NMHA Training Program Description
Medicinal Mindfulness Academy teaches psilocybin mushroom facilitation from the context of Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy™ (MBPT), a guiding modality that we practice at our Center and teach at Psychedelic Sitters School. MBPT is a multidisciplinary guiding modality that combines Transpersonal theory, mindfulness-based guiding practices and somatic trauma informed care with intentional ceremony, music and aesthetics (arts-integrated). More information on MBPT is located here.
200+ Didactic Training Hours
The Academy provides over 200 hours of training material that covers all 150 didactic hour requirements of the NMHA, as well as advanced practices in Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy™ (MBPT).
The Medicinal Mindfulness Academy offers a comprehensive and flexible class structure designed to accommodate various schedules and learning preferences. In our spring and fall semesters, classes are held on Tuesday mornings or Wednesday evenings, providing consistent opportunities for in-depth learning and practice. Students choose a class that best suits their schedule and time zone.
In addition to the weekly sessions, every other Saturday features a synchronous, virtually-led day long class on specific modules of the licensing requirements. Webinar material is also included for these module specific classes. These Saturday classes include a lunch break and additional short breaks to ensure a balanced and focused learning experience.
Six or Twelve Month Training Options
All modules are offered twice a year for greater flexibility. This structure is designed to provide a well-rounded education, combining regular instruction with practical application, ensuring that students can fully integrate and apply their learning in real-world contexts.
This means all NMHA didactic training hours and practicum can be completed quickly in 6 months, or these requirements can be spread out over 12 months to increase financial accessibility and to support busy professionals.
Skill Development Courses (SDC)
SDC 1
Psychedelic Guide Training – (12 hours of live classes)
6 Class Series taught by Daniel McQueen, MA, Psychedelic Specialist
Fulfills 7.5 hours of NMHA Module D – Physical and Mental Health and State and all 2.5 hours of NMHA Module A – Facilitator Best Practices.
Summary: 6 Class Skill Development Series (meets every other week) with advanced training webinars on Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy
This course introduces the student to Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy (MBPT) and teaches a complete Mindfulness-Based Guiding Protocol for psychedelic medicine work. The program is designed to provide our students with the skills necessary to increase the depth and meaning of transformational psychedelic experiences while keeping the experiences as safe as possible. This protocol is effective, reliable and extremely transformative, for both the journeyer and the guide.
MBPT, as a multi-medicine modality, is a psychedelic guiding protocol that integrates how all the psychedelic medicines can show up in a psychedelic therapy experience. The program draws upon what we know about working with MDMA, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, psychedelic cannabis and teas, vaped and consumed DMT, mescaline and many others. The reason cannabis is so effective as a training tool is because it can mimic the effects of all of these other medicines.
Combined with Therapeutic Presence & Trauma Informed Care Course (TP&TIC), Psychedelic Guide Training provides the necessary skill development requirements of the NMHA Psilocybin Mushroom Licensed Facilitator Training.
The program is not just the 6 classes, but also includes an extensive library of webinars and ongoing skill development practices. All are required to complete the course.
Learning Objectives
- Introduce Mindfulness-Based PsychedelicTherapy and provide an overview of the training.
Introduce the Mindfulness-Based Guided Journey Session Protocol. - Discuss the theory and skillsets of Mindful Journeywork and Mindful Guidework.
Explore how a guide’s “presence” is a primary intervention, and how to cultivate presence. - Introduce the MBPT guiding protocol and the importance of the Five Awareness Practice.
- Discuss Skillful Interventions, Crisis Deescalation and Harm Prevention as a necessary foundation for “trusting the waves of activation and resolution.”
- Explore Advanced MBPT Guiding Interventions such as Burning Through Dross, Parts Work, and working with Transference and Projection.
- Explore next steps in cultivating a sustainable and meaningful psychedelic practice.
Advanced Training Webinars Accompanying this Course
Psychedelic Guide Training is a suite of teachings that provide a complete and integrated psychedelic therapy training through a series of webinar lectures that are an integral part of learning Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy. Psychedelic Guide Training, as the core program of Medicinal Mindfulness Academy, includes several “bonus” advanced practices.
- Advanced PGT Guide Training Webinars – 39.13 hours
- Additional PGT Webinars that fulfill NMHA requirements – 20.63 hours (Asynchronous requirements)
- Total PGT Webinars included in this training – 59.76 Hours
SDC 2
Therapeutic Presence & Trauma Informed Care – (12 hours of live classes)
6 Class Series taught By Alison McQueen, LPC, ATR-BC, ACS
Completes NMHA Module D – Physical and Mental Health and State with 6 hours of live coursework,
and fulfills all 5 live class hours of NMHA Module F – Introduction to Trauma Informed Care.
