Two part programme in Psychedelic-assisted Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

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£4,100.00

Part – 1

Expanded ACT for Psychedelic-assisted Therapy: Integrating trauma-focused ‘parts’ work with systemic change

This training transformed my clinical practice. As a clinical psychologist who uses ACT in her everyday practice, this training provided me with further invaluable practical tools I now use in therapy to further the efficacy of my work.

Dr Daksha Hirani (DClinPsy, AFBPsS), Clinical Director

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This has been one of the most impactful trainings I've ever attended, both personally and professionally, due to the deep experiential practices, the close and sustaining relationships forged, and the exquisite location. All combined to bring my clinical practice and collegial network to the next level. So grateful!

Susan Chapel (LMHC, MSEd, MA), Counselor

For anyone interested in expanding their reach in psychological therapy this is the course! Henry has successfully integrated three therapeutic modalities - TIR, IFS and ACT to provide an overarching framework to work with clients requiring deep integrative work. Given the increased awareness and emotional sensitivity following a medicated session or experience with any of the currently available substances, from Ketamine, MDMA and Psilocybin, having a robust and structured therapeutic approach to psychological therapy can be a transformative experience for clients. Providing an effective psychological therapeutic intervention following a psychedelic experience can be successfully negotiated and enhanced from undertaking this training.

Dr Katy Baboulene Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS)

I've gained so much. Practical skills, a deeper understanding and knowledge, but most unexpectedly I have gained life long friendships. This training has had and still is having wonderfully profound ripple effects in my life both personally and professionally. This is a must for anyone working in the space or considering it! Words don't do it justice.

Lauretta Cundy MSc, (Hon) Psych, MBPsS. Coaching psychologist and Doctoral Researcher

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2026 Dates:

Online: 13-14th Feb
New Haven, Connecticut: 2-6th March

Places are limited to 16 (Book early to avoid disappointment)

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Location:

At Centred Offices, New Haven Connecticut + 2 days preparatory training online. 1pm-9pm BST

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Contribution:

£2400

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Facilitators:

Lead by Henry Whitfield

with support from colleagues

Dr. Robert Krause

and

Dr. Mark Landreneau

A two + five day training experience to learn a new integral model of psychedelic-assisted therapy

This training captures the ‘sweet spot’ between ACT, IFS and TIR, tailored to a wide range of psychedelic therapy challenges (see https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.727572/full) to enable a trauma-focussed ACT-consistent approach to psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Informed with high-density data collected from over 50 participants attending our retreats (a study designed to reduce relapse and deepen gains in psychedelic-assisted therapy), this training highlights what we know has been helpful in producing stable psychedelic therapy gains (post 6-12 months). It integrates parts work (including Internal Family Systems perspectives) and Traumatic Incident Reduction with ACT as a core theoretical modal, to offer versatile, multi-modal framework, including a broad pallet of varying degrees of directive/non-directiveness. Using such a pallet context-sensitively, we can resolve the directive/non-directive debate.

TIR is a precise imaginal exposure methodology with supporting repetitive focusing protocols that can be adapted to amplify all ACT processes such as: awareness of the cues and motivations for any behaviour, directing presence/undivided awareness to any inner experience, intensifying client-led willingness to face challenging feelings, defusion/disentangling from any unhelpful habitual thinking, awareness of the function of any self-story or role.

ACT brings the overarching framework of evolutionary and behavioural science principles, as well as a shortcut to accessing hidden fears. Within this framework, TIR and IFS offer additional ‘vehicles’ for implementing Contextual Behavioural Science principles thoroughly and compassionately.

You will learn multiple interventions that align precisely with the Spectrum of Selves as described in Henry’s recent publication in Frontiers in Psychiatry, adapted throughout the three phases of Psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Programme overview

Days 1-2 (online Feb 13-14th*, 1 pm – 9 pm GMT): Engineering a new psychedelic therapy of the future. TIR for re-accessing and processing psychedelic experiences and related traumatic memories. * Other online options for this session may be available.

Invitation to exchange sessions with peers before arriving in Spain.

