COURSE FOR PROFESSIONALS
Psychedelic Mentorship Training
An accredited program for training in psychedelic preparation and integration support, aimed at professionals working in therapeutic and coaching fields or anyone looking to broaden their education.
Elevate your practice with our 6-month online accredited training program.
Learn to support others preparing for & processing altered states.
Advocacy & access
Advocating and providing a legitimate access point for traditionally trained practitioners, which educational conventions currently do not cater for. Recognising an unmet need for indigenous and marginalised groups doing important work in psychedelic spaces.
Multidisciplinary intersections
The coming together of scientific and evidence-based practices with indigenous and traditional wisdom in the field of psychedelic support. Bringing in experts from diverse disciplines to explore core and in-depth topics where interesting fields intersect.
Path to board certification
Onaya prides itself on professionalism. Our program is a pathway towards being board certified by an International Organization. Upon completion of program requirements and assessments, mentors are pre-qualified for AANWP/ANWPB Board Certification, with options for Continuing Education Units (CEU) offered.
6-month accredited mentorship training
What’s included
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Understanding Psychedelics: Equipping mentors with foundational scientific knowledge and managing client uncertainties.
Traditional Perspectives: Helping mentors navigate cultural intersections with clients and appreciation for tradition and culture.
Intersections & Bridging the Gap: Education on intersections between fields and interconnections of biology and consciousness.
Inner Work & Therapeutics: Provide mentors with foundational therapeutic skills. Highlighting the importance of inner work.
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Individual Preparation: Working at the individual level and psycho-physical readiness; setting intentions.
Collective Preparation: Working at the collective and environmental level; socio-spiritual readiness.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Knowledge and skills to integrate mindfulness, meditation into mentorship.
Safety Planning and Assessment: Helping a client establish safety for the journey and managing pre-post ceremony anxiety.
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Altered States: Understanding and supporting altered states of consciousness.
Exceptional Human Experiences: Understanding and navigating exceptional human experiences which may arise.
Setting the Container: How to ensure a safe and protected space. The physical/sonic/relational container
Facilitation: Basics of facilitation and managing psychedelic emergencies.
Managing Intense Emotions: Managing intense psychedelic experiences. Somatic & trauma-informed techniques.
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Integration – Getting Home:Fundamentals of integration and initial short term integration planning.
Integration – Staying Well: Maintenance guidance and ongoing monitoring.
Psychedelic Perspectivism: Navigating client’s perspective shifts after ceremony.
Nature Relatedness: Perspectives beyond self/other and connection with environment.
Working Systemically: Supporting clients systemically in their relationships and community.
Dreams and Symbolism: Understand the significance of dreams and support through symbolic aspects of the journey.
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Trauma Informed Care:Working trauma informed and professional boundaries.
IFS and Parts Work: To equip mentors with understanding of Internal Family Systems and parts work to support clients.
Legalities: Educate mentors on legal frameworks & considerations and ensure they guide clients responsibly within the law.
Business: Legal & business considerations for our mentor and client. Having a sustainable practice with a passion for profit - setting up a career and business.
Research: Learning about psychedelic research, methodologies and ethics.
Including embodied learning activities:
guided breathwork ceremony
experience of a wash-out period
meditations and somatic work
psychometric self-assessments
ceremonial recipes
dreamwork
The American Association of Natural Wellness Practitioners (AANWP)
When you complete our 6-month Mentorship program, you become eligible for Board Certification with AANWP/ANWPB.
Graduates can choose from a variety of Board Certification titles and membership provides access to numerous benefits and resources.
Certification requirements
Knowledge and skill-based competencies are assessed in three primary domains: psychedelic guidance and support, core therapeutic skills, and trauma-informed care.
Certification will be awarded upon successful completion of the following:
Multiple choice tests
Panel vignette assessment
30 minute recording of client interaction for competencies assessment
2 x 15 minute recordings of client interactions for feedback
80% minimum attendance of weekly 90 minutes live teachings
Submit reflective log for live teaching and buddy sessions
Completion of all in-course exercises
24 hours of peer-to-peer (buddy) calls
Who is the course for?
