Frequently Asked Questions
Augmented Psychotherapy Training (APT)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Contents of the APT Program
A growing number of clinical studies indicates that the therapeutic use of altered states of consciousness can be a promising addition to existing treatment options in mental health care. In Psychedelic-Augmented Psychotherapy, altered states of consciousness are purposefully induced to promote psychotherapeutic processes. Augmented Psychotherapy includes the following components:
- Careful screening of patients and treatment planning
- Preparatory therapy sessions to ensure safety and maximize therapeutic gains from altered states
- Therapy sessions that include an induction of altered states of consciousness using pharmacological (psilocybin, ketamine etc.) or non-pharmacological induction methods (breathwork, stroboscopic light etc.)
- Integration-focused therapy sessions to help patients/clients draw therapeutic benefits from altered states
Integration-Focused Psychoherapy helps patients draw therapeutic benefits from psychedelic experiences that have taken place (or will take place) outside of the therapy setting while also minimizing potential harms.
The APT program takes a transtheoretical approach that aims to understand and conceptualize psychotherapeutic processes from an integrative perspective. No specific psychotherapeutic orientation or school is emphasized over others.
Empirical psychotherapy research has identified a number of common factors (also referred to as general change mechanisms) that are thought to underlie the effectiveness of all psychotherapies. Following this view, the distinct methods used in different schools of psychotherapy are thought to ultimately make use of the same therapeutic mechanisms. One particularly useful conceptualization of common factors was proposed by the psychotherapy researcher Klaus Grawe:
- Resource activation
- Therapeutic relationship
- Problem activation
- Motivational clarification/clarification of meaning
- Mastery/coping
In our experience, the common factors perspective allows for productive discussions across different psychotherapeutic schools and traditions. It is also immensely helpful for understanding and making optimal use of the therapeutic potential of altered states of consciousness. The common factors perspective is therefore strongly emphasized in the APT program.
We teach a broad scope of methods to induce altered states of consciousness: Pharmacological methods include classical psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, etc.) and atypical psychedelics (ketamine). Non-pharmacological methods include breathwork, guided imagery, trance & music journeys, and stroboscopic light. The self-experience curriculum in APT includes the described non-pharmacological methods as well as ketamine. We are currently in the application process to be allowed to offer legal psilocybin self-experience sessions within APT.
The APT program covers all essential aspects of Psychedelic-Augmented Psychotherapy and Integration-Focused Psychotherapy. Participants are qualified to offer these therapies upon graduation. Hands-on practice, role-play, and case work are central elements of the program. Self-experience with altered states is also an integral part. The theoretical frameworks provided are discussed in connection with their clinical relevance and interlinked with experiential exercises.
Small-group mentoring sessions (4-6 participants each) are an integral part of the APT program. This learning format is intended to create fruitful discussions of therapeutic processes in a group of peers with the support of an experienced psychotherapist. Mentoring sessions focus on case discussions and include elements of clinical supervision. Participants are encouraged to use mentoring sessions to discuss their current treatment cases, if applicable. The mentoring groups meet online regularly.
Structure and Organization
The APT program includes of a total of 3 intensive training weeks in Berlin, Germany (see dates for the next English APT course here) and continuous online training sessions (lectures, journal club, mentoring sessions, and meditation training). Online sessions take place weekly on Thursdays (19:30 CET/CEST). No classes are held during the Christmas holiday season.
The program also includes the on-demand course Molecules that participants can attend in their own time. Participants are also required to participate in the MIND Foundation’s integration workshop Beyond Experience. If you have completed Molecules and/or Beyond Experience before enrolling in APT, you will be granted a corresponding discount on the tuition. Learn more about teaching contents and formats in APT here.
The three intensive training weeks take place on-site in Berlin, Germany. Since the intensive trainings include many experiential contents such as role-play, exercises, and self-experience with altered states (ketamine, breathwork, etc.), it is not possible to attend these trainings remotely.
If you miss an on-site training for reasons such as illness or travel restrictions, you will be allowed to attend it a year later with the next APT course.
