Psychedelic experiences turn up today in many contexts. In clinical trials, in clinics abroad, in solo use outside any supervision, in "microdosing" and in ceremonial settings. People reach for them for very different reasons, from treating depression and trauma to curiosity and spiritual searching, and the picture of how this really looks rarely matches what circulates in the media. The topic does not appear in psychotherapy-school curricula, so most clinicians meet it unprepared, and the reaction tends to be either moralising or helpless enthusiasm.
This introductory training equips you with the concepts and the knowledge. It shows first-hand how psychedelics act on the brain, what they can and cannot realistically offer, and the motivations people bring to them. It gives a foundation – a realistic picture of the phenomenon, the basics of risk assessment and the ground for a first conversation when the topic comes up in the consulting room. It does not teach "running psychedelic sessions", administering substances or conducting integration in the course of therapy. With that knowledge it is easier to see where the limits of your role lie and when someone else's help is needed.
We work with people who use psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment, and we approach the topic with openness, without judgement. In the spirit of harm reduction, we teach how to understand motivations, risks and the experience itself, and how to fold the material a client brings into the work within the limits of your role and as a complement to ongoing treatment. At the same time, plainly – classic psychedelics remain illegal in Poland, and the training is educational in nature and does not encourage anything.
Why this training
Knowledge about psychedelics is scattered today between research reports, promises with nothing behind them and accounts from clients who went through something important and difficult. The clinician is left without a point of reference, and it is on them whether the response is sound. This introduction gives a solid dose of reliable, science-based knowledge about how these substances work, what the research confirms and what remains a hypothesis or a myth. With that grounding it is easier to understand a client's motivations, assess risk and lead a first conversation, before the topic of deeper integration even arises.
Who this training is for
- Psychologists and psychotherapists who want to build a reliable, science-based picture of psychedelics before the topic reaches the consulting room.
- Clinicians whose clients bring psychedelic experiences and who want to respond calmly and competently, instead of moralising or being carried away by enthusiasm.
- People working with young adults, with trauma, addiction and crisis, where the topic of psychedelics comes up most often.
- Trainees in therapy who want to understand from the start how these substances work and what they can and cannot realistically offer.
Programme
Six modules spread over two days – from the landscape and the science of how psychedelics work, through conversation with the client and risk assessment, to a workshop on the first conversation. The programme is a working draft and may still change slightly before the date is announced.
- 01
The landscape – who uses psychedelics, why and how
- The different contexts – clinical trials, clinics abroad, solo use, "microdosing" and ceremonial settings
- Motivations – what people really reach for psychedelics for and what they expect, from treatment to spiritual searching
- The most common myths and misunderstandings, and why the topic increasingly reaches the consulting room
- 02
How they work and what they can offer – the science of psychedelics
- How psychedelics act on the brain, in the language neuroscience can offer today
- What they can and cannot realistically offer – what the research confirms and what remains a hypothesis
- Psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine – how they differ, how they work and how long typical experiences last
- 03
When a client raises the topic
- Stance, language and boundaries, without moralising and without naive enthusiasm
- How to ask without judging and without encouraging
- What not to do, the therapist's common mistakes
- 04
Risk assessment and red flags
- Contraindications, interactions (including with psychiatric medication) and warning signs
- Psychosis, mania, the risk of destabilisation, suicidal thoughts
- When a psychiatric consultation or referral is needed, and what you can do straight away
- 05
Law, ethics and harm reduction
- The legal status of psychedelics in Poland and what it means for your practice
- Ethics and clearly communicating your own role
- The basics of harm reduction in conversation with a client
- 06
Workshop – the first conversation
- Scenarios, a client after a "bad trip", after a "breakthrough" experience, planning an experience
- Exercises in leading the first conversation
- When and how to propose further work, that is integration
What you will learn
- You will understand how psychedelics act on the brain and what they can and cannot realistically offer – soberly, without overblown promises.
- You will recognise the motivations with which clients reach for psychedelics, and gain a realistic picture of the different contexts of use.
- You will recognise red flags and know when a psychiatric consultation or referral is needed.
- You will lead a first, safe conversation after an experience and recognise when the topic needs deeper integration.
Format and logistics
- Format
- In person in Bydgoszcz (lectures + workshop)
- Duration
- 2 training days
- Level
- Foundational – from scratch
- Materials
- Handbook and reading list
- Certificate
- Yes, for participants
- Date and price
- To be confirmed – sign up to be the first to know
Your instructor
Łukasz Warchoł – psychologist, neuropsychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist. He runs a psychology practice and a clinical research centre in Bydgoszcz. For several years he has been training therapists in psychedelic-assisted therapy and working in international clinical trials with psilocybin and other substances. As a consultant for Compass Pathways and a trainer at Fluence, he helps recruit and train therapists for clinical trials. He brings together a researcher's perspective and day-to-day clinical work – and a cautious, non-evangelical stance on the topic of psychedelics.
Note – the training is held in Polish.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need prior experience with the topic?
No. This is an introductory training – we start from scratch. You do need a background in psychology or psychotherapy and a willingness to work honestly and non-judgementally with difficult material.
Are psychedelic substances administered during the training?
No. The training is solely about psychological work – how to understand and respond when a client raises the topic. It does not involve administering, obtaining or using any substances. Classic psychedelics remain illegal in Poland, and the training fully respects the law in force.
Where and how long is the training?
In person in Bydgoszcz, over 2 training days. The exact address and schedule will be given when the date is announced.
What next, if I want to go deeper?
After the introduction you can move on to the advanced training "Integrating psychedelic experiences in clinical practice", which focuses on integration work in the course of therapy.
When will the training run and how much does it cost?
Leave your details in the sign-up form and I will let you know first when registration opens, and send the full programme.
Join the interest list
Dates and the full programme are still being finalised. Leave your details and I'll get back to you with the specifics – date, agenda and how to take part. Signing up is not a commitment.
Already have the basics and want to go deeper into integrating experiences in the course of therapy? See the advanced training "Integrating psychedelic experiences in clinical practice". Have a question, or want to book a training for your team? Send me a message through the contact form or email me at kontakt@lukaszwarchol.com.