People with a background in a healing modality, including (but not limited to): medics, psychologists and psychotherapists, breathwork practitioners, life coaches, somatic healers and traditional practitioners.
Those with interest in Indigenous healing modalities and spiritual practices, looking to expand their practice to support individuals holistically in their psychedelic preparation and integration journeys.
Individuals seeking greater knowledge of modern science and spiritual traditions to advance their own personal development.
Augmenting skillsets within your current scope of practice
While the Psychedelic Mentorship Training program is designed for professionals in the full range of therapeutic fields, we accept anybody interested in developing their skillset.
We strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, military veterans and service members, and those serving under-resourced and under-represented populations.
International applicants are welcome, and professional board credentials are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
We offer scholarships for students and practitioners from indigenous heritage who would otherwise not be able to afford the course.
If you would like to extend the scope of your practice with this program, we offer a combined deal in partnership with the Human Potential Academy’s coaching qualification.
Please note: This course does not qualify graduates to manage high-risk or clinical populations.
*If you are unclear whether your training and experiences meet eligibility for the training, please email us at support@onaya.io for clarification.
Meet your instructors
Dr Simon Ruffell
Lead Instructor
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He has focused on ayahuasca research since 2016, and as CEO of Onaya Health and co-founder of Onaya Science, he collaborates with universities and Indigenous-led organizations to study ayahuasca's effects in Amazonian settings. Simon aims to bridge Indigenous and Western perspectives on plant healing. He is currently training in Shipibo curanderismo under Keyo Sui Rono and Don Rono Lopez.
Dr WaiFung Tsang
Lead Instructor
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Currently based at the Maudsley Hospital, King’s College London, he is a co-founder of Onaya Science specialising in Amazonian indigenous ayahuasca research. He is also training in Shipibo Curanderismo and a talented musician with his band United Freedom Collective, signed to the acclaimed UK label, DamaDama, Ninja Tune.
Don Rono Lopez
Shipibo Curandero
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With an incredible working knowledge of the plants, Don Rono continues to participate in plant dietas and study the science of healing. He has an interest in modern scientific techniques and helps inform Onaya about the nature of Shipibo curanderismo and its traditions from an indigenous perspective. Good-natured and with a gentle spirit, he is the lead curandero at the Ayahuasca Foundation's Riosbo Research Center where Onaya Science conducts research.
Dr Jeremy Narby
Author & Anthropologist
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Jeremy's influential book, The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge (1998), explores the parallels between shamanic visions and molecular biology, proposing a connection between indigenous knowledge and scientific understanding of DNA.
Jeremy has conducted extensive fieldwork with indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon, advocating for their rights and the preservation of their traditional knowledge. His involvement with NGOs like Nouvelle Planète supports sustainable development and highlights the importance of indigenous perspectives in addressing global environmental challenges.
Through his writing and lectures, Jeremy continues to bridge the gap between indigenous wisdom and modern science, promoting a holistic understanding of knowledge and the natural world.
Doña Angela Lopez
Shipibo Curandera
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She has done extensive plant dietas and has a soft and motherly energy in ceremony and in life. She’s also a tremendously talented artist, making clothing, jewelry, and crafts in her traditional Shipibo style. With decades of experience in the familial lineage of a plant medicine tradition passed down from generation to generation, she continues to develop her own style, especially with the uniqueness of her singing.
Dr Isa Gucciardi
Applied Shamanic Counsellor
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She has been a dedicated Buddhist practitioner for forty years and has spent over thirty years studying spiritual, therapeutic, and meditative techniques from around the world. Isa teaches and speaks nationally and internationally, and maintains a private practice with institutions and individuals in Depth Hypnosis and Coming to Peace processes. She speaks five languages and has lived in eleven countries; she is the mother of two children and lives with her partner in San Francisco.
Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes
Philosopher of Mind and Metaphysics
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and in fields pertaining to panpsychism, pantheism, mental causation, and altered states of consciousness. He is a lecturer at The University of Exeter.
Peter is the author of Noumenautics(2015), Modes of Sentience (2021), co-editor and contributor of Bloomsbury’s Philosophy and Psychedelics (2022), the TEDx Talker on ‘psychedelics and consciousness‘, and he is inspiration to the recreation of inhuman philosopher Marvel Superhero, Karnak.
