ONLINE EVENT: Nov 21-23, 2025
Be Part of the Inaugural Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit
Get nuanced perspectives on psychedelic treatments.
Join 30+ patients, trial participants, therapists, and researchers as they share powerful stories and practical insights to deepen your understanding of psychedelic treatments.
In collaboration with our partners:
"The greatest resource we have for making progress in healthcare is the lived experience of those who are affected." – Dr. Lisa Sanders
Bridging lived experience with research and practice
This first-of-its-kind summit unites firsthand wisdom, scientific insights, and clinical expertise to explore the real-world impact of psychedelic treatments. Discover how to navigate risks, optimize health outcomes, and foster safe, inclusive healing spaces for all.
3 DAYS
30+ SPEAKERS
3K+ ATTENDEES
Featuring experts from world-renowned academic institutions:
A summit centered on lived experience
Join a groundbreaking event that puts patient voices at the forefront of psychedelic research, shaping safer, more effective treatments.
These firsthand insights are rarely shared in research papers, conferences, training programs, or mainstream discussions.
Discover firsthand wisdom on psychedelic healing from those who’ve been there
Understanding psychedelic treatments can be complex. While research shows promise, lived experiences often provide the best insights.
You may have explored articles, studies, webinar or online discussions, only to find conflicting perspectives or missing the deeply personal side of the story.
This first-of-its-kind summit unites experts in lived experience, clinical care, and research to share key insights, challenges, and lessons that shape the future of psychedelic healing.
✓ Listen to diverse perspectives from patients with mixed outcomes.
✓ Gain a nuanced understanding of psychedelic treatment experiences.
✓ Learn from firsthand accounts of breakthroughs and challenges.
✓ Understand the complexities of healing through psychedelics.
✓ Explore the need for post-treatment support in psychedelic care.
✓ Discover key insights for informed psychedelic therapy decisions.
✓ Access cutting-edge knowledge and practical advice.
Why join and what's unique?
Lived experience is a vital yet often overlooked form of expertise in healthcare, and psychedelic research and treatment are no exception.
Patient voices are often reduced to extremes—either miraculous cures or cautionary tales—while the depth, complexity, and nuance of their experiences go unrecognized. Even when included, they are overshadowed by the dominant focus on clinical and scientific expertise, limiting their influence on research and treatment.
Firsthand insights from those who’ve undergone psychedelic treatments offer wisdom beyond what clinical measurement can capture. Yet, lived experience remains underrepresented. This summit bridges that gap.
More than just a discussion, this is a movement to redefine expertise in psychedelic care. By elevating lived experience in research, treatment, and policy, we can create a more patient-centered future.
Whether you're a therapist, researcher, or someone with personal experience, your voice matters. Join us.
In a divided world, let’s unite, bridge gaps, and harness the wisdom of lived experience
As a patient-led initiative, we collaborate and coordinate to advance the field of psychedelic research and therapies in a meaningful and constructive way.
Real Stories, real wisdom: Gain firsthand insights from those who’ve undergone treatments and clinical trials with psychedelics.
Beyond hype and fear: Authentic stories and honest, nuanced discussions beyond the narratives of "miracle cure" and "therapy cult".
Community and connection: Engage with a like-minded audience of patients, therapists, researchers, and advocates.
Who should attend?
Anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of psychedelic research and therapies through the richness of firsthand wisdom and nuanced perspectives of lived experience.
Whether you’re a patient, trial participant, therapist, researcher, healthcare professional, journalist, policymaker, or part of a nonprofit or research organization, you’ll gain invaluable insights from those with personal experiences in psychedelic treatments.
November 21-23, 2025
Explore the intersection of science, therapy, and lived experience
Join us online for this strategic 3-day summit. Watch all interviews free during the event or upgrade to an All Access Pass for recordings, live panel, toolkits, and community!
Lived experience experts
Join former patients and trial participants sharing valuable lessons to enhance psychedelic research experience and treatment outcomes.
Pedram Dara
MDMA-assisted therapy, Phase 2 clinical trial, Canada (2019).
Becca Kacanda
MDMA-assisted therapy, Phase 3 clinical trial, U.S. (2022).
Ron Bowman
MDMA-assisted therapy, Phase 3 clinical trial, U.S. (2020).
Florence Moureaux
Psilocybin-assisted therapy, special access program, Canada (2021).
Leonie Schneider
Psilocybin treatment, Phase 2 clinical trial, UK (2019).
Ian Roullier
Psilocybin treatment, Phase 2 clinical trial, UK (2015, 2019).
Patty Birkhoff
MDMA-assisted therapy, Phase 2 clinical trial, Netherlands (2023).
