I donated because it hurts my heart to see the psychedelic healing space manifesting through profit driven, capitalist, colonization -shaped companies and individuals who enact extraction and exploitation on the plants and people who have carried profound healing wisdom through countless generations. This step of legalization is promising and problematic; we see the multimillion dollar retreat centers being built without concern for the land of people, nearby or far. I believe that these plants and substances have the power to cultivate the kind of radical collective change we need to survive and thrive as an interdependent species within this miraculous web of life. This can only happen when the organizations, infrastructures and people offering the medicine are themselves manifesting intersectional justice and care. When we are in right relationship with all our relations, everything is possible. I want to be part of creating those possibilities!

I donated because 1) I'm stunned at the opportunity that is represented by the legalization of psychedelics for public use and Oregon's intent to create programs to train therapists, 2) I feel a deep sense of responsibility to assist in any way I can in  ensuring safety and positive impact are maximized for communities that might otherwise be left out of the movement and 3) believe Alma Training is positioned to play a powerful role in ensuring the benefits of legalized psychedelics (and potential harms) are well understood in the communities that will benefit most and Alma has the organizational sophistication to create a program that other states will want to replicate. 

because there are multiple health-epidemics occuring in the usa.
Mental health
housing
gun violence
 I have spoken with hundreds of people in my lifetime about how using psilocybin mushrooms have saved their lives.

My own experiences -since 1983- 
resonate with the above.

I am deeply concerned with access
and inclusion of all -not just those who
can pay for a clinical visit- who may benefit from these nature-based allies.

I gave because this is a critical moment in the implementation of Measure 109. I can't imagine a group of people I'd feel more confident entrusting with this responsibility than the folks at Alma Institute. 

I gave because Alma’s approach to the sacred medicines through genuine connection to the original carriers of wisdom is what I believe  to be the way to go. And also because they are focusing the work on the communities who need the most

I gave because Alma Institute has been a ray of sunshine in my life. It's leadership is breathtaking and a force to reckon with, I truly believe Alma is pioneering a one-of-a-kind program model that will serve and heal many people for years to come. Alma contributes to my healing and I am super grateful I can play a small piece in this magical collaborative. 

I gave because I believe in Alma supporting intersectional justice in furthering new modalities of mental health care for those who need it the most.

Happy to support Alma and their mission. Rebecca - you and the entire team...keep up the great work, it is appreciated. 

I gave because Alma walks the walk, keeping relationships and care for all beings at the center of their healing work.  

Alma has come so far in such a short amount of time. Alma is doing great things. Helping people in need, including people who wouldn't have the resources to get this help. 

I support Alma because I believe a social justice and equity lens is crucial in creating healing spaces and experiences with psilocybin 

I gave because I am excited that Alma is bringing this cutting-edge health care  to communities in need.

I fully believe in your mission and your amazing organization! 

I gave because Alma's vision is the version of the psychedelic future that I want to see become real.

Our mission is to strengthen and diversify the network of legal psychedelic service providers, beginning in Oregon.

About Alma Institute: 

Our mission is to strengthen and diversify the network of legal psychedelic service providers by offering prioritized enrollment and certification opportunities to people from marginalized communities. We seek to increase benefits and prevent harms by creating pathways to apprenticeship, employment, and ongoing peer support for facilitators in this growing field.

Launching in Oregon in 2023, our social justice-rooted training program practicum to prepare students for licensure under the nation’s first legal psilocybin services program. We seek to raise industry standards so people from all backgrounds can find belonging and thrive in psychedelic work. This requires anchoring in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, feedback, accountability, and meaningful practices of sacred reciprocity. 

We exist so psychedelic healing work can not only be available to our communities, but relevant to our ancestral and lived experiences and impactful for generations to come.

Our Approach:

We hold a strong focus on continued support and skill building for new graduates, and are weaving a culture of engagement, mentorship and accountability into our programming. We will support this by hosting in person and digital integration circles for new and experienced facilitators, supporting networks of student pods to continue learning together, and leading industry-wide conversations about ethical standards and care. 

Oregon ranks among the worst for mental health conditions and is dismal in access to therapy and psychiatric services. The numbers are even worse for people from marginalized social locations. These community members experience higher rates of the very mental health conditions that psilocybin can help address. However, psilocybin is not a cure-all. Wellbeing is systemic and depends on the harmony of a variety of factors. The success of psilocybin services will depend largely on the trust and rapport established between client and facilitator, the client's sense of safety and belonging, the environment in which services occur, and importantly, the follow-up care and support provided.

As in talk therapy, it is critical that patients have the option of working with someone who has shared identifiers and can relate to their lived experience. This is especially important when working with racial and gender-based trauma and deep healing processes. 

Additionally, the lasting benefits of psilocybin will rely on external factors, such as access to healthcare, safe and consistent housing, healthy food, community support, and gainful employment. It is essential that individuals working in this new industry understand and are engaged with the intersectional approach to wellbeing and community health; if they don't, the industry will be peddling a short-term band-aid solution, with service sites overwhelmed by high-paying experience seekers and fail to deliver on the promises of lasting change and healing promoted by the Psilocybin Services Act. 

Alma Institute seeks to bring a deeper inquiry to psychedelic therapies and help raise standards for the field at large. If we are successful, we can shift the conversation from one laser focused on mental health, to one about the historical roots of our suffering and the systemic shifts needed for collective healing.

Alma Institute

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Founder and Executive Director of Alma Institute. Endeavoring to seed equity, access, and justice in the field of psychedelic healing.

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Alma Institute