Dr David Luke
Associate Professor of Psychology
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He is also a Lecturer at the Alef Trust as Programme Leader of the Professional Certificate in Psychedelics, Altered States and Transpersonal Psychology, and tutor on the MSc Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology. His research focuses on transpersonal experiences and altered states of consciousness, especially via psychedelics, having published more than 100 academic papers in this area, including thirteen books, most recently DMT Entity Encounters: Dialogues on the Spirit Molecule (2021).
Julie Bruton-Seal
Master Herbalist
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She graduated from the Selfheal School, under Dr Jill Davies and Christopher Hobbs, in 2000, and is a Fellow of the Association of Master Herbalists (AMH). She was editor of the quarterly magazine, Nature’s Path, now The Herbalist, and was also one of the founding organisers of HerbFest, an annual gathering celebrating healing plants and herbal medicine.
Julie is also an artist, photographer, film-maker, graphic designer, writer and silver jeweller. She co-authored the vegetarian cookbook Vegetarian Masterpieces. Her photographs have been widely published in books and magazines, including National Geographic, and she has worked as a wildlife illustrator and artist, holding a number of exhibitions. She illustrated the children’s book When Elephant Was King.
Julie is the daughter of renowned wildlife film-makers Des and Jen Bartlett, with whom she won an Emmy in 1993 for Survivors of the Skeleton Coast. She settled in Norfolk in the 1990s. Julie and Matthew were married in 1999.
Together with her husband Matthew Seal, they have written six books together, all published by Merlin Unwin Books: Hedgerow Medicine (2008), Kitchen Medicine (2010), Make Your Own Aphrodisiacs (2012), The Herbalist’s Bible (2014), Wayside Medicine (2017) and Eat your Weeds! (2022). All have been published in North America (sometimes under different titles).
Julie and Matthew live in the Norfolk village of Ashwellthorpe, near Wymondham, and their Tudor cottage is the venue for teaching herbal courses and conducting herb walks and other herb-related gatherings, including medicine-making. They have been vegetarians and now (almost) vegans for many years, and wish they had more time to spend in their over-exuberant and very organic forest garden!
Matthew Seal
Master Herbalist
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Matthew grew up in a family of gardeners and botanists and, while not following his kinfolk into professional gardening or horticulture, has never forgotten this early ‘greening’.
Matthew has a history degree from the University of Sussex, and since the 1970s has worked as an editor and writer in books, magazines and newspapers, in both the UK and South Africa. He was founder of the Professional Editors' Guild in South Africa in 1993. He is author of Survive and Thrive in the New South Africa (2000). He continues to be a freelance book editor, and is an advanced professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). He was for three years revise subeditor of Business Report, the largest-selling business daily in South Africa, and was publications director of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP), the predecessor to the CIEP, 2004–08.
Together with his wife Julie Bruton-Seal, they have written six books together, all published by Merlin Unwin Books: Hedgerow Medicine (2008), Kitchen Medicine (2010), Make Your Own Aphrodisiacs (2012), The Herbalist’s Bible (2014), Wayside Medicine (2017) and Eat your Weeds! (2022). All have been published in North America (sometimes under different titles).
Julie and Matthew live in the Norfolk village of Ashwellthorpe, near Wymondham, and their Tudor cottage is the venue for teaching herbal courses and conducting herb walks and other herb-related gatherings, including medicine-making. They have been vegetarians and now (almost) vegans for many years, and wish they had more time to spend in their over-exuberant and very organic forest garden!
Jem Stone
Indigenous Cultural Educator
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She is passionately integrating original knowledge systems into education and wellness spaces through connection and decolonised learning methods. Jem is trained as a Psychedelic Assisted Therapist, Wayapa Wuurrk Practitioner and Trainer, We Al-li Facilitator, co-founder of Rebirthing Breathwork Australia, Meditation and Yoga instructor who is passionate about creating safe, inclusive, decolonised spaces for healing.
