Columbia University School of Social Work (CSSW) is developing the first within degree psychedelic-assisted therapy training program in the world, which will prepare graduating MSWs to enter the psychedelic-assisted therapy field with over 120 classroom hours of psychedelic-specific curriculum and a relevant 600-hour practicum placement, at no additional cost to their MSW education. Students admitted to CSSW will have the opportunity to apply to the Psychedelic Therapy Training Program (PTTP), which we anticipate will be a competitive process.
While the in-degree certificate program is the primary focus of the PTTP, we plan to offer elective courses at CSSW, guest lectures, faculty training opportunities, and postgraduate education in the future. Additionally, in spring of 2023 we hosted a free learning series, Foundations in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Social Workers, which featured a spectrum of topics, including an overview of psychedelics, clinical competencies, impacts of identity and social location, and integration.
The diversity among the social work profession, along with its commitment to social justice values and its prevalence in the mental health workforce, makes our involvement critical for these treatments to be accessible to the communities who need them most.
The Psychedelic Therapy Training Program was made possible by generous contributions from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and the Joe & Sandy Samberg Foundation.