Howard Marlin, MEd
Clinical Therapist
Vineyard Haven MA
Professional Training: Bi-annual CEU training for my LADC1 license, specialized training in psychedelic therapy, and working on certifications from institutions such as MAPS.
Legal and Ethics: I employ liability insurance, adhere to local, state, and federal laws regarding psychedelic substances, follow guidelines from professional licensing boards and organizations, stay current with ethics requirements, obtain informed consent, maintain confidentiality, and employ encrypted clinical notes applications and communication platforms as a certified teletherapy provider.
Client Assessment: Conduct screening assessments to determine if psychedelic therapy is appropriate, take psychological history, physical health, and current medications into consideration, and discuss the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives of psychedelic therapy. I set intentions, discuss expectations, and establish a trusting therapeutic relationship.
Psychedelic experience: Years on two medical hospital substance use disorder teams as an emergency services clinician and psychiatric hospital milieu therapist gave me a unique insight into how to best deal with emergent crises, adverse reactions, or emergencies and redirect energy and emotions for the benefit of my clients.
Followup Therapy: I use techniques like psychotherapy, journaling, and mindfulness and provide ongoing support and resources to help my clients maintain and build on the insights gained from their psychedelic experience.
Multidisciplinary Professional Collaboration: Member of the SSCIT, “The South Shore Coalition of Independent Therapists,” AIS “Association of Intervention Specialists, certified “Love First” and “Arise Method” Interventionist, and board-certified Recovery Coach Professional and Recovery Coach Professional for the ER.
Research and Advocacy: I participate in or contribute to research studies to advance the understanding and acceptance of psychedelic therapy, as well as advocate for policy changes and increased access to safe and effective psychedelic therapy.
Self-Care and Personal Well-being: I participate in professional retreats and self-help programs.
Supervision and Support: I collaborate with medical professionals regularly, especially if the client is on medication or has health concerns, and participate weekly in peer supervision and meet monthly with industry consultation groups focused on psychedelic therapy to discuss cases, share insights, and receive support.
Raised by a Clinical Psychologist who worked at the Fort Monmouth, NJ, Psychedelic Research Program and a Home Economics teacher, I started my mental health training with Transcendental Meditation in 1972 when I began my journey with psychedelics. When appropriate, I employ hypnosis and meditation as parts of my practice, which focuses on trauma and substance disorder-related and “arrested development” teen-to-twenties clientele. Since obtaining my Masters in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College in 1985, the overt rise of those affected by substances has inspired me to expand my pool of training and resources and utilize innovative techniques for anxiety, such as the SKY Breath Meditation process, as a productive clinical tool. My experience includes working in several medical and three psychiatric hospitals and two emergency services teams, running a drug and alcohol education program for the courts and working with community services programs, running a residential program for adults with disabilities, and counseling at an alternative education high school. CCAR certified me as a Recovery Coach Professional and Recovery Coach for the ER. I began doing interventions early in my career and trained with Dr. Judith Lancowitz of Arise Invitational Intervention, then as a certified interventionist through my training with Jeff and Debora Jay of Love First Interventions. My work expanded to provide intervention training in the US and Canada, and my client base is worldwide, serving clients overseas, including Great Britain, Portugal, and Australia. To my credit, I also have two podcasts: “The Sober Network Recovery Podcast” and “Addiction- Got A Minute?”, a self-produced local TV show back when I had spare time! I’m also a die-hard rock and roll drummer who is still at it, an old surfer who dreams of San Diego waves, and I served as a pilot with the USCG Air Auxiliary.