Psilocybin Plant Medicine Retreat
Join us in Jamaica!
Attention Faculty, Professionals, Grad Students and More! uOttawa has partnered with One Retreat in Jamaica to offer a compelling plant medicine experience for our academic community from Feb 15-20, 2025 (Winter Break). This retreat has garnered attention for its involvement in research and the provision of psychedelic-assisted therapy for Navy SEAL veterans dealing with PTSD.
If you are interested in this psilocybin retreat but are not a student in the Psychedelics & Consciousness Studies program, you are still welcome to participate.
uOttawa graduate students: Click here for info about signing-up for academic credit.
Drs. Monnica Williams and Anne Vallely at the One Jamaica Retreat in Negril with retreat directors Kevin Bourke (left), Vee Cardillo (right), and Taino Chief Kasike Nibonrix Kaiman of the Jamaica Council of Indigenous Leaders (center).
The retreat includes:
- 2x Psilocybin Experiences (Full Deep Dive Ceromony)
- All Meals Included (3 meals/day)
- 2x Excursion with transport
- Accomodations
- 1x Pre-Retreat Group Online Session
- 1x Pre-Retreat 1-on-1 Online Session
- 1x Post-Retreat Group Sessions
- 2 x Airport Transfers
Graduate Programs
Psychedelics Studies
Psychedelics Studies is concerned with the therapeutic, spiritual, and ritual uses of psychedelics cross-culturally and throughout human history. It is a broad field that draws upon research in human consciousness, psychology, comparative mysticism, medicine, and spiritual care.
The MA Degree in Psychedelics & Consciousness Studies is now open for enrolment.
Applications are now being accepted for Fall of 2025.
Deadline is Feb 1 for Canadian and International applicants.
What we offer
- Interdisciplinary training in psychedelic history, culture and healing modalities.
- Opportunities to actively engage in both the theory and the practice of psychedelic and consciousness studies
- Connections with other professionals in this field
Microprograms
- Psychedelics & Spirituality
- Psychedelic Science (for uOttawa grad students only)
First educational program of its kind
We are developing courses and programs in Psychedelic and Consciousness Studies, where graduates will learn to:
- Apply healing approaches based on non-ordinary states of consciousness using experiential knowledge and skills in traditional healing practices.
- Promote responsible, ethical, and decolonized health care.
- Contribute to the advancement of the psychedelics discipline through research based on combination of theoretical and experimental approaches.
- Provide professional guidance and support based on research and best practices in mental health and spiritual care, while respecting sociocultural diversity and ethical norms.
Students
Courses
Faculty
Collective Years Experience
Bill Richards, PhD
JHU Psychedelic Scientist
The program is kind of a dream, and it's so needed!
Graduate Student
Psychedelics & Spirituality Microprogram
I really enjoyed the variety of speakers and perspectives and the great class discussions. I learned a lot and felt like I could respond as a whole individual. I obtained useful knowledge for the future.
Jena Karlis, MD
Psychiatrist
Congratulations on the ground breaking work you are doing to bring this subject matter into the realm of university studies.
Matt Brandon, PhD
Researcher
Thank you, Dr. Vallely and Dr. Williams, for offering such an interesting program. The content of the courses covered diverse aspects of psychedelics and provided a great overview of the field. This prompted some strong reflections in my mind and made me engage with the material at a deep level.
Graduate Student
uOttawa Communications Department
One of the best classes I have ever been a part of. Everyone was stimulated and the discussions left us hungry for more.
Academic Team
Core Faculty
Anne Vallely, PhD
Associate ProfessorClassics & Religious Studies
Monnica Williams, PhD ABPP
ProfessorPsychology
Cary Kogan, PhD
ProfessorPsychology
Psychedelic Research
A New Paradigm in Mental Health
Psychedelic medicine is an approach to mental health care that is being reignited on the world stage. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies have been shown effective in addressing a multitude of mental health conditions, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, end-of-life anxiety, and other conditions. We are working to extend this work to marginalized groups and ensure access to people of color as these treatments become mainstream.
Contact
Contact Us
Our Address
University of Ottawa
Faculty of Arts, Graduate Studies
Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
psychedelics@uottawa.ca