Don Miguel Lopez
Shipibo Curandero
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He has a tremendous sense of humor and enjoys goofing around when it is appropriate. He knows Amazonian medicine and plants incredibly well. A trained language professor for his community, he is fond of leading lectures and workshops on the meaning of icaros and plant medicine within the Shipibo culture.
Dr Bianca Sebben
Clinical Psychologist
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Currently a therapist on a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for prolonged grief for people who have lost a loved one to cancer, Bianca holds a PhD in Indigenous Psychology, looking at traditional methods of healing and increasing cultural safety in Western medical systems. Cofounder of Indigenous Psychedelic Assisted therapies (IPAT); an organization developing a model of PAT informed by Indigenous practices; Bianca has a special interest in 5 MeO DMT harm reduction, and is a co-founder of the Australian Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Practitioners (AMAPP).
Don Wilder Mahua
Shipibo Curandero
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He was initiated into ayahuasca shamanism from the age of 12, including drinking the brew many times with his grandparents as a teenager. He credits their icaros (healing songs) and master plants such as Noya Rao with transforming his life, and now practices curanderismo in partnership with his mother in different parts of the Peruvian Amazon.
Dr Osiris G. Cerqueda
Indigenous Scholar
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From a very young age, he has dedicated himself to the study of the history of his community and the practice of the ancestral ritual with
psilocybin mushrooms, of which Maria Sabina was renowned. In recent years, reciprocity and restorative justice are the basis of his work of conducting a needs assessment in his community and developing activities to strengthen the Mazatec bioculture.
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She is the founder of a Psychology Practice based in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to this work she spent 9 years working as a Senior Clinical Psychologist in the refugee mental health space in Australia, Thailand and the UK. Esme specialises in somatic and psychedelic therapy, bringing together the mind and the body in holistic practice. She supported participants through the largest psychedelic trial in Australia to date which explored psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat anxiety.
Dr Esme Dark
Somatic Therapist
Julian Vayne
Esoteric Scholar
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Since then he has worked in ceremony with practitioners from many different lands and lineages. Julian is a senior member of the Magical Pact of the Illuminates of Thanateros and widely recognized as one of Britain’s leading occultists. Today Julian is the author of books, essays, journals and articles in both the academic and esoteric press. He sees his work as part of the process to help re-imagine an earth-centered, non-dogmatic, open-source spirituality.
Prof Christine Hauskeller
Professor of Philosophy
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where she is a leading expert in a leading expert in the philosophy of decolonial (bio)ethics, epistemic justice and feminist philosophy.
Prof Hauskeller is a leader of the Philosophy and Psychedelics Exeter Research Group, and co-edited the recent book, Philosophy and Psychedelics (2022). She is also trained in sociology and psychology.
Dr Sam Gandy
Psychedelic Ecologist
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including as a scientific assistant to the director of the Beckley Foundation and a research assistant for Synthesis Institute; as a senior science writer for Wavepaths, and as a psychedelic science presenter for Seed Talks. A lifelong nature lover, Sam has a research interest in psychedelics’ influence on human relationships with nature, and is a collaborator with the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London. His main focus is within the ecological field, working as Innovation Team Leader with environmental consultancy Ecosulis.
Dr Giorgia Caspani
Neuroscientist
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During her PhD, Giorgia explored the biological underpinnings of major depressive disorder, and applied bioinformatic tools to neuroimaging, metabolomic and inflammatory data to identify biomarkers predictive of responses to antidepressant pharmacotherapy in a large clinical trial. Her expertise covers the areas of neuroscience, microbiota-gut-brain axis, metabolomics and biomarker discovery.
In her current position in the Jefferies lab at UBC, she is investigating the anti-inflammatory and antidepressant properties of psychedelic analogues in both animal models and in a clinical cohort. Her research interests lie in elucidating the role of the gut microbiota in mediating the antidepressant effects of psychedelic drugs.
Dr Vanessa Leon-Sulca
Holistic Medicine & Cultural Advisor
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She trained at Barts and The London School of Medicine. Originally from Peru and of Andean Quechua lineage, Vanessa has deeply immersed herself in Peruvian shamanic traditions and Andean cosmology.
