Difficult experiences in psychedelic-assisted therapy aren’t rare, and they’re not always a sign that something has gone wrong. Fear, physical discomfort and pain, grief, disorientation, panic, or psychological destabilization can emerge suddenly, and the way these moments are handled can significantly impact the therapeutic outcome.

And the uncomfortable truth is: not all psychedelic training programmes prepare clinicians for this part of the work. It’s easy to teach theory and how to support someone who has a relatively smooth experience. It’s harder to train for the moments when sessions become overwhelming, confusing, or clinically complex.

So, what does it actually take to prepare for the challenging sessions that aren’t often talked about when we talk about the “healing power of psychedelics”?

Understanding and Working with Difficult Experiences

In this free online event, ADEPT faculty members Roman Palitsky, PhD, and Anja Loizaga-Velder, PhD, explore what difficult experiences can look like in psychedelic-assisted therapy, and what skilled, ethical support is needed when sessions become challenging. Moderated by ADEPT’s Educational Lead, Daan Keiman, MA, the conversation will explore clinical rigor, cultural sensitivity, and offer insights from decades of therapeutic experience working with psychedelics.

Join us for a grounded discussion that goes beyond simple labels like “bad trip” or “adverse event” to examine therapeutic complexity: what can go wrong, how risks can be mitigated, and what kinds of training can help clinicians respond to challenging sessions with clarity and care.

Training for the Hard Sessions with ADEPT

ADEPT: Advanced Education in Psychedelic Therapy is the OPEN Foundation’s comprehensive two-year training programme for licensed mental health professionals. It’s designed to build the skills, ethical grounding, and professional maturity required for psychedelic-assisted therapy, especially when sessions don’t go as planned.

In ADEPT, we believe difficult experiences can’t be trained for through theory alone. You need repeated exposure to complexity, real-time practice, and the chance to learn what steadiness feels like in the moment, not only on paper.

That’s why ADEPT includes five in-person training days dedicated to navigating challenging experiences and integrates three experiential practicums as developmental threads throughout the programme. Students engage directly with non-ordinary states of consciousness in a guided, professionally-led setting, then gradually step into facilitation roles, learning to recognize distress early, respond skillfully, and support others when intensity rises.

These practicums are complemented by the in-person training meetings, where students practice core therapeutic competencies hands-on: building presence, working with fear and resistance, navigating uncertainty, and staying grounded in ethically complex situations. Just as importantly, everything is held within an apprenticeship-and-supervision model, so learning stays anchored to clinical standards rather than mythology or overconfidence.

In ADEPT, we are training students for the reality of psychedelic-assisted therapy and the full spectrum of experiences that it can encompass. 

Get Your ADEPT Fee Waiver

As a thank-you for joining the event, participants will be able to waive the registration fee (€80) when signing up for the 2026 ADEPT cohort.

Meet the Speakers

Roman Palitsky, PhD

Roman Palitsky is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Emory University and Director of Research Projects in Spiritual Health. His work applies a bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach to behavioral interventions, ensuring treatments align with patients’ cultural needs. In psychedelic research, he focuses on making therapies rigorous, effective, and accountable while supporting those who may experience adverse effects.

Anja Loizaga-Velder, PhD

Anja Loizaga-Velder is a German-Mexican clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. Anja has over 30 years of experience working with indigenous psychedelic healing practices. She co-founded the Nierika Institute for Intercultural Medicine in Mexico, focusing on sacred plant medicine research and therapy.

Daan Keiman, MA

Daan is a psychedelic and Buddhist chaplain with a private practice, blending contemplative practices, (neuro)anthropology, cognitive science, and existential therapy. With extensive experience as a facilitator and curriculum developer for psychedelic training programs, Daan promotes a multidimensional approach to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and advocates for community-based care models.