Dr.sc.hum. Dipl.-Psych Anja Loizaga-Velder, is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, with humanistic orientation.

This presentation reflects on therapeutic and intercultural perspectives of the use of ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms and other natural psychedelic compounds in the treatment of mental health challenges.

Anja Loizaga-Velder will share a synthesis of two decades of her observational research related to therapeutic use of entheogens for the treatment of mental health challenges, as well as experiences gathered as psychotherapist accompanying patients in the preparation for and integration of experiences with diverse natural psychedelic compounds in intercultural therapeutic settings. Transdiagnostic therapeutic mechanisms of well-guided plant medicine experiences will be explored that facilitate psychotherapeutic change in conditions such as substance use disorders, eating disorders, depression, difficult grief or trauma. Finally also the shadow side of the use of psychedelic plants will be addressed, reflecting on experiences from psychotherapeutic work with patients who have been adversely affected by inappropriate use of entheogens , shedding light on the importance of well structured and supportive contexts in the work with these compounds , as well as adequate support for integration.

BIO

Dr.sc.hum. Dipl.-Psych Anja Loizaga-Velder, is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, with humanistic orientation. Parallel to her psychotherapeutic practice Anja has been learning from and collaborating with indigenous psychedelic healing specialists for over 30 years.She is Co-founder and director of research and clinical services at the Nierika Institute for Intercultural Medicine, in Mexico, a NGO dedicated to the preservation of indigenous traditions with sacred plant medicines and research around their therapeutic applications for mental health and personal growth. She has published several research articles and book chapters that explore the therapeutic potential of entheogens for the treatment of mental health challenges and has presented her work as speaker in many international conferences. Anja also collaborates as mentor and guest lecturer in the CIIS CPTR and other psychedelic therapy training programs.

Marc-Antoine Masri, MA, EUROTAS Board and Youth Council, moderator, Lebanon

My intention is to explore and develop on the value of ancestral lineages and transmissions imbedded in a modern approach of transpersonal psychology. From my perspective, the relationship between healing and awakening is a fundamental aspect of any Transpersonal approach. Without engaging on a healing journey, awakening lacks a good fertile soil to be fully integrated in a harmonious flow of presence. Without a complete path of awakening rooted in our true nature and supported by the power of ancestral lineage and transmission, seeking healing, whether through modern psychotherapy or sacred plant medicines, will not be enough to totally free oneself from suffering, and it could even create identifications which can become major obstacles on the path of liberation. Our ancestors have done a great endeavor in preserving, through uninterrupted lineage, the transmission of the "inner treasure map" for realizing our true nature. It's also deeply embedded in the nature around us, infused in the plants and the animals and the mountains and the oceans, all there to support us in recognizing our primordial state. There is an underlying intelligence in nature which is communicating with us, whispering our names back home. I refer to this as the evolutionary Mycelium of our ancestors guiding us in the birth of an Ancient Future rooted in a harmonious state of presence. It is alive and it is growing also through the Transpersonal movement into society, as we bring all of the pieces of the puzzle together.

Marc-Antoine Masri has a rather original background, with Masters degree in International Business, while deepening interest in psychology, quantum physics, altered states of consciousness, plants and natural medicine, anthropology/ethnology and the ancestral traditions from around the world. Very inspired by the works of Carl Jung and Stanislav Grof, in parallel to his master's degree he trained in Grof Holotropic Breathwork with the IRETT (currently CesHum), cultivating knowledge of transpersonal psychotherapy which he continues to learn as part of a certified international training with the I.I.B.P.

Guided by life and plants, he traveled extensively and is initiated in Amazonian, Andean, Tibetan, Huichol, Mayan, Bwiti, Sufi, and Hindu lineages among the main ones. His main practice is the cultivation of instant Presence of Awareness as transmitted through the Dzogchen teachings by Rigzin Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. He is fascinated by the healing power of breath, sound, and dance, and his heart calls to share their medicine through transformational gatherings. Also trained in Tibetan Kunye massage and the foundation of Tibetan medicine with Menpa Phuntsog Wangmo, as well as healing through ancestral sounds with Tito la Rosa.

He has been collaborating since 2018 in the creation of the Tribal Gathering festival in Panama, which brings together over 60 indigenous tribes from around the world each year. Currently youngest board member of EUROTAS, the global transpersonal network (www.eurotas.world), he is committed to rekindle humanity’s connection with Mother Earth’s flow of harmony through developing a grounded Transpersonal vision rooted in ancestral wisdom.

Paloma David

Ayahuasca Insightfulness explores the perceived attainment of knowledge during or as a product of ayahuasca experiences: in other words, its noetic qualities.

It analyses anonymous “trip reports”; using narrative research and qualitative analysis software to determine the types of knowledge attained. The main types of insights examined relate first, to personal insights and self-understanding and second to metaphysical and philosophical ideations.

Being sensitive to the cultural setting of the accounts allowed the research to contextualize the meaning-making processes of the practitioners involved as highly dependent on their cultural background. This meant the claims of knowledge were not of a universal order but rather a product of complex cultural dialogue. Hence the project engaged in broadening the classic psychedelic notion of “setting” to include cultural dynamics in tandem with environmental factors.

On a philosophical side, Ayahuasca Insightfulness explores how psychedelic claims of knowledge are separate from factual truths, and yet valuable for the practitioners involved.