Vanessa also holds a BA in International Relations and Political Science. Prior to her medical career, she was a Chartered Accountant and worked as an Internal Auditor in banking. This diverse background and experience provide her with a deeper understanding of patients' challenges, considering not only medical and scientific perspectives to illnesses but also social, cultural, and economic factors, as she recognises that illnesses develop within a larger context far beyond only individual factors.
With over 15 years of exploring unconventional healing methods, Vanessa runs her private practice, Gnosis Clinic, integrating conventional and traditional medicine. Vanessa has also written on the Historic Trauma of colonisation in Peru from a psychotherapeutic perspective and is conducting ongoing research in this area.
Dr Nathan White
Biologist
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He studied his MSc in Genetics at the University of Aberdeen (UoA) researching mutations affecting cell signalling which lead to disease. He then pursued his PhD at UoA shifting his research interest into tissue regeneration and stem cell therapy.
He is currently investigating novel methods to assess potential genotoxic effects after gene editing stem cells to be used in cutting-edge cytotherapies.
Alongside his academic responsibilities, he has developed a keen interest in the cellular responses to psychedelic compounds with a particular emphasis on Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its involvement in the 5-HTR family signalling axis.
In his spare time, he enjoys drawing, reading, and engaging in scientific outreach activities in regard to psychedelics.
Dr Holly Wilson
Neuroscientist
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She has a keen interest in clinical and particularly psychedelic research and is excited about applying her machine learning and neuroimaging skill sets to this field.
Fascinated for years by the differences in people's inner worlds, a large part of her PhD has involved decoding and exploring mechanisms driving differences in human imagination, from brain data such as EEG and fMRI.
Dr Pascal Michael
Neuroscientist
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He completed a PhD at the University of Greenwich with Dr. David Luke, using nuanced qualitative analyses to compare the DMT experience, based on the first conceived field study of DMT use, with the near-death experience (NDE). He is presently a lecturer in Psychology there, teaching and researching on psychedelics, survival, neuroscience and psychopathology. His doctoral thesis allowed him to delve into the paradoxical puzzle of why the human person seems to not only report experience at all, but profound mystical-type experiences at the precipice of death.
Pascal has presented at conferences such as Breaking Conventions, has been invited to give talks such as with the Psychedelic Society UK, and his articles have appeared in journals such as Frontiers. He is a coordinator for the ALEF Trust’s certificate in Psychedelics, Altered States and Transpersonal Psychology, and is the 2020 recipient of the Parapsychology Association’s Schmeidler Outstanding Student Award.
When he’s not researching academically, he relishes spending time writing blog articles or poetry pieces, about the synaptic junction (like in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam) lying at the nexus between the naturalistic and supernatural. He is also an amateur actor and drum player.
Kirt Mallie
Indigenous Therapist
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Kirt was born and raised on Guringai Country, on the Central Coast NSW Australia and is now based on Gumbaynggirr Country on the Mid North Coast.
Co-founder of IPAT – Indigenous Psychedelic Assisted Therapies, Kirt is also a yoga and meditation teacher/ trainer, spiritual counsellor, sound therapist, breathwork, Wayapa Wuurrk and We Al-li facilitator. Devoted to the absolute Truth and humble servant of God; Kirt listens deeply, treads lightly and speaks kindly, with the deepest reverence and gratitude for all spirits, elders, masters, teachers, students and Country that he continues to learn from.
Understanding that connection is the cure, Kirt is passionate about creating safe and sacred spaces to do the deepest work possible. He assists people to develop self-awareness, activate their capacity to heal, align with their truth and step into their power.
Dr Jonah Teitelbaum
Clinical Psychologist
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More specifically, he is interested in the cognitive science of higher states of consciousness, with an emphasis on ego complexification and social-cognitive development.
Based in Los Angeles, Jonah maintains a private practice where he treats individuals across a wide range of psychological presentations and provides supervision to early career clinicians. In addition to his clinical and supervisory work, he holds academic appointments at Occidental College, Long Island University–Brooklyn, and the Silver Hill Academy for Research and Education.
Matt Pennell
Clinical Psychologist
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In his private practice, he employs a relational, non-pathologising, and attachment-informed approach, drawing on modalities such as AEDP, parts work, and person-centred psychotherapy. His therapeutic approach holds deep respect for the wisdom of the body and emotions, moving beyond a purely cognitive focus.
