Elizabeth M. Nielson, PhD, CASAC

Psychologist & Substance Use Counselor
New York City NY
I offer psychedelic harm reduction and integration psychotherapy in a private practice setting. The harm reduction aspect involves providing an open, safe, and supportive environment in which to discuss plans, intentions, and expectations for psychedelic use in any setting: ceremonial, festivals, alone, or in other groups. Together we can talk about your unique motivations and how you might minimize the potential harms of psychedelic use while maximizing the potential for a safe experience. Integration work is about how psychedelic experiences relate to your relationships, career, spiritual practice, physical and mental health, values, etc. I draw on principles of psychedelic-assisted therapy and conventional psychotherapy approaches to support clients in translating psychedelic experiences into lasting, meaningful insights and growth. I offer individual sessions and run an ongoing Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Exploration group at the Center.
Dr. Elizabeth Nielson is a co-founder of Fluence and a psychologist with a focus on developing psychedelic medicines as empirically supported treatments for PTSD, substance use problems, and mood disorders. Dr. Nielson is a therapist on FDA approved clinical trials of psilocybin-assisted treatment of alcohol use disorder, MDMA-assisted treatment PTSD, and psilocybin-assisted treatment of treatment resistant depression. Through Fluence, she provides continuing education and training programs for therapists who wish to engage in integration of psychedelic experiences in clinical settings. Her program of research includes qualitative and mixed-methods projects designed to further understand the phenomenology and mechanisms of change in psychedelic-assisted therapy, including the experiences of trial participants and of the therapists themselves. Having completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship at NYU, she has published and presented on topics of psychedelic therapist training, therapists’ personal experience with psychedelics, and including psychedelic integration in group and individual psychotherapy.