MDMA-assisted therapy & the wounded healer: Training for mental health professionals
Warmly welcome to this clinically stimulating, two‑part workshop:
Embark on a self‑reflective journey through richly immersive clinical material: a detailed, video‑based case analysis of a wounded healer’s own MDMA therapy.
This rare, unfiltered entry into the therapy room illustrates how MDMA-assisted therapy actually unfolds in real practice. You'll observe a variety of clinical phenomena and therapeutic interventions—going well beyond the impact of conventional lectures or role-play simulations.
Earlier trainings have been well received, earning 4.84 out of 5 stars from 250+ reviews:
“So wonderful – the level of vulnerability and openness, and the depth of both sharing and learning was very impactful.”
“Loved also the neutral, reflective researcher‑angle.”
What makes this training truly distinctive:
Authentic clinical footage — see subtle, real-world interventions and therapeutic processes in action.
Therapist-centered exploration — learn how personal history informs professional effectiveness and well-being.
Evidence-based depth — rooted in the latest experimental and clinical MDMA research
Together, these elements create a compelling learning experience—clinically rich, scientifically grounded, and deeply relevant—making this workshop stand out in the field.
By joining this training, you:
Help advance a new clinical protocol for empathogen-assisted therapist development—pioneering a method-independent frontier in therapist education.
Contribute to rectifying the long-standing neglect of therapists’ personal growth during training—a factor possibly linked to improved therapeutic effectiveness, resilience and wellbeing.
Support the broader field by embedding reflective, real-world training into future standards—so therapists and clients alike benefit.
NB: A sliding scale is available for those in need. After pressing “Get ticket,” click on the ticket type to see your options.
The second session of this two‑part workshop will take place on Sunday, November 2, at the same time as the first session.
This training will bring you up to date on one of the most exciting frontiers in mental health today. All too often, the true potential of MDMA as a catalyst for therapeutic processing is lost. Learn how to prepare for, navigate, facilitate, and integrate this unique state of consciousness to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
Gain an in‑depth understanding of findings, principles, and procedures from the early pioneers, modern experimental research and clinical trials, with a special emphasis on the MAPS therapy manual and its conceptual framework.
“Highly recommended – also for those who want to deepen their understanding of the psychotherapy process and therapist development as such, regardless of the specific MDMA theme.”
“This has been profound.”
“Thanks a lot for sharing your journey with us. This was both touching, powerful, and such a rich learning experience.”
“A deep and thorough introduction, which combines the research/evidence language and the experience‑based/poetic/subjective language in an exemplary way.”"Extraordinarily illuminating"
This training is a modified version of the original, placing less emphasis on the empirical status and more on clinical aspects and the wounded healer theme.
Reflect on how the wounded healer archetype applies to us—what its varied manifestations might look like, and what research tells us about its impact on the intertwined healing journeys of therapists and patients.
Learn from a certified MDMA‑assisted therapist who has participated as a client, worked as a therapist, and conducted clinical trial research on MDMA. Acquire evidence‑based knowledge and skills—and gain a clearer understanding of potential benefits for yourself and those you care about.
Excerpt from a conference abstract outlining core elements of the case analysis:
“Through the deep emotional processing, somatic release, and partial integration of the core childhood wounds that led me to become a therapist in the first place, MDMA‑assisted therapy provided insight into how much my own wounds had been unconsciously triggered on a daily basis in my role as a therapist—and into the specific ways this affected my effectiveness and well‑being. While other treatments and supervision hinted at this, MDMA‑AT actually led to change.
An instant and substantial reduction in previously unconscious anxiety and compulsory defensive behaviors—also playing out in my therapeutic role—was experienced. This resulted in less overworking and exhaustion, and increased receptiveness, trust, effectiveness, and well‑being.
Ultimately, the process led to renewed respect for, and possibly enhanced embodiment of, Carl Rogers’ principles of authenticity, empathy, and unconditional positive regard—necessary and sufficient conditions for releasing the vast inner resources of the patient, their 'self‑organizing wisdom,' central to all true healing.”
Practicalities:
Keep your camera on throughout the presentation.
Recordings will not be made available.
About the Presenter
Ivar W. Goksøyr is a specialist in clinical psychology and the founder of Psykologvirke, a leading mental health clinic in Norway. Psykologvirke collaborates nationally and internationally to develop new studies on MDMA‑assisted therapy—your participation helps support this vital work.
Ivar is a psychedelic researcher, therapist, and educator associated with the Norwegian research team Psykforsk since 2018. He is a certified MDMA‑assisted psychotherapist and assistant trainer for MAPS‑organized MDMA therapy trainings. He has received MDMA‑assisted psychotherapy as part of his training. (Note: this training is unrelated to MAPS.)
He has served as a therapist in several clinical trials—including the world’s first MDMA‑AT trial for depression—and has published research articles and spoken at international conferences on psychotherapy and psychedelic therapy. He also practices psychedelic integration therapy for ketamine and is currently integrating ketamine‑assisted therapy at his clinic. Additionally, he is trained in psilocybin‑assisted therapy and served as a consultant and administering therapist in a psilocybin trial.
Ivar frequently appears in podcasts and interviews, lectures internationally, and is a vocal advocate for scientific exploration of psychedelic‑assisted therapy.
Video lectures, interviews and publications
Co-authoring a peer-reviewed article "A model training curriculum for psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen-assisted psychotherapy" representing an international consensus statement about the topic.
You can see an impactful talk he gave at the Nordic Psychedelic Science Conference 2022 here
This is an interview he did with Bessel van der Kolk, where they compare notes about their personal experiences with MDMA-assisted therapy. Summarised 3 minute highlight reel.
This is one of his publications, a rationale for the ongoing MDMA-at for depression study.
More information about Psykologvirke
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