He is currently working on a PhD as part of a Southern Cross University clinical trial investigating MDMA-assisted group therapy for disaster-related PTSD. His research centres on psychedelic-assisted therapist (PAT) training, the role of innovative training methods such as therapists’ reflective self-experience of non-ordinary states during training, and the link between therapists’ relational capacity, therapeutic alliance, and participant outcomes.
Matt trained as a Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist as part of the Monash University MDMA for PTSD clinical trial, during which he completed the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) PAT training program. He has a keen interest in the work of Stanislav Grof and is currently training in the Holotropic/Transpersonal Psychology paradigm.
Maria Nazdravan
Dreamwork Facilitator
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She is passionate about helping others learn the symbolic language of the unconscious and unlock the hidden meaning of their dreams. She founded Dreamwork Circle in April 2023, offering a supportive space for monthly classes and weekly dream circles that foster self-discovery and transformation.
Dr Matthew X. Lowe
Research Scientist and Educator
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He serves as Research Director at Realm of Caring, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer at Unlimited Sciences, and Principal Investigator for the Cannabis & Health Research Initiative. Dr. Lowe also teaches at the Oregon Psychedelic Institute and was recognized as one of the top 25 emerging leaders in psychedelic research.
Dr Mark Atkinson
Human Potential Expert
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Through his work as a medical doctor, leadership coach and human potential teacher, Mark has helped thousands of people to optimize their health and unlock higher levels of wellbeing, performance, and consciousness. He is an author of bestselling books and the founder of the Human Potential Academy and the Human Potential Coach Certification Program. He received his medical degree from Imperial College London.
Charlotte Duerr James
Educator, Therapeutic Coach
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Her work is dedicated to creating a world where individuals can live boldly in pursuit of their radical transformation. Through her practice in education, ceremonial facilitation, and therapeutic coaching, Charlotte fosters communities centered on collective liberation and healing.
With over 15 years of experience working with Sacred Earth Medicines, Charlotte’s spiritual journey is deeply rooted in traditional wisdom. She has completed an apprenticeship in Kambo, is a Mbanji initiate, and has facilitated hundreds of ceremonies, supporting groups and individuals in their healing processes. Her academic background includes a summa cum laude degree in Latin American Studies and Anthropology from Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she is a graduate of a 3-year certification program in Transpersonal Psychology, Psychedelic Medicine, and Indigenous Wisdom through the Awe Foundation, where she also serves as a mentor.
Charlotte is the founder of Liberation Training, a psychedelically-informed organization that supports practitioners and journeyers in decolonizing their approaches to personal growth and collective healing. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, she has lived throughout South America, where she deepened her connection with diverse healing traditions. A lifelong student of the Earth, Charlotte is committed to continuous unlearning and relearning, engaging with elders and wisdom keepers from various traditions to ensure that her facilitation is grounded in authenticity and integrity.
Believing that personal transformation is essential to fostering collective liberation, Charlotte remains dedicated to helping others navigate their own paths toward healing and empowerment.
Nadia Violet Erlam
Neurodiversity Expert
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They have a MA in Gender, Policy and Inequality from the London School of Economics where they focused on modern drug policy and its racist, ableist inception.
They have been working on diversity issues and with vulnerable people like themself, for the last decade.
They have published a number of articles on diversity and oppression in psychedelic spaces, including in Breaking Convention's Essays on Psychedelic Consciousness. They have also authored their own poetry book on Mad Pride and their autistic life 'Catalytic: In Defence of Intensity'.
Testimonials
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I selected this course over others because it seemed to offer a greater sense of authenticity and transparency from the facilitators.
I'm happy to say my expectations have been fully met, with Simon and Waifung proving to be exceptional mentors. Both are highly knowledgeable, yet they have a way of making you feel equal to them, not at all above you.
There's a real sense of collaboration and openness in the learning environment, which is a refreshing change compared to other courses.
Jessica T.
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I was drawn to this mentorship program because of its holistic and experiential approach to psychedelic integration, but it has far surpassed my expectations.
