Take the next step!  

Foundations in MDMA Safety, Therapeutic Applications & Research

Foundations in MDMA Safety, Therapeutic Applications & Research

 
$0.00

Certificate
Select...
One Year Course Access
One Year
Course Access
Risk Free, Satisfaction Guarantee
Risk Free
Guarantee
Evidence Based Learning
Evidence Based
Learning
Over 15,000 students taught
Psychedelic Support has enrolled over 15,000 students in our free and paid courses! All proceeds from our paid courses have gone into funding more education and resources for the public around safe and ethical use of psychedelics in therapy and harm reduction.
Course Description

Through interactive eLearning, this course provides an in-depth summary of the pharmacology and effects of MDMA, and how it modulates neural circuits to induce changes in mood, cognition, and behaviors. Explore the MDMA-assisted psychotherapy approach and become informed on clinical protocols and trial findings. You will explore several hypotheses on how MDMA may be working in the brain during psychotherapy sessions and why this technique is being studied for treating many different mental health conditions.

This course covers the safety and risks of MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, in both medical and non-medical settings. Designed by leading MDMA researchers and therapists, you will learn evidence-based information and observations from therapists who administered MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in clinical trials. If you’re a mental health professional, be sure to select our continuing education option and earn CE/CME along the way!


Who is this course for?

This course is perfect for mental health professionals, doctors, neuroscience students, and anyone interested in gaining insight into the science and therapies under investigation. 

Course Curriculum

Learning Objectives for Module 1: A Simple Molecule with Complex Effects: MDMA Pharmacology, Effects, and Safety

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

  • Explain how MDMA acts in the brain and body to produce psychological and physiological effects. 
  • Assess high-risk medical conditions and medications for MDMA use. 
  • Describe common reactions and adverse events associated with MDMA and how risks differ between non-medical and clinical contexts. 
  • Analyze neuroimaging studies of Ecstasy users.  

Learning Objectives for Module 2:  Neurobiological Effects of MDMA: Brain Circuits to Behavior

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

  • List the common subjective effects of MDMA. 
  • Describe research findings from studies that investigated the effects of MDMA on social reward, cognitive and emotional empathy, and language.
  • Discuss key neural circuits involved in the effects of MDMA.

Learning Objectives for Module 3: Clinical Trial Findings of MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment of PTSD and Other Psychiatric Indications

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the drug development pathway for MDMA from phase 1 trials to a new drug application.
  • Describe phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trial methods and study designs of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
  • Discuss the safety and efficacy findings of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety associated with a life-threatening illness, and social anxiety in autistic adults, and how results compare to currently available treatments.
  • Describe the critiques and concerns raised by advisory committees regarding MDMA therapy for the treatment of PTSD.

Learning Objectives for Module 4: MDMA Therapeutic Approaches and Psychological Mechanisms

After completing this module, participants will be able to:

  • Explain the methods of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as described in the MDMA Treatment Manual.
  • Describe possible psychological mechanisms involved during MDMA therapy.
  • List other complementary therapeutic approaches to MDMA-assisted therapy that are worthy of further investigation or are currently being researched in clinical trials.

Interviews

  • Interviews with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy trial therapists Genesee Herzberg, PsyD, Evan Sola, PsyD, and Sylver Quevedo, MD
Professional Continuing Education

In support of improving patient care, Psychedelic Support offers continuing education for health providers through the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the American Psychological Association (APA).

