The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization at the vanguard of the psychedelic movement since 1986, is bringing its International Therapist Education Program (ITE) to Ukraine.
The event is organized in collaboration with the nonprofit Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA) and will take place from April 28 to May 4 in Lviv, Ukraine.
Students will gain foundational knowledge of psychedelic-assisted therapies including the inner-directed therapeutic approach; facilitating preparation, medication, and integration sessions; building a strong therapeutic alliance; and addressing complex topics such as therapeutic touch, suicidal ideation, and the dynamics of transference and countertransference.
The program will be led by Marcela Ot’alora G. MA, LPC, and Bruce Poulter RN, MPH, lead researchers in MAPS-initiated clinical trials with decades of experience working with trauma. As lead educators, they have been educating and training therapists who work on clinical trials around the globe. The additional teaching staff (TAs) are Ukrainian and alumni of MAPS’ ITE program.
“Our mission has always been to bring healing to as many people as possible, and there is an urgent need to support those living and working in the heart of conflict”, says Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Founder & President, MAPS. “Trauma doesn’t wait — and the earlier it’s addressed, the better the chances for long-term resilience. We are honored to support Ukrainian therapists in building their capabilities to care for others using the tools of psychedelic-assisted therapy.”
MAPS is subsidizing the participation of the 55 Ukrainian therapists enrolled in the program, enabling them to attend the event at no cost. Live translators will support the event and all materials, including the MDMA-Assisted Therapy Treatment Manual, have been translated into Ukrainian.
This is the first ITE program of 2025 and the seventh since its inception in 2023. Since its launch, more than 300 practitioners representing more than 30 countries, including Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to name a few, have completed the program.
Oleh Orlov, Co-Founder, Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association, says “The ongoing war in Ukraine has created an unprecedented mental health crisis, with millions suffering from trauma and PTSD—many unresponsive to traditional treatments. This urgent need demands innovative approaches like psychedelic-assisted therapy. Despite Ukraine’s conservative stance and lack of psychedelic research history, we’re building international collaborations and training initiatives to bridge this gap. With careful regulatory oversight and growing professional momentum, Ukraine could not only adopt these therapies safely and ethically, but also become a regional leader—and ultimately, a global hub—for psychedelic research and treatment innovation.”
Psychedelic-assisted therapy for conflict zones and societies in crisis will be a topic explored at the upcoming Psychedelic Science 2025 Conference, the premier global gathering for psychedelic research, medicine, policy, and culture hosted by MAPS in Denver from June 16-20th.
ABOUT MAPS
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS previously sponsored the most advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy research in the world and continues to support psychedelic and marijuana research with a focus on the people and places most impacted by trauma. MAPS incubated Lykos Therapeutics, a drug-development public benefit company, and The Zendo Project, a leader in psychedelic harm reduction. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $150 million to advance psychedelic research, change drug policy, and shape culture.
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