This allows discussing the contrast between claiming the vision’s content is factually correct and claiming the visions acquire important meaning for those who partake in the brew.

BIO

Paloma David is the Board Secretary of the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association, APRA. Originally from Colombia, she is a cultural anthropologist with a strong interest in psychedelic research. She holds a Research Master's in Religious Studies from the University of Amsterdam, where she conducted fieldwork research on the contemporary uses of Ayahuasca in different settings. Paloma completed her training in psychedelic therapy and integration with Psychedelics Today (VITAL) and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Radboud University in Nijmegen, under the research project "Shifting Perceptions of Ayahuasca in and from Latin America." Her interest focuses on the therapeutic use of psychedelics, their current use in Europe and Latin America, and the social and cultural implications of their use.

Hidde Hilton, Vista Plus – Psilocybin Mircodosing Programs and Research, Netherlands

Hidde has been passionately researching health, nutrition and alternative means of medicine and healing for the past decade. With a special interest in the self healing abilities of the body and the connection between body and mind. He has a background working as a massage therapist and has been practicing meditation, breathwork and martial arts for many years. After breaking his neck in an accident and experiencing months of recovery, his passion for plant medicine was ignited.

Working both as a holistic integration practitioner and as a psychedelic guide in ceremonies, Hidde assist individuals on their personal journeys to gain more understanding into mental-, emotional- and physical wellbeing, spiritual growth and self-acceptance.

The motivation to create non-profit research foundation VistaPlus stems from his own experience with psychedelics when he broke his neck in an accident in 2018. During the rehabilitation process Hidde subsequently became depressed and recovered with the help of microdosing. Not much later the idea arose to personally assist others to learn how to work with the transformative potential of psilocybin in a responsible and accessible way. The mission of the foundation is to bridge the gap between the understanding of the physical and the non-physical, and to help people reconnect with themselves and nature, reconnecting individuals with their innate self-healing abilities.

“After breaking my neck in an accident, having spent months in recovery and feeling depressed as a result, I found microdosing to be a huge catalyst in my healing process, both mental and physical. This journey invited me to dive even deeper into the healing potential of plant medicine and inspired me to work professionally with psychedelics. Having worked with clients in this capacity since early 2019, I have been reaching out to people to help them heal themselves but also to create awareness around the potential that psychedelics have to change our lives and society for the better.

Besides my work as a massage therapist and my personal interest and experiences in psychology and expanded states of consciousness, I am truly fascinated by the connection between mind and body; how our thoughts and emotions can affect our physiology. When I experienced this personally during my own recovery, psychedelics proved to be a catalyst in my recovery.

Over the past four years I have learned a lot, assisting over 500 people with coaching and guidance and many remarkable results and profound insights have been gained by both the participants as myself. I’m passionate to contribute to the “psychedelic renaissance” and love to develop- and be at service in this field, and to gain new perspectives on the implementation of mind altering substances.

I believe this also depends on how respectful we work with these substances, and with what kind of integrity and intentions we use them. My mission is to shift the approach to healing to a more holistic approach; bridging the gap between the physical and the non-physical and to reconnect with ourselves and nature. It is truly a privilege to contribute- and assist others in this process of re-connecting and self-exploration, and to gain more understanding about personal transformation.

Nir Tadmor, M.A., Israel, Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration, Safe Shore

Psychospiritual crises, whether triggered by psychedelics, meditation or any other means, can shatter our everyday ego and catapult us into long periods of mental, emotional, interpersonal and spiritual difficulties. These deeply transformative periods, when properly supported, can lead to healing and growth and as Stan Grof emphasised, even serve an important evolutionary role. When the community and therapists of the person are not aware of the potential of these non ordinary states, these crises may sadly turn into a deeply traumatic experience. During this talk we are going to explore a few cases of psychedelic crises and spiritual emergencies that I had the privilege to support as a transpersonal psychotherapist in my clinic and during my work as a psychedelic harm reduction specialist in parties and festivals.

Bio:

I am a transpersonal psychotherapist in private practice, co-founder of Safe Shore - a psychedelic education, harm reduction and director of education in Impulse - an integrative psychotherapy center based in Israel. I hold a Master’s in Consciousness, Spirituality and Transpersonal Psychology from Middlesex University (through the Alef Trust) and trained in Hakomi body-centered psychotherapy. I am also a co-researcher in the Neurophenomenological lab in Haifa University, where I am in charge of phenomenological interviews in two psychedelic studies: one about Ayahuasca and death perception and one about Psilocybin mushrooms and ego dissolution. For my Master’s thesis I conducted a phenomenological study about the psychedelic integration process that unfolds in the lives of Western mental health professionals who use psychedelics for personal and professional growth and I currently serve as an advisor to the Israeli government’s Special Committee for the Fight Against the Damages of Drugs and Alcohol. My private practice is based in Israel where I provide support for people who deal with a wide range of issues, many of them interested in integrating their psychedelic experiences as a part of the psychotherapeutic process. During the last 6 years, I worked as a mental health guide in various psychiatric- hospitalization alternatives, supported hundreds of psychedelic crises in parties and festivals and trained more than 1000 psychedelic harm reduction sitters through Safe Shore’s Holding Space workshop in Israel, the UK, The Netherland and Estonia.