In New Haven (2-6th March) 9:30- 6pm. Lunch included.

Days 3-4: ACT and the Spectrum of Selves – from shame to the ‘reverse compass’ for accessing our deeper fears, exploring the voices and behaviours of our different parts. Understanding the ACT core processes from a ‘parts’ point of view.

Day 5: Inner work aligned with outer systemic behaviour change. Getting ready to bring the barriers into the work.

Days 6-7: Practicum of ACT expanded with trauma and parts work through the three phases of psychedelic therapy. Your chance to practice with feedback the protocols and principles that you personally need the most feedback on.

Monthly supervision included for 3months

With insight and support from

Rob Krause was a co-therapist and co-facilitator during the development of this approach, gave input on peak states to the Spectrum of Selves paper and will share his perspectives as well as his professional and research experience with psychedelics

The curriculum includes:

A 150 page bound manual to support you during and after the training.
This training includes methods from TIR, a structured approach to Trauma/PTSD comparable to EMDR in its thoroughness, yet more precise and consistent with mindfulness and ACT.
ACT-informed Parts work to address inner conflict between your different selves
A protocol for differentiating between healthy and unhealthy self-story/narcissism
A protocol for processing intense psychedelic experiences and re-accessing perspectives and insights from the trip.
Expanding and reinforcing new behavioural repertoires that flow from newly gained perspectives – seamlessly interconnecting the three phases of psychedelic therapy.
Overcoming complex/long-term trauma (often more accessible post psychedelic)
Working Somato-cognitively – reawakening feeling in the body
Mapping and reinforcing systemic change.
Predictors of long-lasting benefits in psychedelic therapy and how to implement them.
‘Inner healing intelligence’ versus varying degrees of person-centredness/ active-directiveness (and when to do which)
Parts work for malevolent and benevolent parts/entities
A defusion protocol for when the mind gets in the way during a dosing session.
Shame work as a shortcut to our deeper self-concept issues
Perspective switching exercise for transcending the polarities of the mind
Behaviour change coaching for increasing alignment in a person’s life.

Part – 2

Psychedelic Retreat informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, with one-to-one follow up integration

I particularly liked: The skill and heart of the facilitating Team, including how we were cared for and encouraged to keep going IN rather than being unnecessarily rescued, the inspired music, live and recorded, the beautiful house with its dedicated medicine space, the delicious nourishing food, the walks in the woods, all of the integration activities especially dealing with Shame, the ongoing connections. It all works together in synergy. After 49 years of experience with psychedelics, including Ayahuasca in the jungle and decades with mushrooms, this retreat stands out as a true transformation. More than having taken a flashy trip out and back, I feel like I’ve simply come home. I remember Who I Am and what’s going on here, the inner game Love is playing behind what often looks like Insanity. Having the integration support and ongoing group connection is essential. This team has masterfully orchestrated a container.

Kate Hawke, MA, Director of the Trauma Transformation Network and Native American Trauma Project, International Energy Psychology Conference Founder. MAPS member since 1986

The retreat enabled me to face my deepest pain and to integrate it into my life and to transcend it, with the support and love of others. I feel a renewed sense of vitality with my life and doubts about my self-worth have left me.

J. S., Counselling Psychologist DPsych.

I feel this retreat helped me in a very deep way. It felt like a very profound healing. It gave me a clear sense of how these medicines can be used therapeutically. It helped me come into a different relationship with pain. This was a profoundly transformative experience. The balance of preparation, ceremony, and integration was wonderful. The facilitators attended with such care and skill that I felt completely safe and was able to trust the plant medicine to go deep into the experience. Thank you for this opportunity. I now have a real appreciation for this important work. So much gratitude!

Jim Clark, Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (BABCP) and a UK Network Listed Mindfulness Teacher.

