Dr Simon Ruffell
he/him • English
-
I believe in meeting people where they’re at & working holistically. For me, the magic happens when you work across paradigms, bringing together Indigenous wisdom & Western science in synergy.
-
My work draws from training in three modalities: Western medicine (medical doctor specialising in psychiatry), research psychology (with a PhD in ayahuasca and mental health), and traditional plant medicine (student of curanderismo).
I worked on a major trial at King’s College London investigating the effects of psilocybin on treatment-resistant depression, though since 2016 my work has been primarily dedicated to exploring the traditional psychedelic brew ayahuasca.
I am CEO of Onaya Health and co-founder of the not-for-profit Onaya Science, researching the effects of ayahuasca in naturalistic Amazonian settings in collaboration with universities, charities, and Indigenous-led think tanks worldwide.
My work seeks to understand plants such as ayahuasca from both an Indigenous and a Western viewpoint, with the goal of generating a richer understanding of healing modalities. I am currently training under Keyo Sui Rono and Don Rono Lopez.
-
Medical Doctor (MBChB)
MRCPsych (Members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists)
PhD in ayahuasca and mental health outcomes
Foundation in Psychoanalysis
-
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Internal Family Systems
Integration coaching
Shipibo cosmology
-
Depression & anxiety
Trauma
Relational difficulties
Different perceptions of reality
Psychedelic preparation & integration
Master plant dietas
Spiritual exploration