide participants safely through preparation, sessions, and integration ~ as well as respond effectively if medical or psychological emergencies arise.
Come Ready. Leave Prepared.
Psychedelic-assisted therapies (PAT) are demonstrating remarkable therapeutic potentials across clinical, community, and spiritual settings ~ and as the field grows, so does the complexity that facilitators are asked to hold. This training offers a rigorous, holistic, and accessible foundation in the neuroscience, pharmacology, and clinical frameworks surrounding MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine, supporting you to show up for the people you serve with greater knowledge, skill, compassion and confidence.
15 CE’s available for psychologists, LCSWs, LPCCs, LEPs, LMFTs, and RNs. Contact your licensing board to verify approval if residing outside California. Participants must attend all live sessions to qualify for CE’s.
Topics we’ll cover:
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Safety as a core responsibility of facilitators in this emergent field
Risk reduction & benefit optimization
“Staying behind the medicine” and supporting empowered choice
Current challenges in psychedelic therapy research and scaling
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Brain anatomy & physiology relevant to psychedelic states of consciousness
Neurotransmitter systems (serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine)
Neuroplasticity and the “neurochemical dance”
Sympathetic/parasympathetic regulation
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Deep dives into mechanisms of action, receptor systems, half-lives, metabolism, and physiological effects of:
MDMA: empathogenesis, amygdala down-regulation, serotonin modulation
Psilocybin: DMN disruption, receptor binding, mystical-type experiences
Ketamine: NMDA antagonism, glutamate surge, BDNF, dissociation
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How to responsibly screen potential PAT participants in regard to:
Medical history essentials
Medical & psychiatric red/yellow flags & contraindications
Potential prescription medication, OTC medication, supplement and recreational drug interactions
Suicide risk factors
Substance use patterns
Trauma-informed assessment
Understanding medication histories and taper considerations
How and when to seek further consultation
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Set, setting, dose, sitter/facilitator roles
Safety agreements for the session
Client preparation, intention and expectation setting
Cross-tolerance and dosage considerations
Supporting participants in beyond ordinary states of consciousness
Questions and interventions that facilitate the therapeutic process
Integration: frameworks, aftercare planning, community resourcing
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Working within one’s training and licensure
When to consult and how to build a consultation network
Consent, boundaries, safety agreements & referrals
De-stigmatizing psychiatry and mental health care
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Cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic, renal and hepatic considerations
Common medical concerns: dehydration, heat exhaustion, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia
Psychiatric safety: psychosis, mania, sleep disturbances, severe dysregulation
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Vital signs: what’s normal, what’s concerning
Recognizing emergencies (stroke, serotonin syndrome, seizure, overdose)
When & how to call 911
Working with EMS, ER staff, and psychiatric interventions
Emergency equipment and protocols every facilitator should have
Teaching Approach
Julie and Dr. Natalie have been friends and colleagues for over a decade, bringing more than 30 years of combined clinical experience to a teaching style that is warm, rigorous, and a little bit fun. Grounded in scientific literature and real-world practice, they create an environment that honors diverse ways of learning~ and approach every training as students themselves.
This training draws heavily on real case examples, interactive screening practices, and dyad exercises, weaving neuroscience, pharmacology, and medical foundations together with somatic and trans-personal perspectives alongside risk-reduction frameworks.
Whether you're new to psychedelic facilitation or looking to deepen your medical literacy, this training meets you where you are.
Your Instructors
Julie Megler, MSNP-BC
Julie earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Miami and a post-master's certificate in psychiatry from UCSF. Her early ER work revealed gaps between medical and psychiatric care and inspired her integrated approach to practice.
As a psychiatric–mental health nurse practitioner, she blends allopathic treatment with holistic modalities, including yoga, plant-medicine traditions, and Ayurveda, supported by advanced training in Somatic Experiencing, Ketamine-Assisted Therapy, MDMA-Assisted Therapy, and a fellowship with the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.
For more than a decade, she has also been an advocate and educator in psychedelic medicine—speaking at conferences, teaching in programs such as Polaris Insight Center, CIIS, and UC Berkeley's Center for the Science of Psychedelics.
In addition, she has supported the advancement of diverse female voices in the psychedelic field through program development sponsored by The Riverstyx Foundation and the Femtheogen Collaborative.
Dr. Natalie Metz, ND, MA
Dr. Natalie is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, herbalist, faculty member and mentor in the Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies, where she teaches courses on holistic health and psychedelic medicines.
She has presented about the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicines at several conferences, offered continuing education courses through the California Naturopathic Doctors Association, served on the advisory boards for the Limina Foundation and the MAPS Harm Reduction Project, and has been volunteering with MAPS since 2009.
She has a private practice in Santa Fe, NM, and Oakland, CA, where she assists patients in their wellness with the support of plant medicines, diet and lifestyle counseling, ketamine therapies, and the integration of beyond-ordinary life experiences. She is currently developing Inner Alchemy, LLC, to house her educational offerings and experiential retreats.
She is a lifelong student of dance, a lover of art, travel, and all things purple, and truly enjoys sharing her passion for life with the world.
Who should attend?
Psychedelic facilitators or sitters
Ketamine and PAT clinic staff
Therapists, social workers, psychologists
Licensed Medical Providers
Somatic practitioners
Facilitators working in community settings
Join Us
October 23-25, 2026, in Berkeley, CA
This training is an opportunity to deepen skill, integrity, and community responsibility in psychedelic practice.
Together, we build a culture of safety, compassion, and competence that honors the transformative potential of these medicines.
It is our intention to welcome participants of all identities, expressions and abilities. If the course tuition is an obstacle to your participation, please reach out to us at the following email address: medicineandmystery@protonmail.com
