Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)

Psychedelic journeys can surface material that feels overwhelming, disorienting, or painful. Not because it’s harmful, but because it hasn’t yet been understood. Without space to reflect or support to help make sense of what emerged, people can feel stuck inside the difficulty itself. Integration offers a way to stay in relationship with these experiences rather than pushing them away. Through conversation, reflection, and supportive practices, meaning can begin to form over time. Visit the link below to view the full video and to find other helpful resources: https://lnkd.in/dc3Xg6zC

Today’s Bulletin article, “Cosmic Diplomacy: Kinship, Confluence, and the Future of Psychedelics,” Glauber Loures de Assis, Adana Omágua Kambeba, Daiara Tukano, and Jairo Lima argue that the phrase “psychedelic renaissance” no longer fully captures the complexity of the present moment. Rather than a simple revival, today’s psychedelic movement reflects a confluence of living traditions, knowledge systems, and communities — including Indigenous stewardship, clinical research, grassroots advocacy, and policy reform.   The authors introduce cosmic diplomacy as a framework for navigating this convergence. Drawing on ideas from thinkers such as Isabelle Stengers and Bruno Latour, they describe diplomacy as a practice of dialogue among different cosmologies, where no single perspective — scientific, spiritual, political, or commercial — can claim authority over the whole. https://lnkd.in/eye7VEv2

MAPS’ MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program is coming to México! In October 2026, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and Ciencia Psicodélica, un programa del Instituto Newman, will bring together 55 Spanish-speaking mental healthcare professionals for a week-long education program in Querétaro, Mexico. This program will be taught in Spanish by MAPS’ Lead Trainers, Marcela Ot’alora G. MA, LPC and Bruce Poulter RN, MPH. This program is for clinicians and mental healthcare professionals to deepen their understanding of inner-directed therapy and the therapeutic potential of investigational MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Applications are now open! https://lnkd.in/ecmAswYe Colaboración entre Ciencia Psicodélica, programa del Instituto Newman dedicado a la investigación y educación en terapias asistidas con psicodélicos, y MAPS. Programa de Formación en Terapia Asistida con MDMA de MAPS (MAPS’ MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Program) llega a México! En octubre de 2026, la Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) junto a Ciencia Psicodélica, un programa del Instituto Newman, reunirán a 55 terapeutas y profesionales de la salud mental de habla hispana para un programa educativo de una semana en Querétaro, México.  El curso será en español, y se dará por los instructores principales de MAPS: Marcela Ot’alora G. MA, LPC y Bruce Poulter RN, MPH. Este programa se diseñó para terapeutas y profesionales de la salud mental que desean profundizar su comprensión de la terapia de orientación interna (inner-directed therapy) y del potencial terapéutico de la terapia asistida con MDMA para el TEPT. ¡Las solicitudes ya están abiertas!

Sexual violence often leaves survivors isolated, not only because of the harm itself, but because the world rarely provides a loving container for their grief, rage, or truth. Laura Mae Northup highlights that when there is no spiritual or relational architecture rooted in love, trauma can become a cycle that repeats itself in silence. In this talk from PS2025, the panelists examine how psychedelic spaces, especially those emerging outside medical systems, can offer room for survivors to process grief, reclaim pleasure, and interrupt cycles of disempowerment. View the full talk: https://lnkd.in/eRJRr_J3

The CND is the central body for drug policy-making within the UN, playing a leading role in enforcing international drug control treaties, evaluating emerging evidence, updating relevant policies, and making scheduling decisions. As nations across the globe confront overlapping crises in mental health, substance use, and human rights, this year’s session comes at a critical moment. Learn more about MAPS’ attendance at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs: https://lnkd.in/epWaVVTM

As psychedelic-assisted therapies continue moving into clinical settings, new roles are emerging for clinicians interested in this evolving field. Our friends at InnerMost are currently hiring in New York City: ⭐️Therapists-in-Training (Part- & Full-Time) ⭐️Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (Evenings & Weekends) InnerMost is a clinical practice focused on psychedelic-assisted therapy and integrative mental health care. Their team brings over a century of combined experience across psychiatry, psychotherapy, and psychedelic-assisted care, working from the belief that healing involves more than symptom management. Learn more and apply! https://lnkd.in/eJsQGy-s

Swipe to learn about the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and why MAPS is there this week! 🌏‼️ The CND is the UN’s central body for global drug policy, where governments, researchers, and civil society gather to discuss international drug control treaties and emerging evidence. MAPS has sent a delegation of researchers, policy experts, advocates, and Veterans to the 69th session in Vienna to engage policymakers, challenge stigma and misinformation, and help ensure psychedelic research is part of global policy conversations. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epWaVVTM

We’re looking back at a powerful MAPS Bulletin article by Liana Sananda Gillooly, “Tending the Living Laboratory: How the True North Guild Is Cultivating an Ecology of Ethics” By centering relational practice, embodied discernment, and honest engagement with shadow, this article challenges “business as usual” in the psychedelic ecosystem and invites a slower, more humble approach to stewardship — one that honors ethics as something practiced in relationship, over time, especially when it’s uncomfortable. Read the full article, https://lnkd.in/et8cdh2a

During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset, observing a sacred month rooted in patience, gratitude, and generosity. In today’s Bulletin article, MAPS staff members Sahar Rajput and Hena Malik Basak reflect on what the holiest month in Islam means to them and how its teachings resonate with broader conversations about healing and community. Hena explains that Ramadan is about more than fasting — it is a time to slow down, reconnect with the body, and cultivate humility. The practice also emphasizes care for others through Zakat, the Islamic tradition of charitable giving that reinforces collective responsibility. Sahar shares how her relationship with Ramadan has evolved from fear and guilt to one of healing and reconnection. She draws parallels between Ramadan and psychedelic experiences, noting how both can shift attention away from the self and toward gratitude and service. Together, their reflections highlight how spiritual practices can nurture humility, compassion, and a deeper commitment to caring for others. Read the full article, https://lnkd.in/eXR5PVdH

Integration often asks us to speak about things that feel tender, unfinished, or hard to explain. When those conversations don’t feel possible within family or familiar circles, whether because of stigma, safety, or cultural context, the process can feel quietly isolating. Support doesn’t have to come from many people. Sometimes it’s one steady presence: a therapist, a trusted peer, or a community where listening comes without pressure to explain or justify. Being around others who are also integrating can help anchor insights, ease loneliness, and remind us that we’re not navigating this alone. Our new video on psychedelic integration reflects on the role of supportive networks in making integration feel safer and more sustainable. https://lnkd.in/dc3Xg6zC