Our masterclass Working with MDMA, with Atira Tan and Dr Devon Christie, explores the evolving landscape of MDMA-assisted therapy, with a focus on trauma recovery and trauma imprints. You’ll examine its potential benefits, ethical considerations and key contraindications in a trauma-informed context.
You’ll learn practical trauma-informed tools for working with MDMA-assisted therapy through the lens of inner-directed therapy and co-therapy, including discussion of Dr Christie’s research into using MDMA-assisted therapy to support PTSD and chronic pain recovery.
The session weaves theoretical foundations with practical insights, case studies and current research to give you a clear, grounded understanding of how MDMA can be applied within innovative therapeutic approaches.
We’ll also look at how MDMA-assisted therapy differs from traditional approaches by lowering psychological defences and interrupting entrenched cognitive and behavioural patterns, allowing individuals to revisit traumatic memories with reduced fear and anxiety.
This increased emotional openness can deepen the therapeutic alliance and support more meaningful processing, insight and emotional breakthroughs.
Your Facilitators…
“This trauma-informed plant medicine facilitation course has put language and science to the most important aspects of my work in ways I never could. This training empowered me to create safer, more integrated, and more compassionate healing containers for myself, the healers I work with, and of course our participants. I now feel that anyone working to facilitate healing of any kind should be trauma-informed as a foundational part of their approach. In fact, as we face the mounting challenges of today’s world, I feel we can’t afford to be.”
– Lara Charlotte, Co-Founder of Garden of Dreams, New Zealand.
TRAUMA-INFORMED
MDMA-ASSISTED THERAPY OFFERS ALTERED CONSCIOUSNESS IN PURSUIT OF LONG-TERM HEALING.
Individuals undergoing MDMA-assisted therapy may be addressing deep-seated trauma. The heightened emotional and psychological state induced by MDMA can make participants more vulnerable and sensitive during the therapy session. A trauma-informed approach ensures that the therapeutic environment respects and responds to these vulnerabilities.
MDMA is known for its ability to reduce fear and anxiety while increasing emotional openness. Participants may express intense emotions, including those related to their traumatic experiences. A trauma-informed framework helps therapists navigate and support these expressions with sensitivity and empathy.
Trauma survivors often struggle with issues of safety and trust. Creating a safe and trustworthy therapeutic environment is crucial for the success of MDMA-assisted therapy. A trauma-informed approach prioritises the establishment of safety, both physically and emotionally, fostering trust between the participant and the therapeutic team.
Uninformed or insensitive therapeutic approaches can inadvertently trigger traumatic responses, leading to re-traumatisation. A trauma-informed approach aims to minimise the risk of re-traumatisation by carefully considering the unique needs and triggers of each individual.
Trauma-informed MDMA-assisted therapeutic care recognises that trauma is not just a specific event but can be a pervasive influence on a person’s life. It takes into account the broader context of trauma, including systemic, interpersonal, and historical factors. This holistic understanding is crucial for tailoring therapeutic interventions effectively.
In addition, trauma-informed care empowers individuals to be active participants in their healing process. In the context of MDMA-assisted therapy, this means involving participants in decisions about their treatment and fostering collaboration between the therapeutic team and the individual.
DETAILS & INVESTMENT
“Participating in this training gave me profound insight into what I’m doing as a ceremony guide and integration & microdosing coach, illuminating areas where I can grow, and strengthen & expanding my toolbox of resources, practices, processes, protocols, and tools I already have, to be able to support people in their healing journeys even better.
Atira carries a strong and very clear vision of the importance of having a trauma-informed approach and awareness when working in this rapidly growing field of plant medicine & psychedelic-assisted therapies. Being in her presence and receiving her teachings was super inspiring and motivating to keep showing up for this special and very much-needed work.”
– JUAN MANUEL BURGOS, Microdosing & Integration Coach, Argentina.
“This program’s deep dive into the realms of living impeccable service has been nothing short of life-changing.
I remembered so much about the nervous system, about my life, about my purpose, about the bridges between paradigms and the collective trauma on the Earth. I was deeply warmed, inspired, challenged, and excited by the entire experience.
Atira transmits genuine, care, curiosity, understanding, and expertise. She is devoted to providing safe spaces for people to heal and her life’s work is a testimony to her wisdom. This body of work is a must for all.”