ACCME Accredited
American Psychological Association Education Sponsor
Testimonials
I recently took both the MDMA and Psilocybin courses, and they both seemed largely illustrative. Its content is very complete and professional...the design of the courses has a good level of aesthetics and didactics. The ease of being able to take the course at your own pace complements the package perfectly. I highly recommend them!
Dr. Yaqui Andrés Martinez
It’s a fantastic course! I learned so much more about the current research in this course than I’ve seen anywhere else. It’s very comprehensive. The depth of work that’s gone into it is very clear and much appreciated.
Jennifer Rotermund
Psychedelic Support has been a wonderful launch-pad out of the entheogen closet! As someone involved in professional clinical spaces as a therapist and also in medicine church spaces as a shamanic practitioner, I've found great benefit from the education as well as being personally connected to a safe network of like-minded psychedelic renaissance folks of various specialties. Our shared resources and collaborations are collectively taking this movement to the next level. Thanks to the Psychedelic Support team for bringing people and knowledge together!
Sarah, PLPC
I found the course modules easy to use and complete, and the material accurate. I loved the presentation concerning the social neuroscience of MDMA; this content might continue to evolve over time. I also appreciated attempts to connect levels of analysis, from receptors to setting. The scope of the course will mean greater need for revision as new information is gained, but also permits a more accurate understanding of what MDMA is doing, and specifically what it is doing in a psychotherapeutic context.
Ilsa Jerome, PhD, MAPS PBC
The Foundations in MDMA course was well thought out, concise, and informative. It covers all the vital knowledge points in and easy to follow, intuitive fashion, at your own pace. You can get the most out of this course by accepting the invitations to further your own knowledge with curious exploration of the additional resources.
Carmen Murray
I found this a comprehensive and in-depth course that has helped me to fully understand and grasp the therapeutic advantages, pharmacology and physiological aspects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, whilst at the same time bringing focus to the risks, and mitigating reducing any harmful contraindications. I highly recommend this course for any person who may be a provider or recipient of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to acquire the basic, but comprehensive knowledge, of the therapeutic application of MDMA.
Wayne McNaughton, Integration Coach
The Foundations in MDMA Safety, Therapeutic Applications & Research course is fantastic! It covers the topics from so many different perspectives. The information provided is well documented with detailed references. The presenters are all very qualified and deliver the information in a clear, easy to understand way. The design of the written presentation was excellent. It was both easily digestible and added a great deal to the presentation. I can't recommend this highly enough.
W. Jay Blevins, LMFT
Meet your Course Instructors, Contributors, & Peer Reviewers:
Allison Feduccia, PhD
Allison Feduccia, PhD, is a neuropharmacologist, psychedelic researcher, and a builder of virtual and in-person communities. She is the Co-Founder of Psychedelic Support, a directory of healthcare professionals and educational platform, and Project New Day, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation focused on psychedelics for addiction recovery. In 2009, she earned a PhD in neuropharmacology from UT Austin studying the effects of MDMA on behavior and neurochemical release in non-clinical models. She was a postdoctoral researcher at UCSF and at the National Institutes of Health (NIAAA/NIDA), where she investigated treatments for substance use disorders. Her work at MAPS Public Benefit Corporation (2015-2020) focused on psychedelic protocol designs, MDMA trial operations, data analyses, scientific writing, public education, and outreach. Dr. Feduccia is deeply driven to advance the field of psychedelic medicine through ethical, legal, and scientifically-based frameworks.
Allison Feduccia, PhD
Neuropharmacologist
Psychedelic Support
Kile Ortigo, PhD
Kile Ortigo, PhD is a clinical psychologist and founder of the Center for Existential Exploration, where he offers depth-oriented and evidence-based psychotherapy and psychedelic integration services. At the National Center for PTSD, Dr. Ortigo directed a national implementation program that paired telehealth coaching with web-based interventions and led the VA LGBT Healthcare Fellowship Program as the national training director. In 2019, Dr. Ortigo completed the California Institute of Integral Studies’ Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies & Research program, where he was closely mentored by Dr. Bill Richards. He now serves on advisory boards of Psychedelic Support and Project New Day, a non-profit exploring how psychedelics facilitate addiction recovery. He recently co-authored his first book, the 2nd edition of Treating Survivors of Childhood & Interpersonal Trauma: STAIR Narrative Therapy. With support from several psychedelic experts, Dr. Ortigo is currently writing a second book that explores intersecting themes of psychedelics, mythology, and existential thought. This book’s reflection activities, meditations, and worksheets will support either independent exploration or psychedelic psychotherapy phases of preparation and integration. It will be widely available in 2021.
Kile Ortigo, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
Center for Existential Exploration
Boris Heifets, MD, PhD