This retreat gave me a new self. I feel I can take up space in the world, I feel I have a voice and a purpose. I had no idea how much my barriers and insecurities were inhibiting my life. I can see what my life would be like with more awareness to when these barriers and insecurities are showing up and the steps to move forward with actions that truly matter to me. I could not imagine a better group of knowledgeable and skilled facilitators for this retreat. I felt safe and cared for the entire time, allowing myself to fully let go. The variety of modalities incorporated were each beneficial and together created a healing experience. The group aspect added a deeper level of connection, learning, and insight. If this is the direction psychedelic-assisted therapy is headed, I am excited and hopeful to see the future unfold.

Stephanie Dreis M.S. LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counsellor)

This retreat was a most important and meaningful experience in my life! It introduced me to the transformational experience of taking psilocybin, which I will be forever grateful for. It was a thoughtfully planned retreat, full of many rich experiences: walks in nature, great music, powerful group exercises, integration sessions, plenty individual attention. But, perhaps as important as the powerful consciousness expanding medicine, was the team of guides/leaders which was put together. The guides were continually supportive, unbelievably kind and loving, knowledgeable, open, available, and I cannot imagine having gone through the experience of taking psilocybin for the first time without them. They were present in all the activities, they were invaluable to the integration process and they became true mentors to the participants. The group size was perfect: 14 participants. Live music was a beautiful and inspirational part of the retreat. I would love to be able to do the retreat again.

Elisabeth Fonseca, PhD (NYU) Clinical Psychologist

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Location:

Near Barcelona, Spain

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2026 Dates:

15-19th June

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Contribution:

£2300 (accommodation and meals included, excluding cost of psilocybin truffles
Contact us for concessionary fees

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Facilitators:

Henry Whitfield, Robert Krause, Karlie Shelley, & Margo Fisher

This programme is aimed at mental health professionals interested in becoming psychedelic-assisted therapists, psychedelic therapists interested in an ACT-informed psychedelic experience and those wishing to better support people in integrating psychedelic experience. There is currently a psychedelic research renaissance involving sizeable clinical trials in both Europe and the USA. The current results suggest unprecedented success rates for depression, addictions and more. With such trials underway, psilocybin is expected be medically licenced in the next 5 years.

(See New Atlas FDA Breakthrough therapy, or Wired for more depth). The purpose of this retreat is to prepare and connect those interested in such developments. If you are interested in collaborating on future retreats like this, you are especially welcome.

The Programme: This four and a half day retreat + two month (average length) integration programme consists of:

Day 1: Arrival (in the afternoon) and preparation: approaching the psychedelic experience as an opportunity for personal growth, leaning into challenging emotions and opening to a flexible sense of self.

Day 2: Self-as-context meditation breath and bodywork – you are not your programming. Afternoon ceremony with Psilocybin Truffles, you embark on your psychedelic journey with the support of sober mental health professionals and a “reverse compass” to help you open up to any challenges.

Day 3: Integration through verbal and nonverbal expression. Allow your more vulnerable selves to emerge during relational group work. Safely access your more avoidant personality structures and connect in our common humanity.

Day 4: A scale of selves or ‘parts’ to integrate: fostering a transcendent self. Increasing willingness and noticing the barriers of mind. Breathwork preparation for the second psychedelic ceremony – an opportunity to go deeper.

Day 5: Further integration – Is any of your inner or outer behaviour changing? What new paths do you feel invited to follow? Is a new view emerging of the kind of life you want to live? Balancing the head with the heart: Awareness practices coupled with intending a new alignment in your life.

Each day will include experiential practices to help us get into our direct experiencing. Through sharing circles we will learn from each other.

Integration therapy: Then each participant is then offered four x 60-90min integration sessions via Zoom. These sessions further support the unfolding of awareness that opened during the retreat and help translate this awareness into multiple domains of your life. It may also be a critical learning period to take advantage of. Our current integration model brings together evolutionary science, ACT and ‘parts work’ in psychedelic context as described in Henry’s Spectrum of Selves publication, integrating behaviour change to find a new balance between self-care, relationships, community and environment.

