MAPS Announces MDMA-Assisted Therapy Education Event For Ukrainian Mental Health Practitioners

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana.

Nearly 60 Ukrainian therapists will attend the event at no cost, learning fundamentals and best practices for psychedelic-assisted therapies
More than 300 practitioners from more than 30 countries have completed MAPS’ International Therapist Education Program
Psychedelic-assisted therapies in conflict zones will be a session highlight at Psychedelic Science 2025
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization at the vanguard of the psychedelic movement since 1986, is bringing its International Therapist Education Program (ITE) to Ukraine. The event is organized in collaboration with the nonprofit Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA) and will take place from April 28 to May 4 in Lviv, Ukraine.

Students will gain foundational knowledge of psychedelic-assisted therapies including the inner-directed therapeutic approach; facilitating preparation, medication, and integration sessions; building a strong therapeutic alliance; and addressing complex topics such as therapeutic touch, suicidal ideation, and the dynamics of transference and countertransference.

The program will be led by Marcela Ot’alora G. MA, LPC, and Bruce Poulter RN, MPH, lead researchers in MAPS-initiated clinical trials with decades of experience working with trauma. As lead educators, they have been educating and training therapists who work on clinical trials around the globe. The additional teaching staff (TAs) are Ukrainian and alumni of MAPS’ ITE program.

Our mission has always been to bring healing to as many people as possible, and there is an urgent need to support those living and working in the heart of conflict. Trauma doesn’t wait — and the earlier it’s addressed, the better the chances for long-term resilience. We are honored to support Ukrainian therapists in building their capabilities to care for others using the tools of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Founder & President, MAPS