Boris Heifets, MD, PhD, has had a lifelong interest in neuroscience and hopes to apply basic neuroscience insights to the practice of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Yale University, an MD/PhD degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and completed an anesthesiology residency and a neuro anesthesiology fellowship at Stanford Hospital. Dr. Heifets’ basic and clinical research aims to understand the mechanisms of action for emerging rapid-acting treatments for psychiatric disease, including ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin, and how they might be incorporated into perioperative clinical care to improve patient outcomes. During his time at Stanford, he has collaborated extensively with the psychiatry department, publishing animal studies on the neural mechanism of social behavior and MDMA and a controversial study that described an opioid receptor-dependent mechanism for ketamine’s antidepressant effect. He is currently supported by a K08 award from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Boris Heifets, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Stanford University School of Medicine
Evan Sola, PsyD
Contributor
Evan Sola, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Berkeley and a psychedelic researcher in FDA clinical trials for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD at UCSF and Polaris Insight Center. He has a background in trauma-informed psychodynamic and Jungian psychotherapy and uses dreams to explore attitudes unconscious to the waking self. He provides psychedelic integration for those exploring non-ordinary states, spiritual emergencies, grief, and overwhelming life adjustments and offers ketamine-assisted therapy for depression and acute suicidality at Sage Integrative Health.
Evan Sola, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
Private Practice
Genesee Herzberg, PsyD
Dr. Genesee Herzberg is a clinical psychologist practicing psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted therapy in Berkeley, CA, along with MDMA-assisted therapy through the MAPS Phase 3 clinical trials. She is co-founder of Sage Integrative Health, a holistic psychedelic clinic, and its sister nonprofit, Sage Institute, a sliding scale psychedelic clinic, research, and training center. Genesee co-developed the program and curriculum and is core faculty for Sage’s ketamine-assisted therapy training. Genesee is passionate about making psychedelic medicine accessible to everyone who can benefit. When not wearing one of her many hats in the psychedelic field, Genesee can be found on meandering walks in the Berkeley hills, exploring the far reaches of consciousness, or delving into her newfound love for sci-fi novels.
Genesee Herzberg, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
Sage Integrative Health
Sylver Quevedo, MD
Sylver Quevedo, MD, has been in continuous practice of medicine for 40 years and practices nephrology, family, internal, and integrative medicine. He is the Co-Founder and Medical Director at Polaris Insight Center and serves as an Assistant Professor at Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco. He has played pivotal roles in several global health projects, including the planning and development of a medical and nursing school in Africa. Dr. Quevedo is trained in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and has worked as a therapist on MDMA phase 2 and phase 3 trials.
Sylver Quevedo, MD
Medical Director
Polaris Insight Center
Sara J. Garcia Velazquez, MD
Sara J. Garcia Velazquez, MD
Contributor
Sara J. Garcia Velazquez, MD, is a general physician with over ten years of medical and clinical research experience. She began her career in Mexico, working in rural areas, where she gained a deep understanding of the need for accessible healthcare, particularly for diverse populations. Her Indigenous background and studies in medical anthropology have shaped her commitment to equitable care throughout her career. After moving to the Bay Area, she focused on research at the San Francisco Clinical Research Center, specializing in migraine and Alzheimer's treatments, and later in virtual clinical trials at Science 37. At Lykos Therapeutics, she advanced to Associate Medical Director, overseeing phase 2 and 3 protocols for a novel PTSD treatment. Currently, Dr. Garcia Velazquez is a Research and DEI Consultant for companies in psychedelic research and education and serves as a Project Manager at Stanford University School of Medicine's Emergency Medicine Research Unit. She remains dedicated to ensuring that healthcare solutions are practical and accessible to all populations.
Sara J. Garcia Velazquez, MD
General Physician
Stanford University School of Medicine
Zachary Herrmann, DO
Zachary Herrmann, DO
Contributor
Zachary Herrmann, DO, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2016. He completed an internship at South Nassau Communities Hospital and then a residency in general psychiatry at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. After residency, Zachary worked at the New Hampshire State Hospital with an appointment at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He then joined the Department of Psychiatry at Baystate Health, where he served as an outpatient and interventional psychiatrist. Zachary completed a certificate in psychedelic treatment and research at the California Institute for Integral Studies in 2020 and 2021 and completed MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy training in 2022. Zachary's clinical interests include the application of emerging experiential treatments such as psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine for the treatment of various mental health disorders and for their potential to aid in well-being and resilience. Zachary is especially intrigued by the psycho-spiritual component engendered by these experiences and how this may affect the psychiatric paradigm.