If you miss an on-site training for reasons such as illness or COVID-related travel restrictions, you will be allowed to attend it a year later with the next APT course.
To become certified, participants are required to attend a minimum of 80% of the program.
No, you will not be required to complete these programs again. The price you have already paid for them will be discounted from your tuition fee for APT.
Each APT course consists of a maximum of 32 participants. During the training, the group will often split up into subgroups for self-experience, mentoring sessions, role-play, groups discussions etc.
Application and Admission
The APT program is a professional training for medical doctors, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals. Detailed admission criteria are listed here.
To participate in the English-language APT course, you need to be able to speak and write English fluently (equivalent to C1 language skills).
Reading and understanding English well is also required for participating in the German-language APT course. This is because much of the relevant scientific literature in the field of psychedelic therapy is being published in English. Furthermore, most of the online lectures are held in English by international experts in psychedelic therapy and research.
Augmented Psychotherapy involves a scope of possible accesses to altered states of consciousness – psychedelic substances being only one of them. Over the course of the training, you will learn to apply different methods and techniques to induce altered states in yourself and patients. In our view, a strong interest in understanding psychotherapeutic change processes (and how they can be affected by altered states of consciousness) is far more important than having extensive prior experience with psychedelics. Opportunities for self-experience with breathwork and self-experience with ketamine are offered as part of the APT Program. We are currently working towards legally providing APT participants with opportunities for legal psilocybin self-experience.
Formal and Legal Matters
Information about the tuition fee is provided here.
No. Participants are required to take care of their own accommodation and meals.
CME/CE application is currently pending. We expect to be awarded 100+ CME/CE credits for the complete training.
After successfully completing the APT Program, participants are awarded a certificate in Psychedelic Therapy – Integration-Focused Psychotherapy (IFP) and Psychedelic-Augmented Psychotherapy (PAP). Depending on their professional background, certified professionals are qualified to work independently and lead multiprofessional teams providing psychedelic therapy, or to work in such multiprofessional teams under the supervision of a medical doctor with training in psychotherapy or licensed psychotherapist. The certificate covers breathwork-, ketamine-, and psychedelic-augmented psychotherapy. However, the certificate does not legally entitle you to work with medications or other pharmacological substances. This authorization is acquired through country- and region-specific approbations and subject to corresponding legal regulations. We strictly require all APT participants to comply with the legal regulations applicable at their respective place of work.
The APT program teaches therapists to purposefully induce altered states of consciousness to promote psychotherapeutic processes. We teach different methods for inducing altered states of consciousness. Some of these methods are completely free to be used, and others are legally regulated. While non-pharmacological methods are at your disposal wherever you practice, ketamine-augmented psychotherapy should be available to you in most jurisdictions if you team up with a medical doctor or hold a medical license yourself. In most countries, the use of classical psychedelics such as psilocybin is still restricted to clinical studies and (in some counties) so-called “compassionate use” licenses. However, with the imminent approval of several psychedelic substances, the legal situation in many countries is likely to change substantially in the next few years. We explicitly do not train underground therapists, but professionals who adhere to the given legal frameworks.
Members of the OVID Clinic or EPIsoDE study teams are involved in the APT program as faculty. If you are currently a patient of either of these treatment teams, you cannot (yet) participate in APT since this will most likely lead to problematic role conflicts. If you have been a patient of the OVID clinic or the EPIsoDE study in the past, you may be able to participate in the APT program. However, you must inform the APT Program Committee during the admission process that you have been a patient of one of these teams in the past. This is the only way to examine whether problematic role conflicts may still arise and, if so, how they can be avoided. If you have any questions or doubts in this regard, please contact the APT Office ([email protected]).
Free Info Events
MIND offers monthly info events for APT. A member of the Program Committee moderates the events. You have the opportunity to ask your questions about the training. Click the button below to register.
Further Questions
If our FAQ and the visit to an Info Event have not answered all your questions please give us a call via:+49 30 77059217 at the following the times.
- Monday: 09:30-11:30h CET
- Wednesday: 09:30-11:30h CET
- Thursday: 16:00-18:00h CET
If you can not reach us please write an email to: [email protected]