In preparation you may consider your personal challenges in terms of ‘willingness’ (how open are you to certain discomforts?), ‘experiential avoidance’ (what are the obvious or subtle ways you avoid those inner discomforts?), your motivations (what impulses behind your inner and outer behaviours are keeping you from what you truly want). Simple metaphors such as the ‘reverse compass’ may guide us on our way: where is your mind telling you not to go?

To integrate your psilocybin experience into a life better lived, you may also consider if your old thought patterns take you where you really want to go. What new behaviours do our insights invite? How might our old patterns get in the way of what we really want?

As well as offering these latter perspectives, the ACT model also invites its own integration with other models and traditions, into a behaviourally aware eclecticism. Some of these modalities of integration include breathwork, art therapy, shame work and Internal Family Systems therapy.

Minimum facilitator ratio: one to every 3.5 participants minimum. Each participant will also receive one-on-one pre, between and post-ceremony check-ins.

Spaces are highly limited to a maximum of 14.

Psychedelic Retreat for Mental Health Professionals

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About our facilitator

Henry J. Whitfield

Henry Whitfield is an Association of Contextual Behavioural Science (ACBS) Peer-reviewed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy trainer, an Accredited Advanced TIR (PTSD therapy) Trainer, a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (MSc – CBT) and Visiting Research Fellow at Regent’s University – School of Psychotherapy and Psychology. For over seven years Henry ran and supervised brief therapy for PTSD projects for Victim Support and Mind in London gun crime hot spots, using CBT and TIR.

Henry has also trained over 1500 psychological therapists since 2003, supervising mental health professionals the NHS for ACT and Trauma work. He is also a passionate integral thinker, publishing journal articles and book chapters on the integration of therapeutic models including, REBT-mindfulness, ACT-TIR-CBT, Person-centred-TIR. His psychedelic plant medicine path has changed how he does psychotherapy especially with self-concept issues. He has written, co-written and edited training manuals for ACT, TIR and FAP (relational psychodynamic). Now he focuses his research on the development of ACT-consistent models for psychedelic preparation and integration, with psychedelic process research for Regents University London. He is also author of a new model of psychological flexibility A Spectrum of Selves, tailored to a psychedelic therapy context published 2021 in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

Dr Robert Krause

Robert Krause, DNP APRN-BC is a doctor of nursing practice and is a clinical specialist in psychiatric and mental health nursing. He is currently Visiting Faculty at The Graduate Institute where he is teaching a course in Mind-Body Medicine. For twenty years Robert was a Lecturer in Psychiatry at Yale University in the schools of Nursing and Medicine.

He has lectured in philosophy at Quinnipiac University and at Western Connecticut State University. Robert has certifications in Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery from Harvard University, in Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies and Research from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and in Sex therapy also from the CIIS. He was a faculty advisor to the Yale Psychedelic Research Group and is currently the lead therapist and co-author of the treatment manual for the Psilocybin – Induced Neuroplasticity in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder at the Yale School of Medicine. He is also a co-author of the recently published ‘Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame’ Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science 15 (2020): 12-19′

Robert’s daily practices include yoga, meditation and tantra. He completed yoga instructor training with Aum Pradesh Guar in Goa, India and was certified in tantra instruction through the Urban Tantra Professional Training Program. He has been practicing zazen meditation for 30 years.

Currently Robert maintains a private integrative psychotherapy practice in New Haven, Connecticut.

Margo Fisher

Margo has a depth of experience as a psychedelic guide. A particular area of expertise is early childhood trauma, holding a safe space as clients connect with their young selves. She has guided on psilocybin clinical trials at the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College, currently guiding on a trial relating to addiction. She is also a psychotherapeutic counsellor, adept at helping clients integrate their psychedelic experiences. It brings her joy to facilitate individual and group spaces that offer the opportunity to heal, integrate and expand. Margo has built a friendship with unknowing, embodiment, vulnerability, wholeness and reverence over time; these have helped her to be and stay present.

Previously a qualitative researcher focused on human rights in the global South, she now uses her research skills to capture the lived experiences of those participating in psychedelic clinical trials. Margo lives on a farm with her partner in south west England, is a mother of an adult daughter and is gently becoming an elder.