Psychedelic experiences now enter the consulting room from many different settings: clinical trials, clinics abroad, unsupervised personal use, ‘microdosing’ and ceremonial contexts. People use psychedelics for many different reasons, from seeking relief from depression or trauma to curiosity and spiritual exploration. What actually happens often bears little resemblance to media portrayals.
The subject is rarely covered in psychotherapy training curricula, so most clinicians encounter it without adequate preparation. Their response may then veer towards either moralising or uncritical enthusiasm.
This introductory course provides the concepts and knowledge you need. It explains, on the basis of current evidence, how psychedelics affect the brain, what they can and cannot realistically offer, and why people use them. It provides a foundation: a realistic picture of the phenomenon, the basics of risk assessment and a framework for an initial conversation when the subject arises in the consulting room.
The course does not teach participants to facilitate psychedelic sessions, administer substances or conduct integration as part of therapy. Instead, it helps you recognise the limits of your professional role and identify when support from another professional is needed.
This course takes a clinical perspective: it prepares professionals to address psychedelic-related material with people who are already in treatment. We approach the subject openly, regardless of a person’s reasons for using a substance. A clinical perspective does not exclude other non-medical ways of understanding the experience.
Within a harm-reduction framework, participants learn to understand a client’s motivations, assess risks and respond to psychedelic-related material within the boundaries of their professional role and the treatment already under way.
To be clear, classic psychedelics remain illegal in Poland. This course is educational and does not encourage psychedelic use.
Why this training
Knowledge about psychedelics is currently scattered across research reports, unsupported promises and accounts from clients who have been through something important and difficult. Clinicians are often left without a reliable point of reference, even though the quality of their response matters. This introductory course provides a substantial grounding in evidence-based knowledge: how these substances work, what is supported by research and what remains a hypothesis or a myth. With that foundation, it becomes easier to understand a client’s motivations, assess risk and conduct an initial conversation – before the question of deeper integration even arises.
Who this course is for
- Psychologists and psychotherapists who want to develop an accurate, evidence-based understanding of psychedelics before the subject enters the consulting room.
- Clinicians whose clients bring psychedelic experiences into therapy and who want to respond calmly and competently, without moralising or being swept up by enthusiasm.
- Professionals who work with young adults, trauma, addiction or crises – areas in which the subject of psychedelics frequently arises.
- Psychotherapy trainees who want to understand from the outset how these substances work and what they can and cannot realistically offer.
Programme
The course comprises six modules over two days – from the current landscape and the science of how psychedelics work, through conversations with clients and risk assessment, to a practical workshop on the initial conversation. The programme is a working draft and may change slightly before the date is announced.
- 01
The landscape – who uses psychedelics, why and how
- Different settings: clinical trials, clinics abroad, unsupervised personal use, ‘microdosing’ and ceremonial contexts
- Motivations: why people use psychedelics and what they expect, from treatment to spiritual exploration
- Common myths and misunderstandings, and why the subject is increasingly entering the consulting room
- 02
How they work and what they may offer – the science of psychedelics
- How psychedelics affect the brain, described in terms supported by contemporary neuroscience
- What they can and cannot realistically offer: what is supported by research and what remains a hypothesis
- Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA and ketamine: how they differ, how they work and how long a typical experience lasts
- 03
When a client raises the subject
- Therapeutic stance, language and boundaries – without moralising or uncritical enthusiasm
- How to ask questions without judging or encouraging use
- What not to do: common mistakes made by clinicians
- 04
Risk assessment and red flags
- Contraindications, potential interactions – including interactions with psychiatric medication – and warning signs
- Warning signs of psychosis or mania, risk of destabilisation and suicidal thoughts
- When psychiatric consultation or referral is needed, and what you can do immediately
- 05
Law, ethics and harm reduction
- The legal status of psychedelics in Poland and what it means for clinical practice
- Ethics and clear communication about your professional role
- The fundamentals of harm reduction in conversations with clients
- 06
Workshop – the initial conversation
- Scenarios: a client after a ‘bad trip’, after an experience perceived as a ‘breakthrough’, or while planning an experience
- Practice in conducting an initial conversation
- When and how to suggest further therapeutic work, including integration
What you will learn
- You will understand how psychedelics affect the brain and what they can and cannot realistically offer – without inflated promises.
- You will recognise the different reasons why clients use psychedelics and gain a realistic understanding of the settings in which they are used.
- You will recognise red flags and know when psychiatric consultation or referral is needed.
- You will be able to conduct an initial, safety-focused conversation after an experience and recognise when the subject requires deeper integration work.
Format and logistics
- Format
- In person in Bydgoszcz (lectures and workshop)
- Duration
- 2 days
- Level
- Foundational; no previous knowledge of psychedelics required
- Materials
- Course handbook and reading list
- Certificate
- Certificate of completion for participants
- Date and price
- To be confirmed; join the interest list to be among the first to know
Your instructor
Łukasz Warchoł is a psychologist, neuropsychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist. He co-founded and leads Propsyche Centrum Medyczne and Promente Clinical Research Centre in Bydgoszcz. For several years, he has trained therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapy and worked on international clinical trials involving psilocybin and other compounds. As a consultant for COMPASS Pathways and a trainer at Fluence, he helps recruit and train therapists for clinical trials. He combines a researcher’s perspective with day-to-day clinical work and takes a cautious, non-evangelical approach to psychedelics.
Please note: the course is delivered in Polish. An English-language edition can be arranged on request.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any previous experience of this subject?
No. This is an introductory course and we begin with the fundamentals. You do, however, need a background in psychology or psychotherapy and a willingness to work honestly and without judgement with difficult material.
Are psychedelic substances administered during the course?
No. The course concerns psychological work only: how to understand and respond when a client raises the subject. It does not involve administering, obtaining or using any substances. Classic psychedelics remain illegal in Poland, and the course fully complies with current law.
Where does the course take place, and how long does it last?
The course takes place in person in Bydgoszcz over two days. The precise address and timetable will be provided when the date is announced.
What if I want to explore the subject in greater depth?
After completing this introduction, you can move on to the advanced course “Integrating psychedelic experiences in clinical practice”, which focuses on integration within the therapeutic process.
When will the course run, and how much will it cost?
Leave your details in the form below. I will let you know as soon as registration opens and send you the full programme.
Join the interest list
The dates and final programme are still being arranged. Leave your details and I’ll contact you with the date, agenda and information about taking part. Joining the list does not commit you to attending.
Already familiar with the fundamentals and ready to explore integration within therapy in greater depth? See the advanced course "Integrating psychedelic experiences in clinical practice". Have a question, or would you like to arrange this course for your team? Send me a message through the contact form or email me at kontakt@lukaszwarchol.com.