– MELE MAI, Art Therapist & Facilitator, Australia.
YOUR TEACHERS
Passionate about creating safer spaces for everybody, and bringing healing and awareness in the “shadowy” areas of life, Atira has worked as a trauma-informed integration specialist in retreat centers such as the Temple of the Way of Light and is currently the head of integration at AYA Healing Retreats.
Atira has mapped the trauma recovery of hundreds of PM participants in her private practice as an integration trauma specialist and co-facilitates Trauma-informed and Somatic Experiencing Plant Medicine retreats and dietas in Peru with AYA Healing Retreats. She is also the pioneer and founder of the Trauma-Informed Plant Medicine Program, of which has over 150 graduates in 2 years.
She possesses an MA in Art Therapy, has a background in Transpersonal Art Therapy and Holistic Counselling, and is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, amongst decades of training in various other trauma-informed approaches.
Atira has also worked for over a decade internationally in community organizations and international development as a consultant, clinician, and supervisor, as well as an educator in non-for-profit settings. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the European Graduate School in Switzerland, researching the effectiveness of somatic and creative trauma recovery interventions for sex-trafficked survivors in Asia. Atira also has presented at numerous conferences alongside Dr. Peter Levine, Dr. Stephen Porges, Dr. Pat Ogden, and Dr. Gabor Mate, just to name a few.
The CEO and Founder of Art to Healing, an Australian charity which supports the recovery of child sex slaves, Atira has also initiated international women’s health, art therapy, and trauma-informed programs for women and girls who have experienced sex slavery and exploitation internationally for the past 15 years.
Pre-COVID, Atira taught workshops, retreats & teacher trainings in 4 continents around the globe including Australia, Europe, Asia, and South America. She specializes in supporting women, men, and children, particularly those who have experienced sexual abuse to recover from trauma, in groups & individually in her private practice and international development settings as a trauma specialist through the embodied somatic psychologies and other holistic approaches.
In her clinical work at the Canadian Pain and Regenerative Institute, Numinus, and online psychotherapy practice in Vancouver, BC, she brings a holistic approach to her patients and clients.
As a former clinical investigator and study therapist in MDMA-assisted therapy research for PTSD with MAPS, Devon is at the forefront of psychedelic therapy advancements.
Her extensive certifications in Functional Medicine, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Relational Somatic Therapy, Level 1 Internal Family Systems, MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy, and ketamine-assisted therapy underscore her commitment to comprehensive healing.
Formerly the Numinus Senior Lead of Psychedelic Programs, Devon played a key role in developing and implementing psychedelic-assisted clinical and therapist training programs. Currently, she imparts her wisdom to therapists in renowned training programs such as CIIS, IPI, ATMA, VITAL, and EmbodyLab, prioritizing ethical practice, mindfulness, and trauma-specific skills.
Devon’s passion lies in reshaping the healthcare paradigm by integrating trauma-informed, bio-psycho-social approaches. She envisions the careful introduction of psychedelic-assisted therapies as a transformative step towards a holistic healthcare model, echoing the principles traditional systems of healing have long embraced.
In her recently self-published e-book “Integrative Somatic Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy”, she outlines important elements of this paradigm shift.
“What a life-changing experience. This training is a true treasure of knowledge and wisdom and shared with a caring and loving presence.
The depth of insights into a variety of tools to create safer spaces is the most I have ever experienced in any training. However, besides the theoretical teachings, what touched me the most was how the space was held in such safety and care and naturally became the soil for our personal softening into the journey.
And with that, we were able to truly experience the effect of a teacher who fully embodies what she teaches. And that is a priceless gift I will benefit from for the rest of my life.”
– FLORIANNE WOLFHART, Trauma-Informed Coach & Breathwork Facilitator, The Netherlands
“My mind and heart are in deep amazement and gratitude as I apply all that I learned in the Trauma-Informed Plant Medicine workshop.
I highly recommend this course/workshop, not only to those who are interested in the relationship between trauma and plant medicine but anyone who is curious about understanding human relational patterns to self and society. Atira shares in-depth knowledge and expertise of trauma studies and this work is much needed in the world.”
– ELIZABETH GOTTWALD, Kambo Facilitator & Photographer, USA