Therapeutic Presence & Trauma-Informed Care is a virtual 6-Class Series (meets every other week) led by Alison McQueen. The State of Colorado has specific curriculum and regulatory requirements related to Natural Medicine Facilitation, and this skill-development course meets those requirements while also enriching student learning through our mindfulness-based and arts-integrated approach to psychedelic education. It focuses on cultivating therapeutic presence, emphasizing compassionate communication, empathy, self-awareness, and grounding. Classes also cover trauma-informed care through the lens of somatic psychotherapy, including how to recognize trauma responses including dissociation, manage psychological distress, and how to support participants through difficult and breakthrough emotional experiences.
Other key components include cultural attunement, risk management, self-care for facilitators, scenario-based training, and handling challenging situations. The series integrates directive and non-directive facilitation approaches and addresses the physiological and emotional impacts of trauma. In addition to this course meeting the state curriculum requirements, it introduces foundational somatic trauma theory, especially resourcing, as essential skillsets for ethical and trauma-informed psychedelic facilitation.
Each class is offered twice a week, one morning and one early evening option, to reduce the size of the classes and to increase accessibility for working professionals and our international students in different time zones. Students can join either the Tuesday or the Wednesday cohort (and if there’s a week where your schedule doesn’t allow you to attend at your usual time, feel free to join the other).
Students can expect a dynamic and engaging course that integrates trauma-informed somatic awareness practices, mindfulness, art experientials, and partner practice sessions.
Advanced Training Webinars Accompanying this Course
TP&TIC Webinars complete the Psychedelic Guide Training suite of teachings to provide a complete and integrated protocol called Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy.
- Advanced TP&TIC Training Webinars – 6 hours
- Additional TP&TIC Webinars that fulfill NMHA requirements – 8 hours (Asynchronous requirements)
- Total TP&TIC Webinars included in this training – 14 Hours
11 Saturday Seminars
In addition to the guide skill development courses listed above, NMHA Facilitator Training also includes 11 Saturday Seminars that meet every other week during the semester to fulfill the additional Didactic training requirements. Each module can be purchased individually by legacy and clinical applications seeking accelerated licensure. These include:
- All Things Psilocybin Mushrooms: Dosing & Research – Module E
- Indigenous, Social, and Cultural Considerations – Module H
- Screening & Crisis Prevention – Modules I and K (and some of D)
- Preparation – Module J
- Navigating Relation Boundaries and Safe Touch – Module C
- Psychedelic Integration – Module L
- Facilitator Development & Self-Care – Module N
- Ethics & Regulations Pt 1 & Pt 2 (2 Saturdays) – Module B (25 hours)
- Suicide Prevention – Module G
- Group Facilitation- Module M
Each Course is 10am-5pm (6 hours of coursework) except Ethics and Regulations Pt 1 & 2 which go 10am-6pm to fulfill all hour requirements.
Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy™ Webinar Series
NHMA specific webinars and advanced bonus material on Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy™ complement the content and experiences of the two co-occurring classes. These webinars total over 75 hours, 30 of which directly count towards NMHA licensing requirements. Additional bonus materials for current students are regularly added.
| Series # | Course Titles | Description | Total Webinar Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychedelic Guide Training Introduction, Overview and Orientation | Overview of psychedelic training, theoretical orientation, how to use the learning platform, and safe community guidelines | 2.2 |
| 2 | Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Journeywork | Mindfulness-Based psychedelic journeywork practices, tracking and the Five Awareness Practice, Shadow work, aspects of self, transpersonal terrain and sacred space | 7.9 |
| 3 | Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy - Theory Pt. 1 | Mindful Journeywork concepts and theory of Mindful Guidework, basic attending interventions and handling difficult experiences with art experientials and guiding demonstrations | 6.8 |
| 4 | Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy - Practice Pt. 2 | Preparing the space and preparing the client for journey experiences, body scan demonstration, music facilitation and additional guiding demonstrations | 6.3 |
| 5 | Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy - Theory Pt. 3 | Advanced Mindful Guidework concepts and theory, healing, awakening & the holotropic principle, Mindful Guidework and the Five Awareness Practice, advanced interventions, psychedelic resourcing, assessing intuition, art experientials, trauma symptoms and contraindications | 14.2 |
| 6 | Introduction to Psychedelic Ethics & Community Guidelines | Medicinal Mindfulness Community Code of Ethics, ethical practice, and Right Relationship | 4 |
| 7 | Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy - Theory & Practice Pt. 4 | Overview of the MBPT practice, trauma informed care, mental health contraindications, clinical protocols, trauma resolution applications and additional guiding demonstrations | 12 |
| 8 | Psychedelic Mystery School | Introduction to culturally appropriate ceremony, ceremonial tools, shamanic journeying, spirits, deities & archetypes, the Medicine Wheel and Seven Directions teaching, seven stages of alchemy and ritual magic | 9.7 |
| 9 | Lessons from the Dragons | A series of lessons from guides of the program including: self care, music as a guide, navigating safe touch, integration coaching, conscious entrepreneurship and much more | 4 |
| 10 | All Things Psychedelic Cannabis | All Medicinal Mindfulness practices associated with psychedelic cannabis, including: overview of theory, cannabis and the treatment of PTSD, making psychedelic cannabis blends, preparing for psychedelic cannabis experiences, session structure and timing, facilitation outline, cannabis-assisted breathwork facilitation with demonstrations and much more | 7.5 |
| Total Webinar Hours | 74.6 |
Co-occurring Classes
Many of these webinars are designed to be watched while participating in the core skill-development classes of the program. These classes are designed to be taken concurrently with each other to provide the necessary theoretical context and ongoing practice of trauma-informed Mindfulness-Based Psychedelic Therapy skills. Led by Daniel and Alison McQueen, students will be provided two essential perspectives of skilled guides working within the same guiding modality.