Zachary Herrmann, DO
Psychiatrist
Baystate Health
Matthias Liechti, MD, PhD
Matthias Liechti, MD, PhD
Contributor
Prof. Dr. Matthias Liechti graduated from the University of Zürich’s (UZH) Medical School, Switzerland, in 1998. He was a postdoc at the Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich from 1999 to 2000, where he studied the pharmacology of psychoactive drugs. Matthias then trained in internal medicine at the University Hospital of Zürich (USZ) and obtained his specialization in Internal Medicine in 2004. From 2005 to 2007, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Research Institute and at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where he trained in behavioral pharmacology. In 2007, Matthias also completed a Master's in Advanced Studies in Clinical Research at UCSD. Since 2008, he has worked in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University Hospital of Basel. Matthias Liechti is an attending physician at the hospital and head of the psychopharmacology research group at the Department of Biomedicine of USZ. His scientific interests are the mechanism of action of psychoactive drugs, psychostimulants, addiction, CNS drug development, and translational research methodologies.
Matthias Liechti, MD, PhD
Professor & Physician
University Hospital of Basel
Jason Luoma, PhD
Jason Luoma, PhD
Contributor
Jason Luoma, PhD, is CEO and lead scientist at Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, & Training Center in Oregon, a social enterprise funding significant research. He is also an Associate Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute and affiliate faculty at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). His research focuses on shame, self-stigma, connection, and using psychedelic-assisted therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to reduce shame and increase self-compassion. He leads an MDMA-assisted therapy trial for social anxiety disorder and is a site investigator for a 5-MeO-DMT trial for treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Luoma co-founded the Oregon Psilocybin Evaluation Nexus (OPEN), studying psilocybin services in Oregon. An internationally recognized ACT trainer, Dr. Luoma is a former chair of the ACT training committee and past president of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS). He has over 80 publications, including Learning Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Values in Therapy. His work on shame and compassion can be read at Act With Compassion, and he conducts training through Portland Psychotherapy.
Jason Luoma, PhD
Clinical Psychologist & Director
Portland Psychotherapy
Gillinder Bedi, DPsych (Clin)
Gillinder Bedi, DPsych (Clin)
Contributor
Associate Professor Gillinder Bedi is a Senior Research Fellow at Orygen and the University of Melbourne, as well as a clinical psychologist. She joined Orygen in 2017 to lead the development of a substance use research program. Dr. Bedi completed graduate training in clinical psychology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, investigating cognitive function and mood in MDMA and cannabis users. Her postdoctoral research, which focused on characterizing the acute effects of MDMA (ecstasy) in humans, was undertaken at the University of Chicago. From 2009 until 2017, she was a faculty member in the Division of Substance Use Disorders at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Bedi’s research focuses on emerging substance use disorders in young people, experimental medicine models of drug use and misuse, and neurobehavioral processes contributing to the onset and maintenance of substance use disorders. She uses a range of research methods, including human behavioral pharmacology and neuroimaging (MRI).
Gillinder Bedi, DPsych (Clin)
Associate Professor & Clinical Psychologist
Orygen & University of Melbourne
Lauren Lepow, MD
Lauren Lepow, MD
Peer Review
Lauren Lepow, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she conducts research at the Center for Psychedelic Therapy Research. Lauren’s research interests focus on PTSD and include investigating the neural mechanisms of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, utilizing artificial intelligence to analyze audio and video data, and enhancing the understanding of the human experience of healing. Clinically, she practices psychoanalysis and employs holistic and relational approaches to trauma healing. Lauren’s graduate school studies are with both Muhammad Parvaz’s Motivational and Affective Psychopathology lab and Rachel Yehuda’s lab, which studies the neurobiology of PTSD at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx. She completed her BA in Neuroscience at Columbia University, her MD at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas, and her psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai. She has also spent time at the NIMH in the Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, studying the mechanism of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Born and raised in Houston, Lauren enjoys biking around NYC, immersive theatre, high-intensity-interval training, and exploring the world with her husband and cat.
Lauren Lepow, MD
Assistant Professor
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Extra Info
  • Online platform access: 1 year.
  • After 1 year, renew your account for an additional year by purchasing any of our on-demand courses. All previously purchased courses will be accessible in your dashboard.
  • 100% student satisfaction or money-back guarantee.
  • For the best experience, we recommend taking the course on a tablet or computer.
  • Course FAQ can be found here.

