Inside the Session: Holding Space in Psychedelic Therapy (with Virtual Simulation)

Handouts

Instructor

Learning Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to: 

1. Apply an ethical, trauma-informed framework to holding space in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, demonstrating appropriate boundaries, informed consent practices, and professional integrity throughout preparation, session support, and reflection. 

2. Demonstrate practical skills for responding to emotional, psychological, and physical experiences during psychedelic sessions, including the use of therapeutic presence, environmental support, music, and grounding strategies, as practiced through simulation-based roleplay and structured feedback. 

3. Integrate cultural humility and intersectionality into PAP preparation and facilitation, ensuring that support is inclusive, responsive, and respectful of clients’ diverse identities, lived experiences, and sociocultural contexts. 

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

Barrett, F. S., Bradstreet, M. P., Leoutsakos, J. S., Johnson, M. W., & Griffiths, R. R. (2016). The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30(12), 1279–1295. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881116678781 

Gashi, L., Sandberg, S., & Pedersen, W. (2021). Making “bad trips” good: How users of psychedelics narratively transform challenging trips into valuable experiences. International Journal of Drug Policy, 87, 102997. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102997 

Gasser, P., Kirchner, K., & Passie, T. (2015). LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 29(1), 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881114555249 

Hovmand OR, Poulsen ED, Arnfred S. Assessment of the acute subjective psychedelic experience: A review of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical research on classical psychedelics. J Psychopharmacol. 2024 Jan;38(1):19-32. doi: 10.1177/02698811231200019. Epub 2023 Nov 16. PMID: 37969069; PMCID: PMC10851631. 

Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R., & Griffiths, R. R. (2017). Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Implications for clinical psychiatry. Biological Psychiatry, 76(5), 340–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.05.012 

Kaelen, M., Giribaldi, B., & Raine, J. (2018). Music as a co-therapist in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 434. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00434 

Neitzke-Spruill, L. (2019). Race as a component of set and setting: How experiences of race can influence psychedelic experiences. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 4(1), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2019.022 

Nielson, E. M., & Guss, J. (2018). Ethical considerations in psychedelic therapy. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 58(5), 567–584. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167817711300 

Phelps, J. (2017). Developing guidelines and competencies for the training of psychedelic therapists. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 57(5), 450–487. 

Sunstonether. (2024, May 22). Psychedelics: Subjectivity in the therapeutic response. Sunstone Therapies. https://www.sunstonetherapies.com/news/psychedelics-subjectivity-in-the-therapeutic-response/ 

Tupper, K. W., Wood, E., Yensen, R., & Johnson, M. W. (2015). Psychedelic medicine: A re-emerging therapeutic paradigm. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 187(14), 1054–1059. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.141124 

Williams, M. T., Reed, S., & George, J. R. (2020). Psychedelic medicine and cultural trauma: Toward a culturally-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 4(1), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.1556/2054.2020.00122 

Yaden, D. B., & Griffiths, R. R. (2020). The subjective effects of psychedelics are necessary for their enduring therapeutic effects. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science, 4(2), 568–572. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.0c00194

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 6 Category I  and 1 Category II Continuing Education Units. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $125, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On XX/XX/XX, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

• Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
• Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

• Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

• Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
• Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
• Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
• Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
• Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

To request ADA accommodations:

Please email our office at least four (4) weeks before the workshop. Late requests may not be accommodated.

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.