Psilocybin Mushroom Practicum
Medicinal Mindfulness Academy is the only training program in Colorado with its own healing center and practicum site. This creates a unique opportunity to receive a continuity of training in an advanced psychedelic therapy modality with the trainers that students have already developed a relationship with. In addition to this, as a vocational program with a healing center, Medicinal Mindfulness Academy also offers extended apprenticeship programs to graduates of our training. Apprentices are invited to assist in other individual and group sessions, as well as start their own private practice at the center.
To become a licensed facilitator, the NMHA regulations require 40 hours of practicum experience. Practicums are opportunities to practice being a guide in a safe container supported by our experienced team of practitioners. Medicinal Mindfulness Academy trainers have over a decade of experience leading practicums with psychedelic medicines.
Medicinal Mindfulness Academy completes all 40 practicum hours in one week intensive. Practicum students will participate in three 8 hour psilocybin mushroom sessions that include the possibility of an optional booster. Each practicum student will guide once, assist once and journey once. Particular attention will be given to paperwork and reporting compliance, as well as practicing the advanced Medicinal Mindfulness psilocybin mushroom dosing protocol.
Graduates of other didactic training programs are invited to participate in the Medicinal Mindfulness Academy Practicum. An additional application, interview and screening is required, as well as the completion of the All Things Psilocybin Mushrooms: Research & Advanced Dosing Strategies webinar series (for an additional $199).
Consulting Program (40 hours)
To become a licensed facilitator, NMHA regulations require 40 hours of consulting after your didactic hours and practicum are completed. Medicinal Mindfulness Academy has 13 years of experience mentoring guides as they become competent psychedelic practitioners. Many of our graduates are already practicing professionally.
Our consulting program is designed to be completed in 12 months and includes both ongoing supervision classes and individual mentorship. Cohorts of no more than 10 students meet twice monthly 24 times over the year. Each class is 1.5 hours long. In addition to this, each student receives six individual mentorship support sessions that are each 1 hour in length. This totals 42 hours of consulting support.
Continuing Education
Medicinal Mindfulness Academy is part of an ecosystem of psychedelic classes, electives, continuing education and advanced specialities in psychedelic therapy with psychedelic cannabis, ketamine and the supported personal use of psilocybin mushrooms and natural DMT. More information on these classes can be found at Psychedelic Shine.
Also Designed to Support Legacy & Clinician Accelerated Licensing
Unlike other training programs, the Medicinal Mindfulness Academy NMHA licensing program is also designed to support graduates of Psychedelic Sitters School and other Psychedelic Therapy Training programs that were taken prior to licensing opportunities. Our training structure allows our students to complete the requirements they need for licensing without having to retake unnecessary classes. The NMHA program is designed to seamlessly integrate into the existing curriculum of Psychedelic Guide Training of Psychedelic Sitters School and to complement other psychedelic trainings by providing Colorado specific training modules for those who need to complete specific course requirements.
Visit our accelerated licensing page for additional information.
The Saturday Seminars are specifically designed to take concurrently with the skill development classes: “Psychedelic Guide Training” and “Therapeutic Presence and Trauma Informed Care Training.” The Saturday Seminars can also be taken after these classes, depending on how quickly students wish to complete the program. If a student can’t make a Seminar, these Saturday Seminars are offered two times a year for greater accessibility.
Individual Support for Licensing Eligibility
Our team is well educated on the NMHA requirements and we specialize in working with students who have advanced training in other settings. If you have previous training and are unsure what fulfills a NMHA requirement, we can provide individual support sessions to help guide you through your curriculum development process. We have a variety of resources that break down the NMHA requirements to assess your previous training for eligibility.