The depth of wisdom shared with the practical tools has been transformational. An unexpected takeaway was how to hold deeply somatic experiences confidently and with care, a skill I know will profoundly shape my future work.
It is a course that enriched not only my understanding of western and traditionalapproaches, but also empowered me to step into this field with much clarity and purpose. Highly recommend!
Carolina S.
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I got so much out of this course. I especially loved the guest lecturers and our fortnightly calls. The way Simon and Waifung teach is real, honest, and grounded, and it created a space that felt really welcoming and easy to learn in. I learned practical skills and gained a much clearer understanding of the field.
The mix of perspectives, the somatic tools, and the focus on ethics and safety all made a huge difference. I’m leaving the course feeling confident, prepared, and excited to start supporting others. I’d recommend it to anyone considering this path.
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I participated in Onaya Science's Psychedelic Preparation & Integration Mentoring training and found it to be so enriching. It met me where I was and provided what I was seeking. When I enrolled, I had been on a multi-year journey of integration from an in-depth experience of working deeply with the sacred plant medicines of an Amazonian Shipibo-Konibo lineage. I had wanted to understand more fully the process of integration that I had been on and this program delivered! I found the content of each lesson to be comprehensive, the guest teachers to be high-caliber, and each lesson is followed up by guidance for buddy homework and whole cohort live calls. This gave me the space to explore the material personally, in relationship with others, and in a group council. I not only learned a lot, I developed trusting and enriching relationships with others in my cohort. I would recommend this wholeheartedly to others looking for that depth and scope of experience.
Marnie Rehn- Rabe Cohort, 2025
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Onaya is doing an awesome job at bringing together both western and indigenous perspectives and practices on a growing topic of interest.
I have found the course to be interesting, educational and extremely well balanced.
It uniquely integrates traditional wisdom with modern therapeutic approaches, aligning with my goal to bridge ancestral practices and contemporary health care.
The instructors create a supportive and inspiring learning environment, and the program has exceeded my expectations with its balance of theory, experiential learning, and practical tools.
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I found the Onaya course to be a fantastic complement to; and not at all redundant [in relation to] the other trainings I've already completed through ICEERS. It offered an impressive breadth of knowledge, while also providing the opportunity to dive deep into individual topics, and struck an impressive balance given the diversity of experiences represented in our cohort.
January 2024 Cohort
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I chose to do this course for a number of reasons. It is accredited, it was run by two very skilled mental health professionals. It was recommended to me through Psycare Ireland. It far outdid my expectations and allowed me to connect with other like-minded professionals in different corners of the world. It helped me to understand the package of skills that it is beneficial to have for supporting people who are engaging in psychedelic medicine. I feel ready to take on clients to mentor alongside my psychology work.
January 2024 Cohort
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This course provided me with knowledge and tools, along with the confidence I needed to start working with clients in the preparation and integration processes. I am grateful for [Onaya’s] energy, dedication, and devotion to make this course the best possible, so people can support others through a smooth mind altering state of consciousness.
January 2024 Cohort
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Onaya’s Psychedelic Mentorship Training is spearheaded by leadership that expertly works to integrate Indigenous Knowledges with that of the Western paradigm. Students are presented with a treasure trove of thought-provoking and practicable resources, traversing a broad array of topics that are integral to practising from an informed place of care, respect, and efficacy from various angles of expertise. Onaya attracts an intelligently considered cohort that are a delight to engage with. Furthermore, graduates can appreciate that this robust course is unique in the way that it is accredited by a professional body.
January 2024 Cohort
FAQs
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The next 6 month mentorship training starts on the 22nd of September 2026.
Fortnightly 90-minute sessions will follow every other Tuesday at 5pm (UK time) until 23rd March 2027.
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The psychedelic mentorship program is accredited and certified by an international organization. However, each member must comply with their local state or country laws.
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This program is designed to enhance students’ skills within their current scope of practice, not to equip people with the training and expertise necessary to manage clinical and risky populations (e.g. PTSD, psychosis-spectrum disorders).
Mentors from a non-clinical background will be equipped with foundational competencies to work with non-clinical populations.
Those encountering clients who pose a risk to self/others/from others, are recommended to discuss in supervision regarding an onward referral plan.