Roots of Psychedelic Therapy: Shamanism, Ritual and Traditional Uses of Sacred Plants
The Roots of Psychedelic Therapy course offered by the Chacruna Institute is an introduction to the foundations of the use of sacred plants. Through lectures, students will explore topics such as shamanism in Amazonia, peyote use among the Wixárika, psilocybin use among the Mazatec, and iboga in Afr
Provider
Details
Enrollment
Course Overview
The Roots of Psychedelic Therapy course offered by the Chacruna Institute is an introduction to the foundations of the use of sacred plants. Through lectures, students will explore topics such as shamanism in Amazonia, peyote use among the Wixárika, psilocybin use among the Mazatec, and iboga in Africa.
Additionally, students will learn about critical social issues such as globalization, tourism, cultural appropriation, commodification, patents, reciprocity, conservation, legality, ethics, sexual abuse, practitioner’s training, and more. The course seeks to create bridges between the worlds of ceremonies and psychedelic therapies and will help students to incorporate this knowledge into their professional practices and personal lives.
The course offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the expanding future of psychedelic plant medicines in ways that are equitable, safe, and just, and ways to give back to and honour the cultures from which these practices stem.
This course was last held in the Fall of 2022.
Who is this for?
People working in clinical practice, social science research, ceremonial settings, or those seeking a deeper understanding of psychedelic plant medicines.
About the Provider
Chacruna is a nonprofit psychedelic education and advocacy platform based in the United States with global reach through online publishing, courses, conferences, and multilingual programming. Its work centers on psychedelic plant medicines, ethics, cultural justice, reciprocity, and Indigenous knowledge, with content and activities aimed at researchers, clinicians, educators, policy audiences, and the broader public. The organization says it bridges ceremony and science and makes academic knowledge more accessible through public-facing education. Chacruna plays an explicit role in psychedelic justice and policy-adjacent advocacy by foregrounding cultural context, equity, and protection of sacred plants and traditions. Current documented initiatives include the Indigenous Reciprocity Initiative of the Americas, which supports community-led Indigenous projects, the Psychedelic Culture conference, the bilingual Chacruna Latinoamérica platform, and courses on diversity, culture, social justice, ceremony, ethics, and reciprocity. These activities make it a potential partner for researchers, clinicians, funders, and policy groups seeking cultural consultation, educational programming, and community-centered collaboration.
View Chacruna profileCourse Details
- Price$1,100
- FormatLive Classes
- Lifecycle statusNo New Dates
- Skillspsychedelic shamanismritual use of psychedelicssacred plants useHarm ReductionIntegrationPsilocybin TherapyMDMA-Assisted TherapyEthicsMusic and Set/SettingConservation of naturally occurring psychedelicsSustainability of sourcingAnalysis of colonialism in sacred plant knowledgeAnthropological application to ritualized practicesCritique of psychedelic tourism
- Categories
Related Courses
View all coursesATMA Advanced Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) Certification Program
By Atma Journey
This course is made for mental health professionals (in Canada) who want to learn how to work with psychedelics. The course staff includes Mark Haden Anthony Bossis, and many more.
Next cohort: Jul 13, 2026
Accredited vs Non-Accredited Psychedelic Training
By AAA Learning Institute
Compare accredited and non-accredited psychedelic training programs, with an overview of what accreditation means and how to evaluate program quality. The page focuses on structure, practicum, curriculum, and practical considerations for prospective psilocybin facilitator students.
TheraPsil's Training Program
By TheraPsil
TheraPsil's professional training pathway prepares healthcare professionals and related practitioners for legal, ethical psychedelic-assisted care through didactic learning, live seminars, experiential components, and practicum-oriented training.
Course options
Fundamentals
Standard on-demand access
Full Programme
Standard on-demand access
Full Programme
Standard on-demand access
New Mexico Track
Standard on-demand access