Ian Cook
Ketamine-assisted therapy, clinical treatment, U.S. (2022).
Brad Gagnon
MDMA-assisted therapy, special access program, Canada (2024).
Maryam Jabir
Psilocybin treatment, Phase 2 clinical trial, UK (2021).
Cedric Codron
Esketamine (Spravato), clinical treatment, Belgium (2022).
Emily Van
Ketamine-assisted therapy, clinical treatment, Canada (2021).
Clinical and scientific experts
Join experienced leaders in psychedelic research as they share insights on integrating lived experience to design better clinical trials and treatments.
Michael Mithoefer, MD
Psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and medical monitor for MDMA therapy for PTSD trials in the U.S.
Rosalind Watts, PhD
Psychologist, founder and creator of ACER Integration, and former clinical lead for psilocybin trials in the UK.
Paul Liknaitzky, PhD
Psychologist, clinical researcher, and head of the Clinical Psychedelic Lab at Monash University in Australia.
Pamela Kryskow, MD
Physician, board member of the Psychedelic Association of Canada, and medical lead for Roots to Thrive.
Houman Farzin, MD
Palliative care physician and psychedelic therapist specializing in psilocybin therapy for terminal illness in Canada.
Janis Phelps, PhD
Psychologist, founder, and director of the CIIS Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research in the U.S.
Sandeep Nayak, MD
Psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and associate professor at Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.
Julia King Olivier, MD
Psychiatrist, psychedelic therapist, founder of the Compassionate Care Center in Geneva, in Switzerland.
Simon Amar, MD
Psychiatrist, investigator for MDMA therapy for PTSD trials in Canada and psilocybin therapy for GAD in Australia.
Tijmen Bostoen, MD
Psychiatrist, researcher, and study therapist for phase 2 MDMA therapy for PTSD trials in the Netherlands.
Joost Breeksema, PhD
Qualitative researcher in psychedelic trials and executive director of the OPEN Foundation in the Netherlands.
Monnica Williams, PhD
Clinical psychologist and professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa in Canada.
Bill Brennan, PhD
Psychologist, clinical researcher, psychedelic educator, and co-founder of GuideSite Consulting in the U.S.
Sara Reed, MS
Marriage and family therapist, lead psychedelic research therapist at Imperial College London in the UK.
Chloé Pronovost-Morgan, MSc
Researcher and author of Delphi study on setting, psychiatry resident in Canada.
Meet your host
I’m Pedram Dara, a former MDMA therapy clinical trial participant and director of Psychedelic Lived Experiences, a patient-led initiative dedicated to integrating lived experience expertise into psychedelic research, treatment, and policy.
Since 2019, I’ve advocated for patient safety and treatment efficacy, speaking at major forums such as the FDA and European Parliament, and at conferences like ICPR and Breaking Convention. My story and insights have been featured in research publications, documentaries, news, and training programs.
Although gaining recognition, lived experience is still underrepresented and undervalued. Meaningful progress in psychedelics requires all perspectives working together, beyond hype and fear, to embrace the nuanced insights of those who have lived it.
Summit themes and topics
Explore the impact of lived experience in psychedelic care. Sessions cover the practical, ethical, and clinical dimensions of MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine used in treating health conditions.
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Treatment safety and efficacy: How patient insights can reduce harm and enhance research protocols and treatment outcomes.
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Risks and challenges: Strategies to reduce harm and manage difficult experiences or adverse outcomes.
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Ethics and best practices: Ensuring integrity in psychedelic care, patient safety, informed consent, and safe touch.
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Comorbidity and mind-body: Navigating mental and physical conditions, chronic pain, and the impact of physiological effects.
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Therapy vs. the drug alone: Examining how therapeutic support enhances psychedelic treatment beyond drug effects alone.
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Preparation and integration: Discovering key differences across drugs and therapies, plus aftercare and therapeutic support.
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Set, setting, and support: Exploring the role of expectations, biological, mental, social aspects in psychedelic healing.
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Improving quality of life: Going beyond clinical outcome tracking and providing a holistic, whole person care.
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Psychedelic vs. traditional care: Comparing uniqueness of psychedelic therapies with conventional mental health treatments.
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Media and patient education: How to responsibly communicate balanced, accurate information on psychedelic risks and benefits.
November 21-23, 2025
Event details and schedule
Join us online for this strategic 3-day summit. Watch all interviews free during the event or upgrade to an All Access Pass for recordings, live panel, toolkits, and community!
What you'll learn and gain
Engage in critical discussions shaping the future of psychedelics. Gain insights into patient-centered care, ethical best practices, and the latest research to improve mental health outcomes.