Self-paced course includes:

  • 6 hours of MDMA learning content
  • Interactive eLearning modules with narration
  • Interviews with psychedelic therapists, medical doctors, researchers, and neuroscientists
  • Animations and detailed graphics of complex topics
  • Conversations with therapists and academic researchers around special topics
  • Assignments to further advance your knowledge and comprehension
  • Downloadable course exports and narration scripts
  • Downloadable reference lists with cited publications and links
  • Downloadable resource documents with suggested videos, books, articles, and websites
  • Discussion forum to engage with other learners and instructors
  • Knowledge checks throughout the course
  • 1 year access to our online learning platform
  • Invite to our monthly speaker series and access to videos from our past events
  • Official Psychedelic Support Certificate of Completion

Choose the Continuing Education (CE) option for:

  • 6 hours of continuing education (CE) credits for licensed professionals, including psychologists, therapists, nurses, social workers, etc.
  • See below for more information about continuing education 

Choose the Continuing Medical Education (CME) option for:

  • CME Certificate (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™) for doctors, nurses, medical professionals, etc. for MDMA educational content for 5.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
  • See below for more information about continuing education 
Certificate Information

Interested in the different certificate options for our courses? Read on to learn more:

Learn more about Completion Certificate
+

Once you complete the course you will receive a Psychedelic Support Certificate of Completion. Choose this option if you are not a licensed health provider and do not need continuing education credit for your professional degree.

Learn more about CE Credit Certificate
+

Once you complete the course you will receive a Psychedelic Support CE Certificate. Choose this option if you are a licensed health provider who would like continuing education credit for your professional degree.

  • Be sure to select the CE credit option when purchasing the course.
  • Upon completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance for your credits.
  • CE credits for psychologists are provided by Psychedelic Support, an APA-approved CE sponsor.
  • Psychedelic Support is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psychedelic Support maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
  • For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, to request special accommodations, or report a grievance contact Psychedelic Support info@psychedelic.support.

Learn more about CME Credit Certificate
+

Once you complete the course you will receive a Psychedelic Support CME Certificate. Choose this option if you are a licensed health provider would like continuing education credit for your professional degree.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of PeerPoint Medical Education Institute and Psychedelic Support. PeerPoint Medical Education Institute is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for non-physicians: There are other disciplines that may accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ as equivalent CE or CEU for re-licensure or recertification, including, but not limited to, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Pharm D’s, and Psychologists. It is advisable for you to verify equivalency with your specific governing body, as state boards vary in their requirements.

Credit Designation Statement

PeerPoint Medical Education Institute designates this online enduring material activity for a maximum of 5.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Target Audience

This activity is geared to meet the educational requirements of Healthcare Providers from a range of disciplines: Physicians, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, and LCSWs who will participate in or form interdisciplinary teams, or practice independently.

Core Competencies

This activity encompasses the following desirable physician attributes: Patient Care & Procedural Skills, Medical Knowledge, Professionalism, and Practice-Based Learning & Improvement.

Format

The presentational methods for this activity are Lecture and Small Group Discussion/Roundtable. The course content has been peer-reviewed for content validity and found to be evidenced-based, fair, balanced, and free from commercial bias.

Commercial Support

There is no commercial support for this activity.

Release Date

This activity was released for credit on October 1, 2024.

Review Date

This activity was reviewed on September 15, 2024.

Termination Date

This activity is valid for credit through October 1, 2026.