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Integrating personal insights into healing practices: How leveraging lived experience expertise can shape therapeutic approaches and enhance the safety and effectiveness of psychedelic treatments.
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Best practices through the lens of lived experience: Exploring the real-world impact of preparation and integration methods from those with diverse psychedelic treatments experiences and outcomes.
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Transforming mental healthcare: How can psychedelic experiences deepen our sense of mind-body-soul connection, foster interconnectedness, and redefine healing modalities through the lens of firsthand experience.
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Balancing hype and hope: Finding equilibrium between excitement and realism. How lived experience expertise helps in identifying emerging clinical breakthroughs while staying critical and grounded.
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Biopsychosocial model in psychedelic therapy: Understanding the importance of lived experience and how personal history, mental state, and social environment shape treatment experiences and outcomes.
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Cultural competency, diversity, and accessibility: Addressing the unique challenges in psychedelic research and treatment for underrepresented communities, ensuring inclusive, accessible, and culturally responsive care.
What makes this summit special?
✓ Hear directly from patients, clinical trial participants, therapists, and researchers as they share raw, unfiltered insights into psychedelic treatment experiences.
✓ Gain a nuanced understanding of psychedelic healing that goes beyond research papers and clinical trials.
✓ Learn from experts in lived experience, clinical care, and research as they break down key insights in clear, accessible language.
✓ Discover perspectives and lessons rarely discussed in mainstream psychedelic conferences or training programs.
✓ Understand both the breakthroughs and challenges of psychedelic therapy through firsthand accounts.
✓ Walk away with deeper knowledge, practical insights, and a more informed perspective on psychedelic treatments.
Join patients, therapists, and researchers shaping the future of psychedelic care
Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit is for you if…
✓ You want to grasp the real-world impact of psychedelic treatments beyond quantitative results.
✓ You’re a patient, therapist, researcher, or curious about lived experience expertise in psychedelics.
✓ You're curious about nuanced perspectives on both the benefits and challenges of psychedelic healing.
✓ You’re exploring psychedelic therapy and want to make informed decisions.
✓ You believe in the power of firsthand stories to shape the future of psychedelic research and care.
Join the summit and get answers to these critical questions:
✓ What is it really like to undergo a psychedelic-assisted therapy session?
✓ How do people process and integrate their experiences after treatment?
✓ How do treatments with psychedelics impact mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety?
✓ What role do therapists play in ensuring safe and effective psychedelic experiences?
✓ What are the most overlooked aspects of treatment that patients wish they knew beforehand?
Leave the summit feeling...
✓ Informed, with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of psychedelics' therapeutic potential.
✓ Empowered, to make confident, well-informed decisions about psychedelic treatments.
✓ Inspired, by the resilience, breakthroughs of those who’ve experienced them firsthand.
Invite your colleagues and friends
Share this event with your network and join together in shaping the future of patient-centered psychedelic care.
November 21-23, 2025
Attend the Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit
Learn from seasoned experts in lived experience, clinical practice, and scientific research. Discover firsthand insights and lessons to improve clinical outcomes and patient experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit starts on November 21st and runs for 3 days, ending on November 23rd. Each day’s sessions begins at 11 AM EST / 8 AM PST / 5 PM CET. This is a virtual summit and you’ll be able to watch online with a Free Live Pass.
Click the REGISTER NOW FOR FREE button on this page to claim your Free Live Pass, giving you live access to all summit sessions. If you can’t attend live or want ongoing access to recordings, you can upgrade to an All Access Pass after registering.
Yes, but with your Free Live Pass, you can only watch live online during the summit days. If you know you won’t be able to watch the sessions live and want access to the videos later, you can upgrade to an All Access Pass. This gives you unlimited 1-year access to all the recordings, plus other exclusive perks such as live panel, toolkits, and community!
The Psychedelic Lived Experiences Summit runs like a live event, with your host providing context before and after each session. However, expert interviews are pre-recorded and released back-to-back each day. A detailed schedule will be shared with registered attendees closer to the event.
The All Access Pass gives you exclusive perks, allowing you to access the content on your own time, listen on the go, and access live panel where you can ask questions and connect with the experts. When you upgrade to an All Access Pass, you'll get: Unlimited on-demand access, Live panel discussion, Audio downloads, Transcripts & summaries, Implementation guide, Curated resource library, Networking sessions, Lived experience workshop, Community platform access, and Exclusive partner perks!
If you’ve checked all your inbox folders (including spam, junk, and promotions) and still don’t see the email, please reach out to us. We’re happy to help! >>> contact@psychedeliclivedexperiences.com